Watching a cooking demonstration onboard Pacific Aria reminded me what an amazing effort it is for cruise ship kitchens to prepare thousands of meals every day.
And getting a slightly dodgy dish one night reminded me that it’s impossible to get it right all the time.
I hasten to point out that the coral trout that I thought was a little fishy was quickly replaced, and the dessert that completed that meal — an orange and vanilla flan with caramel sauce — was superb.
Offering good food is increasingly important to the cruise industry, and there are many quality restaurants at sea, some of them conceived by celebrity chefs such as Marco Pierre White, Jamie Oliver, Curtis Stone and, on the Aria, Luke Mangan.
But not everybody wants to pay extra for the speciality restaurants, so the quality of the food in the buffet and main dining rooms has to be good, too. That’s especially the case on long sea days, when a good meal is essential to keep the customers satisfied.
And, as I discovered during the demonstration, the standard food menu is usually made in the same kitchen by the same chefs who prepare meals for the “name” venues
Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of the food on offer across the Pacific Aria.
