January 2022

 

 

Tell us a bit about yourself – why did you want to become a Chef? How did your career start and what is your current position in MSC Cruises?

 

“I’ve inherited the love for cooking from my family and this passion has grown with me. I started my career as a Chef right after secondary school and I’ve travelled the world ever since. I’ve worked in the USA, Japan, Thailand, Germany, Dubai, Maldives and Italy before starting my job with MSC Cruises as Corporate Chef for the Specialty Restaurants.”

 

Specialty restaurants offer a huge range of extraordinary culinary experiences onboard our ships. Would you give us an overview of the variety of Specialty Restaurants available on our ships? Which one, in your opinion, is the crown jewel?

 

“Our guests are really spoilt for choice! The Butcher’s Cut is a real American-style steakhouse offering the finest cuts of meat. It’s available on most of our ships and was developed after extensive field research in Las Vegas. The Kaito Sushi Bar is also available on many ships. Guests really appreciate the refined service and delicious food. Another popular choice is the Kaito Teppanyaki, which was expertly developed to ensure a mesmerizing cooking show where guests can watch their dishes being created with amazing flair and skill. If you love fish then you have to try the Ocean Cay Seafood Restaurant. With only the freshest fish served, you are guaranteed a truly fine-dining experience. We have recently opened Hola! Tacos & Cantina, a new Latin-American inspired casual street food restaurant. Guests can sample tamales, empanadas, tacos and nachos, all accompanied by delicious homemade margaritas and special Tequilas. Last but not least, we are offering a wonderful blend of Vietnamese and French cuisine with our brand-new Indochine Restaurant. Guests can enjoy unique dishes made with world-class ingredients.

The crown jewel? Probably the Indochine Restaurant. The quality is simply amazing.”

 

How do you ensure such a high standard across the whole fleet for ingredients, service and menu options?

 

“It’s the result of an amazing teamwork which is based on the strict control on the raw materials to be brought on board, plus the freshest provisions and the adherence of our dishes to the original recipes from those countries.”

 

The MSC Fleet is growing fast and there are several innovations on the way. We’ve already seen something new on MSC Seashore, such as the Indochine Restaurant you mentioned earlier. Can you tell us a bit more and give us a sneak peek of what’s in store for our foodie guests?

 

“We have recently enhanced the Kaito Sushi Bar on board MSC Seashore with a Sushi Belt. This is a conveyor belt where delicious dishes are transported right in front of our guests. We’ve also increased the number of cooking stations at our popular Teppanyaki. Plus we have a lot more in store for future ships. We’ll introduce the Green House (Chef's Garden Kitchen), a “green” restaurant always serving healthy and fresh food, especially vegetables. Some Microgreens may even be grown with a hydroponic display on board. The aim is to offer a healthy, tasty and totally sustainable food experience. We’ll also have La Pescaderia, a sort of fish market in which our guests can choose the fish they prefer among the freshest ones available that day.”

 

To sum up, why, in your opinion, is a dinner at one of our Specialty Restaurants a must-do when cruising with MSC Cruises?

 

“Our Specialty Restaurants offer a unique experience, where first-class ingredients combine with new and exciting recipes. But it is not just the food, but the exclusive individual service in a refined and cozy atmosphere. We ensure our guests get to travel the world through mouthwatering food and top-class ingredients, but still really great value for money.”

 

And now tell us a bit more about you. What is your favourite ingredient or dish among the ones offered in our Specialty Restaurants?

 

“I personally love chilli! Generally speaking, I love salads and food from Thailand, which is where my wife comes from. My favourite dish is Som Tum - a real explosion of flavours!”