The agreement was formally toasted last night at a special Cuban-themed gala dinner, in Milan, where the Italy-based chef created an exquisite Cuba inspired banquet for special guests, dignitaries, and members of the media, with the Cuban Ambassador to Italy, Alba Beatriz Soto Pimentel, as guest of honour.
MSC starts homeporting in Cuba next month with MSC Opera sailing from Havana to Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Mexico.
Chef Cracco has crafted on-board Christmas and New Year menus for the cruise lien for the past two years.
At last night's dinner Cracco paid homage to Cuba with an entrée of Crispy egg yolk, avocado, manioc and nuts and a one-off dessert of Chocolate cigar with caramel, passion fruit and basil set off by a first-class rum.
Cracco's Christmas menu includes: roasted scampi, date purée, raspberry vinegar and Swiss chard; caramelized beef top blade with citrus fruit, celeriac and pomegranate; saffron risotto, salmon roe and parsley; rum babà, panettone cream and almonds.
On New Year's Eve the menu feratures: steamed sea bass fillet, cream of lettuce, caviar and lemon; Rigatoni au gratin with pecorino cheese and black cabbage; Lobster tail au gratin, spinach, pine nuts and raisins and vanilla flavoured mascarpone cream with red berries and crunchy biscuit.
