Queen Anne’s Indian cuisine sampled in Southampton

Aboard Queen Victoria, docked at Mayflower Cruise Terminal, Seatrade Cruise was among the VIPs to sample the Aranya concept – one of four new dining experiences, alongside Aji Wa, Sir Samuels, and Tramonto – available on Queen Anne launching in May. 

Cunard President Katie McAlister – alluding to Queen Anne’s 15 dining venues, offering Cunard passengers more choice than ever before – welcomed the group to the ‘spice tour of India.’

Sample dishes 

The dishes were presented in The Verandah by Surjan Singh, a highly acclaimed Indian chef known across the culinary world as chef Jolly, who is working with the cruise line to develop the Aranya menu. 

Alongside Cunard’s culinary development team, led by Gareth Bowen, Singh unveiled a host of dishes for the festive feast, starting with a vegan Kachori Poori, chickpea, mango, yogurt and mint relish amuse-bouche. A selection of appetisers followed, consisting of smoked chilli pork belly with buttered pao and pickled red cabbage; roasted sweet potato tikki with a cumin-beet puree; and a sweet pea, goat’s cheese and almond kofta, with a green tomato and fenugreek dip. 

Amuse-bouch

Appetisers

For the main dish, the options were roasted wild turbot with tamarind chilli tomato; slow roasted beef short rib with caramelised red onion-cashew nut yogurt gravy; masala roasted cauliflower with wild mushrooms; a pot sealed biryani filled with Welsh lamb shoulder served with a  garlic and mint raita.

Smoked papadums and layered chutney, dal makhani, 24 hours stewed urad lentils, saffron basmati rice and naan bread complemented the dishes.  

A spicy, fruity ‘Surprise and Delight’ pre-dessert ice lolly was served, before a trio of sweet treats: a jamun, passionfruit mascarpone with a hazelnut nougat; a Malai lychee kulfi; and a fresh cut fruit chaat masala. 

‘It is an absolute pleasure to be working with Cunard on such an exciting project,’ said Singh, whose achievements span three decades and include senior positions at the Taj Palace in New Delhi, the Goa Marriott Resort, the JW Marriott Mumbai, the Renaissance Mumbai, and London Marriott West India Quay Hotel. He has also enjoyed highly popular stints on MasterChef India and MasterChef Junior, India.

‘Aranya is not just a restaurant, it is a multi-sensory culinary experience that is designed to immerse diners in the rich spice flavours of the Indian subcontinent. Every dish has been curated with authenticity and quality at its heart, resulting in a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation that I hope diners will remember long after their voyage.’

As an all-new taste direction for Cunard, Aranya (meaning forest or wilderness in Sanskrit) has been designed to surprise and delight, taking passengers on a journey through the rich spice flavours of India – from Delhi to Kerala to Goa – with menus curated by experts in their field. 

The evening-only venue will be available as a supplement, complementing the inclusive fare options offered for lunch or dinner elsewhere on the ship.

Unparalleled culinary experiences

McAlister commented, ‘We always strive to deliver unparalleled culinary experiences at sea and we were absolutely thrilled to share a sneak peak of what’s to come with Aranya, which will be one of the most exciting dining venues aboard our newest ship Queen Anne. 

‘Cunard is renowned for high-quality dining options, and we’re delighted to be introducing more venues that reflect the vibrancy and varied cultural tastes of our guests. 

‘Queen Anne will offer more choices of entertainment, dining, and bars than ever before and we’re so excited to be working with chefs at the very top of their game, such as Surjan Singh, to ensure that our new Queen surprises and delights guests not just in her maiden season but for many years to come.’

Tour of Queen Victoria 

A tour of the richly decorated Queen Victoria followed: carol singers, a gingerbread village, musicians playing classical festive pieces and numerous Christmas trees could be found aboard to mark the holiday season, with embarking passengers met with traditional mince pies and mulled wine.

A festive Queen Victoria, complete with gingerbread village