EUROPA 2 Culinary School: Cookery Courses at Sea

[HostDave]

-- Preparing dishes indigenous to the cruise destinations
-- Cookery courses focus on special delicacies, e.g. sushi, truffles or foie gras
-- On family cruises: children’s pizza baking sessions
-- “Connoisseurs of Cuisine” - workshops hosted by gourmet experts, who share their skills

The Miele Culinary School on board the EUROPA 2, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ five-star-plus ship*, complements the wide range of cuisine offered by the seven different restaurants on this luxury cruise ship. In cookery courses where entertainment is all part of the learning, interested guests not only learn about the cuisine they will discover at individual destinations but also are taught how to conjure up these delicious works of art themselves and present them on the table with creative flair. On special “Connoisseurs of Cuisine” cruises, internationally-renowned gourmet experts such as the Michelin-starred chef de cuisine at A-ROSA resorts, Sarah Henke, or also Wolfgang Otto of the Otto Gourmet mail order company, are offering workshops in the Culinary School – and revealing one or two professional tricks along the way.

Those who get the urge to brandish their own chef’s spoon during their cruise on the EUROPA 2 can attend a cookery course in the Culinary School on Deck 9. Under the direction of our experienced chefs de cuisine, participants learn how to prepare a multi-course menu corresponding to the cuisine of the region through which they are travelling. Themed cookery courses are also held, focusing on foods such as sushi, truffles, or foie gras.

Designed for groups of up to eight people, the cookery courses are held during the morning on all cruises and can be booked as an alternative to shore excursions. Participation costs EUR 80 per person and includes accompanying wines, a chef’s apron and recipes.

As an example, a cookery course that takes place during the Mediterranean cruises is based on the theme “Foray into the Mediterranean”. During the approximately 4-hour course, the “trainee chefs” learn how to prepare a cold tomato and pepper gazpacho, freshly caught turbot with basil risotto, plus a saffron sauce and various oils. Once the menu is ready, the cooks gather round the table to sample their handiwork, accompanied by the appropriate wines.

Children’s pizza baking sessions

Those on a family cruise also discover that a visit to the Culinary School is great fun: on one occasion during each cruise, several children gather around the oven for the ever-popular pizza-baking session. All of the children help to prepare their own pizza and then afterwards sit down together to enjoy it.

Culinary workshops with gourmet experts

During selected “Connoisseurs of Cuisine” cruises, guests have the opportunity to take part in workshops led by gourmet experts, where they are given first-hand tips and tricks they can try out at once, under guidance, in a practical setting. That is why, for example, Sarah Henke, the Michelin-starred chef de cuisine at “Spices” restaurant in the A-ROSA resort on the German island of Sylt is on board. A specialist in the supreme art of sushi preparation, she passes on her skills to guests. On the cruise from Dubai to Dubai in April 2014, the Culinary School will be transformed into the Otto Gourmet “Perfect Meat Academy”. Under the direction of Wolfgang Otto, guests will come to grips with the topic of “Meat”.