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Holland America -- Culinary Arts Center -- Foodies at Sea
Holland
America Line has embarked on a new cruise concept that combines two of
our favorite passions….cruising and cooking! Now onboard all Holland
ships, the Culinary Arts Center (CAC) is the result of a partnership of the
line and Food & Wine magazine and will appeal to anyone who likes
to cook, eat, read cookbooks, drink wine, and watch the Food Network.
Depending on the length of the cruise, various CAC offerings include: complimentary cooking demonstrations; semi-private cooking classes (maximum of 12 per class); recipe cards, wine tasting notes, copies of Food & Wine (on select cruises); and demonstrations and seminars by top chefs, wine experts, and leading cookbook authors (also on select cruises).
The “hub”
of the CAC is an elaborate show kitchen on each ship that is similar to that
used by celebrity chefs on television cooking programs. The state-of-the-art
“show kitchen at sea” features large plasma video screens to display
overhead and close-up views of the food preparation, a large cooking display
counter for chefs and chef wannabes, and modern appliances like a Wolf range,
Sub Zero refrigeration, and Kitchen Aid accessories.
Between all the cooking classes, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and amazing meals in the dining room and Holland’s Pacific Northwest specialty restaurant, all we had to do was walk outside for beautiful Caribbean scenery, pink-sand beaches and the crystal blue waters of the ocean. I’m sure this is what heaven is like.