Explora Journeys, the luxury brand of the MSC Group, is pleased to announce its collaboration with the renowned Italian Chef Mauro Uliassi, who will curate an extraordinary culinary experience for the guests of EXPLORA I.
The esteemed chef Mauro Uliassi, awarded three Michelin stars, will be the first featured chef in the kitchen of the Anthology restaurant on board the ship Explora I, the debut of the prestigious Explora Journeys brand by MSC.
His dishes, in a specially designed 10-course menu for the occasion, can be savoured during the inaugural voyage from July 17th to September 25th, 2023, until arrival in New York. Uliassi’s cuisine, which reflects his passion for the sea and his deep respect for the environment, celebrates the various textures and flavours offered by the ocean in perfect harmony with the sustainability philosophy and culinary experiences based on local ingredients offered by Explora Journeys.
The Anthology restaurant is an innovative culinary concept that involves collaborations with a series of guest chefs who will create their menus inspired by cuisines from around the world in collaboration with Franck Garanger, head of catering for Explora Journeys, creating unique gastronomic pairings with renowned wineries.
The first to lead the high-level culinary offerings for the guests of Explora, I will be the three-Michelin-starred chef from Senigallia and his team. On board, after twenty years of experience in the renowned three-Michelin-starred kitchens of Senigallia, Michele Rocchi will offer passengers a menu composed of iconic dishes from the Uliassi Restaurant, and he will also be delighted to bring his wife and two-year-old son to this adventure.
The christening ceremony of the ship Explora I will take place on July 8th at the port of Civitavecchia, near Rome, followed by the inaugural voyage departing on July 17th from the port of Southampton, in the United Kingdom. During a 15-night itinerary through the majestic Norwegian fjords and the Arctic Circle, the ship will make a stop in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ten offered dishes represent Uliassi’s sea, from the delicate nuances of raw prawn with mandarin to the lemon sole with bergamot and lettuce, from the famous “Rimini Fest” to the delightful amberjack carpaccio alla puttanesca, and then the sea ossobuco, tomato pasta alla Hilde, wild sea bass with mushrooms and mango, strawberry granita, and tiramisu. This selection represents an excellent synthesis of the work of one of the best Italian chefs, presented to the guests of Anthology for 190 euros, with an additional 75 euros for those who desire the pairing with local wines, also carefully selected.
All that remains is to set sail with Explora I and sit at the table of one of the chefs who proudly represent Made in Italy, not for nothing ranked 12th in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2022. And now in first place in the ranking of the seas!
Article edited by Nadia Toppino
Food, Wine & Hospitality Journalist