Carnival Magic’s “Name the Dish” Contest: And The Winner Is...

Carnival Cruise Lines has a winner! Following several days of on-line voting, “Il Bacio del Mare” (Kiss of the Sea), submitted by Ted Fazioli of Salem, NH, was chosen the winner of Carnival Magic’s “Name the Dish” contest. The contest invited consumers to come up with a creative moniker for a delectable new menu item in Cucina del Capitano, the family-style Italian restaurant featured on the new 3,690-passenger vessel, which is set to debut from Europe May 1, 2011.

Facing heated competition from hundreds of contest participants, Ted’s entry was selected as one of five finalists by a panel of judges and then received the most votes by consumers during the at-large voting period on CarnivalMagic.com. For winning the “The Yummiest Contest Around,” Ted receives a prize pack containing a pasta pot, Carnival recipe book, apron and a bottle of wine–not to mention bragging rights for “Il Bacio del Mare” having earned a prominent spot on “Cucina del Capitano’s” diverse menu.

Developed by Carnival’s master chefs, “Il Bacio del Mare” truly captures the essence of fine Italian cooking, offering a tantalizing combination of spaghetti, clams, garlic, white wine, olive oil, vermouth, pesto, brioche bread crumbs, cherry tomatoes, and arugula, all topped with shaved Parmesan cheese. “Il Bacio del Mare” will be featured among an enticing array of appetizers, side dishes and entrees offered in “Cucina del Capitano,” which pays homage to Carnival’s rich Italian lineage. All of the line’s captains are Italian and many of its ships, including the Carnival Magic, are built in Italy.

The décor of Cucina del Capitano recreates the ambiance of a cozy Italian home with wood-beam ceilings, ornate wrought ironwork, and framed archival photographs–many from the captains’ personal collections (artist rendering below).
And with a last name like Fazioli, we suspect Ted will feel right at home in Cucina del Capitano.