Top Chef alumnus and James Beard Award semi-finalist Chef Bryan Voltaggio will return for two specialty culinary cruises on Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours in 2023 and 2024. Following his sold-out South of France river cruise in 2022, Chef Voltaggio will bring his distinctive culinary style back to the Scenic fleet starting with the ultra-luxury Discovery Yacht Scenic Eclipse for a nine-day Iconic Panama Canal sailing departing Montego Bay on October 31, 2023. Next summer, he returns to the rivers of France—this time in the storied wine region of Bordeaux—for the June 18, 2024, departure of the eight-day Bordeaux Affair itinerary aboard Scenic Diamond.
Guests joining these special departures will have ample opportunities to interact with and learn from Chef Voltaggio. At an evening welcome reception that kicks off each sailing, guests can sip a custom cocktail and rub elbows with the chef. During onboard cooking demonstrations, Chef Voltaggio will share his culinary secrets – tips, techniques, and even a recipe – with guests, who will also have the chance to sample his cooking. Afternoon Q&A sessions will detail the chef’s experiences as a restaurateur, celebrity chef, and culinary master. And the “main course” on both sailings is a special dinner designed by Chef Voltaggio to highlight each region’s ingredients and flavors.
“I’m very much looking forward to sailing with Scenic again and to add my culinary touches to the guest experience,” Voltaggio says. “It’s exciting to discover the world through food, and I’m honored to be back onboard to explore the bold flavors of the Caribbean, South and Central America, as well as the fields, farms and vineyards of Bordeaux with the Scenic family.”
These sailings will unite two Top Chef powerhouses—Chef Voltaggio was a finalist on two seasons of Top Chef as well as Top Chef Masters, and Tom Goetter, Scenic’s Director of Food and Beverage, was a finalist on Top Chef Germany and is currently competing in Top Chef World All-Stars.
“We saw great success with Chef Voltaggio’s South of France sailing, and the next logical step was to not only return to the rivers of France, but to expand the program to our ultra-luxury ocean sailings onboard Scenic Eclipse,” Ken Muskat says, Managing Director for Scenic US. “We’re so excited about this partnership, and we see it as proof that our culinary program is among the best the cruise industry has to offer.”
When guests book the Iconic Panama Canal trip with Top Chef Bryan Voltaggio, they’ll experience the complete culinary program onboard Scenic Eclipse, which includes 10 unique dining experiences. And the action-packed itinerary offers several ways to work up an appetite. On Colombia’s remote Isla de Providencia, guests can snorkel, hike and explore the village of Santa Isabel, the island of Santa Catalina, and the Earth’s third-largest barrier reef system. Stops in Panama’s Bocas del Toro and San Blas Islands provide ample beach time; opportunities to explore mangrove swamps and search for sloth, caiman and hundreds of bird species; and interact with Panama’s indigenous peoples. Finally, guests transit the storied Panama Canal and explore the landscape and wildlife among the islands in the Gulf of Panama.
The June 18, 2024, departure of Bordeaux Affair with Top Chef Bryan Voltaggio makes its way through France’s renowned wine region along the Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde Rivers. Samples of Grand Cru Classé wines, strolls through charming Medieval villages, and a concert at Château d’Agassac accent Chef Voltaggio’s programming. In the village of Libourne, guests will choose between time surrounded by the quaint 16th-century architecture and a Gothic Church, exploring the eclectic town of Bergerac, or calling on Château Siaurac for a wine tasting. Other opportunities include exploring the scenic Médoc wine region via a 30-km roundtrip cycling excursion along the Captain’s Road, spending the day sampling red wine, or focusing on the region’s blend of 16th-century and World War II history. On the sailing’s penultimate day, guests can explore Bordeaux on foot or bicycle or choose to Shop with a Chef at Bordeaux’s food markets before returning to the ship for an oyster tasting and exclusive cooking lesson in Scenic Culinaire.
Guests who book either sailing by June 30 can take advantage of special savings of up to $3,000 per couple off the Iconic Panama Canal sailing and up to $1,000 per couple off Bordeaux Affair. Both itineraries can receive bonus options when paying in full within 72 hours of booking or 12 months before departure.
Chef Bryan Voltaggio is the executive chef and owner of multiple restaurants, including Thatcher & Rye, and is the chef and partner at Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse, Volt Burger, Vulcania, and Retro. Bryan is a finalist of the James Beard Foundation Award, Top Chef (season six), Top Chef Masters (season five), and most recently, Top Chef All-Stars (season 16). He is the author of HOME and co-authored VOLT Ink with his brother, Michael. He lives in his hometown of Frederick, MD, with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children, Thatcher, Piper, and Ever Maeve.
The 5-star Scenic Space-Ships offer all-inclusive luxury experiences – from private butler service and unlimited complimentary beverages and spirits, including a mini-bar re-stocked daily, to six onboard dining options and a wellness area and fitness center. And guests will never have to reach for their wallet or purse as everything (except a haircut or massage) is included: tips and gratuities, expert local guides, all Scenic Freechoice activities that allow for a more personalized vacation, plus Scenic Enrich events which are exclusive to Scenic and its guests.
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours has grown over its 37-year history to include award-winning river and ocean cruises and handcrafted land journeys that take guests to many of the world’s most fascinating destinations. Since 2008, Scenic has set the benchmark for genuinely all-inclusive, luxury five-star river cruises in Europe and Southeast Asia. In 2019, Scenic introduced Scenic Eclipse, The World’s First Discovery Yacht™, a 228-guest ultra-luxury ship, and will deliver a second yacht, Scenic Eclipse II, in 2023. Scenic is part of Scenic Group, which includes Emerald Cruises, Mayflower Cruises & Tours and Evergreen Tours.
For more information, contact your local travel advisor; visit Emerald Cruises’ website, Emeraldcruises.com or call the consumer/travel agent reservations line at 844-428-8389.
