Courtesy of Oceania Cruises.
Oceania Cruises continues to demonstrate its commitment to create the finest cuisine at sea by honoring Food Network’s only female Iron Chef, Cat Cora, as godmother of their newest ship Riviera.
Cora will name the ship in Barcelona at a lavish, invitation-only christening ceremony on May 11, which will culminate with a 15-liter Nebuchadnezzar of champagne, custom-made by Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, commemoratively breaking against the hull of the 1,250-guest ship.
Riviera is the second new ship launched by Oceania Cruises in under 18 months. Designed for epicureans, Riviera features 10 dining venues – six of which are gourmet restaurants – plus a Bon Appétit Culinary Center for hands-on learning and La Reserve by Wine Spectator, a professional facility for wine tastings and pairing dinners.
“Cat Cora’s passion for fine cuisine and her focus on the dining experience captures the essence of what we do every day,” stated Kunal S. Kamlani, Oceania Cruises’ president. “We are all excited to have her christen our newest ship and are proud to welcome her to the Oceania Cruises family.”
In addition to her television credits, Chef Cora operates four restaurants: Kouzzina at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort in Orlando, CCQ, in partnership with Macy’s in Costa Mesa, California and Cat Cora’s Kitchen in San Francisco and Houston. A third Cat Cora’s Kitchen location will be opening at the Salt Lake City International Airport later this month. In addition to being a restaurateur, she also has her own branded olive oils, vinegars, sauces, tapenades and cookware, a collection of wines and is the author of three best-selling cook books and a children’s book.
“It’s an honor to have been asked to serve as the godmother for the beautiful Riviera,” said Cora. “Oceania Cruises has done an incredible job of developing ships custom-designed for food lovers, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it all.”
Oceania Cruises chose Chef Cora as godmother to Riviera, a role revered for its historic and symbolic value, also in recognition of her many philanthropic efforts to support emergency, educational and hunger-related causes. Cora is the president and founder of Chefs for Humanity, which she started in response to the devastating Tsunami that hit Indonesia in 2004. The organization is dedicated to reducing hunger worldwide by supporting humanitarian relief and promoting nutrition education.
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Chef Cat Cora Named Godmother for Oceania Cruises' 'Riviera'