Guests of Aqua Expeditions’ Aqua Blu can look forward to a culinary treat with Australian chef, Benjamin Cross, named as the yacht’s new Consulting Chef, ahead of her inaugural sailing in East Indonesia on 16 November 2019.
Cross, who has been based in Bali since 2000, began his career alongside renowned chefs Neil Perry (Rockpool) and Janni Kyritsis (MG Garage) and later co-founded the award-winning Urbane restaurant in Queensland.
In Mallorca, Spain, Cross partnered with musician, Julian Lennon, to open a restaurant in the village of Puerto Partals, after which he worked at acclaimed restaurants such as Santi Santamaria’s three Michelin starred Can Fabes in Barcelona, and at Tom Colicchio’s Craft in New York.
He was appointed Executive Chef of Bali’s premier dining venue, Ku De Ta, in 2008, and in 2013 he created Mejeakwi, Ku De Ta’s fine dining concept in Bali, co-founded Hank’s Pizza & Liquor in Seminyak, created Fishbone Local, Mason, and The Back Room with BHG (Brett Hospitality Group) as co-owner and Executive Chef.
For Aqua Blu, Chef Cross will create and oversee more than 100 recipes that together will showcase a refined journey of flavours from Asia to the Middle East, while still reflecting Indonesia’s role as the heart of the global spice trade in the 16th and 17th centuries.
In executing his culinary vision for Aqua Blu, Chef Cross will rely on local ingredients sourced primarily from Bali and East Indonesia, including indigenous spices such as nutmeg and cloves, as well as a wealth of seafood such as giant Papuan prawns sustainably sourced from the Indonesian seas.
“Harnessing the abundant gifts from Indonesia’s land and seas, the goal of my concept is to orchestrate a refined rendition of flavours that have travelled through Indonesia’s fabled sea spice trade route – an amazing confluence of Asian, European and traditional local cooking philosophies and methods,” he said.
“Aqua Expeditions regards authentic cuisine as central to the itinerary, which means that the dining experience on board won’t be just a menu, but a cohesive journey of discovery.”
