P&O Cruises know that great food lies at the heart of a great holiday, which is why they have partnered with the brightest lights of the culinary scene, their Food Heroes. In 2023, the Food Heroes will sail aboard a number of cruises as special guests, hosting cooking demonstrations, Q&A sessions, tasting masterclasses, book signings and much, much more.
Who are P&O Cruises Food Heroes?
The lineup of Food Heroes includes the godfather of British cooking, Marco Pierre White, the award-winning wine expert, Olly Smith, acclaimed Spanish chef, José Pizarro, Norwegian chef and restaurateur, Kjartan Skjelde and the queen of contemporary Caribbean cooking, Shivi Ramoutar. Let’s get to know them a bit better:
Marco Pierre White
The godfather of British cooking
Known the world over, legendary chef Marco Pierre White has been pushing the boundaries of cuisine for over 30 years. Dubbed the godfather of modern cooking, Marco is regarded by many to have single-handedly put the British culinary scene back on the gastronomy map. Today, his passion for serving superb dishes continues with P&O Cruises. His Celebration Night menus are a treat for all, and, as patron of The Cookery Club, he hosts masterclasses and dinners when onboard Britannia. And on P&O Cruises’ Excel class ships, Arvia and Iona, he will host live cooking demonstrations as well as Q&A sessions.
Olly Smith
Award-winning wine expert
Multi-award-winning wine expert, Olly Smith is best known for his boundless knowledge and infectious enthusiasm on TV cookery shows. As well as being P&O Cruises' resident wine expert, Olly heads up The Glass House, where he has added his flamboyant touch to this popular wine bar and restaurant for over ten years. Not only does Olly oversee the wonderful and varied wine list and wine pairings, he also develops wine-tasting experiences for guests to enjoy a selection of dishes to accompany their choice of wine. Olly will join guests aboard specially selected cruises offering tasting masterclasses, book signings and Q&A sessions.
José Pizarro
Acclaimed Spanish chef
Originally from Cáceres, José Pizaro’s glittering career has seen him work in some of the finest Spanish restaurants in Madrid and London. He is a regular on cookery programmes, the food festival scene and has written five cookbooks. His passion for fresh, simple, seasonal ingredients showcases the best of Spanish cuisine. José is bringing his talents to Arvia and Iona with his bespoke tapas menus for The Glass House as well as creating street-food-style dishes for Taste 360. And from 2023, guests on Arvia’s holidays to the Mediterranean will have the chance to enjoy José’s Celebration Night menus in The Olive Grove.
Kjartan Skjelde
Norwegian chef and restaurateur
Kjartan Skjelde was born and raised in Stavanger, Norway. He places his focus on produce and provenance, good ingredients and cooking from scratch. He uses seasonal produce, making the most of the wilds of Norway and he is keen to bring Nordic fine dining to the world stage. Kjartan is creating a bespoke six-course taster menu exclusively for Epicurean on Iona. “Working with P&O Cruises, I want guests to be able to smell, taste and see that each dish of my six-course taster menu for Epicurean is truly Norwegian,” he says. “Our cuisine is built on the produce of our land and the methods used to preserve through the long winters - guests will be able to taste Norway through every bite.”
Shivi Ramoutar
The queen of contemporary Caribbean cooking
Shivi Ramoutar, the chef dubbed by The Guardian as the ‘Caribbean food supremo,’ is on a mission to bring the colourful ingredients and joyful style of her Trinidad childhood to new audiences, while adding personal touches that reflect her own journey. Having sealed her reputation as the queen of contemporary Caribbean cooking, Shivi can be regularly found on TV. She will be cooking up her mouth-watering recipes for Arvia’s maiden season in the Caribbean in 2023. And you can celebrate the zesty flavours of this sun-drenched region by tasting her exclusive range of dishes in Taste 360 and The Beach House.
Read next: Shivi Ramoutar joins Arvia’s Local Food Heroes line-up
Food Heroes 2023 sailings
Marco will sail aboard Britannia and Iona on the following itineraries:
Olly will sail aboard Arvia, Britannia and Iona on the following itineraries:
José will sail aboard Arvia and Iona on the following itineraries:
Kjartan will sail aboard Iona on the following itineraries:
Shivi will sail aboard Arvia on the following itinerary:
