Oceania Sonata is set to make its maiden voyage in the summer of 2027, and on board, guests will be the first to experience two new restaurants. The vision behind them comes from the line’s two executive culinary directors Chef Alexis Quaretti and Chef Eric Barale, who have both had the honour of being inducted into the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France.
At a preview in London, Chef Quaretti offered a glimpse of what passengers can look forward to tasting.
Nikkei Kitchen
Nikkei Kitchen takes its inspiration from a fusion cuisine that emerged in the late 19th century. As Japanese immigrants settled in Peru, they reimagined recipes that reminded them of home with South American ingredients.
Chef Quaretti and Chef Barale brought this concept to life alongside Chef Gustavo Sugay, who has more than 20 years’ experience with this singular cuisine.
“Over three years, we tried out hundreds of recipes, fine-tuning the menu that is going to be on Sonata,” says Quaretti.
The result? Dishes such as tuna ceviche with coriander, sesame oil and red chilli, beef nigiri with a sweet-savoury Japanese glaze and Peruvian salsa, and traditional Peruvian chicken skewers with a creamy huancaína sauce.
The dishes will be presented in one of the ship’s more informal dining venues. Chef Quaretti explains, “We didn’t want to create another speciality restaurant. There will be four on board to choose from, including French, pan-Asian, steakhouse and Italian options. We wanted to create a casual dining experience. The food will be great for sharing, a similar concept to tapas.”
Oceania Cruises’ chief luxury officer Jason Montague adds, “We debated whether to have reservations, but we wanted to keep it more casual. Our concern is it might become too popular, but that’s a good problem to have and one we can work through.”
La Table par Maîtres Cuisiniers de France
This new reservation-only venue will host just 18 guests at a time, serving haute cuisine inspired by French gastronomy and developed in close collaboration with the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France.
The rotating menu will feature dishes such as escargot-stuffed Dover sole topped with rosace vegetables and white wine sauce, Granny Smith apple and langoustine tartlets, and spider crab potato roll crowned with Sturia Oscietra caviar.
As well as signature specialties, Maîtres Cuisiniers de France chefs working in fine dining restaurants around the world, from Catalonia to the Caribbean, will be invited to lend their regional expertise.
And there is more to come beyond that. As Quaretti says, “It’s a real gift. We’ve been given carte blanche.”
“I’m interested in the history of cruising,” he continues. “I’m doing some research into how to recreate early 1900s meals on transatlantic voyages. We want to immerse our guests in what it was like to dine 100 years ago, from white glove service to classic tableside dishes.”
Montague adds, “This is what we mean by the finest cuisine at sea. It’s not just one restaurant; it’s the entire experience that we’re delivering to guests across the board, whether it’s one of the speciality restaurants, one of our new, more casual concepts, or our truly unique 18-seat restaurant.”
Read next: Unveiled: Oceania Sonata’s reimagined suites
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