Through its exclusive partnership with Relais & Châteaux, ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises is introducing L’École des Chefs, a new interactive cooking school that will be featured on 11 voyages in 2010.

The Relais & Châteaux L’École des Chefs program offers guests a special culinary curriculum and entertaining events hosted by Silversea executive chef David Bilsland.  Educated in classic French cooking, Bilsland’s career includes several years as a chef instructor at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in London.  He will present a program developed in collaboration with Jacques Thorel, the owner of L’Auberge Bretonne and a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux.

The curriculum for each of these cruises is carefully designed to celebrate the cultural flavor of the ship’s itinerary.  Highlights include specialized workshops covering a range of topics from basic knife skills and kitchen terminology to sauces and baking; cooking demonstrations with wine pairings and interactive Q&A sessions; lively cooking competitions between Chef Bilsland and the ship’s own culinary team; a “Lunch and Learn” event offering small groups of guests a chance to sample a delicious meal of specially prepared dishes; and inspired “Take It Home” recipes that will give guests an edge when entertaining at home.  

Also offered on certain voyages, when the itinerary permits, is a “Market to the Plate” experience that provides an escorted tour of a local market followed by a cooking class, and a “Culinary Outing,” an instructor-escorted excursion to a local restaurant, hotel or other venue where guests can enjoy a unique culinary exploration.

“Thanks to our partnership with Relais & Châteaux we’re able to offer the exclusive L’École des Chefs program and provide our guests with a top-notch, in-depth cooking class that is also fun and entertaining,” said Rudi Scholdis, Silversea’s culinary director.  “Of course, in addition to this new program, we’ll continue to offer our popular Culinary Arts voyages showcasing the artistry of award-winning chefs of top dining establishments from around the world, including the internationally acclaimed chefs of Relais & Châteaux.”

Select L’École des Chefs voyages will also feature Silversea’s celebrated wine consultant, Lyn Farmer.  The James Beard Foundation Award-winning wine and food writer — a passionate advocate of experiencing different cultures by sharing wine and food — will host lectures, conduct tastings and guide guests through wine and food pairings as part of Silversea’s Wine Series enrichment program.

Following below is a list of the L’École des Chefs voyages for 2010.  Fares listed are per person based on double occupancy for a Vista Suite and do not include port charges and handling fees that range from $150 to $575 per person for these voyages, depending on the itinerary.