Sinu Pillai manages culinary operations for Holland America Line's Pinnacle-class ships, the largest in its fleet: the Rotterdam, the Nieuw Statendam and the Koningsdam. He has helped introduce new local ingredients into cuisine onboard, including fresh fish as a part of the cruise line's Port-to-Plate program. Cruise editor Teri West interviewed Pillai aboard the Koningsdam when the ship was in Alaska.
Q: Could you give an overview of the average week in your role?
A: When you are a fleet chef, you are literally staying in a hotel, taking the flight and jumping ship to ship. We are one of those key roles where we support the operation in terms of making sure they have the right ingredients, the menus are prepared on time ... so they have all the tools to do their job. We create the menus onboard, or the dishes. The trials are done [on the ships].
The vendors might come and say, "Oh, this might be in season. How can you use it?" When the ship goes to Europe, morel [mushroom] season comes; we use that. When the ship is [on the Pacific coast] and in Seattle, the Rainier cherry comes in season. We incorporate that into the menus. We use it in the dining room. We use it in the Lido.
Q: Food is one of the most important elements of a cruise to many guests, especially on premium lines like Holland America Line. How does that inform your work?
A: It helps as motivation, right? And it helps the team members also. Sometimes all you need is that little recognition. ...
There is a sense of competition, as well. It's always great to have a healthy competition, so we kind of introduced that in the culture where we want to excel and we want to do well; it helps the team morale. We always say, "You're as strong as your weakest link." So I can be the best-trained chef, but if the smallest member in the team who is new is not educated or as knowledgeable as we are, or to that level, then we have failed. So training plays a major part as well in my role.
Q: Another key aspect of your job is recipe development. Why do you think it's important for a cruise line to always be developing?
A: That first-time cruiser, to make them a regular, that first experience is very important. And if you ask me, I feel our competition is not other cruise ships; our competition is a resort or a holiday destination ... they are on the [culinary] trends, as well.
I have changed, I will be honest. I have become stronger. It has helped me to understand the food aspect of the business and understand the culture, as well, because food is a great way to learn about some cultures. The eating habits, the way people behave, food plays a major role.
Q: Could you talk a little bit about the Port-to-Plate program in Alaska? Because I know it's not new that you're bringing fresh fish onboard.
A: We were doing it before, but not at this scale. So when the ship was coming, we were getting salmon, we were getting halibut, mostly in the specialty restaurants. But in the past four or five years, we said, "Hold on. We are in Alaska. Why are we trying to get frozen fish when we can get fresh fish?" So we started talking to the local vendors to see who can help us with this, and when we go for events like Seatrade, we were introduced to ASMI, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.
You're serving fresh fish in the dining room, but who knows about it? We started talking. We started telling the story.
As the season starts in March, we get the sablefish, the black cod. We start with that. When the season is starting, there is no salmon available. Then, as the season progresses, when the coho comes in season, we will get the coho, then the king salmon.
Correction: A summary of this article misstated Sinu Pillai's title; it is fleet chef.