Royal Caribbean announce dtoday John Sulley will be its new vice president of Food and Beverage Operations.

Chef Suley will oversee more than 265 individual restaurants aboard 23 of the most innovative cruise ships sailing around the world.

Prior to this position, Chef Suley was the associate vice president of Food and Beverage Operations for Celebrity Cruises, where he led all menu development and implementation, chef recruitment and training. Most recently, he was instrumental in the brand’s many recognitions in the Wine Spectator 2014 Restaurant Wine List Awards, as well as the lauded launch of Celebrity’s suite-class restaurant Luminae.

Prior to joining Celebrity Cruises in 2011, he was the executive chef at three-time James Beard Award-winner Alfred Portale’s Gotham Bar and Grill in New York City and Gotham Steak, fomerly at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. The innovative Chef Suley also has worked at high-profile hospitality brands, including the Ritz Carlton, South Beach, Waldorf Astoria and St. Regis Hotels, and alongside some of the world’s most accomplished chefs, including Daniel Boulud.

Royal Caribbean senior vice president of Hotel Operations for Royal Caribbean, Mark Tamis, commented on Suley's promotion, "We are very excited to welcome John to Royal Caribbean.  John brings awesome experience and unmatched skill in delivering delicious dining experiences on land and at sea. His high-energy leadership will continue to elevate the onboard dining experience for our guests as part of the best vacations that only Royal Caribbean can deliver."

Burgers are a staple of cruise food and Royal Caribbean offers a few different burgers across its fleet, but the question is which is the best?

Today we're going to compare the burgers Royal Caribbean serves up across its fleet to determine which one comes out on top!

1. Windjammer

Part of the appeal of the Windjammer is it serves up really good food, all day long.  For lunch and dinner, their burger bar offers burgers that you can customize to your hearts content.  

You can opt for the traditional lettuce, tomato and onion or you could bring your burger to a different station and enhance it beyond what the burger bar offers.  

Photo by daschu27

The key to the burgers in the Windjammer is how fresh they are. Ideally you want to grab one that is fresh from the grill rather than one that's been sitting under the heat lamps for a while.  

2. Johnny Rockets

The heavy favorite for a good Royal Caribbean burger has to be Johnny Rockets.  The land-based restaurant is known for its burgers so their sea-based operations are very similar.

Johnny Rockets relies on the basic premise that its burgers should remind you of classic Americana.  Its menu features fresh, never frozen, made-to-order hamburgers, sides, shakes and desserts.

In addition, there's a number of different burgers to choose from, The Original, #12, Smoke House and Streamliner.  Different kinds of burgers is always a big advantage.

The only thing going against Johnny Rockets is their inconsistencies on some ships.  I've had excellent meals on one ship and not-so-great on another.  

3. Seafood Shack

Photo by Franz Neumeier

On Oasis of the Seas, the Seafood Shack serves up, well, seafood but it offers two different kinds of burgers as well that are worth noting.

If you're in the mood for a quality burger, the Seafood Shack has the Bermuda Onion Hamburger and the Key West Fisherman Burger.  The char-broiled Bermuda Onion offers fried onion rings which are a great addition.  The Fisherman burger is a breaded catch of the day burger for those looking for a healthier alternative.

The Seafood Shack may be a good choice for when others want seafood but you want to grab a burger instead.

4. Jamie's Italian

A few restaurants on Quantum-class will offer burgers and Jamie's Italian is one of them.  The restaurant is the product of celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver, a famous chef from England.

Jamie Oliver has added The Jamie's Italian Burger to the menu, which is described as, "Prime British chuck & flank steak with smoked mozzarella, mortadella, balsamic onions, tomato, pickles & chillis, served on a charred bun".

The burger here promises to be of a higher quality beef combined with better garnishments.  

Like Seafood Shack, a burger from Jamie's Italian could be the "dark hourse" choice for best Royal Caribbean burger given Jamie Oliver's reputation for good food.

5. Devinly Decadence at Solarium Bistro

Chef Devin Alexander is the star of NBC's The Biggest Loser and she's created a special menu for the Solarium Bistro. 

Given her reputation she created a "healthy burger". Seriously. It's actually based on the Big Mac but with far less calories.

I sampled this burger at the recent Quantum of the Seas dining reveal event in New York and it tasted just like the fast food variety but was told it was healthier so I was sold.

So when you find yourself on Quantum of the Seas or Anthem of the Seas maybe this is the burger to try so you can avoid the post-burger regret.

6. Chops Grille

Royal Caribbean is rolling out a brand new menu to its signature specialty restaurant, Chops Grille, and there is a burger available on their menu.

Chops Grille is offering a dry-aged steak burger on a broche bun with melted Gruyere cheese along with Pancetta.  That does sound pretty darn good.

The thing to remember about Chops Grille is it's one of the most consistantly good restaurants in Royal Caribbean's fleet.  I've lost count how many times I've eaten here and yet it is always a good choice.

7. Wipeout Cafe

Photo by blmiers2

On the aft of Oasis-class ships, you will find the Wipeout Cafe for quick bites to eat.  The idea is to grab something in between spending time on the Sports Deck being active.

Wipeout Cafe offers burgers much like the Windjammer but with less of a crowd.  In fact, I'm not sure I've even set foot here other than passing through but when you want a burger and don't want to hoof it somewhere else, this is the place for you.

8. Seaview Cafe

If you happen to be sailing on Jewel of the Seas before it gets its refurbishment then run (don't walk) to the Seaview Cafe.

The Seaview Cafe is known for its quality, fresh made food for free.  What makes the food at Seaview Cafe different is it's not mass produced in advance.  When you order a burger, then the cook grabs a patty and starts to cook it.

Anyone that knows what makes good food will tell you freshly made food is always the best choice so it's not surprising to find the burgers (and all the food) here to be really good.

Once Jewel of the Seas gets her refurbishment, the Seaview Cafe will be replaced with a specialty restaurant but until then, check this one out!

And the winner is?

Which Royal Caribbean burger has your vote for the crown? It's a tough choice so share your vote in the comments for this post and choose wisely!

Royal Caribbean has been offering Italian food for years on its cruise ships and in recent years, has been changing its Italian food offerings up in recent years.  

So today we're going to compare the various Italian restauants Royal Caribbean serves up and see which one comes out on top!

1. Portofino

Royal Caribbean's reigning Italian food champ, Portofino, has been available on many ships across Royal Caribbean's fleet for many years. 

The food at Portofino is based on Northern Italian cuisine and offers traditional Italian pasta, fish and meats. What Portofino does well is mixing traditional Italian favorites with modern style.  You can get a plate of pasta in a tomato sauce or go with the Saltimbocca alla Romana.  

Sadly, Royal Caribbean is in the process of phasing out Portofino in favor of some of the other Italian restaurants we will be discussing in this post but it remains the stalwart of Italian food on many Royal Caribbean ships.

We think of Portofino as the veteran champ that has been around for a while but still has what it takes to comepete.

2. Giovanni's Table

Giovanni's Table is the up-start "new kid on the block" that offers traditional Italian fare, family style.  Royal Caribbean describes Giovanni's Table as, "an Italian Trattoria influenced by the Tuscan countryside".

Whereas Portofino offers a mix of new and old, Giovanni's Table mostly sticks with tried and true Italian dishes.  Eggplant parmigiana, lasagna, meat balls and more are available.  

Having first debuted on Oasis of the Seas, Giovanni's Table has been spreading to other Royal Caribbean ships with each new ship revitalization and stands to be the new standard by which Royal Caribbean serves up Italian food.

Giovanni's Table is the up-start that is making a name for itself but hasn't "won it all" quite yet.

3. Jamie's Italian

The "new kid on the block" is the newly announced Jamie's Italian, which is coming to Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas.  The restaurant is the product of celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver, a famous cook from England.

Royal Caribbean promises you’ll enjoy rustic dishes, handmade using seasonal ingredients, and authentic recipes that are tried and tested crowd-pleasers.

The menu is comprised of Jamie’s Italian Famous Plank piled high with cured meats, pickles and tempting cheeses. From there, try delicious pastas made in-house everyday—like indulgent pumpkin panzerotti and zingy prawn linguine to name a few.

We had a chance to sample a number of the dishes that will be available at Jamie's Italian at the recent Quantum of the Seas dining reveal event in New York and it's clear this Italian restaurant will focus on completely rewriting the book (or menu) on what you think of when it comes to Italian food.

For Italian food on Royal Caribbean ships, Jamie's Italian is like the "dark horse" that could tip the balance in what guests look for on at dinner.

4. Windjammer

Sometimes you just want to enjoy simple Italian food with as much red or white sauce as your plate can handle.  Or maybe you prefer very little sauce.  Whatever your preference, the Windjammer serves up an assortment of Italian food throughout the day at our leisure.

There's something to be said about a plate of pasta with sauce combined with unlimited refills.  And of course you can always grab a burger, salad and sushi to put on your plate too.

The Italian choices in the Windjammer vary daily but there's almost always a pasta dish or two and other traditional Italian dishes here and there.

The Windjammer is a crowd favorite for its simplicity and mass-appeal.

And the winner is?

Which Royal Caribbean Italian restaurant has your vote for the crown? It's a tough choice so share your vote in the comments for this post and choose wisely!

Back in 2012, Royal Caribbean commited to eliminate the use of gestation crates, which are used to breed pigs, from its pork supply chain and today we have a timetable for when to expect this to happen.

Royal Caribbean has set a date of 2022 as the target date by which to reach that goal.

By the end of the year, Royal Caribbean will request an update from its current pork suppliers regarding the plans and progress of their respective pork producers in meeting the pork industry goal of moving away from gestation crates in their operations by 2022, in order to determine which producers share Royal Caribbean's objective of moving to a gestation crate free pork supply. Royal Caribbean supports the continual movement of the industry in this direction and remains committed to keeping the treatment of animals in consideration when supplying its fleet with food.

Michael Jones, vice president of supply chain management for Royal Caribbean Cruises, commented on the update, "Royal Caribbean takes corporate responsibility seriously, including when it comes to the welfare of animals in the food system.  Since 2012, we have been pleased to see dozens of top restaurant chains, grocery chains, food service operators, and other food industry leaders adopt similar stances. We support the recent announcements by Smithfield Foods and Tyson Foods - two of the nation's top pork processors -- regarding their shifts toward better housing methods for pigs."

You may not know what they are called, but the savory bites that are served in the main dining room have become a favorite of many Royal Caribbean cruisers. 

Photo by nenner1

These poppy seed covered bread bites take one or two bites to eat and have become a Royal Caribbean classic food.  It's basically a little savory sour dough "nugget" with herbs baked in that is kind of like a mini roll.  

The name comes from the fact they are bite sized and have the herb savory baked into them.

Some veteran cruisers will specifically ask their assistant waiter when he/she brings over the bread basket for the savory bites if they don't spot them because they are usually available on all Royal Caribbean cruises each night in the main dining room.

It's one of those foods that you just can't stop at having just one roll and I know when I visit the main dining room, something I look for each cruise.

Photo by ikirumata

Savory Bites Recipe

Servings: 1157 pieces (!)

• 25 pounds Potato Bread Flour.
• 2 ½ pounds Savory base.
• 2 pounds Margarine.
• 5 ounces Dry Yeast
• 7 ½ liters Water.

1. Mix all ingredients for 2 to 3 min slow and 5 to 6 min fast speed until well developed.
2. Rest the dough for 30 min.
3. Scale into 16 oz. pieces and pre shape.
4. Roll them sheet pan long and dip in Poppy seed, than put 9 pieces on one sheet pan.
5. Store in freezer overnight.
6. When ready to bake defrost about 3 hours in the fridge, cut them into small triangles (25 pieces per pound stick).
7. Place 9 x 6 on one sheet pan.
8. Bake them between 220 °C and 230 °C and steam for about 13 to 17 min until golden brown.

There's something about a Royal Caribbean cruise that compels people to try new things.  Some may tackle trying to stand up on the Flowrider, others may try to get into the Love and Marriage game show.  Personally, I like to try new foods and it's because of a Royal Caribbean cruise that I joined so many others in indulging (and liking) the escargot.

Escargot, better known as cooked snails, is a delicacy that sounds down right awful but escargot on Royal Caribbean has become a real staple appetizer in the main dining room.  I think a lot of people order it as a goof (it doesn't cost anything extra to try) and after the giggles supside, these same people coming away actually enjoying it.  

The menu describes the escargots bourguignonne as, "tender snails drenched in melted garlic-herb butter."  Drenched is the right word because they come in a serving plate soaked in the salty butter sauce.  There's so much butter and it's so salty that it's hard to really taste the actual snail.  And if you eat it with bread, well, you probably won't even feel the texture.

Escargot has become a staple appetizer that I order everytime I can, although in the last 6-9 months, there's been a "world wide shortage" of escargot so scallops have been offered instead.  However, if you happen to see escargot as an option on your next Royal Caribbean cruise, laugh all you want but you really should order it for a high-class tasty snack!

Escargot Recipe

Garlic Butter

2 TBS Chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1/2 tea Dijon Mustard
Freshly Ground White Pepper To Taste
1 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, softened 
1/2 tea Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tea Cognac

Escargots

24 Cannned snails, drained
1 Medium Shallot finely chopped 
1 TBS Dry Sherry 
Salt to taste
French Baguette Slices

1. For the garlic butter: in a food processor, combine the parsley, garlic, and mustard. Season with white pepper. Process for 1 minute. Add a stick butter, the worcestershire sauce and cognac, and process for 2 minutes. Transfer the butter mixture to a small bowl and set aside. 

2. For the snails, rinse the snails in a small colander under cold running water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. In a saute pan, heat the remaining 1/2 stick butter ove medium heat. Add Shallot and cook, stirring until softened, and translucent. Add the snails and saute until completely heated through about one minute. Stir in the sherry and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool. 

3. Preheat the oven to 400F. Transfer the snails to shells or to snail plates (if using the shells, divide them among 4 ovenproof dishes). Cover each snail completely with the reserved butter mixture. 

4. Bake for a few minutes, or just until the snails are hot and the butter is completely melted and brown on top (do not overbake or the flavor of the butter will be compromised). Serve immediatley with the slices of the French baguette for dipping.

When it comes to classic Royal Caribbean food, the honey stung chicken has developed a bit of a cult following to it thanks to many fans who have come back from their Royal Caribbean cruises speaking of its wonders.  So what is it and why is it so good?

At its core, honey stung chicken is a breaded chicken cutlet that is served in the Windjammer.  Over the years more and more cruises started talking about it so its legend continues to grow.  

Honey stung chicken is served in the Windjammer but the catch is it's only served on embarkation day.  So if you don't get it on that first day you board your Royal Caribbean cruise, then you are out of luck until your next cruise.  We have heard of instances where honey stung chicken is sometimes available via room service as well.

Frankly, its popularity is hard to pin-point but we think because it's only served on embarkation day, it gets rave reviews because people associate it with the start of their cruise and let's face it, everyone is the happiest on the day their cruise vacation they have been looking forward to is finally starting.  

Of course, that's not to take away from what the food is: a tasty piece of boneless fried chicken that is always a good choice when going down the buffet line.

Honey Stung Chicken Recipe

• 3- 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 Tbs raspberry or cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup flour
• 2 Tbs fine dry bread crumbs
• 2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation

1. Cut the tenders from the breast, and pound the breasts to flattens slightly. Stir the honey and vinegar together and pour over the chicken. Marinate for 2 hour to 4 hours in refrigerator, stirring occasionally.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, bread crumbs, and cayenne pepper; set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk.
4. In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat to 300°, (higher temperatures could burn honey). Turn oven on to 200.
5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and drain on paper towels. Dip the chicken in beaten egg mixture, season with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour mixture, coating thoroughly. .
6. Add the chicken pieces two or three at a time. Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry on each side until golden brown. Remove to a rack on a sheet pan, lined with paper towels. Hold in the oven, while you fry the rest of the pieces. 

So are you a fan of honey stung chicken?  Have you tried it and is it a tradition to order it on embarkation day?

Royal Caribbean has announced it will eliminate the use of gestation crates, which are used to breed pigs, from its pork supply chain.  Royal Caribbean joins a growing list of major food companies to address the issue.

“Royal Caribbean is committed to keeping the treatment of animals in consideration when supplying our fleet with food,” said Michael Jones, vice president of supply chain management for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “Royal Caribbean supports the pork industry’s work to eliminate gestation crates from operation by 2022, and our company has set that date as our target for having a gestation crate-free pork supply chain.”

The Humane Society of the United States applauded the effort by Royal Caribbean.

“Royal Caribbean has a long-standing animal welfare program and has been a good partner in working toward improved conditions for animals,” stated Matthew Prescott, food policy director for The HSUS. “By eliminating gestation crates, Royal Caribbean is taking a positive step away from a practice that people and companies worldwide have condemned.”