Cruise & cuisine
THE FLAVORS OF WINDSTAR CRUISES
Bjoern Wassmuth , chef and culinary director of Windstar Cruises , on the diversification of food and his favorite travel destination
Clockwise from above : Black Forest gateau ; Bjoern Wassmuth ; the Dalmatian coast , Croatia
How did you become a chef ? It started in my grandmother ’ s kitchen with the familyrun business — a meat and sausage factory in Germany that supplied restaurants , hotels and retailers . I then apprenticed as a chef at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel and traveled the world . I worked in the finest hotel restaurants like Sonnenalp Hotels & Resorts in Germany , Suvretta House , Bürgenstock Hotels & Resorts and Tschuggen Grand Hotel , all in Switzerland , and Hotel Baltschug Kempinski in Moscow , as well as luxury cruise ships and a private yacht at the Côte d ’ Azur . I became a certified master chef in 2007 .
Why did you decide to work in the cruise world ? I have experience overseeing the food and beverage operation of a luxury cruise line . For the last eight years , I ’ ve been in London running multiple restaurants for a high-end chain and working as their development chef . When the opportunity to return to cruise arose last summer , I was happy to take on a new challenge .
What ’ s it like working for Windstar Cruises ? Windstar guests are keen on trying new and adventurous dishes . With the ongoing diversification of culture comes a diversification in food and the integration of global flavors . Nowadays , flavor profiles are fused together in traditional and non-traditional manners , creating more bold and sophisticated results . Also , as our understanding of food evolves , the desire to control our intake of carbohydrates , sodium and sugar is increasingly important and Windstar Cruises has responded to this by moving towards healthier dining options . Windstar is the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation , too , and works with both well-established and upcoming chefs who create extraordinary dishes for our menus .
Where do you love to travel ? I love the Dalmatian coast — its natural beauty is incredible . Its starts in the north of Croatia and goes down to the beautiful Bay of Kotor in Montenegro .
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