Scenic’s mantra of “continuous innovation” could have been written specifically for Tom Götter, the dynamic VP Oceans Hotel Operations behind the unforgettable dining experiences onboard Scenic Eclipse I and II and Emerald Cruises’ boutique yachts.
Having worked in some of the world’s best restaurants on land and at sea since the age of 15, Tom Götter was at a turning point in 2018.
Cruise-ship cuisine, even at the very high end of the luxury scene, was proving restrictive to the talented German chef who happily describes himself as a “rebel and free spirit” and he’d decided to move on from his career in ocean cruising.
What tempted him to sign on with Scenic Eclipse as Executive Chef when she was still in the shipyard?
“When they explained it wasn’t going to be a regular cruise ship and that they wanted to be different, break a lot of rules and do things no-one had done before, I started to get interested,” said Götter.
“And when they asked me if I’d like to design the concepts and menus for multiple restaurants and have the freedom to do something out of the box, I decided to take the opportunity. I learned very quickly that this is the right company to work with. Brilliant!”
A culinary journey
Guests have up to 10 different dining experiences to choose from, with menus changing all the time – an extraordinary offering for a ship that accommodates 228 guests (200 in polar regions). All meals and drinks are included in the fare.
- Elements, which serves Italian, steak and seafood is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and has its own bar.
- Chef’s Table @ Elements is an exclusive, by invitation-only degustation experience. Accommodating just 10 guests, Götter describes the cuisine as “modern and molecular – it’s a theatrical experience”.
- Yacht Club grill restaurant is more casual, offers indoor and outdoor dining and is open for breakfast, lunch and special themed dinners.
- Azure Bar & Café is open for all-day grazing, coffee, tea and drinks, and also has indoor and outdoor seating.
- Night Market @ Koko’s is a teppanyaki restaurant for eight guests; Koko’s Asian Fusion serves contemporary Asian fusion for 26 guests; and Sushi & Sake Bar @ Koko’s caters for 18 guests.
- Lumière Restaurant and Champagne Bar specialises in contemporary French fine dining, and the bar is stocked with dozens of champagnes from around the world.
- In-suite dining is available 24/7 and can be arranged by your butler (every suite has butler service); he or she will also keep your minibar stocked.
Essential ingredients
Götter has very strong views about sustainability. “The amount of food that is wasted on some cruise ships is shocking, particularly in buffets. On Scenic Eclipse we cook like our mothers and grandmothers traditionally cooked, using only seasonal produce – there are no frozen vegetables or ready-made products onboard our ships.
“We also use as much as we possibly can of products – we don’t just cut out the best bits and throw the rest away. Pickling, preserving and dehydrating are among the techniques we use – there are nine dehydrators on board – and the guests love hearing about how everything is prepared.”
Because the restaurants host a small number of guests the chefs cook à la carte, “from the fridge to the pan”, which cuts food wastage to a minimum as there’s no need to prepare ingredients that don’t end up being used.
Götter, a Top Chef World All Stars finalist, is “super-excited” to be back in Australia (he was on the opening team of the Park Hyatt in 2012 and later worked at fine-dining restaurant Jacksons in Perth). He rates Australian seafood as the best in the world, loves “playing with finger limes, especially for cocktails”, and guests on Kimberley cruises can expect creative takes on indigenous ingredients.
Keen foodies will be thrilled to hear that he is co-hosting a special Tastes of Discovery cruise from Broome to Darwin, departing 20 May 2024, with acclaimed chef Dale MacKay, winner of Top Chef Canada and a friend from Top Chef World All Stars. There will be a pop-up restaurant, cooking demonstrations and culinary surprises to be revealed onboard.
Teamwork
There are 38 chefs from a multitude of countries on both Scenic Eclipse ships. Götter also oversees the culinary teams on Emerald Cruises’ two luxury yachts (a third is due in early 2026) and in his newish role as Vice President Oceans Hotel Operations he leads the hotel directors, restaurant staff, butlers and housekeepers.
“I’ve learned a lot about entertainment, future cruises, housekeeping and an unbelievable amount about linen and the texture of pillows,” he laughed. “I get bored if I’m not learning new things.”
Götter spends about eight months a year at sea, working across the different departments he leads. He likes to get to know every person on the crew and has known many of the chefs for years from restaurants around the world where they have worked together.
He believes happy chefs make a happy ship; the crew eat the same fabulous food as the guests and everyone on the culinary team is encouraged to suggest dishes for the restaurant menus and help create them.
“We have an Indian dish that one of the crew had served at his own wedding, and dishes based on crew members’ favourite street food from Vietnam, China, Indonesia and the Philippines.”
Free spirit
Having visited more than 200 countries and lived in several of them for months at a time, Götter decided six years ago to pack everything he needed into five boxes and sold the rest.
“Since then, I’ve moved from office to office and ship to ship, and visit my family in Germany for maybe a few weeks a year.
“When I have a break when we’re in port, I walk to a market, or end up in a restaurant, or cooking with someone. Although I’ve travelled to so many places around the world, I probably couldn’t name a single church or castle, but I know at least one fish and one vegetable market in every city.”
Anthony Laver, Scenic Group’s General Manager, Sales and Marketing APAC, said, “Scenic is lucky to have Tom, who continues our theme of continuous innovation – in the same way that Jason Flesher (Director of Discovery Operations) is pushing boundaries with the discovery team and the captain is forging ahead in terms of destinations and technology.”
For more information, visit scenic.com.au
