Exotic Feast Under the Stars Aboard Nautica

As Nautica sailed away from Galle, Sri Lanka a few days ago, guests drifted on to the pool deck to find we had transformed it into an exotic feast under the stars, featuring cuisines from around the globe. Brazilian churrascaria and Spanish paella, freshly grilled tuna from the Maldives and Tuscan pasta served from a Parmesan wheel…the dishes reflected some of our personal favorites, colorful and tantalizing cuisines from all corners of the world. Al fresco cruise ship dining at its finest.

We always love to bring different flavors and exotic cuisine to life on board whenever we can and this was the perfect opportunity to do something really special. The bounty included delicious fresh tuna, salmon and shrimp skewers, beef and duck a la orange skewers, a paella and churrascaria station, Thai salad, a wok station, fresh Sri Lankan coconut water and so much more as you can see from the photos. The pastry team did a fantastic job too, creating an array of pastries, desserts such as eclairs, creamy spiced rice pudding, candied apples and several other cakes and tarts. There was also a chocolate fountain, which the guests loved – accompanied by mini brioche, fresh fruit and marshmallows. Of course, everything was enjoyed in a very relaxed atmosphere, poolside under the stars and with live music the entire evening…melodies by our talented string quartet and pianist Luigi Fontana.

We had a great time putting the barbecue all together – it was a lot of hard work, of course, many weeks of planning and organizing something like this with help of General Manager Raffaele Cinque and then three intensive days in the galley for menu planning and preparation. You know, it is something we always place a lot of emphasis on – continually innovating and evolving to bring you The Finest Cuisine at Sea – and this world cuisine barbecue was new challenge for me and the culinary team. Dining on a cruise ship means something different to everyone…to me a meal at sea is one to savor and dining on Oceania Cruises means every meal is an experience to remember.

All of the preparation was more than worth it when we first see the guests’ faces and hear their reactions. They really enjoyed themselves and the nice ambiance. Altogether, we ended up serving more than 450 guests poolside …so plenty of laughter, good conversation and lots of dancing. Many of the guests came up to me and the chefs to thank us and tell us they were dancing until midnight after the wonderful dinner. For the team and me, that’s what makes the cruise ship dining events so special – these are the moments that you really remember and cherish.

About Senior Executive Chef Laurent Trias
Born in Bordeaux, Chef Laurent has been fascinated by cooking ever since he was a young boy. He began working at a cousin’s pastry shop at the age of 10 and later at a restaurant during the summer, where his passions were confirmed. Chef Laurent attended culinary school in Talence before gaining experience in the Alps, Biarritz and Bordeaux. He opened his first restaurant in southern France in 1995 and eventually forged a life at sea. Chef Laurent proudly joined Oceania Cruises in 2010.