PLANT-FORWARD & OCEAN-CENTRIC: A NEW WAY TO CRAFT CHEESE Aboard the ships of the Lindblad Expeditions fleet, farm-to-table food has been a reality for some time, thanks to the innovative thinking and passion of Ana Esteves, Lindblad Expeditions’ Director of Hotel Operations. In 2017, Ana started a farmto-table program in Galápagos that bolstered local agriculture to the point where Lindblad Expeditions is now purchasing some 86 tons of fresh produce per year. And thanks to Ana’s leadership, other travel companies operating in Galápagos are following suit, measurably benefiting the islands’ economy. We are one of the only expedition companies provisioning fresh produce in the Southern Ocean—from hydroponic growers in the remote Falkland Islands. And Ana is cultivating farm-totable relationships in the Arctic, Baja, Central America, and Alaska, as well. Our galley teams have been provisioning with sustainable meats and seafood, local whenever possible in all the regions we explore, for decades now. So, it’s not surprising to learn that Ana is in the vanguard again, leading a shift that mirrors a growing global trend, toward more plant-forward offerings on our ships. “The shift toward plant-forward options, for me personally, and for the new inspiration of our menus, is being driven more by the real threat of environmental collapse, than vegan ethics, or vegan cooking,” Below: Loaded with eye appeal, plantforward cheeses are delicious too.
Ana explains. “Unlike Eleven Madison (the elite, culturally-significant, Michelinstarred Manhattan restaurant), which announced its switch to an exclusively plant-based menu; or (online recipe site) Epicurious’s decision to eliminate all beefbased recipes, our menus across the fleet will continue to be diverse, to satisfy the diverse desires of our guests, while widening to include multiple plantbased options for all meals daily.” To kindle the plant-forward conversation on our expeditions, however, she’s chosen a dramatic focal point: cheese. Vegan cheese, to be specific. Cultivated onboard, nurtured in a novel terroir of fresh sea air, far from cows, goats, sheep, or terra firma, the culinary team’s array of
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