The Mediterranean Summer Cruise for Food Lovers Hosted by Chef David Shalleck, June 2022
“The Mediterranean Summer Cruise for Food Lovers has forever impacted
the way I will think about food, place, soul, passion, history, and culture.”
– Jan W.
It was both a delight and a pleasure for me to host the first edition of the Mediterranean Summer Cruise for Food Lovers. The adventure took place from June 15-25, 2022 on board Oceania Cruises luxurious ship M/S Riviera. The sailing began in Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy and finished in Barcelona, Spain. Limited to a small of group of 20 guests, this was a flavor-driven voyage surrounded by beautiful ports of call.
The Mediterranean Summer story was joyfully brought to life while everyone savored palate-pleasing delights along the way. Throughout the cruise we visited bountiful public markets, met proud food producers, and enjoyed multi-course luncheons paired with local wines. Combined with the special events on board the ship the entire experience was a unique culinary adventure at sea!
The first stop during the excursion on Day One of the cruise was a visit to Termini at the end of the Sorrento Peninsula. The view of Capri in the background was a magnificent setting to enjoy a very refreshing granite made from local lemons.
The personalized shore excursions included a breath-taking panoramic drive above and beyond Sorrento, Italy to the Michelin-starred Ristorante Don Alfonso with stops en route to taste local products; an authentic and very interesting farm-to-table food tour outside Malta’s capital city Valletta hosted by Malta Rural Tours; quality time spent one morning at the lively Mercato Centrale in Livorno, Italy followed by a delicious demo, lunch, and wine tasting at the elegant Villa Dianella in Northern Tuscany; a lovely walk and market visit in Aix-en-Provence, France before continuing to the quintessential Provençal town of Lourmarin for a beautiful meal at the revered restaurant La Fenière.
During the journey we shopped for local food products and interesting regional wines to bring home. At the private demos in The Culinary Center on board Riviera I shared many tips and tricks to show how easy it is to cook in the style of the Mediterranean region. After the cruise I sent everyone the recipes from the dishes presented and sampled during the demos as well as other helpful information.
Our “meeting point” in the great hall of the Mercato Centrale, Livorno, Italy.
The all-inclusive cruise package included a series of preliminary group Zoom calls, four customized culinary shore excursions, two private cooking demos, two pre-dinner aperitif gatherings, a premium beverage package for all, pre-paid gratuities, free internet, and airfare from select gateways in the continental United States.
Upon disembarking the ship many of the guests stayed in Barcelona for a few days and took full advantage of my recommendations to keep the search for all things delicious alive. They took mouthwatering food tours led by Culinary Backstreets experts and enjoyed visits to the respected Agusti Torello Mata cava producer in the Penedes region for private tastings paired with local delicacies. The reports I received from everyone who participated were very positive.
With glorious backdrops at a perfect time of the year complete with all of the amenities on board the ship, this was a fantastic way to immerse oneself in the delectable pleasures of the Mediterranean lifestyle. Looking ahead, the next Mediterranean Summer Cruise for Food Lovers is not to be missed!
The bounty of what’s available at public markets along the Mediterranean coast is enormous.
Here is what some of the “food lovers” in the group had to say about their experience:
“David, you outdid yourself. I cannot say enough about how wonderful you treated us and taught us. We had the most magical time.”
– Cynthia H.
“This was one of our favorite vacations and you and your culinary help throughout was a big part of that.”
– Rob W.
“You have enlightened all of us to the simple but exquisite pleasures of a true Mediterranean diet.”
– Michael C.
“Thank you David for such a wonderful and well thought-out trip. It was amazing.”
– Dineen E.
“David, many thanks, simply said. We know how much you have put into our Mediterranean Summer journey and it was fantastic.”
–Laurie L.
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To create your own customized Mediterranean Summer small group event please email me directly.