Michelin-starred chef and award-winning brewer bringing new concepts to MSC World Europa

Chef Niklas Ekstedt has composed the menu for the specialty restaurant Chef’s Garden Kitchen that will focus on natural ingredients and a farm-to-ocean ethos. It will feature a hydroponic garden with the chef preparing Ekstedt’s creations in an open kitchen against a backdrop of panoramic sea views.

‘Working with MSC Cruises to develop a new dining concept on MSC World Europa has been an exciting experience and we have created something really special and unique,’ asserted Ekstedt. ‘The menu is rooted in my core philosophy that everything needs to start with the very best natural ingredients and as such, the dishes are simple but full of flavour and will feature the hydroponic micro-greens that are grown on board in the restaurant to enhance the flavours, texture and colours.’  

Microbrewery

Teo Musso, who created the Baladin Farm Brewery in Italy, has worked with the cruise line to create a range of signature craft beers that will be brewed at sea in the vessel’s full-scale microbrewery.

‘I have always loved to experiment and be creative with my beers,’ said Musso, ‘this partnership with MSC Cruises was a gift, a chance to create not only three new beers but to do so in the most romantic of ways: at sea.’

He continued, ‘The result is three totally new ‘Oceanic’ brews, a pils, a bitter and a wheat, each with its own unique array of flavours…’

The brewery will produce and serve an exclusive onboard-only range of ‘Oceanic’ beers made with desalinated sea water, including a pils, a bitter and a wheat beer. 

MSC World Europa 

Seven brand new bar and lounge concepts, as well as new dining venues, will appear onboard MSC World Europa - MSC Cruises’ first LNG-powered vessel.

It will spent its inaugural season in the Arabian Gulf from December with seven-night cruises from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates calling Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island, Dammam in Saudi Arabia and Doha in Qatar before returning to Dubai.

In summer 2023, the ship will operate seven-night cruises in the Mediterranean calling at the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina, as well as Valletta in Malta, Barcelona in Spain and Marseille in France.