Windstar Cruises has announced the list of James Beard Foundation-affiliated chefs for its 2022 series of three culinary cruises. The trio of women includes Atlanta chef Jennifer Hill Booker, San Francisco chef Tanya Holland, and Boston chef Irene Li.
Windstar is the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation. This nonprofit organization's mission is to celebrate, support, and elevate the people behind America's food culture and champion a standard of fine dining rooted in talent, equity, and sustainability. The Foundation aligns strongly with Windstar's commitment to delivering fresh, locally sourced epicurean experiences around the world.
All three themed cruises include onboard cooking demonstrations, as well as a four-course meal from the JBF chef available at a wine-paired dinner. Port and health restrictions permitting, the chefs will also lead a market visit, sourcing fresh, local ingredients for the dishes served onboard. The three chefs will provide multiple recipes to be included on Windstar's menus, in addition to the menu of specialty dishes served across the fleet.
“As the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation, our guests can meet culinary superstars and sample dishes created by some of the world’s best chefs,” says Windstar’s Vice President of Hotel Operations and Product Development, Stijn Creupelandt
Windstar's three culinary cruises are as follows:
Chef Jennifer Hill Booker has combined her Southern culinary heritage, her belief in healthy/seasonal foods, and her classical French training to create a unique style of cooking she calls Modern Southern Healthy Cuisine with a French Accent. The eight-day cruise aboard Windstar's flagship, the Wind Surf, includes two stops in Colombia, a day in pristine Bocas del Toro, Panama, and time in Puerto Limón, Costa Rica. The cruise concludes in Colón, Panama, offering the perfect opportunity to tour the Panama Canal before heading home.
Known for her inventiveness in modern soul food as well as her classic dishes, Chef Tanya Holland is the executive chef and owner of the beloved Brown Sugar Kitchen restaurants in Oakland, California. The 10-day cruise aboard the newly redesigned Star Breeze showcases the West Coast's delightful ports and culinary scene. Small-ship ports like Portland (accessible via the Columbia River) alternate with stops in the grande dames of Seattle, San Francisco, and San Diego. Charming Santa Barbara and Victoria round out the itinerary for this unique voyage, which concludes in Vancouver.
Chef Irene Li opened Mei Mei, a family-run Chinese restaurant in Boston, in 2013 to great success, and has spent the following years pushing the industry toward ethical sourcing and fair, transparent employment practices. She has founded and served several organizations dedicated to helping those in need during the pandemic, as well as championing restaurants by creating tools and resources to support businesses of all sizes to thrive sustainably and equitably. The 11-day voyage aboard the newly redesigned Star Pride travels from Montreal to Boston, beginning with an overnight stay in Quebec City. Stops include Gaspé, Cap aux Meules, Louisbourg, Halifax, and Lunenburg in Canada before Bar Harbor and Portland in Maine.
