Silversea continues its commitment to the culinary enrichment of its guests with the creation of Flavors of the Mediterranean, a special program showcasing the talents of its corporate chefs, slated for the May 24, Rome-to-Nice sailing of Silver Whisper.

This unique voyage is designed to highlight the flavors of the Mediterranean by bringing together, for the first time, Silversea’s corporate culinary stars to tantalize guests with festive dinners and tastings, cooking demonstrations and wine pairings.  Guests can attend lectures discussing top trends from terroir to sustainable; join optional tours to renowned wineries and bistros; and visit a local market with a chef to learn how to pick the perfect ingredients for a delicious meal.

The cast for this epicurean extravaganza includes:

Rudi Scholdis — voyage host and Silversea’s director of culinary development.  Belgium-born Scholdis has catered to an impressive list of international celebrities.  After cooking his way across Europe, he spent five years working in top London hotels, culminating with the legendary Dorchester.  From Alain Ducasse to Charlie Trotter, Scholdis has worked alongside some of the world’s leading chefs.  He has catered for Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles; and served heads of state from President Bill Clinton and Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, plus an array of Hollywood superstars.

David Bilsland — Silversea’s culinary trainer and program leader for L’École des Chefs.  Educated in classic French cooking, Bilsland’s career includes several years as a chef/instructor at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in London.  He currently hosts Silversea’s L’École des Chefs, a unique interactive cooking school offered in partnership with Relais & Châteaux.

Richard Weichbold — the corporate chef for Silversea.  This son of a South African restaurateur moved to London where he became sous chef at the Dorchester.  In 2003 he left the urban scene to join Silversea as executive chef aboard Silver Shadow and was promoted to corporate chef in 2009.

Alberto Colombo — Silversea’s corporate Italian chef.  A native of Turin, graduate of the Culinary Institute in Alessandria and an alumnus of some of Piedmont’s top restaurants, Colombo is steeped in the gastronomic traditions of a region known as Italy’s culinary star.  He oversees the authentic Italian regional cuisine for Silversea’s fleet-wide La Terrazza restaurants.

Alex Hekimov — the corporate pastry chef for Silversea.  From Shanghai to London, Hekimov has practiced his craft in a number of major international hotels before joining Silversea in 2002.  In 2009, he was named “Barcardi Chef of the Year” for his Citrus & Barcardi Indulgence recipe.  However, his true addiction is chocolate and today he travels from ship to ship, making sure the croissants are flaky, the dough perfect, and the desserts — a chocoholic’s nirvana.

Lyn Farmer — the wine consultant for Silversea.  This widely published wine and food writer and senior editor of The Wine News magazine, has been honored with the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Writing on Wine and Spirits.  He has judged international wine competitions and led tastings and tours to food and wine regions throughout the world.  His A Moment on Wine video series is featured throughout the Silversea fleet.

“With Silversea’s Italian heritage, it is not surprising that Mediterranean cuisines are very close to our heart,” said Scholdis.  “And with the ports on this itinerary, our chefs can demonstrate their artistry with a bounty of fresh ingredients.”

From Rome to the Riviera, guests on this seven-day voyage will explore lands where wines are mellow, glories eternal and breezes fragrant with rosemary and thyme.  They will chart their own course to gastronomic discovery with the option to savor the flavors of Sicily at a Relais & Châteaux restaurant along the Amalfi Drive, or by joining a cooking class in St. Tropez, perhaps, or Corsica.

The May 24, 2010, Flavors of the Mediterranean cruise (#4013) aboard the all-suite, 382-guest Silver Whisper departs from Rome for Sorrento, Taormina, Palermo, Calvi (Corsica), St. Tropez and Nice.  Silver Savings fares for this 7-day voyage start at $4,227 (reflecting a 55% discount) per person, based on double occupancy.  

Also available is a free roundtrip air package that includes transfers between airport and pier on the day of embarkation and disembarkation.  The free air package is available from 22 gateway cities in the U.S. and Canada.  It is a capacity-controlled program offered for a limited time.  Additionally, there are specially priced air programs available from another 50 cities.

Silversea Cruises is recognized as an innovator in the luxury segment, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate, all-suite vessels:  Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and Silver Spirit — all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance.  With the inclusion of the regal expedition ship Prince Albert II, the company’s itineraries encompass all seven continents.