A “Spotlight on Cuisine” Cruise

By John and Sandra Nowlan

A culinary theme cruise is always appealing, especially on an ultra-luxury line like Regent. In this case the unusual ten-day itinerary made it even more fascinating. We started in Amsterdam, sailed through the North Sea to begin our visits to several ports in Scotland and Wales before disembarking in Le Havre, France, for flights home from Paris.

After an easy boarding process and champagne welcome on Regent’s newest ship, the 746 passenger Seven Seas Grandeur we, like many guests, headed for the buffet restaurant on deck 11 while passing and admiring some of the 300,000 pounds of polished marble, 503 chandeliers and the ship’s $6 million art collection including three Picassos and a unique Fabergé egg. Public spaces were stunning!

*Le Veranda, Grandeur’s buffet restaurant*

Le Veranda, the buffet restaurant, was surprisingly elegant. Every table had a white linen tablecloth with high end German made Schonwald dinnerware and quality Sambonet silver plate flatware. Not your ordinary cruise ship buffet setting. And the food was certainly not ordinary with an appetizing choice of several hot dishes including a prime rib carving station, freshly steamed vegetables and imaginative desserts. We were offered choices of complimentary wine, beer or cocktails, even tasty non-alcohol versions.

After lunch we unpacked, reviewed the safety video and admired our large 331 square foot balcony suite. It featured a king size bed with luxurious, high thread-count sheets, convenient lighting and power outlets with plenty of storage space and a walk-in closet. The bathroom had both a tub and separate shower with double sinks and convenient space for all our toiletries. We’d rate it as among the best cruise ship bathrooms we’ve ever seen. A heated floor would have made it perfect.

*The elegant and unique Compass Rose main dining room*

Our first meal on Grandeur, the buffet, showed us the high level of service from some of the 548 well-trained staff and the ship’s attention to detail. We were even more astonished as we headed for dinner at Compass Rose, the main dining room. With a simulated cascading waterfall at the entrance, the large, imaginative room resembled an enchanted forest of trees forming a canopy with dazzling jewels on their trunks. It was spectacular during the day but we were in awe as night approached and the sides of the room turned into an optical illusion of infinity.

*Compass Rose entrance. Waiters ready to escort guests to tables*

The menu in Compass Rose was the most complete we’ve ever seen on a cruise ship. In addition to a wide choice of daily specials on the right side, the left side of the large menu had an “Always Available” list of more than a dozen favorites ranging from Black Angus Filet Mignon to whole Dover Sole with many sauces and choices of side dishes. One guest told us he ordered Lobster Tail every evening for dinner. The Rossini style tenderloin with seared foie gras we ordered was the best piece of beef we’ve enjoyed on any cruise.

*Chef John Stephano in his Culinary Arts Kitchen*

To our disappointment, the well-promoted guest celebrity chef, Christopher Gross, a James Beard Award winner, didn’t make an appearance until near the end of the cruise but it gave us a chance to sample Grandeur’s three specialty restaurants. But before trying them we passed the ship’s extensive library and headed to the bright and well-equipped Culinary Arts Kitchen on Deck 11 to meet its cheerful and knowledgeable Chief Instructor, Chef John Stephano of Philadelphia. His extra-cost classes ($US89) for 18 students are held each day, twice on sea days. “Because most of our guests are well traveled and sophisticated,” he told us, “my classes try to teach something new – a deep dive to the area, to the region.” He said he wants guests to understand the history of a cuisine. “If we can impart the richness and culture of the past, then guests have a better understanding of how the food affects their palate. Most people consume food. We want guests to taste it.” Chef Stephano had planned to take guests on a shopping and cooking expedition in Invergordon, Scotland, but the trip was cancelled when it was discovered that the preferred butcher shop was closed on Sundays.

Taste was our objective over the next few days as we tried the three complimentary specialty restaurants. Appropriately, the entrance to the Deck 5 Pacific Rim Asian restaurant had a full size bronze Bonsai cherry tree with pink petals of Murano glass. We enjoyed several imaginative items from its extensive menu including Peking duck & watermelon salad, Canadian lobster tempura, pork and shrimp dim sum and flavorful miso black cod. Our optional chopsticks were put to good use. The other two specialty restaurants were close to each other on Deck 10. Typical of a good steakhouse, Prime 7 offered us large portions of high quality beef, pork, lamb and veal in addition to surf & turf or a whole lobster. Chartreuse evoked memories of a fine Parisian restaurant with appetizers of steak tartare & caviar and terrine de fois gras au sauternes topped with three rings (chef Gross later told us this was his favorite dish on the cruise). Entrée choices included fillet of halibut and seared Barbary duck breast. The complimentary wine was mostly from France.

We arranged a tour of the sparkling clean, stainless steel galley and met Senior Executive Chef Dino Schwager. He told us that “Destination Dishes” in Compass Rose were an important part of this Spotlight cruise. He added that they try to reflect the region (Fish and Chips and Irish stew on separate evenings were typical) but if the ship can get fresh fish, he prefers it over a frozen product. That explained how Mahi Mahi, picked up fresh en route, turned up on the menu as a “Destination Dish”.

*Senior Executive Chef Dino Schwager in his high tech galley*

*Guest Chef Christopher Gross prepares his chocolate dessert*

The guest chef, Christopher Gross, owner/chef at Christopher’s in Phoenix, finally got a chance to shine on the second last day of the cruise. On stage with overhead TV cameras focusing on the food, he carefully prepared a complex Parnassienne au Chocolate, a chocolate mousse tower covered by a dark chocolate lattice. It became a popular dessert feature at Compass Rose in the evening. Chef Gross was entertaining and very skilled but we, like many guests, were hoping he’d have even more culinary techniques and advice to share. He even told us he wished the ship had kept him busier.

The cooking presentation was in the 750 seat Constellation Theatre, the main showplace on Seven Seas Grandeur. Taking up decks 4 and 5 at the front of the ship, the comfortable theatre featured lectures and other presentations during the day and entertainment each evening. We were very impressed by the seven-piece band that accompanied most acts. The main performances involved eight resident dancers and four singers with complex shows on three separate nights. The dancers were great, the singers less so. One solo act stood out. Nik Page, a veteran West End performer, had a range of four octaves and received standing ovations for his energetic versions of hit songs from Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera.

*Imaginative shows in the Constellation Theatre*

We’re always sad when a cruise of this quality comes to an end. But with the marvelous cuisine on Seven Seas Grandeur and the well-organized tours to Scottish castles, battlefields, archaeological sites and distilleries, we did learn much more about the history and culture of this unique and rich area of our planet. Our one regret was that the chefs chose not to prepare and serve traditional haggis, Scotland’s national dish.

John and Sandra Nowlan are travel and food writers based in Halifax.

Photos by John and Sandra Nowlan

Regent Seven Seas Grandeur

A “Spotlight on Cuisine” Cruise

Swan Hellenic’s SH Vega