Crystal Sets Experts for Seven 2010 Wine, Food Cruises

Crystal Cruises announced the chef and expert lineup for the 14th annual Wine & Food Experiences of Discovery cruises in 2010. Michelin Star-awarded chefs Michael Mina and Heinz Beck, Master Sommelier Robert Bath, and mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim are among the roster of food, wine and spirit experts aboard.

The guests will lead demonstrations and lectures, tastings and pairings, and cocktail and pastry making classes. In addition to the designated Wine & Food themed cruises, the line’s annual President’s Cruise will feature former White House Chef John Hanny.

Aboard the May 3 voyage from Piraeus to Dubai, hosted by Crystal President Gregg Michel, Hanny will present several presidential-themed dinners and White House favorites from several administrations.

Chefs for 2010 include Mina, creator of a restaurant group including one Michelin-starred restaurant; Beck, executive chef of three Michelin-starred La Pergola, Rome; Tom Aikens, Michelin-starred chef and owner of London’s Tom Aikens Restaurant; André Soltner, former executive chef/owner of New York’s Lutèce; Serge Dansereau, owner of Sydney, Australia’s The Bathers’ Pavilion; Aglaia Kremezi, Greek cuisine expert and cookbook author; Paula Wolfert, James Beard-award winning Mediterranean cookbook author; Simon Johnson, Australia’s leading purveyor of quality foods; and Jon Ashton, food correspondent for The Daily Buzz and Relish Magazine chef.

Sommeliers and wine experts include Doug Frost, one of three worldwide to achieve both Master Sommelier and Master of Wine; Bath, one of 79 Master Sommeliers in the U.S.; Gerhard Retter, wine and cheese sommelier at Michelin-awarded restaurants throughout Europe; Mel Master, a Rhone Valley and Languedoc wine exporter and restaurateur; Victoria Ordonez, a member of Spain’s largest wine exporting family; Cameron Douglas, New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier; and Filippo DiBelardino, Italian wine expert and vice president of Banfi Vintners-Fine Wines.

Cocktail experts include Abou-Ganim, the National Ambassador of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild and creator of Crystal’s cocktail program; Julio Bermejo, considered the “U.S. Ambassador of Tequila”; Livio Lauro, national president of the United States Bartenders’ Guild; Francesco Lafranconi, co-founder of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild Nevada chapter; and Audrey Saunders, bartender of the Carlyle Hotel’s Bemelmans Bar and owner of New York’s Pegu Club.

Crystal Wine & Food itineraries are scheduled for March 30, Auckland to Sydney; April 29, London to Rome; May 25, Venice to Barcelona; Sept. 5, Istanbul to Barcelona; Sept. 17, Barcelona to Venice; Nov. 22, roundtrip Lisbon; and Dec. 12, roundtrip Los Angeles, Mexican Rivera. On every itinerary, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity boast numerous dining options, including specialty dining from Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Piero Selvaggio and Vintage Room experiences showcasing celebrated wines. For 2010, Crystal offers two-for-one cruise fares, free airfare, shipboard spending credits and a price guarantee.