Crystal Cruises has partnered with Chef Jon Ashton to produce a 12-part video series that takes viewers on a delicious journey around the world with Crystal’s culinary team. Chef Ashton, a celebrity chef who has appeared on cooking segments on NBC’s Today Show and The Tonight Show, has been a returning favorite guest chef on Crystal’s Wine & Food Festival voyages for the past 12 years. In the series he chronicles his travels through the traditional cuisine in the destinations visited by Crystal Serenity with leading food experts around the world. The first video showcases Los Angeles and premiered today on the “Crystal Insider” blog and/or Crystal Cruises’ YouTube channel.
The series features local chefs, farmers and expert guides showcasing their signature dishes – and tips for preparing them – in an array of locales, taking Ashton and viewers off the beaten paths into the heart of each place’s culinary spirit. Innovative tacos in Los Angeles, coconut and chop suey in Samoa, fresh poke in Hawaii, the wines of New Zealand, the widely varied cuisine of Australia, prawns in South Africa and much more are on the menu for this series, as well as the globally-inspired dining venues aboard the award-winning ship. In each destination, Chef Ashton alongside Crystal’s culinary team will create signature dishes inspired by these travels, shared with guests on board and virtually with viewers.
“Food, drink and the tradition and cultivation that surrounds them are integral to the spirit of a place, which makes cuisine one of the best – and most enjoyable – ways to become acquainted with new destinations and cultures,” said Toni Neumeister, Crystal’s Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations. “We’re delighted to welcome Jon back onboard to highlight this important element of travel. His engaging personality, together with the enticing flavors he creates with Crystal’s chefs and the local experts, will almost certainly inspire travelers’ next vacation, or at least their next great feast.”
“It’s an honor to work with the extraordinary culinary team onboard Crystal Serenity. The talented chefs and local food experts are the true stars in this series,” Ashton said. “As a storyteller, I have the opportunity to meld adventurous travel with the universal language of food. Just like the ports we visit, food has no borders or constraints. It’s as complicated or simple as you want it to be. Food elicits joyful memories and marks celebrations. Crystal offers luxury like no other cruise line I’ve ever sailed with and the experience is always personal. Every time I return, it’s like coming home.”
The “Crystal Cruises Presents: A Culinary Journey Hosted by Jon Ashton” video series is produced by Jon Ashton Productions. New episodes will air twice monthly and can be found on the “Crystal Insider” blog and/or Crystal Cruises’ YouTube channel.
Exploring the world through food has always been a key facet of the Crystal Experience, as the company has long been acclaimed for the variety and caliber of farm-to-table and Michelin-inspired cuisine served throughout the award-winning ships. In addition to an ever-changing menu of classic and modern specialties served in the main restaurant Waterside, both Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity offer international flavors in Umi Uma, the only ocean-going restaurants by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa; Prego Italian restaurant; Churrascaria Brazilian bar-b-que; Silk Kitchen & Bar, serving Chinese comfort food family style; lavish buffet-style breakfast and lunch in marketplace; specialty coffees, teas and fresh snacks and pastries in the Bistro; and 24-hour in-suite dining for all other cravings.
