Just the way we like it!
With 29 restaurants, designer suites and a "flying carpet", the Celebrity Edge is setting new standards on the world's oceans. Our cruise expert Jörg Bertram was in New York for the pre-launch and spoke to Cornelius Gallagher, Michelin-starred chef and Vice-President Food & Beverage, about the culinary concept and the new coolness at sea.
Edgy", translated from English, means something like "groundbreaking" or "first-class". Attributes that also apply to the new Celebrity Edge. The 2,900-passenger luxury liner is the first cruise ship in the world to be designed entirely in 3D, enabling a completely new approach to space planning. The result is something to be seen - and experienced from November. The special features include veranda cabins with sliding glass partitions.
The result: up to 20 percent more space and seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor areas. The suites and Edge Villas designed by interior design queen Kelly Hoppen are even more spectacular. Measuring up to 175 m², they feature meter-high windows, private pools, glass balconies and a look that is otherwise only found in design hotels. Other impressive features include a rooftop garden and a three-deck-high lounge with a library and multifunctional uses. The "Magic Carpet" is unique in the world - a terrace attached to the outer wall that glides up and down 16 decks. It functions as a tender station in the water and as a panoramic restaurant high above.
Cornelius Gallagher, star chef and Vice-President Food & Beverage at Celebrity Cruises, explains in person what is served on the finely laid tables there - and in 28 (!) other restaurants.
CC: The new Celebrity Edge is characterized by lots of innovations. To what extent do these also affect the cuisine?
C. Gallagher: Fine dining will play a very important role on board and will be completely redefined! The mere fact that there are four main restaurants is revolutionary. Depending on their mood, guests will be offered Italian, French, Greek or international cuisine - in the right ambience and with daily changing menus. There are also seven specialty restaurants - from the "Fine Cut Steakhouse" to the "Raw on 5", where oysters and lobster are served. There are also exclusive restaurants for Suite and Aqua Class guests. And then there is the "Le Petit Chef" in the "Le Grand Bistro"...
CC:A French colleague on board?
C. Gallagher: Yes, except that he also gets to dance on the table (laughs). Le Petit Chef is an animated 3D comic character created in cooperation with TableMation Studios and the Skullmapping artists' collective. We offer a unique dinner show projected onto the tables, where the dishes are prepared virtually in front of the guests.
CC: That sounds very elaborate. How do you manage to implement such concepts on a ship?
C. Gallagher: Apart from the logistical challenges and the limited space available in a ship's galley, there is little difference between a restaurant on land or at sea. Here and there, it's all about preparing first-class dishes from the best ingredients and offering guests unforgettable experiences.
CC: Are you actually influenced by culinary trends?
C. Gallagher: Of course, eating habits have changed a lot in recent years. Today, people eat lighter, healthier, more sustainably and more internationally. It's also no longer so formal. Eating out has become cooler and more relaxed. Of course, we at Celebrity Cruises are also responding to this. Beyond that, however, I don't believe in short-lived trends, but in the highest quality and first-class ingredients - regardless of whether they are trendy or not.
CC: Nevertheless, is there a personal new discovery that has impressed you recently?
C. Gallagher: Oh, yes! Sechuan Button is an edible flower that initially tingles like champagne on the tongue, then causes a slight numbness and finally develops its full flavor. It's exciting, unusual and delicious - just like everything we'll be serving on Celebrity Edge!
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