A “show kitchen” set is created on the main theater stage, with cameras projecting the cooking action onto large screens. Costa chefs demonstrate how to make dishes in the Italian tradition, as well as some international recipes, preparing them step by step for guests.
Fleetwide, every day Costa ships serve 520 representative dishes from 18 regions of Italy to showcase Italian culinary excellence. With “Bravo Chef: The Show,” guests will learn how to prepare some of these traditional recipes at home and see how to make international dishes from several of the destinations on Costa’s itineraries. For example, guests will learn how to make spaghetti with anchovies and breadcrumbs from Sicily, veal saltimbocca alla romana from Rome (veal, prosciutto and sage rolled up and cooked in dry white wine and butter), the traditional Basque dish bacalao pil-pil (dried, salted cod cooked with olive oil, chili pepper and garlic) and French bouillabaisse, just to name a few of the dishes that are presented during the show.
In addition to demonstrating how to prepare the dishes, “Bravo Chef: The Show” also provides useful tips on how to serve a perfect dinner. The ship’s maitre d’ will explain the correct selection and positioning of dishes, cutlery and glasses, while the sommelier will suggest complementary wines to serve with each recipe. The format will resemble a real television show with the cruise director serving as host.
Each “Bravo Chef: The Show” will end with a contest for guests in attendance who will be invited to answer a question related to the recipe. The first guest to give the correct answer via a remote-control button will win dinner for two at the Club Restaurant.
In addition to the demos, Costa is featuring a “Bravo Chef: The Battle” version. Guests will compete in a real-time cooking challenge to earn the title of “Bravo Chef for a Day.” Contestants will prepare a dish using surprise ingredients contained in special “mystery boxes” for a jury composed of the ship’s food and beverage director, the maitre d’ and a guest. The cruise director will host the competition on the open deck poolside and the winner will receive dinner for two at the Club Restaurant or at Burger d’Autore, which serves gourmet Italian burgers.
“Bravo Chef: The Show” and “Bravo Chef: The Battle” premiered on Costa Pacifica Nov. 18 and will roll out on seven additional Costa ships: Costa Deliziosa, Costa Diadema, Costa Fascinosa, Costa Favolosa, Costa Luminosa, Costa Magica and Costa Mediterranea, where they will be staged on every cruise.
EDITORS NOTE: Photos of “Bravo Chef: The Show” are available for download at this link: https://spaces.hightail.com/