Ponant Explorations continues to rise above its peers as a creator of unique experiences and exceptional voyages.
Come January of next year, Ponant Explorations’ newest cruise highlights the cruise line’s partnership with the prestigious Club des Chefs des Chefs aboard Le Commandant Charcot.
Ponant Explorations and the Club des Chefs des Chefs have envisioned a unique onboard dining experience blending gastronomy and diplomacy.
This unique voyage brings together iconic figures from the world of haute cuisine and diplomacy, including former White House head chef Cristeta Comerford.
Comerford said of the upcoming experience: “The simple act of eating a meal together creates bonds. In all contexts, food is a social facilitator and a powerful conversation tool: a simple yet effective way to spark dialogue to the table. Culinary diplomacy is an essential reality. Every meal, especially State Dinners, is a unique opportunity. There are no second chances, everything has to be perfect the first time."
Comerford is the longest-serving former White House Executive Chef, and is also the first woman and first person of Asian descent to hold this prestigious position.
She has cooked for five presidents and their families, under eight administrations, and has orchestrated over fifty State Dinners.
Weathering a winter night in grand style
In the middle of a starlit polar night, where light lingers only as a long, bluish dusk, Le Commandant Charcot silently slices through the icy waters of the Gulf of Bothnia.
Between Sweden and Finland, Lapland unfurls its frozen shores and dense forests.
On board this unique ship, designed for polar exploration in the heart of icy waters, guests experience the Arctic winter and Scandinavian traditions in the utmost comfort.
Alongside prestigious guests, moments of discovery and exchange follow one another, complemented by tastings of iconic dishes once served to heads of state at official dinners, insightful lectures, and fascinating discussions, revealing what goes on behind the scenes at the White House and the Élysée Palace.
