“Deadliest Catch” Captain Keith Colburn to Sail on Holland America Line's Zaandam

One of the most appealing aspects of any cruise is the food. Another is learning about food, as I did last year on my Holland America cruise aboard Westerdam when guest chef Chris Salans introduced us to “The Flavors of Bali.” The Culinary Arts Center on each Holland America Line ship provides guests on select cruises the opportunity to experience demonstrations and hands-on classes conducted by top chefs, wine experts, and leading cookbook authors.

This summer, Captain Keith Colburn of Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch” series (pictured above) is scheduled to sail as part of the guest-enrichment program on the June 18, 2010, Alaskan Explorer Voyage aboard Holland America Line’s ms Zaandam. The 7-day cruise sails round-trip from Seattle, and calls at Glacier Bay, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, Alaska, and Victoria, BC, Canada. During his cruise, Colburn will share his expertise on how to select, crack, and clean fresh crab, while Holland America Line’s executive chef demonstrates different ways to prepare and serve this delectable Alaska seafood favorite. Colburn is one of more than 65 celebrated chefs and wine experts scheduled to sail in 2010 and share their expertise in the line's Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine magazine.

Colburn started as a true greenhorn on an Alaskan crabber in 1985. The fishing lifestyle, along with working in and against the elements, captured him immediately. While initially looking only for adventure in Alaska’s unknown waters, Colburn found something unexpected: a career. In 1988, he became a full-share deck hand on the Wizard, and in 1992 he received his master’s license and has since remained as captain of the vessel that he eventually purchased. Viewers of“Deadliest Catch” follow the captains and crew of crab-fishing vessels in the Bering Sea as they struggle against treacherous weather conditions to perform one of the deadliest—and most lucrative—jobs in the world.

Holland America Line’s Culinary Arts Center is featured on each of the line’s 14 ships. A first-class “show kitchen at sea,” the Culinary Arts Centers presented by Food & Wine magazine resemble the elaborate show kitchens used by celebrity chefs on television cooking programs. The facilities offer demonstrations, tastings and hands-on cooking classes aboard every Holland America Line sailing. Each facility features a theater-style venue, with two large plasma video screens and a large cooking display counter where guests can learn from and interact with the masters. On cruises that do not have a celebrity chef on board, hands-on classes and demonstrations in the show kitchen are scheduled with Holland America Line’s own expert chefs. For a full schedule of Holland America Line’s culinary guest program, visit HollandAmerica.com and click on the Culinary Arts Center tab.