Luxury cruise specialist, Silversea, continues its commitment to the culinary enrichment of its guests with the creation of Flavours of the Mediterranean, a special voyage designed to showcase the talents of Silversea’s exceptional culinary team and the diverse regional produce available at local ports. The programme will be available to all guests joining the seven-day Rome to Nice voyage aboard Silver Whisper on 24 May, 2010.

This unique onboard experience has been created to highlight the distinctive flavours of the Mediterranean by bringing together for the first time Silversea’s very own culinary stars to tantalise guests with festive dinners and tastings, cooking demonstrations and wine pairings. Guests will also have the opportunity to accompany the chefs on a visit to a local market to learn how to source fresh ingredients, join guided tours to local wineries and restaurants, and attend informative lectures covering a range of topics from terroir to sustainability.

In addition, a number of Silver Shore land-based experiences will be available to guests wishing continue on their path of gastronomic discovery, such as cookery classes in Corsica or St. Tropez, and the opportunity to savour the flavours of Sicily at a Relais & Châteaux member restaurant along the Amalfi Drive, Italy.

“Given Silversea’s Italian heritage, it is not surprising that Mediterranean cuisine is very close to our heart,” said Trudy Redfern, Silversea Managing Director, UK & Ireland. “This voyage will enable our chefs to demonstrate their artistry using a bounty of fresh ingredients that will be sourced locally at ports throughout the journey.”

The Flavors of the Mediterranean cruise (#4013) aboard the all-suite, 382-guest Silver Whisper, departs on 24 May, 2010, from Rome for Sorrento, Taormina, Palermo, Calvi (Corsica), St. Tropez and Nice. Silver Savings fares for this seven-day, all-inclusive, cruise-only voyage start at £2,527 per person, based on double occupancy of a Vista Suite. The price includes port charges, government fees and taxes.

Also available is a free roundtrip air package which includes flights and luxury transfers, subject to availability, between airport and pier on the day of embarkation and disembarkation. The free air package is available from London and Manchester. UK regional economy class flights are available from just £39 per person from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Birmingham and Jersey. All prices are subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.

The onboard lineup of Silversea’s culinary stars for the Flavours of the Mediterranean programme includes:

Rudi Scholdis is the voyage host and Silversea’s director of culinary development. Belgium-born Scholdis has catered for an impressive list of royalty including HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and HRH The Prince of Wales, whilst serving heads of state from President Bill Clinton to Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd, plus an array of Hollywood superstars.

David Bilsland is Silversea’s culinary trainer and programme 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.

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

Alberto Colombo is 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 an expert in the gastronomic traditions of a region known as Italy’s culinary highlight.

Alex Hekimov is the corporate pastry chef for Silversea. From Shanghai to London, Hekimov has practiced his craft in a number of major international hotels, and in 2009, he was named “Bacardi Chef of the Year” for his Citrus & Bacardi Indulgence recipe

Lyn Farmer is 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.