Rudi Sodamin takes on new role as head of culinary arts for Princess

Rudi Sodamin, the most decorated chef at sea, will lead the culinary arts innovation at Princess cruises, the world’s leading international premium cruise line.

Chef Rudi Sodamin will become the first head of culinary arts at Princess Cruises. Sodamin is currently the master chef for Holland America Line, a position he will retain as he takes on his new role as head of culinary arts for Princess.

Already well-known for its strong culinary culture, Princess is bringing chef Rudi in to build the kind of excitement and dining experiences that will impress guests.

“Chef Rudi is a hands-on leader with proven ability to motivate teams to achieve new levels of creativity and inspiration. He is the perfect person to bring an entirely new level of excellence and innovation to our culinary product, environmental dining experience, and service delivery,” said Jan Swartz, group president serving Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn and P&O Cruises Australia brands.

Throughout his career, Sodamin has been the driving force behind revolutionising culinary practices and elevating the perception of fine dining in the cruise industry. An internationally-respected food authority, Sodamin is the most highly-decorated chef working on the world’s oceans and is widely considered one of the most innovative, energetic, and influential chefs in the hospitality industry. Among his most recent accomplishments has been the highly successful launch of Rudi’s Sel de Mer restaurant onboard three Holland America Line’s ships. Carnival Cruise Line was so impressed by the restaurant concept, leadership commissioned Sodamin to create Rudi’s Seagrill for its new Excel class ship Mardi Gras, which had its inaugural cruise in August 2021.

“I see food as the way to our guests’ hearts, and the individuals on the Princess Cruises culinary team bring great heart to what they do and take tremendous pride in their work,” said Sodamin. “My goal is to grow that pride and lead the culinary workforce to new performance heights through innovative approaches to teamwork and creativity, collaboratively creating new signature interactive dining experiences, and motivating this talented team to new levels of culinary artistry.”

Sodamin’s many accolades include a rating of 17 (out of 20) and Three Toques from the prestigious Gault-Millau Guide (1998)—the first for an onboard restaurant and the only such award presented at sea. Sodamin has also authored 14 cookbooks, the most recent of which is Rudi’s Sel de Mer: For the Love of Seafood (2021).

Also read: Cunard takes Shakespeare to the high seas on Queen Mary 2

For additional information visit Princess Cruises.

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