Internationally renowned chef Curtis Stone sets sail adding cruises to his leading restaurant repertoire
INTERNATIONALLY renowned Aussie chef Curtis Stone has set sail for more culinary success, adding cruise ships to his restaurant repertoire.
AUSTRALIANS can officially munch on the cuisine of culinary king Curtis Stone now that his partnership with Princess Cruises has set sail.
The Curtis Stone restaurants at sea are called ‘Share’ and guests at a special tasting today were treated to menus of his signature dishes that are ‘designed to share and maybe take you out of your comfort zone.’
And the most extraordinary part? Cruise guests can order a prix fixe (fixed price) 5 course meal by Curtis Stone for an affordable $39.
“We’re also doing a special Chef’s table too which is a bit fancy, caviar and a real behind-the-scenes experience,’’ says Stone.
“I always use the example of Las Vegas when it comes to cruising,’’ Curtis told news.com.au. “Vegas used to be cheapish, few dollar buffets but now there are Michelin chefs and of course there are still less expensive alternatives, but cruising, like Vegas has come the full circle.”
“Princess are the best of the best when it comes to food as they have a great attitude to sourcing the best of fresh food,’’ Curtis told news.com.au
“We always source the best from which ever port we are in and hey, we’re in Sydney, so of course, we have access to the freshest and the best of the best.”
Australians have been among the first cruisers to experience ‘Share’ on the Princess ship, Sun Princess while the Emerald Princess, which arrives next month, will also feature the Curtis’s culinary skills.
The days of the buffest and, umm, questionable Bain marie are just about over — with a push to make food a major priority, as opposed to a secondary consideration. Needless to say, cruise companies are all upping their culinary ante.
The Curtis Stone ‘Share’ menu features dishes like a charcuterie starter course; a prawn, tomato and Romaine salad; roasted crab legs; beef cheek pie; wild mushrooms, oh, and potato gratin finished with shaved white truffles. That’s before you even get started on dessert.
Internationally known, Melbourne-born Curtis began his cooking career at the age of 18 in Australia and later honed his skills at Michelin-starred restaurants in London. He has appeared on a number of top-rated cooking programs, including Oprah and starred as a mentor on the US Food Network’s All-Star Academy. He is also host of the Network’s show, Beach Eats.
Known for his ‘fresh’ approach to food, Curtis says he has teamed with a company who he thinks is the best and has the same aesthetic.
The Princess Cruises had five ships sailing from Australia last summer — its biggest ever presence Down Under — including Golden Princess, Diamond Princess, Sun Princess, Sea Princess and Dawn Princess.
With cruising becoming a bigger and bigger choice of holiday makers, we can expect to see just as many ships entering our harbours over the summer months.
While catering for 24 people, as he does at his much lauded Los Angeles restaurant Maude is a lot different to dealing with a cruise ship with 2400 mouths to feed, Curtis has just been awarded there Best ‘new’ LA restaurant with his latest butcher and eatery, Gwen.
“I am lucky to have great teams all around the world and with Facetime, I am able to check in with any of them any time of the day,’’ adds Curtis.
“While I am mainly in Los Angeles, it is incredibly important we keep the standard high and deliver exactly what we promise which is good, fresh, mouth-watering food.
Emirates’ huge $160m Aussie move
A popular international airline has resumed direct flights to this Aussie city for the first time in four and a half years.
Qantas plane you won’t ever see again
Aussies will no longer see this iconic Qantas plane as the last remaining aircraft recently took to the skies for the final time.
Chinese cops declare war on Halloween
Chinese police are cracking down on Halloween in Shanghai, dispersing costumed crowds and hauling people away.