Coming on the heels of a long-term partnership announcement with the James Beard Foundation, Windstar Cruises Director of Hotel Operations Peter Tobler (pictured above) is bullish about the two organizations working together.

“When it comes to the culinary experience in the cruise industry, the James Beard Foundation exemplifies many of the values that Windstar Cruises upholds. We both cultivate leadership and recognize culinary excellence; the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to honoring chefs who are visionaries in their field, and to making the local food scene more appreciative, sustainable, and diverse,” Tobler said, in a blog post on the Windstar website.

 “Similarly, Windstar Cruises always seeks to bring those visions to our ships by sourcing ingredients locally to ensure that guests always have the freshest and most authentic flavors, by designing menus with the itineraries in mind so that guests have a truly immersive experience on shore as well as on board, and hosting a variety of chefs so that guests can choose from a breadth of food experiences and learn from true experts. It honestly is a natural fit.”

The partnership is all encompassing, also including onboard culinary demonstrations by the foundation along with Windstar chefs. Guests can also accompany the chefs to local markets.

Earlier this year, the Seattle-based cruise line rolled out an entirely new menu concept, with a menu rotation now expanding to 14 days, with Tobler collaborating closely with Graeme Cockburn, corporate executive chef.

In addition are six upcoming sailings featuring chefs and beverage experts recognized by the James Beard Foundation.

A new wine program is also set to debut with 100 different labels and 30 wines available by the glass.