CRUISE CUISINE
“The Pinnacle Grill is the ship’s ELEGANT SPECIALITY
North-Western restaurant”
The Master Chef frequently visits all the ships and, Carosella tells me, they enjoy an open and supportive relationship. It is not possible to personally endorse the tens of thousands of meals served on Holland America vessels across the year but that is the ambition of the one hundred cooks and chefs aboard Noordam. Noordam is a big, comfortable ship yet without a common design theme running throughout the vessel. It is an eclectic mix of Old World veneer, deep carpets, oil paintings, art deco bars and atria, night- clubs and a glitzy casino. The Explorations Café is a New York Times ‘powered’ read- ing room, library, internet center and café. There is also an interactive Culinary Arts Center, featuring a full-blown kitchen and tiered seating for those who wish to polish or further their culinary skills.
to provide locations for reading or just taking in the sun. There are two pools, a fitness centre, a Hydropool and a thermal suite, if you want or need to stay in shape. There is also a collection of museum-qual-
I
n keeping with Holland America’s tra- ditional line-voyage heritage, there are numerous alcoves, bars and deck areas
ity oil paintings and a display of contem- porary black and white photography. I cannot also pass by without men- tioning wine. The Pinnacle Grill has an impressive and comprehensive list of wines, champagnes, cocktails and ports to accompany its five-star menu. Many wines are drawn from Washington State in the US but there is a representative selection from France, Italy, Australia and Spain. Wines by the glass are mostly drawn
from Washington State and feature a J Riesling, Chateau Ste Michelle at $6; Sau- vignon Blanc, Horse Heaven Hills, $10; Merlot, Grand Estates, Columbia Crest, $9.50; and a Cabernet Sauvignon, Apex, $18. From the Cellar Master Special, there is an interesting Vega Sicilia Unico, Ribera del Duero, Spain 1991, priced at $622 – if you’re packing your gold card. “You’re quite sure you wouldn’t like something to eat?” Habets asks me once again as he passes by to check on my pro- gress (he is nothing if not courteous). Now I am down to the chocolate gateau, but photographing food is rather like cooking, it can kill your appetite. “You know, we can make you anything you like,” he adds. In the end, I do try the chocolate gateau which is right under my nose and too good to pass up.
Haberts and colleague Kooiman clearly
enjoy life and work aboard Noordam. They alternate the very early morning shift, which calls for close perusal of the breakfast service – perhaps the most signi- ficant event of the day – and one which the ship rises to with a truly impressive
Winter 2010 / 2011 I WORLD OF CRUISING 57
panoply of continental buffets, waffle stands, cooked-to-order breakfasts and a formidable patisserie section. As Kooiman puts it, the reward lies in the customer feedback. “Meeting a happy passenger,” he says, “Makes it all worthwhile.”
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