Aqua Expeditions has introduced three chef-hosted departures with Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino and Australian chef and restaurateur Benjamin Cross. Each chef-hosted sailing will include opportunities to connect with the chefs and learn about the creation of their destination-specific menus. Travelers will also attend guided market tours where they will gain a deeper understanding of local flavors.
Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino will sail onboard Aqua Nera in the Peruvian Amazon from June 3–7 and September 30 to October 4, 2025. With a focus on rainforest-to-table cuisine, Chef Schiaffino creates original menus "steeped in Peruvian tradition," with 70 percent of the ingredients onboard sourced within Amazonia.
Meaningful collaborations include conservation projects, such as the protection and rehabilitation of native paiche fish population, as well as work with local river communities to foster sustainably sourced produce in the Amazon take center stage. For gourmands, aspiring chefs and travelers interested in connecting the dots between food, conservationism and sustainability, these two sailings are not to be missed.
Chef Benjamin Cross will then sail aboard Aqua Blu to Komodo National Park in East Indonesia from August 23–30, 2025.
In the nutmeg- and Pandan-infused dishes of Aqua Blu, guests find stories of ancient spice routes across the islands of Indonesia. Aboard Aqua Blu, East Indonesia’s first resident long-range ocean explorer yacht, guests will experience cuisine curated by Chef Cross, whose menus are inspired by Indonesian, European and Mediterranean influences.
Over 160 recipes have been crafted exclusively for Aqua Blu’s Indonesian expeditions. Originally from New South Wales, Chef Cross got his start in some of Sydney’s most acclaimed eateries before moving and settling down in Bali in 2008. He has been a consulting chef for Aqua Blu since 2019.
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