Swan Hellenic has revealed its team of chefs, to be led by Jörg Lehmann as Executive Chef, for its first expedition cruise ship, SH Minerva, due to embark on its maiden cruise this November.
Lehmann brings extensive cruise industry experience, having risen through the ranks and to the top of the market at Crystal Cruises, then Silversea and Seabourn, where he became the company’s youngest Executive Chef aged 26.
Later, Lehmann moved to land and developed the gastronomic offering for a Kempinski Hotels’ luxury beach resort in Zanzibar and then his own hotel and restaurants in Sweden, with clients ranging from Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel.
Accepting an invitation to return to Seabourn as Guest Chef on a prestigious farewell cruise in 2015, Lehmann rediscovered his love of creating gastronomic sensations for the discriminating guests on small expedition ships, subsequently working with SeaDream Yacht Club, Noble Caledonia, Hurtigruten and now Swan Hellenic.
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As Executive Chef, Jörg is already deeply involved in creating the varied menus for SH Minerva, including creative Italian and Asian fusion dishes in partnership with recently appointed Consultant Chefs Andrea Ribaldone and Sang Keun Oh, working directly with them in Italy and Moscow respectively.
Ribaldone is an influential Italian chef with an extraordinary array of achievements to his name. These include gaining a Michelin Star for La Fermata, founding the gastronomy consulting company ARCO, being appointed Executive Chef at Eataly Tokyo, renovating Due Buoi in Alessandra and earning it, too, a Michelin Star, then managing Osteria Arborina in the Annunziata hamlet of La Morra and once again gaining a Michelin Star, as well as launching and managing a whole series of highly successful innovative dining concepts and venues.
Korean innovator Sang Keun Oh brings unrivalled experience of Japanese cuisine, acquired at the renowned Tsuji Culinary Institute, but equally of French cuisine, having risen to become Head Chef at the Franco-Japanese L’Étranger in London, which was awarded two AA Rosettes under his leadership. This led to a series of successes in Russia as Executive Chef of the Asian menus at the famous Moscow floating restaurants Lastochka and Chaika, followed by his own acclaimed restaurant Hibiki, serving modern Japanese cuisine. Sang Keun Oh is now sharing his unique insights to bring Swan Hellenic a gastronomic offering of exceptional quality, diversity and creativity.
“We’re overjoyed to have built such an extraordinary team of talents,” commented Swan Hellenic, SVP Hotel Operations, Hans Heger, “ensuring our guests will not only see what others don’t, but also savour exceptional flavours and textures as they voyage.”
“It’s a pleasure to work with such a professional team,” observed Consultant Chef Andrea Ribaldone, “all totally committed to creating a unique gastronomic experience. I’m delighted to play a role in bringing this iconic pioneer a further distinctive facet to its incomparable quality of life on board”.
“I’ve been really impressed by the dedication of the Swan Hellenic team,” commented Consultant Chef Sang Keun Oh. “We’ve been working incredibly well together to create on-board dining that’s every bit as spectacular as the legendary company’s cultural expedition cruises.”
Lead image: From left, Executive Chef Jörg Lehmann; with Consultant Chefs Andrea Ribaldone and Sang Keun Oh.