Luxury cruise rivals, Aqua Expeditions, elevates dining experience with culinary focus
In the world of luxury expedition cruising, Aqua Expeditions stands out for its focus on food as a competitive edge. Led by Adrian Broadhead, the company's food and beverage director, Aqua Expeditions manages systems across its fleet, including the Indonesian yacht, Aqua Blu.
The sale of a majority stake to Ponant, a luxury expedition cruise operator backed by the Pinault family's Arteฬmis Group, is a testament to Aqua Expeditions' commitment to culinary excellence.
Benjamin Cross, an Australian chef, serves as Aqua's consultant chef. His influence is evident in the menus crafted for Aqua Blu, which sails week-long routes from Bali through Komodo and up to Raja Ampat.
Lunch on Aqua Blu might include dishes such as salmon crudo, grilled halloumi, baba ganoush, and chilli-fennel salami. For dinner, guests might enjoy hamachi sashimi in palm sugar soy, Balinese-style suckling pig with turmeric rice, or tomato 'Spice Island' hotpot with grouper fillet.
The culinary delights continue for three meals per day, prepared in a small galley kitchen. Despite the challenges posed by the ship's limited space, dishes like grilled barramundi fillet with sambal matah, zucchini with pine nuts, and barbecue chicken glazed with basa gede and sweet soy are adapted to suit the galley kitchen's restrictions.
The supply chain for Aqua Blu's food stretches across islands and time zones. Menus are prepared and packaged on land at Mason, one of Benjamin Cross's restaurants in Bali. The vessels carry no more than 40 guests each, ensuring a personalised dining experience.
For Benjamin Cross, the measure of success is for guests to say that their experience was better than on other boats. This focus on intimacy and detail, particularly in food, is a significant attraction for investors.
The growth potential for Aqua Expeditions is evident. Before departure, the ship is packed with hundreds of bottles of wine and beer. Even in remote locations, Aqua Expeditions has been known to source supplies from unexpected sources, such as purchasing the entire stock from a passing wooden schooner when they ran low on house wine.
Despite the challenges, Aqua Expeditions continues to deliver a culinary journey that is unparalleled in the world of luxury expedition cruising. The last night's menu is said to be closest to Mason, featuring charcuterie, flatbreads, grilled vegetables, and things to share, providing a fitting end to a week of gastronomic adventures.
