Who’s in the kitchen: Cruisin’ without losin’

Having worked as a pastry chef for many years, I thought I knew all there was to know about the inner workings of an industrial kitchen. At least I thought I did. That was before I managed to get myself on a list of just 15 passengers (aboard Royal Caribbean’s The Explorer of the Sea cruise liner) to tour the main kitchen with Executive Chef Patrick J. McCabe. With the information I learned on that tour, as well as all the information I received from sweet talking every steward, chef, head waiter, matre’d and bus boy that would speak to me, I decided to write my article aboard the cruise liner. 

Being an Executive Chef aboard an ocean liner that caters to 3,650 guests, as well as 1400 in crew and officers, is no easy task. McCabe is at the helm of the main kitchen, many restaurants, cafes, snack bars and room service. He oversees 125 cooks and 50 stewards. He manages to turn out 24,000 meals a day, including snacks and midnight buffets and room service. Getting 125 chefs on board, in sync, takes constant vigilance.

The phrase “running a tight ship” is definitely applicable to the executive chef of an ocean liner and his kitchen. 

On this 11 day cruise, here are some of the foods and quantities that will be used:

n 2,500 lbs of fish and seafood

n 2 tons of beef

n 48,000 eggs

n 12,000 lbs baking potatoes

n 9,000 lbs of watermelon

n 7,000 lbs of pineapple

n 12,000 croissants

n 18,000 scones

n 35,000 cookies

n 16,000 lbs of ice cream

n 1,200 lbs of coffee

The sheer amount of calories consumed in one day is staggering.

Everything aboard is made fresh daily except for the cookies, as they go through at least 3,000 a day. The kitchen looked spotless and highly organized. As we walked through, soups and sauces were boiling in huge stainless steel cauldrons, meats were marinating, and salads were being plated in the hundreds. But what caught my eyes was the 100 quart Hobart mixer that I could have stretched out in. That along with 100 lb rolling carts of chocolate shavings and pastry cream made me green with envy.

 If you ever want to see what controlled chaos looks like, show up at the kitchen of a cruise liner just about dinner time.