It’s the perfect pairing.
Windstar Cruises and the James Beard Foundation are partnered to bring you culinary experiences that are 180 degrees from ordinary. Through this program, they bring together some of the most talented chefs and sommeliers on themed cruises and in their dining program.

Imagine dining on dishes created by not just one celebrity chef, but a list of all-stars including Maxime Bilet (The Cooking Lab), Evan Hanzcor (Egg), and Jose Mendin (Pubbelly Noodle Bar, Habitat, Baja Bao) every single night in the Amphora dining room. For a truly beyond ordinary experience, join one of their themed cruises featuring James Beard Foundation chefs and beverage experts, a foodie’s dream, with chef demos, dishes created by chef themselves, and market tours. And learn their secrets as you watch presentations of their recipes on every sailing.

Imagine going on a grocery trip with the chef to pick out ingredients for dinner at a local market and then learning techniques to create a perfectly seasoned dish, where the flavors sing in harmony and notes of spices spark off your tongue. Listen to their stories and ask for their recommendations on their favorite restaurants and recipes. It’s not just about the food and wine, but also getting to know these epicurean experts on a personal level. This is Windstar’s James Beard Foundation Culinary Themed Cruise experience, and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste dishes from some of the world’s most sought-after chefs.

Chef Irene Li opened Mei Mei, a family-run Chinese restaurant in Boston, in 2013 to great acclaim, and has spent the years since driving the industry forward in ethical sourcing and fair and transparent employment practices. She has founded and served a variety of organizations aimed at helping those in need during the pandemic, as well as advocated for restaurants by creating tools and resources to support businesses of all sizes to thrive sustainably and equitably. Li and her team have evolved Mei Mei into a packaged dumpling company using farm-focused ingredients primarily from New England. A Boston native and Cornell graduate, she is an Eater Young Gun, Zagat 30 Under 30, and Forbes 30 Under 30 winner. Li is a 6-time James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nominee.

Spanish Treasures via the Panama Canal featuring Chef Jerome Grant
Star Legend
Panama City to Aruba
March 4, 2023 • 7 days

Adriatic Archipelagos & Greek Goddesses 
Wind Surf
Venice to Athens
June 17, 2023 • 9 days

Grand Japan featuring Chef Tracy Chang
Star Breeze
Yokohama to Osaka
September 21, 2023 • 9 days