'A Taste of Celebration' Cookbook by Holland America Line Master Chef Rudi Sodamin Now Available

While my ability in the kitchen precludes me from joining the ranks of gourmet cooks, I love good food and have a "collection" of cookbooks at home to inspire me. A couple of my favorites are by cruise line chefs and the one I rely on the most is A Taste of Excellence by Holland America Line's Master Chef Rudi Sodamin. So, I was delighted to learn that Chef Rudi has written his third cookbook, A Taste of Celebration, which is now available for purchase in bookstores and aboard Holland America Line's ships, as well as by clicking the link here to order it from Amazon.com. The new cookbook completes the Holland America Line Culinary Signature Collections cookbooks. The first two titles are Sodamin's A Taste of Excellence and A Taste of Elegance.

A Taste of Celebration is filled with Sodamin's inspired recipes for complete menus, from appetizers to desserts, for 16 celebratory occasions. These include 11 holidays: Valentine's Day, Passover, Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's Eve. Also included are recipes for a Captain's Dinner, Master Chef's Dinner (a Holland America Line signature event), Super Bowl Sunday, birthday or anniversary celebration and a cocktail party. All of the menus feature distinctive four-star favorites from Sodamin's extensive recipe collection. The new cookbook is designed to motivate readers to create memorable meals to celebrate their own special occasions. It features tantalizing photos of each dish to complement the mouth-watering recipes. Sodamin also offers helpful hints from purchasing ingredients to preparing the dishes.

"Once again, Master Chef Rudi Sodamin has produced an original and extraordinary cookbook that will inspire our guests and food lovers to create sumptuous meals on special occasions," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. "Rudi's distinctive style and innovative ideas have earned Holland America Line numerous culinary awards and set the standard in premium cruise cuisine."

Sodamin is internationally recognized as a food authority and one of the hospitality industry's most innovative chefs. He continues to direct the evolution of fine dining and unique menu options at Holland America Line, including the introduction of alternative dining venues such as the Italian-themed Canaletto and pan-Asian Tamarind, a highly acclaimed, exclusive dining experience on Signature-class ships ms Eurodam and ms Nieuw Amsterdam. Sodamin's ideas have been instrumental in the development of Holland America Line's onboard culinary program, including the popular Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine. The centers enable guests to watch cooking demonstrations conducted by shipboard and celebrated guest chefs, as well as participate in small-group cooking lessons. Each center is equipped with state-of-the art cooking facilities set in a theater with audio-video systems to provide up-close viewing of the demonstrations. Sodamin is a member of the Academy Culinaire de France, Maitres Cuisiners de France and Honoree Member Club des Chefs des Chefs.