MIAMI, March 26,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Windstar Cruises, a leader in
small ship luxury cruising, is excited to mark the 10th Anniversary
of its partnership with the James Beard
Foundation® in 2025 - expanding their series
of yearly themed culinary sailings. To further commemorate this
milestone, Windstar will be welcoming five distinguished "All-Star"
chefs, four who have previously sailed with the cruise line as part
of the ground-breaking partnership and are guest
favorites.
The five acclaimed chefs — Jamilka
Borges, José Mendin, Jennifer Hill
Booker, Jennifer Jasinski,
and Larry Forgione (new to Windstar)
— will bring their regional culinary expertise and signature dishes
to sea.
Windstar is the Official Cruise Line of the James Beard
Foundation. The nonprofit organization's mission is to celebrate,
support, and elevate the people behind America's food culture,
while championing a standard of good food anchored in talent,
equity, and sustainability. The Foundation firmly aligns with
Windstar's commitment to fresh and local epicurean experiences
around the world, as well as efforts to reduce food waste.
James Beard Foundation sailings include plenty of time to
personally interact with the chefs through a chef-hosted dinner and
wine pairing, two onboard cooking demonstrations with takeaway
recipes, and a shoreside market tour. More than three dozen James
Beard Foundation-affiliated chefs have sailed with Windstar since
the partnership's inception.
"We are thrilled to recognize our 10-year partnership with the
James Beard Foundation," said Windstar President Christopher Prelog. "We take pride in the
numerous chefs who have sailed with us, shared their stories, and
crafted signature dishes – enhancing the culinary experience for
all of our guests on Windstar."
Details for all five James Beard Foundation themed cruises in
2025 can be found below.
March 15, 2025 with Chef
Jamilka Borges on a 7 day "Windward
Ways & Tobago Cays: Aruba to
Bridgetown" aboard Windstar's
312-guest Star Pride
As the owner of Lilith, Chef Jamilka
Borges was born and raised in San
Juan, Puerto Rico where she developed an interest in art and
food early in her life. In 2015, she was named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Rising Star
Chef of the Year and was also honored as Best Chefs America's
Rising Star Chef. In 2019, she was recognized as a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef:
Mid-Atlantic.
April 12, 2025 with Chef
José Mendin on a 8 day "Spanish Symphony: Lisbon to Barcelona" aboard Windstar's flagship
342-guest Wind Surf
Chef/restaurateur José Mendin co-founded the Pubbelly Boys
Restaurant Group in 2010 and has since opened several other
restaurants in Miami including La
Placita, which pays homage to his Puerto Rican roots, and the
beloved Casa Isola in Sunset Harbor. The latter also recently
expanded to Mexico City. Mendín is
a five-time James Beard Award
semifinalist for Best Chef: South.
June 29, 2025 with Chef
Jennifer Hill Booker on a 11 day
"Baltic Beauty: Stockholm to
Copenhagen" aboard Windstar's 312-
guest Star Legend
Chef Jennifer Hill Booker has
taken her Southern culinary heritage, her belief in healthy,
seasonal foods and her classic French training to create a unique
cuisine — modern southern healthy cuisine with a french accent. She
wears many culinary hats as chef: cookbook author of Field
Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes
with a French Accent and Dinner Déjà Vu: Southern Tonight,
French Tomorrow; reality TV personality; culinary educator; and
business owner, most recently the acclaimed Bauhaus Biergarten, a
place for German and European food and drink, in Springdale, AK. Chef Booker is an alum of the
James Beard Foundation Chef Bootcamp for Policy and Change.
August 27, 2025 with Chef
Jennifer Jasinski on a 9 day
"Adriatic Archipelagos & Greek Goddesses: Venice to Athens" aboard Windstar's flagship 342-guest
Wind Surf
Chef Jennifer Jasinski won the
James Beard Award for Best Chef:
Southwest in 2013 and was a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef in
2016 and Outstanding Restaurateur in 2020. A wolfgang Puck alum,
her restaurants including Rioja, Bistro Vendôme, Ultreia, and Stoic
& Genuine, consistently rank among Denver's top establishments, solidifying her
remarkable legacy in the culinary world. Fans of Top Chef
Masters will also recognize Jasinski from the show.
October 7, 2025 with Chef
Larry Forgione on a 12 day
"Southeast Canadian Explorations: Montreal to New
York" aboard Windstar's 312-guest Star Pride
Chef Larry Forgione is hailed as
"The Godfather of American Cuisine" for his role in changing the
way Americans eat today. At his restaurant, An American Place, he
embraced the virtues of our national cuisine and used only
seasonal, local ingredients, beginning the entire "farm-to-table"
movement. Chef Forgione's An American Place Cookbook won a
James Beard Award for "Best American
Cookbook" in 1996 along with the Foundation's 1992 "Best Chef in
America" award. Chef Forgione co-founded and developed The
Conservatory for American Food Studies at The Culinary Institute of America. The Culinary also
presented him with an award as the "Pioneer of American Cuisine"
for his far-reaching influence.
Downloadable images of the chefs for media usage are
available here.
Find out more about James Beard Foundation cruises with
Windstar.
For more details on Windstar Cruises,
visit www.windstarcruises.com.
Contacts:
Sarah
Scoltock, Director of Public Relations, Windstar Cruises /
sarah.scoltock@windstarcruises.com Sally Spaulding, Account Director, Percepture /
sspaulding@percepture.com
About Windstar Cruises
Windstar Cruises operates a
fleet of six boutique all-suite and sailing yachts carrying 148-342
guests. Small ship cruises sail throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Costa
Rica and the Panama Canal, New England and Eastern Canada, South America, the South Pacific, including a
ship year-round in Tahiti. Windstar launched the $250 Million Star Plus Initiative to transform
the three all-suite Star Plus Class yachts with new suites,
restaurants, and a world-class spa and fitness center. The
award-winning line is known for immersive experiences, destination
authenticity, port-intensive itineraries, exceptional service, and
an innovative culinary program. Windstar Cruises is part of the
Xanterra Travel Collection®, a group of global
hospitality and travel companies, one of which traces its history
back over a hundred years of operating our country's iconic
national parks, including Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Glacier, Death
Valley, and many others. Xanterra Travel Collection®, is
owned by The Anschutz Corporation, the ultimate owner of the
Broadmoor, Sea Island, and entertainment giant AEG, Anschutz
Entertainment Group.
About the James Beard Foundation
The James Beard
Foundation (JBF) is the nation's leading culinary nonprofit
dedicated to celebrating, elevating, and supporting the people
behind America's food culture, while pushing for new standards in
the restaurant industry where all have the opportunity to thrive.
Guided by a mantra of Good Food for Good®, JBF is committed to
supporting a resilient and flourishing independent restaurant
industry anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability. The
Foundation brings its mission to life through the annual James
Beard Awards, industry and community-focused programs, advocacy
initiatives, partnership, and events across the country—including
our new Platform by JBF space at Pier 57 in New York City. Learn more at jamesbeard.org,
sign up for our newsletter, and follow @beardfoundation on social
media.
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