Holland America Line Adds New Culinary Options To Koningsdam

Dinner at the Culinary Arts Center

Holland America Line is planning an evolution in the line's culinary vision with new dining and eatery concepts, reimagined venues, and innovative features that will debut when ms Koningsdam joins the fleet in February 2016.

Guests will have the opportunity to embark on a culinary journey that features cuisine from around the world in several alternative restaurants; an immersive dining experience in the reimagined Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine; a re-designed casual Lido Market with themed serving stations; relaxing cafes; and an exciting, interactive culinary-themed walkway, all in addition to the main dining room. All menus are developed by award-winning Holland America Line's Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, working closely with the line's team of highly regarded international chefs.

The Heart of Koningsdam's Culinary Experience on Deck 2 will showcase several of the ship's dining venues along one central promenade. In addition to the Main Dining Room, guests will find the Culinary Arts Center, alternative venues the Pinnacle Grill and Sel de Mer, the new French seafood brasserie, and interactive displays presenting icons of the food and wine world. A central bar area overlooking the atrium enables guests to check in for their alternative-dining reservation at a hosted central podium, relax with a pre-dinner cocktail, and peruse the menu before being escorted and seated at the restaurant.

Perhaps the most intriguing venue for foodies will be the reimagined Culinary Arts Center, which also becomes a dining option. Lining the entry to the Culinary Arts Center are nine interactive displays that allow guests to explore the lives of food and wine luminaries, their culinary secrets, recipe tips, favorite dishes, and more. Additionally, on Koningsdam, the center features a dramatic show kitchen and individual cooking stations that will be used exclusively for Culinary Arts Center activities, such as cooking demonstrations and hands-on classes by visiting celebrity chefs and the ship's own experts. Regionally inspired workshops, as well as kids' and teens' cooking classes, also will be featured.

So far the center sounds much like those found on the fleet's other ships...that is, until the sun goes down. In the evening, the room transforms into a new dining concept called Dinner at the Culinary Arts Center, an immersive farm-to-table experience where the chefs prepare simple, artisanal dishes in the show kitchen and guests enjoy each course as it's freshly prepared. Large mirrors, viewing screens, and an open kitchen make it possible for everyone to watch the food preparation and learn from the comfort of their table. Every meal will emphasize fresh, thoughtfully sourced selections while incorporating select ingredients harvested from a glass-enclosed growing area just off the kitchen.

Image Courtesy Holland America Line