Best New Chefs of America Add Sizzle to Crystal Cruises' 2005 Wine & Food Festival

Best New Chefs of America Add Sizzle to Crystal Cruises' 2005 Wine & Food Festival

Food & Wine Magazine Teams Up With Luxury Line to Spotlight Hot New Talent

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Some of the hottest names on the American culinary scene including Gray Kunz of Cafe Gray (New York City), David & Michelle Myers of Sona (Los Angeles) and Dominique Filoni of Bianca (Philadelphia) -- all recipients of Food & Wine magazine's coveted Best New Chef award -- have joined a stellar cast of rising stars and master chefs already scheduled for Crystal Cruises' 2005 Wine & Food Festival.

Table 8's Govind Armstrong, Alma de Cuba's Jose Garces, and established names in cuisine -- Bradley Ogden, Andre Soltner, and Alan Wong, among others -- will take to sea with noted wine experts on 15 cruises to all corners of the globe aboard the elegant Crystal Harmony, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.

Now in its ninth year, the festival will also welcome Alfredo Russo, Owner/Chef of Dolce Stil Novo in Italy's Piedmont region, aboard as part of the progressive culinary program "Best Young Chefs of Italy" created with Crystal's long-time partner Piero Selvaggio, proprietor of the acclaimed Valentino restaurants.

"It is both an honor and a privilege to have the most innovative and applauded names in cuisine and wine on board to work alongside our own award-winning chefs and sommeliers," says Toni Neumeister, vice president, food and beverage operations. "The collective awards and recognitions of the 2005 Wine & Food Festival participants is a testament to the increasing stature of Crystal's annual festival -- with the ultimate benefit to our guests who are treated to exclusive and enriching experiences."

Italian culinary master Roberto Donna of Galileo, renowned celebrity chef Andre Rochat of Andre's French Restaurant, and Canada's barbeque-grilling expert Ted Reader, host of the hit television show "King of the Q," lend an international flair to the festival, while Sam Choy specializes in the unique tastes of Hawaiian regional cuisine.

Some of the most prominent names in wine -- Leslie Sbrocco, wine journalist for the New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle, Master Sommeliers Richard Dean and Steven Geddes will also share their knowledge and passion for wine, offering professional insights into the world's best vintages. In most cases, the visiting chefs are paired with itineraries that reflect either the style of their cuisine or the location of their restaurant.

During each cruise, guests will be treated to a specially prepared four- course dinner featuring each chef's signature dishes utilizing the sailing region's freshest ingredients, matched with wine pairings by the guest wine expert. The menu, showcasing an appetizer; soup, salad or pasta; seafood/fish and meat entrees; and dessert, is offered to all guests in the Crystal Dining Room. By day, the visiting chef will also demonstrate cooking techniques, share recipes and tips, and participate in question and answer sessions.

At wine tastings featuring professional Riedel tasting glasses, Crystal's Master Sommeliers and other guest wine experts will compare appellations, vintages and varietals; learn the history of wine in the regions sailed; receive valuable hints on choosing and pairing wines, and become more familiar with Crystal's cellar of more than 200 selections, one of the most extensive at sea.

In addition to the Wine & Food Festival cruises, Crystal is building on its reputation for excellence with innovative new concepts. The cruise line has its own proprietary label called C Wines, featuring six new appellations including three reserve and three premium selections of cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, and merlot. Further, the intimate Vintage Rooms aboard Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity play host to the ultimate gourmet experiences with the first-ever, at-sea Wine & Champagne Makers Dinners.

The line's devotion to cuisine is further evidenced by its alliances with some of the world's most celebrated names in food, wine and hospitality -- Nobu Matsuhisa brings his legendary cuisine to Silk Road restaurant and The Sushi Bar aboard Crystal Serenity; and specialties from Wolfgang Puck's "Chinois on Main" are showcased at Jade Garden, the intimate Asian restaurant aboard Crystal Symphony.

Crystal's three sister ships -- the 940-guest, 50,000-ton Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony and the 1,080-guest, 68,000-ton Crystal Serenity -- are among the most spacious and luxurious vessels cruising the world.

The luxury liners have consistently earned the travel industry's most distinguished hospitality awards and guidebook ratings, including the best large-ship line award in the most recent readers' surveys conducted by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure magazines.

For additional information, please contact a travel agent or call 866-446-6625. Visit the luxury line's website at www.crystalcruises.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Please see attached schedule of the 2005 Wine & Food Festival.

CONTACT: Mimi Weisband, 310-203-4305
publicrelations@crystalcruises.com


CRYSTAL CRUISES' 2005 WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
Schedule of Cruises

Date Destination Guest Chef Wine Expert Ship

January 28; South Pacific Sam Choy Bob Bath Crystal
18 days Owner Nat'l Sales Serenity
Sam Choy Manager
restaurants Shafer
Hawaii, Tokyo, Vineyards
Guam, San Diego

February 16; Australia/Asia Henry Brosi Steven Geddes Crystal
16 days Executive Chef Master Serenity
The Dorchester Sommelier &
Hotel London Wine Director
The Andre's
French
Restaurant
Las Vegas

March 18; Asia/Red Sea Scott Leibfried Stephen Mack Crystal
18 days Executive Chef Wine Director Serenity
Napa Valley Asian Wine
Grille Service &
Westwood, CA Education
Center
Hong Kong

April 5; Mediterranean Andre Soltner David Stevens Crystal
22 days Master Chef & President Serenity
Sr. Lecturer Masters of
The French Wine Institute
Culinary
Institute

April 27; Mediterranean Andre Rochat Madeleine De Crystal
12 days Owner/Chef Jean Serenity
Andre's French Wine Business
Restaurant, Woman of the
Alize at the year, 1999.
Palm Hotel & First Woman
Mistral Sommelier in
Las Vegas the U.S.

May 26; Western Europe Gray Kunz Paul Einbund Crystal
11 days Owner Wine Director Symphony
The Cafe Gray Tartare
New York Restaurant San
Francisco

May 30; Alaska/Canada Ted Reader Jerad Ruhl Crystal
12 days Chef & Host Wine Director Harmony
"King of the Q" Rose Pistola
Canada San Francisco

August 1; Baltic Alfredo Russo Onboard Head Crystal
11 days Owner & Chef Sommelier Symphony
Dolce Stil Novo
Italy
Chef & Manager
Don Carlos
Ristorante
Italy

August 15; Mediterranean Roberto Donna Christian Crystal
12 days Owner/Chef Moueix Serenity
Galileo Owner
Washington, DC Dominus Winery
Yountville, CA

September 3; Alaska/Canada Bradley Ogden Keith Fergel Crystal
12 days Owner/Chef Wine Director Harmony
Lark Creek Inn Fifth Floor,
Marin County, San Francisco
CA Former
Sommelier
French
Laundry,
Napa Valley

September 15; Alaska/Canada Govind Leslie Sbrocco Crystal
12 days Armstrong Wine Harmony
Owner/Chef Journalist for
Table 8 New York Times
Los Angeles and San
Francisco
Chronicle

September 17; New England Alan Wong Robin Kelly Crystal
11 days Owner/Chef O'Connor Symphony
Alan Wong's US Trade
Restaurants Liaison
Honolulu Bordeaux Wine
Bureau
New York

September 28; New England David & Richard Dean Crystal
11 days Michelle Myers Master Symphony
Owners Sommelier and
Sona Restaurant Wine Director
Los Angeles The Mark
Mandarin
Oriental Hotel
New York

October 5; Mexican Riviera Jose Garces Jeff Crystal
10 days Executive Chef Morgenthal Harmony
Alma de Cuba & Wine Director
El Vez Drago
restaurants Restaurant
Philadelphia Santa Monica
Wine Director
Enoteca Drago
Beverly Hills

October 16; New England Dominique Peter Marks Crystal
11 days Filoni Master of Wine Symphony
Owner and Chef and Curator of
Bianca Wine Copia:
Restaurant in The American
Philadelphia Center for
Wine, Food &
the Arts



Source: Crystal Cruises

CONTACT: Mimi Weisband of Crystal Cruises, +1-310-203-4305,
publicrelations@crystalcruises.com

Web site: http://www.crystalcruises.com/


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