3 questions for Alain Ducasse

Unfettered fine dining

When a love of adventure and challenges goes hand in hand with a taste for expertise and gastronomic excellence... PONANT, Alain Ducasse and Ducasse Conseil have been working together for many years towards the same shared goal: to provide an authentic, original and top-quality dining experience. Here, we sit down for a chat with the multi-Michelin-starred chef.

Why did you establish this partnership with PONANT?

Alain Ducasse:I wanted to rise to the challenge of offering high-quality culinary services when faced with certain constraints. At Ducasse Conseil, we’re used to preparing meals in extreme conditions, like those we prepare for the astronauts on the International Space Station, for example! Our mission for PONANT was particularly inspiring: how can we prepare and serve fine cuisine at sea,  even on a cruise ship that’s sailing amongst the ice? As you can imagine, this requires perfect organisation, particularly when it comes to supplies.

How far back does the partnership between Alain Ducasse and PONANT go?

A. D. : It is a long-standing, solid partnership that began in 2016 and is based on a shared vision. We have the same high quality standards and the same ambition to give passengers a memorable experience. We also share a concern for how our business activities affect the environment.

Jerôme Lacressonnière, Chef and Director of Ducasse Conseil, talks about the aims of this gastronomic partnership

Does the gourmet restaurant aboard the Commandant Charcot offer a unique experience?

A. D. : My team and I are extremely proud of this restaurant, Nuna, which is the only Alain Ducasse gourmet restaurant operating at sea. Byembracing all the constraints inherent to cruising, we are able to offer passengers aboard the Commandant Charcot contemporary French fine dining. Better still, we also strive to ensure that our cuisine retains a link with the natural world and local cultures. That’s why we make every effort to buy our supplies from local  producers, particularly fishermen, on each stopover. This quest for quality, authenticity and originality is never-ending: we are constantly reassessing to deliver innovation and improvements.

Photos credits : ©Matteo Carassale ; ©PONANT-Julien Fabro ; ©PONANT-Gilles Trillard

Combine fine dining with the pleasures of sailing