Chef Kathryn Kelly

CHEF Kathryn Kelly

INTERVIEW BY TERRILYN KUNOPASKI

As the Executive Chef & Director of Culinary Enrichment for Oceania Cruises, Chef Kathryn Kelly has evolved the way travellers have come to understand global cuisines while exploring the world by sea. Offering hands-on cooking classes and small group, chef-led Culinary Discovery Tours, she gives guests a taste of place through food, wine and great company.

Has travel always been part of your life?

Prior to becoming a chef 10 years ago, I was in business and travelled the world for work. I had the chance to spend short periods of time in different destinations, but often thought to myself, “I need to come back here when I have more time.” Now, working for Oceania Cruises, I am able to travel and spend time in the most exciting places around the globe.

Describe your favourite dining experience from your travels abroad.

This question is always so hard to answer because there are truly so many! If I had to narrow it down, I would say the most memorable experience was sitting on a small island in Greece by the ocean and having a local fisherman bring in his catch, grill it and serve it to me with wine from his family vineyard and olive oil from his family farm. Being submerged in the local culture in this experience made it a day I will never forget.

Tell us about your work with Oceania.

The hospitality industry perfectly fits my personality. I feel so rewarded when I anticipate the needs of our guests and am able to implement what I do to make their cruise special and unique. I also work around many other crew and officers who share that passion, which makes the Oceania team feel like a family and why I’m so happy working for this company.

Describe what it means to have a career that combines your passion for food with travel.

An experienced traveller embraces diversity and seeks to understand people and cultures. I love architecture, art and history and attempt to immerse myself in it wherever I go. As a chef, I think the best way to understand a culture and its traditions is through food and wine.

Describe what your classes are like onboard with Oceania.

We are the only hands-on cooking school at sea which makes it a very special experience for our guests. They put on an apron and for two hours are up to their elbows in pasta, knife work, regional recipes and culinary techniques. Unlike other cooking schools, we are not a demonstration kitchen – we are the ‘real deal.’

How do you bring destinations that are on different itineraries into the food created with guests onboard an Oceania cruise?

We have a very well-developed Culinary Discovery Tours program which are led by my chef team instructors in some of the most exciting destinations worldwide. I have personally designed over 40 unique and immersive tours, all of which are well thought out with the local food and culture at the forefront.

Where did the idea for Culinary Discovery Tours come from?

Eight years ago, guests started asking me where I would go when we were in various ports. I started taking them with me to local markets and my favourite places, and that is where the idea of Culinary Discovery Tours was born. It’s so rewarding that they are now one of the most popular tour programs we offer. I think it’s important that they always stay small in size and be led by one of my chef instructors. This makes them quite a unique and prized experience.

Why, in your opinion, is cruising as a good way for travellers to be introduced to different food, places and cultures?

On Oceania Cruises, there are a lot of opportunities to learn from our diverse and experienced teams. As a culinary-centric experience, our culture is to encourage our guests to go out and explore. The best way to be introduced to different food, places and cultures is to experience them; Oceania makes it easy for guests to do just that.

What have you learned in your time with Oceania?

The most important thing I have learned is the importance of being a courteous, thoughtful and engaged guest. For 30 years I was a guest at some of the finest hotels in the world and I never truly appreciated all of the ‘behind the scenes’ work that goes into creating a luxury experience. I do now. I tell our guests all the time ‘if you want an incredible guest experience – be an incredible guest’ in a restaurant, on an airplane or on a cruise!