Silversea has chosen the debut of Silver Ray to launch two enhancements to the line’s already impressive culinary line-up.
Adorned with Lalique glass panels, the sumptuous La Dame restaurant offers a classic French menu that promises lashings of caviar and dollops of foie gras for starters, while lobster, Dover sole and Limousin beef are the hot-ticket items for the main course, then soufflés rise to the occasion when desserts are on parade.
But change is afoot. For the first time, there is an option of trying La Dame Degustation Signature. This ‘plant-forward’ seven-course menu has been inspired by Jean-Luc Rabanel, a two Michelin-star chef from Arles.
By constantly reinventing his vegetable-based cuisine, the chef’s claim to fame is a visionary concept which he refers to as ‘greenstronomy’.
I sat down to talk with chef Rabanel onboard the ship, with Silversea’s fleetwide food and beverage director, Patrick Fourtanet. Rabanel said: “We are seeing a growing demand for plant-based cuisine across the fleet. We are offering this slightly lighter option besides our acclaimed French a la carte menu. If this new venture proves popular with our guests, we will consider introducing it onto Silver Nova in the coming months too.”
This menu currently includes foie gras, sea bass and rack of lamb, but until it goes completely plant-based, the chefs in La Dame will accommodate vegans by substituting these things out if given notice of dietary requirements.
“Chef Rabanel’s ultimate aim is to adapt the menu in stages until it’s a completely plant-based speciality menu,” Fourtanet noted.
Talking Italian
Silversea’s other new culinary concept has augmented the culinary bounty served in much-loved La Terrazza, the iconic Italian restaurant found on all the line’s ships.
It’s a major part of the company’s identity to showcase epicurean Italian produce. And now on Silver Ray, new menus with a lighter contemporary touch have been added that reflect a ‘trattoria-modern’ trend.
The Adventure Menu offers contemporary Italian cuisine at its finest, while the Quintessence Menu reflects an evolution of renowned favourites from the culinary colossus that is Italy. Silversea say this innovation will appear on board Silver Nova in the coming months.
Defining a new era in seagoing luxury, this latest addition to the Silversea fleet will spend her inaugural season in the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic to the Americas in December.
Silver Ray will then return to Europe between April and November 2025, after which she will return to the Caribbean and Central America.
Her identical sister, Silver Nova, is undertaking a roster of Alaska cruises in the summer months of 2024 and 2025. At other times, this acclaimed ship will offer voyages in Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
With Silver Nova spending the next two years in distant lands, UK clients looking to experience the Nova class concept closer to home should opt for Silver Ray, a point not lost on James Cole, founder of Panache Cruises, who spoke to TTG Luxury at the ship’s christening ceremony in Lisbon in June.
“A lot of our clients select a cruise based on the destination. Having Silver Ray operating in the highly popular cruising regions of the Mediterranean and Caribbean makes this revolutionary ship an obvious choice,” Cole said.
“We’ve already seen the significant appeal Silver Nova has for Brits, mainly because of the relaxed vibe, fantastic food and excellent service. I’m certain Silver Ray will continue to be popular, especially for clients considering luxury at sea for the first time.”
