Holland America Line Adds New Chefs and Experts to Its Culinary Arts Center Presented by Food & Wine Magazine

SEATTLE, July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Cat Cora, the first American woman Iron Chef and host of the Food Network's Cat Cora Show, and Mark Bittman, New York Times food writer and cookbook author, headline an impressive list of celebrated culinary experts added to Holland America Line's growing palate of names for its new Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine. The program will feature more than 50 culinary experts on Holland America Line cruises and provides guests with an opportunity to experience demonstrations and seminars conducted by top chefs, wine experts and leading cookbook authors.

"As the program gains momentum, we are joining forces with a diverse and wonderful group of culinary experts from chefs and fromagers to authors and sommeliers," said Rick Meadows, CTC, Holland America Line's senior vice president, marketing and sales. "Guests will learn from and mingle with these renowned chefs and culinary authorities using our state-of-the-art show kitchens. This is an exciting partnership and we are delighted to be working with Food & Wine magazine to bring the culinary experience alive for our guests."

Cora joins the January 7, 2006, cruise to Australia and New Zealand aboard the ms Statendam. Bittman sails aboard the January 11, 2006, ms Rotterdam voyage to South America. The initiative is part of the line's Culinary Arts Center program, which is offered on every sailing. Holland America Line is spending more than $13 million to create and install the Culinary Arts Center facilities, which are already on half of the line's 13-ship fleet and will be in place across the fleet by mid-2006.

Resembling the elaborate show kitchens used by celebrity chefs on television cooking programs, each Culinary Arts Center features an innovative theater-style venue. The state-of-the-art "show kitchen at sea" has large plasma video screens to display overhead and close-up video views of the food preparation, and a large cooking display counter where guests can learn new cooking techniques and dishes.

The Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine will bring the pages of the epicurean magazine alive on dozens of sailings of the world's leading premium cruise line. Guests will learn tricks-of-the-trade from top professionals and can try their hand at preparing dishes and tasting wines representative of specific ports-of-call. Food & Wine also will design and provide recipe cards and wine-tasting notes that guests can take home along with copies of the magazine. Other opportunities might include book signings, question-and-answer sessions, market tours in ports of call, specially designed on-board menus and more.

Culinary experts joining the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine are:

-- Michelle Bernstein, executive chef/owner of MB Restaurant, Co-host of "Melting Pot," sailing on the September 9, 2005, Alaska cruise aboard the ms Statendam. -- Jimmy Bradley, chef/owner, Beanstalk Restaurants, sailing on the September 10, 2005, Alaska cruise aboard the ms Zaandam. -- Greg Atkinson, director at Culinary Consulting, sailing on the September 11, 2005, Alaska cruise aboard the ms Ryndam. -- Paulette Mitchell, author of 11 cookbooks, sailing on the September 18, 2005, Europe cruise aboard the ms Westerdam. -- Charles Dale, founder, Range and Rustique, sailing on the September 24, 2005, Panama Canal cruise aboard the ms Zaandam. -- Mike H. Davis, chef/owner, 26 Brix, sailing on the September 25, 2005, Pacific Coastal cruise aboard the ms Ryndam. -- Susan and Alison Sokol Blosser, owners, Sokol Blosser Winery (Oregon), sailing on the September 25, 2005, Pacific Coastal cruise aboard the ms Veendam. -- Ying Chang Compestine, chef and cookbook author, sailing on the October 6, 2005, Asia/Pacific cruise aboard the ms Amsterdam; and the December 22, 2005, Hawaii cruise aboard the ms Amsterdam. -- Three Divas: Vicky McCaffree, chef; Cameon Orel, chef; and Jessica Campbell, pastry chef, sailing on the October 14, 2005, Europe cruise aboard the ms Rotterdam. -- Dean Max, chef, 3030 Ocean, sailing on the November 2, 2005, Hawaii cruise aboard the ms Statendam. -- Fran Bigelow, chocolate expert, founder of Fran's Chocolates, sailing on the November 7, 2005, Mexico cruise aboard the ms Ryndam. -- Cornelius Gallagher, executive chef, Oceana, sailing on the November 13, 2005, Caribbean cruise aboard the ms Westerdam. -- Cat Cora, Iron Chef America and host of "The Cat Cora Show," sailing on the January 7, 2006, Australia/New Zealand cruise aboard the ms Statendam. -- Mark Bittman, New York Times food writer, chef and cookbook author, sailing on the January 11, 2006, South America cruise aboard the ms Rotterdam. -- Laura Werlin, cheese expert, sailing on the January 21, 2006, Australia/New Zealand cruise aboard the ms Statendam. -- Marko Karakasevic, artisan vodka maker of Charbay Vodka, sailing on the January 22, 2006, Caribbean cruise aboard the ms Volendam. -- Brad Farmerie, chef of Public Restaurant in New York City, sailing on the March 20, 2006, Asia/Pacific cruise aboard the ms Statendam. -- Bradford Thompson, chef, Mary Elaine's, sailing on the April 3, 2006, Asia/Pacific cruise aboard the ms Statendam. -- Johnny Iuzzini, executive pastry chef, Restaurant Jean Georges, sailing on the April 5, 2006, Caribbean cruise aboard the ms Noordam. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou, Seattle Post-Intelligencer food writer and food historian, sailing on the April 17, 2006, Asia/Pacific cruise aboard the ms Statendam. -- Max McCalman, Maitre Fromager and dean of curriculum at the Artisanal Cheese Center, sailing on the April 22, 2006, Hawaii cruise aboard the ms Statendam. -- Jacques Torres, chocolatier extraordinaire and creator of his own confectionery shops in New York City, sailing on the May 7, 2006, Alaska cruise aboard the ms Ryndam. -- Patricia Yeo, chef of Sapa in New York City, sailing on the May 14, 2006, Alaska cruise aboard the ms Veendam. -- Robert Kinkead, chef/owner, Kinkead, sailing on the May 26, 2006, Europe cruise aboard the ms Rotterdam. -- Michael Lomonaco, chef, professor, author and co-host of Epicurious on the Discovery Channel, sailing on the July 28, 2006, Europe cruise aboard the ms Rotterdam. -- John Howie, chef/owner, Sport and SeaStar, sailing on the July 30, 2006, Europe cruise aboard the ms Noordam. -- Mark Fiorentino, master bread baker at the renowned Daniel Boulud Restaurants in New York City, sailing on the August 11, 2006, Europe cruise aboard the ms Amsterdam. -- John Besh, executive chef, Restaurant August, sailing on the September 8, 2006, Alaska cruise aboard the ms Statendam. -- Aaron Sanchez, chef, Paladar, and regular on TV Food Network, sailing aboard the September 17, 2006, Alaska cruise aboard the ms Westerdam. -- Charles Dale, founder, Range and Rustique, sailing on the September 18, 2006, Europe cruise aboard the ms Noordam. -- James Mazzio, executive chef, The Studio of Long Grove, sailing on the September 20, 2006, Panama Canal cruise aboard the ms Zuiderdam. -- Marcus Samuelsson, chef/owner, Aquavit and Riingo, sailing on the October 22, 2006, Mexico cruise aboard the ms Zaandam. -- Anthony Giglio, wine expert, sailing on the November 25, 2006, Mexico cruise aboard the ms Oosterdam. -- Jose Andres, chef/owner, Jaleo, Cafe Atlantico, sailing aboard the December 8, 2006, Australia/New Zealand cruise aboard the ms Statendam. - http://www.hollandamerica.com/ -

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc ]

The award-winning premium cruise leader's fleet of 12 ships offers nearly 500 cruises from 27 homeports and excels at providing gracious and attentive service. Its renowned "Tradition of Excellence" includes Signature of Excellence, a $225 million initiative targeting product and service enhancements in stateroom accommodations, dining, service, enrichment programs and activities, and worldwide itineraries. Six ships are completed with the rest to be finished by the end of 2006. For more information, consult a travel agent, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (877-724-5425) or visit http://www.hollandamerica.com/.

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The highest-rated premium cruise line in the world, Holland America Line is a member of the exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, these lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. The World's Leading Cruise Lines offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.

- http://www.hollandamerica.com/ - Contact: Rose Abello Phone: 206/281-3535; 206-313-7673 international cell phone Fax: 206/281-0351 E-mail: pr@hollandamerica.com