Ponant and Relais & Châteaux announce two gastronomic cruises in New Zealand

Arushi Sakhuja 

If you are someone who savours the flavour of good food and has a penchant to explore cuisines across the world, Ponant and Relais & Châteaux’s renewed collaboration for 2023 gives you enough reason to rejoice. The luxury cruise companies, Ponant and Relais & Châteaux, have announced two gastronomic cruises in New Zealand. These will be respectively hosted by Chef Norka Mella Munoz and Chef Jimmy McIntyre, both renowned Relais & Châteaux chefs.

The duo began their partnership in 2020 with three gourmet cruises for frequent diners from Asia to France.  But 2023, holds something a little more experimental — this time, they are offering polar expeditions around the kiwi island country, New Zealand.

Dubbed New Zealand’s South Island and Chatham Islands, the tropical cruise is a 9-day long expedition from 25 November to December 3. Ponant’s La Lepérouse ship will depart from New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, and sail along the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island offering pristine views of wildlife and landscapes. The ship will depart from Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, and will sail through impressive ports like Marlborough Sounds the rocky peninsula of Kaikoura to admire the country’s rich biodiversity and the 80-million-years-old Chatham Islands that offers picturesque landscapes, from isolated beaches to sheer ochre-coloured cliffs covered in verdant nature. Finally, guests will reach the Banks Peninsula surrounded by lush hills and wildlife. At Akaroa bay, guests can learn about the unique mix of Māori, French and European cultural heritage. The cruise will disembark in Dunedin. Thus, the cruise might keep culinary experiences at its core, but Ponant and Relais & Châteaux have designed two expedition itineraries where emotion, eco-responsible commitment and sharing take centre stage.

“I am delighted we have renewed this partnership with PONANT, which this year will highlight two exceptional Relais & Châteaux chefs on the occasion of these newly tailored voyages,” said Laurent Gardinier, President of Relais & Châteaux. Affiriming the same, Hervé Gastinel, CEO of Ponant said, Through these two out-of-the-ordinary voyages to the heart of New Zealand’s hidden treasures, our companies were keen to share their expertise and passion by combining forces to bring guests authentic and meaningful experiences”.

Chefs Norka Mella Munoz from Relais & Châteaux Wharekauhau Country Estate and Jimmy McIntyre from Relais & Châteaux Otahuna Lodge in New Zealand will share their passion, expertise and time in the galleys on Le Lapérouse, to propose two gala dinners on each voyage. Chef Norka Mella Munoz will curate an array of meals onboard La Lepérouse, with demonstrations and gala dinners centred around New Zealand-inspired dishes.

The Ancient Fjords and Unspoiled Islands of Southern New Zealand trip is a polar voyage aboard La Lepérouse. The eight-day trip will cruise from December 3 to December 10, first leading you to Fjordland National Park — an integral part of Te Wahipounamu, a UNESCO World Heritage site of fjords shaped by over 100,000 years of glaciations. You’ll then head for the Snares Islands and finally Ulva Island, a predator-free sanctuary to see diverse bird species and rare plants. Chef Jimmy McIntyre, executive chef at Otahuna Lodge, will prepare New Zealand-influenced meals for the ancient fjord voyage. The dishes will be curated around Jimmy’s potager-to-plate philosophy that incorporates 140 different varieties of organic fruits, mushrooms, nuts and vegetables grown annually in the Otahuna Lodge’s century-old gardens.

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