How does being a chef on a boat differ from being a chef in a restaurant in the city? Executive Chef of AML Louis Jolliet in Québec City, Zitouni Anouar, shares five intriguing aspects of cooking aboard a Croisières AML ship.
1. Ships are (almost) always in motion
We don't need to remind you: boats navigate waterways. While our vessels are highly stable due to their size and typically favourable weather, our kitchen team must be prepared for anything! Indeed, the kitchen of any nautical craft must be arranged in a specific way, both to maximize space and for safety reasons. Most small appliances need to be secured to the floor or wall to ensure nothing moves, while breakable items like dishes must also be secured.
The kitchen crew is trained to keep everything spotless and stowed; if it can be put away, it is! Every detail is designed with safety in mind. As Chef Anouar puts it, 'Better safe than sorry!'”
2. Serving on a ship is quite the workout!
Our vessels are expansive, and during the summer, we welcome hundreds of guests daily, eager to enjoy our bistronomic cuisine and breathtaking river views. Servers make their way around the ship to deliver carefully crafted meals to various areas, from the grand dining room with its 360° panoramic views, to the elegant banquet hall and the stunning terrace on the upper deck. Their commitment ensures every guest receives impeccable service and an unforgettable culinary experience. No doubt about it, with all that ground to cover, they don’t need to work out after their shift! Thankfully, a freight elevator on board helps by transporting dishes between decks, saving them a few extra trips.
3. Cooks wear many hats aboard our ships
Beyond designing menus and preparing delicious meals with local ingredients, the kitchen crew also plays a crucial role in the event of an emergency. Working on a ship requires all employees to undergo basic safety training, and specific groups, including our cooks, receive advanced training to be part of the captain’s muster role. This includes marine emergency protocols, CPR at sea, and radiocommunication skills, among others. The goal is to ensure they’re equipped to assist the captain and respond effectively to any onboard emergency. How many restaurants do you know where chefs are both expert cooks and trained sailors? 😉
4. Delivering food on a ship is a matter of… tides!
To maintain the highest culinary standards, our chefs receive multiple deliveries of fresh, local ingredients each week. The challenge, however, starts even before the ingredients reach the kitchen: simply getting the products onboard! The ship’s gangway height shifts with the tides, meaning the access walkway could be several metres above the dock or below it when deliveries arrive — making produce reception a bit of an adventure! 😄
To ensure our chef and his team have everything they need to create fresh, delicious dishes on board, deliveries are carefully timed with the ebb and flow of the tides!
5. A ship is like a small floating city
With their impressive capacity, our vessels can host hundreds of guests, allowing multiple events to unfold simultaneously. A dinner cruise, a fundraiser and even a wedding – all these events can happen at once on the ship!
The Executive Chef and his dedicated team of sous-chefs, cooks and servers work with precision and passion. Their mission? Providing a gastronomic experience and impeccable service, whatever the event. Every detail is thought of so that every occasion is unforgettable, while respecting the highest standards of quality. All that... on a cruise!
It's your turn to try it out!
Now that you know the secrets of cooking aboard a Croisières AML ship, it’s time to experience it! Book your brunch cruise or dinner cruise now and enjoy our delicious bistronomic cuisine featuring the finest Québec ingredients.
