Learn culinary secrets from guest chefs.
At the Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine magazine, you'll learn gourmet tricks of the trade during demonstrations and hands-on classes led by top chefs, wine experts and leading cookbook authors. The lineup of special guest chefs on our Europe itineraries includes:
Richard Chamberlain, Executive Chef
Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House – Dallas, TX; ENVY – Las Vegas, NV
12-Day Mediterranean Empires: ms Nieuw Amsterdam: Sep 24, 2010
Considered one of America's leading chefs, Chamberlain is the owner of Chamberlain's Steak and Chophouse in Dallas, named one of Bon Appetit's top new restaurants shortly after opening in 1993. He and the restaurant have garnered stellar reviews and accolades from premier publications, including "One of America's Top Tables," from Gourmet and "One of America's Top Restaurants," from Zagat Guide. Richard also opened the award-winning Fish Market Grill and Tarragon at Elk Mountain, an ultra-luxury resort in Colorado. Most recently, he joined forces with The Renaissance Las Vegas to open ENVY The Steakhouse, one of most exclusive new restaurants in Las Vegas.
Kirsten Dixon, Executive Chef and Owner
Within The Wild Lodges – Alaska
54-Day Grand Mediterranean & Black Sea: ms Prinsendam: Mar 24-Apr 8, 2010
Kirsten Dixon is chef/owner of Within The Wild Adventure Company, an Alaskan travel company offering three remote boutique adventure lodges. With husband Carl, she owns and operates Redoubt Bay Lodge, a bear-viewing destination near the Finger Lake checkpoint along the Iditarod Trail, and Tutka Bay Lodge, an ocean-based lodge in Kachemak Bay. After attending culinary school at Cordon Bleu in Paris, she earned her master's degree in gastronomy from Adelaide University in Australia. Author of several cookbooks, she's working on a collection of favored recipes from her twenty-five years of cooking in the Alaska backcountry.
Marisol Koczal Simo, Culinary Educator
Author and Chef – Denver, CO
54-Day Grand Mediterranean & Black Sea: ms Prinsendam: Apr 9-26, 2010
Venezuela native Chef Marisol Koczal Simon moved to the U.S. at 18, earned a Master's and worked as a marketing professional, college professor and group facilitator for the Department of the Defense. In 2001, her book The Lady, The Chef, and The Courtesan, became a best-seller before its subsequent translation into several languages. In 2006, she was awarded an honorary degree by Johnson & Wales University for contributions to the study of world cuisine. Her work has been featured in Latina Magazine, Hispanic Magazine, Vanidades Internacional, Univision and Good Morning L.A.
Lon Symensma, Executive Chef
Buddakan – New York, NY
10-Day Roman Empire: ms Eurodam: May 9, 2010
An Iowa native, Symensma's culinary career started in the kitchen of a local diner. In Indiana he worked with Don Miller, executive chef of the University of Notre Dame's extensive food program and earned silver in Berlin in 1996 for the US Culinary Olympic team. He graduated with High Honors in 1999 at the Culinary Institute of America, and staged in kitchens in the South of France and at San Sebastian's famed Arzak. In Asia he trained at the Royal Garden Hotel in Hong Kong and the Datai resort in Malaysia. Back in New York as opening sous chef at Spice Market, he joined the Buddakan NYC team, where he has been an integral part in the collaborative development of the menu.
David McMillan, Corporate Executive Chef
Consilient Restaurants – Dallas, TX; Los Angeles, CA
12-Day Mediterranean Tapestry: ms Nieuw Amsterdam: Aug 7, 2010
California native David McMillan studied fine arts at Boston University before a European trip reaffirmed his culinary desires. A chef and caterer for top rated restaurants, hotels, Hollywood celebrities and world dignitaries, David's a former commis at Café Konig in Baden Baden. He has worked with some of Europe's most prestigious wine chateaus, was corporate chef for Hyatt hotels and executive chef at the Peninsula Hotel of Beverly Hills. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, David was executive chef for the World Broadcasters division. In 2008, David joined Consilient Restaurants as their Corporate Executive Chef.