HOLLAND AMERICA GETS ALL FRENCH

Holland America is looking to entice cruisers aboard with a Hansel and Gretelesque trail of French cuisine. The liner has introduced Sel de Mer French brasserie pop-up restaurants to six ships in the fleet, vaunting an intimate dining venue for classic Franco-fare with modern inflections. Master chef and culinary consultant Rudi Sodamin is the creator of the Sel de Mer concept, which since launching on Koningsdam as a standalone venue, has received acclaim. Expect custom décor, with menus reflecting the original Koningsdam restaurant; an amuse-bouche of seared scallops on seaweed salad and light saffron vinaigrette foam, steak tartare and fruits de mer appetisers and entrées such as duck cassoulet, steak frites, soufflé au forage and a salt- crust baked branzino. Chefs also will go ashore to the local fish market whenever possible and personally select the catch of the day as a featured dish for the menu. “Sel de Mer onboard Koningsdam is extremely popular among our guests and one of the most talked about dining experiences in the industry,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “The restaurant showcases our commitment to providing our guests with unrivalled dining options, and launching it as Rudi’s Sel de Mer on six more ships as a pop-up will allow more of our guests to see what the buzz is all about and indulge in its phenomenal cuisine.” Sodamin has authored 13 cookbooks and a 14th will be published later in 2017.