OCEANIA CRUISES CELEBRATES 15 YEARS OF THE CULINARY CENTER, THE WORLD'S FIRST HANDS-ON COOKING SCHOOL AT SEA
Rhea-AI Summary
Oceania Cruises marks 15 years of The Culinary Center, the world's first hands-on cooking school at sea, introducing new classes for 2025. The center, available on four ships - Marina, Riviera, Vista, and the upcoming Allura, features over 60 classes in custom-built teaching kitchens. New course offerings spotlight cuisines from the Pacific Northwest, Polynesia, and Australia.
Led by Chef Kathryn Kelly, Director of Culinary Enrichment, the program includes Culinary Discovery Tours in over 40 destinations worldwide. The center's 11 Chef Instructors bring diverse expertise from prestigious institutions like The Culinary Institute of America and Le Cordon Bleu. New 2025 classes include Culinary Northwest Passage, Down Under Abundance, It's a Dessert Party, South Seas Salt Life, and Snow Days Brunch.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction – NCLH
In the trading session that priced this news, NCLH gained 2.76%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
New classes added for 2025, including a spotlight on the Pacific Northwest,
Download high-resolution images here (Credit: Oceania Cruises)
Announced 15 years ago ahead of the launch of Marina™, the first purpose-built foodie-ship for the line, Oceania Cruises' Culinary Center is now available on four of its elegant ships, Marina, Riviera™, Vista™, and Allura™, its newest ship due to join the fleet in Summer 2025.
In celebration of this 15-year milestone, Oceania Cruises has added new culinary classes for 2025, putting the spotlight on dishes from the Pacific Northwest of
The Culinary Center boasts more than 60 current classes taught in custom-built teaching kitchens with individual stations and professional-grade equipment. The classes offer the chance to explore a destination's culture and history through food, or to hone core kitchen skills thanks to the faculty of dedicated Chef Instructors.
Chef Kathryn Kelly, Oceania Cruises' Director of Culinary Enrichment, is the founder and driving force behind The Culinary Center and oversees Oceania Cruises' team of 11 talented Chef Instructors.
She is also the chief architect of the line's signature range of Culinary Discovery Tours™, a key part of The Culinary Center program. These popular chef-led excursions, which are available in more than 40 destinations worldwide, feature the opportunity to learn to cook destination-inspired dishes back on board after a morning of shopping for ingredients in local markets, or to learn from local experts and artisans about the food and culture of the region. Chef Kelly is planning a new swathe of chef-led tours for 2025 which will be announced in the coming months.
"We are the only cruise built by foodies, for foodies. Food is at the heart of everything we do at Oceania Cruises - we have literally built our ships around the culinary experience, from vast galley spaces to an unparalleled range of restaurants. I am so proud to say we were the first line ever to have a hands-on cooking school at sea, and the popularity of The Culinary Center shows no sign of abating. This is testament to the incredible work done by Chef Kelly and her creative team, as they continue to drive our culinary legacy," said Frank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises.
Chef Kelly added: "It's been an amazing evolution over the past 15 years, from the first Culinary Center aboard Marina, followed by Riviera, to the even more expansive Culinary Centers on board Vista and her sister Allura, which have twice the number of individual stations. I am thrilled to be working with such a creative and collaborative team as we constantly look for new dishes and class themes to introduce to our curious guests."
When not on board, the team lives in locations all over the world, from
The talented Culinary Center Chef Instructors have hundreds of years of experience and fascinating career histories between them. Backgrounds include an early career as Julia Child's executive assistant; executive chef for world-renowned television shows such as "Sesame Street" and "30 Rock"; and leading the food programs of blue chip companies including Google and Amazon. With graduates from The Culinary Institute of America, Le Cordon Bleu, and
New Classes for 2025
- Culinary Northwest Passage
One of the trendiest regions in the culinary world today is the Pacific Northwest. Truly a celebration of the farmer and the fisherman, this class is inspired by the innovative chefs from
- Down Under Abundance
When our chefs travel to
- It's a Dessert Party
Make your early dinner plans as usual, then join us at 8:00 p.m. for a dessert and beverages class before the evening show begins. You might prepare a decadent lava cake paired with a glass of Champagne, or you might make a crêpes Suzette paired with a Grand Marnier spritzer. Join us for a marvelously sweet way to spend your evening between dinner and the show.
- South Seas Salt Life
After a day lounging on a pristine white beach complete with a swim in a blue lagoon, doesn't some grilled seafood and an exotic fruit drink sound divine? Polynesian cuisine celebrates fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients with subtle influences from
- Snow Days Brunch
Is there any better feeling than the first snowfall? For many of us, it makes us want to bake our favorite cinnamon rolls or egg casserole. Join us for a celebration of those leisurely days when it is snowy outside and we want to share family favorites with loved ones and warm our toes by the fire. No snow day brunch is complete without warming or bubbly cocktails, so we'll share some of our mixologists' most popular recipes for taking the chill off. See you at brunch.
For additional information on Oceania Cruises' small-ship luxury, exquisitely crafted cuisine, and expertly curated travel experiences, visit OceaniaCruises.com, call 855-
Additional information
Biography
Chef Kathryn Kelly, Director of Culinary Enrichment
Chef Kathryn Kelly is the founder and driving force behind The Culinary Center, overseeing Oceania Cruises' faculty of dedicated Chef Instructors. She is the chief architect of more than 100 unique culinary classes as well as Oceania Cruises' signature range of Culinary Discovery Tours™, immersive chef-led excursions offered in more than 40 destinations worldwide.
Chef Kelly was one of the first members to be inducted into Oceania Cruises' Culinary Advisory Board earlier this year thanks to her inherent passion for food, for learning, and for sharing her incredible knowledge and skills in inclusive, lively, and informative ways.
She serves alongside the Board's co-chairs – Master Chef Jacques Pépin, chef and television personality Giada De Laurentiis, and the line's two Master Chefs of
Chef Kelly completed her doctoral studies in Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and holds two master's degrees in Community Medicine and Biostatistics. After a fulfilling career in health care, she pursued her lifelong dream of becoming a chef, graduating with honors from The Culinary Institute of America in the fifth decade of her life. Chef Kelly resides on Amelia Island,
About Oceania Cruises
Oceania Cruises® is the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line. The line's eight small, luxurious ships carry a maximum of 1,250 guests and feature The Finest Cuisine at Sea® and destination-rich itineraries that span the globe. Expertly curated travel experiences are available aboard the designer-inspired, small ships, which call on more than 600 marquee and boutique ports in more than 100 countries on seven continents, on voyages that range from seven to more than 200 days. Oceania Cruises® has two additional ships on order scheduled for delivery in 2027 and 2028 or 2029[1]. Oceania Cruises® is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH). To learn more, visit www.nclhltd.com.
[1] Delivery for the second Oceania Cruises ship is contractually scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2028, but may be delayed to 2029.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oceania-cruises-celebrates-15-years-of-the-culinary-center-the-worlds-first-hands-on-cooking-school-at-sea-302312198.html
SOURCE Oceania Cruises