Windstar’s 2027 Chef Sailings, Plated
Windstar's five 2027 James Beard Foundation sailings run July to November, from the Greek isles to East Asia. Food-led clients need a ship and a date now.
Windstar Cruises has named the five chefs for its 2027 James Beard Foundation sailings, and the program is more varied than in most years: two Greek voyages, a South Pacific crossing, a Turkey-to-Istanbul route and an East Asia sailing. For advisors with food-motivated clients, these are fixed-date departures on small ships that carry between 148 and 342 guests, so cabin supply is limited.
Windstar has been the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation for more than a decade, and says it has more than 80 chef-created dishes across its fleet.
The 2027 line-up
- Treasures of the Greek Isles, 13–20 July, Wind Surf. Chef Roel Alcudia, executive chef of House of Stefas in New York’s Hudson Valley, known for “freestyle Greek” cooking. Calls include Mykonos, Patmos, Santorini, Monemvasia and Nafplio.
- Māori Storytellers & French Polynesian Treasures, 5–16 September, Star Breeze. Chef Felix Tai, executive chef at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaiʻi. Papeete, the Cook Islands and Bora Bora.
- Aegean Sea Odyssey via the Corinth Canal, 8–16 September, Star Legend. Chef Cara Tobin, chef and co-owner of Honey Road and Grey Jay in Burlington, Vermont, a two-time James Beard Award nominee who has cooked in Türkiye, Lebanon, Syria and Greece. The route runs from the Turkish coast to Istanbul.
- Enchanting Greece & the Amalfi Coast, 14–21 October, Wind Surf. Chef Cody Hogan, executive chef of Lidia’s Kansas City, who trained at Chez Panisse and joined Lidia Bastianich’s team in 1998. Athens to Rome via Monemvasia, Gythion, Sicily and the Amalfi Coast.
- East Asian Legends, 4–14 November, Star Seeker. Chef Christine Lau, whose restaurant Kimika was a 2022 James Beard Award semifinalist. Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
On board
Each sailing includes chef-hosted dinners with paired wines, recipes created for the itinerary and live cooking demonstrations, according to Windstar. On select voyages, the visiting chef and Windstar’s resident executive chef lead market excursions ashore.
“These sailings give our guests a rare opportunity to spend time with remarkable chefs,” said Windstar chief operating officer Stijn Creupelandt.
Fares were not included in the announcement.
For advisors
- Match the chef to the client. Tobin, who has cooked in Türkiye and the Levant, fits the Türkiye route; Lau’s Chinese, Japanese and Italian mix suits the Asia sailing; Alcudia and Hogan are the easiest sell for Greece and Italy lovers.
- Book the September pair early. Two sailings overlap (5–16 and 8–16 September), so steer clients by region before inventory tightens.
- Add land. Pre- and post-stays in Athens, Rome, Istanbul or Papeete lift the booking value and make the long-haul flight worth it.
- Watch for: fares and any James Beard-themed shore excursions published per sailing.