Exploring Culinary Coastlines of Australia
Q&A with Marcus Dudley, Operations Director
Discover how Coral Expeditions crafts unforgettable culinary experiences along Australia’s coastlines, from selecting destinations and artisan partners to enhancing guests’ culinary knowledge and skills through onboard workshops. Get a glimpse into the company’s commitment to sustainability and exciting culinary innovations on the horizon.
What inspired the creation of Coral Expeditions’ culinary themed voyages?
Many of the regions we have sailed to for several years are also world-renowned food and wine destinations such as Tasmania and Western Australia.
We have always felt that is an important part of our onboard and overall voyage experience to showcase the best of the region we are in both on the plate and in the glass.
Since adding our southern itineraries, we believe that it is the perfect time to add South Australia and Victoria to our culinary focus with a collection of artisan partners, wonderful produce and guest chefs along the voyage providing an added element to our shore side excursion programs.
How do you select the destinations for your culinary theme voyages, and what factors influence these decisions?
We work closely with our product department on route planning and options for regions, we source though hospitality industry contacts selections of possible partners and then visit them with our culinary management team to ensure they are offering the best of the region and have engaging experiences that will add value to our guest’s journey.
What role do onboard cooking demonstrations and workshops play in enhancing guests’ culinary knowledge and skills?
Apart from our Chefs teaching dishes that can be replicated at home in a very interactive and casual way it’s a fantastic opportunity for the guests to ask questions to our Lead Chefs and understand a lot more about the challenges of running a restaurant at sea, port logistics and menu showcase planning for the regions we are sailing.
How do you ensure that sustainability is incorporated into the culinary experiences onboard?
We only work with certified and audited sustainable partners at our ports of call for seafood, fairtrade only coffee and tea lines fleet wide and our spring water partner from Victoria packages in recycled and reusable cartons with the lid made of sugar cane in our hometown of Cairns.
What challenges do you face in developing culinary experiences for a diverse range of guests?
Our menu planning has to have a focus on being able to cater for a wide variety of likes and dietary needs, so for example if we are planning a gala dinner celebrating the best of South Australian seafood for a night during voyage , we need to be mindful to put as much planning into thoughtful alternatives that will ensure all guests are as involved and catered for in the inclusive experience and this may at times mean changing wines matches as well to ensure we have the best flow as possible to deliver the dining event our guests expect.
Looking ahead, what innovations or new culinary experiences can guests expect from Coral Expeditions?
Apart from some exciting culinary themed voyages being released we will continue our market leading focus on adding even further showcases of the best of each region we are in with our chefs presenting an overview in the dining room of what products were chosen, suggested wine pairings and the quality and background of these.
Additionally, adding small batch local artisan condiments to the line up and some guest chefs onboard to come from some of Australia’s most outstanding regional vineyard restaurants.
Join one of our culinary theme voyages and explore the exquisite flavors of Australia’s coastlines.
New Release: Flavours of Tasmania
8 Nights | Melbourne to Hobart | 9 December 2024
