Swan Hellenic has announced the appointment of Jörg Lehmann as executive chef of its first 5-star expedition cruise ship, the SH Minerva, which will embark on its maiden voyage this November. Jörg brings extensive experience in the cruise industry, having risen to the top of the market at Crystal Cruises, Silversea, and Seabourn, where he became the company's youngest executive chef at the age of 26. Later, on land, he developed the culinary offerings for a luxury beach resort in Zanzibar and subsequently his own hotel and restaurants in Sweden.
Accepting an invitation to return to Seabourn as a guest chef on a prestigious farewell cruise in 2015, Jörg rediscovered his love for creating gastronomic sensations for the demanding guests of small expedition ships, subsequently working with SeaDream Yacht Club, Noble Caledonia, Hurtigruten and now Swan Hellenic.
As executive chef, Jörg is already deeply involved in creating SH Minerva's varied menus, including creative Italian and Asian fusion dishes in collaboration with newly appointed consulting chefs Andrea Ribaldone and Sang Keun Oh, working directly with them in Italy and Moscow respectively.
Andrea is an influential Italian chef with an extraordinary list of achievements. These include earning a Michelin star for La Fermata, founding the gastronomic consultancy ARCO, becoming executive chef at Eataly Tokyo, renovating Due Buoi in Alessandra and earning a Michelin star, managing Osteria Arborina in the village of Annunziata, La Morra, and earning a Michelin star, as well as launching and managing a whole host of highly successful, innovative gastronomic concepts and venues.
The legendary Korean innovator Sang Keun Oh brings unparalleled expertise in Japanese cuisine, acquired at the renowned Tsuji Culinary Institute, as well as in French cuisine, having served as Head Chef of London's Franco-Japanese restaurant L'Étranger, which received two AA rosettes under his leadership. This led to a string of enormous successes in Russia as Executive Chef of the Asian menus at Moscow's famous floating restaurants Lastochka and Chaika, followed by his own acclaimed modern Japanese restaurant, Hibiki. Sang Keun Oh now shares his unique knowledge to bring Swan Hellenic a gastronomic offering of exceptional quality, diversity, and creativity.
“We are delighted to have assembled such an extraordinary team of talent,” commented Hans Heger, Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations at the Swan Hellenic, “which guarantees that our guests will not only see what others don’t, but also savor exceptional flavors and textures throughout their journey. I must confess that I have already tasted some of the dishes being developed, and they are simply out of this world.”.
“It’s a pleasure to work with such a professional team,” observed consulting chef Andrea Ribaldone, “all fully committed to creating a unique dining experience. I’m delighted to be part of the effort to bring yet another facet of this iconic pioneer’s unparalleled onboard quality of life.”.
“I’ve been very impressed by the dedication of the Swan Hellenic team,” agreed consulting chef Sang Keun Oh. “We’ve worked incredibly well together to create onboard cuisine as spectacular as the company’s legendary cultural expedition cruises.”.
“It is a great honor for me to work with such a distinguished company, crafting an incredible array of truly inspired dishes,” concluded Executive Chef Jörg Lehmann. “I can’t wait to unveil our inaugural menus and see our guests’ faces as they dine on board!”
