Holland America Line's Culinary Arts Center Program Features Celebrated Experts During The Summer Season

Kevin Sbraga, Denise Vivaldo, Sonia Hunt, Angelo Sosa, and Jonathon Sawyer share their culinary expertise with cruise guests

SEATTLE, May 23, 2012 /CNW/ - During Holland America Line's summer cruise season, the Culinary Arts Center program presented by Food & Wine magazine will host five of the world's most celebrated chefs who will showcase their expertise and share tips with guests. Chef Kevin Sbraga, Food Stylist Denise Vivaldo, Entrepreneur Sonia Hunt, Chef Angelo Sosa, and Chef Jonathon Sawyer will be aboard five of the line's premium ships in July and August as part of the line's robust Culinary Arts program that offers culinary enrichment opportunities for guests on more than 500 cruises annually.

During their cruises, the experts will perform complimentary cooking demonstrations in the Culinary Arts Center, the line's state-of-the-art show kitchens aboard each ship. The interactive sessions include recipe handouts, food tastings and the opportunity for questions and answers and photos with the culinary celebrities.

Chef Sbraga is scheduled to sail aboard ms Noordam's 10-day Roman Empire cruise departing July 17. He opened his first restaurant, Sbraga, in 2011 on Philadelphia's iconic Avenue of the Arts. In September 2010, Sbraga became the first African-American "Top Chef" after winning season seven of the Bravo hit series. He attended Johnson & Wales' College of Culinary Arts in Providence, R.I., where he studied abroad in Brussels and earned an esteemed apprenticeship with Chef Dominique Michou. He later served as executive chef of Rat's Restaurant in New Jersey where he created a contemporary French menu inspired by the Provencal region.

Vivaldo is scheduled to sail aboard ms Westerdam's July 21 seven-day Alaskan Explorer cruise. She graduated Chef de Cuisine from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. In 1988, she founded Food Fanatics, a catering, recipe-development and food styling firm based in Los Angeles. Vivaldo has catered more than 10,000 parties and styled food for various television shows including "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Inside Dish with Rachel Ray." Vivaldo is the author of several best-selling culinary books including "How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business," "The Entertaining Encyclopedia: Essential Tips for Hosting the Perfect Party," and "The Food Stylist's Handbook."

Hunt is scheduled to sail aboard ms Oosterdam's seven-day Alaskan Explorer cruise departing July 22. She is the President of Noie Media, LLC a multimedia production company, and creator and host of "Stirring It Up!" — a lifestyle entertainment show. She has been a healthy living expert on the "Art of Living" celebrity radio show and continues to host and perform cooking demos in celebrity food and wine events around the country. Hunt focuses on helping people with food issues and food allergies, like herself, to "Stay Safe, Live Healthy and Eat Well." Hunt also is a digital media technology entrepreneur where she creates and builds products and services for global brands in the food and wine, entertainment, technology and consumer electronics industries.

Chef Sosa is scheduled to sail aboard ms Prinsendam's 14-day Norway and British Isles voyage departing August 8. His most recent project is Social Eatz where he works as executive chef and owner, designing a menu that blends New York City staples with flavors from across Asia. In 2010, he was a contestant on season seven of Bravo's hit reality show, "Top Chef." He was then invited to compete on "Top Chef All Stars." Sosa, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, opened SmithHouse in 2011 in Los Angeles, Calif. In 2009, Sosa was awarded the StarChefs.com New York's Rising Star award for Best New Restaurant Concept for his restaurant Xie Xie, which opened that same year.

Chef Sawyer is scheduled to sail aboard ms Zaandam's seven-day Alaska Inside Passage cruise departing Aug. 19. He is executive chef at The Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland, Ohio. The eatery was Ohio's first "green" restaurant and was named one of the top 10 best new restaurants in the U.S by Bon Appetit magazine and best new restaurant by Cleveland Magazine. In July 2011, Sawyer opened his second certified green restaurant, Noodlecat. In February 2012, he was named one of 20 semifinalists for the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award in the Best Chef: Great Lakes category. Sawyer has appeared on the Food Network's "Dinner: Impossible" and "Iron Chef America," and was recently honored by Food & Wine magazine as one of America's best new chefs.

Holland America Line's Culinary Arts Center
Holland America Line's industry trend-setting Culinary Arts Centers are featured on each of the line's 15 ships. A "world-class show kitchen at sea," the Culinary Arts Centers presented by Food & Wine magazine resemble the elaborate kitchens of celebrity chefs on television cooking programs. The venues feature a rotating schedule of activities daily including cooking shows, wine tastings, mixology demonstrations, hands-on themed cooking classes for both adults and kids, and other entertainment presentations. All events are taught by celebrity guest chefs or highly skilled culinary and beverage staff during every Holland America Line voyage.

The Culinary Arts Center is part of Holland America Line's innovative and industry-leading culinary initiatives, which also include a partnership with Le Cirque to present "An Evening at Le Cirque in the Pinnacle Grill" and a Culinary Council comprised of renowned international chefs Jonnie Boer, David Burke, Marcus Samuelsson, Jacques Torres, Charlie Trotter and the line's Master Chef Rudi Sodamin.

For a full schedule of Holland America Line's culinary guest program, visit http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-onboard/Activities.action?tabName=Culinary+Arts+Center&contentMenu=Guest+Chef+Schedule.

For more information on Holland America Line's cruises and cruisetours, consult a professional travel seller; call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425); or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland America Blog. Access all social media outlets via the Online Communities quick link on the home page at www.hollandamerica.com.

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line's fleet of 15 ships offers more than 500 cruises to 350 ports in more than 100 countries, territories or dependencies. Two- to 110-day itineraries visit all seven continents and highlights include Antarctica, South America, Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; a Grand World Voyage; and popular sailings to ports in the Caribbean, Bermuda, Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, Europe and Panama Canal.

Fleetwide, the company features Signature of Excellence enhancements, a commitment totaling more than $525 million, that showcase the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine — a state-of-the-art onboard show kitchen where more than 60 celebrated guest chefs and culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and classes — Explorations Cafe powered by The New York Times, Digital Workshop powered by Windows, teens-only activity areas and all new stateroom amenities highlighted by flat-panel TVs and plush Euro-top Mariner's Dream Beds.

World's Leading Cruise Lines
Holland America Line is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises and Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World's Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. Visit us at www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com.

SOURCE Holland America Line

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