Culinary trainer David Bilsland, a former instructor at the Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in London, is prepared to host Silversea's "Relais & Châteaux L'École des Chefs" interactive cooking school in 2013.
On 14 ultra-luxury voyages across the globe, Chef Bilsland will present a program developed in collaboration with Jacques Thorel, a consulting Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux. Silversea offers the only "Relais & Châteaux L'École des Chefs" cooking school at sea. The free program provides guests with a special culinary curriculum, including hands-on instruction and events.
Highlights of the program include specialized workshops covering topics from basic knife skills and kitchen terminology to sauces and baking; cooking demonstrations with wine pairings and interactive Q&A sessions; lively cooking competitions between Chef Bilsland and the ship's own culinary team; a "Lunch and Learn" event offering small groups of guests a chance to sample a delicious meal of specially prepared dishes; and inspired "Take It Home" recipes that will give guests an edge when entertaining at home.
Also offered on certain voyages, when the itinerary permits, is a "Market to Plate" experience that provides an escorted tour of a local market followed by a cooking class, and a "Culinary Outing," an instructor-escorted excursion to a local restaurant, hotel or other venue where guests can enjoy a unique culinary exploration.
Following below is a small selection of the L'École des Chefs voyages for 2013:
Africa
Voyage 2336: Silver Wind departs Las Palmas Dec. 3 on an 18-day sailing to Cape Town with calls in Porto Novo, Praia, Dakar, Takoradi, Walvis Bay and Lüderitz. Silver Privilege fares start at $5,450.
Asia
Voyage 3329: Silver Shadow departs Tokyo Sept. 29 on a 10-day sailing to Shanghai with calls in Hiroshima, Busan, Jeju and Tianjin (Beijing). Silver Privilege fares start at $4,350.
Voyage 3331: Silver Shadow departs Tokyo Oct. 19 on a 12-day sailing to Hong Kong with calls in Osaka, Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Shanghai and Xiamen. Silver Privilege fares start at $5,650.
Mediterranean
Voyage 2334: Silver Wind departs Rome Nov. 19 on a seven-day sailing to Málaga with calls in Sorrento, Trapani, Valletta, La Goulette and Cartagena. Silver Privilege fares start at $2,050.
Voyage 2335: Silver Wind departs Málaga Nov. 26 on a seven-day sailing to Las Palmas with calls in Cádiz, Casablanca, Agadir, Arrecife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Santa Cruz de la Palma. Silver Privilege fares start at $2,750 for a Veranda Suite (Vista Suites are sold out).
Northern Europe
Voyage 7309: Silver Explorer departs Lisbon April 29 on a 14-day "Flavors of Europe" voyage to Portsmouth with calls in Oporto (Leixoes), Vigo, Santander, St. Jean de Luz, Bordeaux, Quiberon, Saint-Malo, Guernsey and Honfleur. Silver Privilege fares start at $6,850 (for Adventurer Class accommodations).
Voyage 1318: Silver Cloud departs Southampton June 9 on a 10-day sailing to Copenhagen with calls in Honfleur, Oostende, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Warnemünde (Rostock) and Helsingborg. Silver Privilege fares start at $4,150.
South Pacific
Voyage 5304: Silver Spirit departs Los Angeles Feb. 1 on a 31-day roundtrip odyssey exploring the enchanting isles of the South Pacific with calls in the Marquesas Islands, Rangiroa, Society Islands, Kiribati and Hawaii. Silver Privilege fares start at $14,550.
Transoceanic
Voyage 3328: Silver Shadow departs Vancouver Sept. 12 on a 16-day transpacific voyage to Tokyo with calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Kodiak, Petropavlovsk (Kamchatka) and Hakodate. Silver Privilege fares start at $6,250 for a Veranda 1 Suite (Vista Suites are sold out).
For more information, visit www.silversea.com.