It all started with a superb rack of lamb.
Retailer Jean Kuhn, who operates The Travel Lady out of her home in Murrells Inlet, S.C., had dined at the upscale Brentwood Restaurant and Wine Bistro in nearby Little River and discovered that executive chef Eric Masson is a French native with extensive culinary experience at hotels and restaurants.
The meal he prepared for her was “outstanding,” and so she got to thinking he’d make a perfect guest chef for Holland America Line’s Culinary Arts Center.
“With the assistance of Amy Barnett, my business district manager at Holland America, we arranged for Eric to become a celebrity guest chef onboard the Nieuw Amsterdam in February,” Kuhn said.
Taking the idea to its logical and lucrative conclusion, Kuhn began organizing a local culinary group trip for the seven-day cruise, which sails the Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 19.
Kuhn marketed the trip to Masson’s loyal clientele as well as to her own customer base. By early January, about 50 people had signed up for the trip.
Holland America’s culinary program, which is offered on all its ships, was created in partnership with Food and Wine magazine in 2005. It isn’t unusual for an agent to recommend a guest chef, but the line is very selective about who gets to participate.
“Guest chefs are sourced both in conjunction with Food and Wine and directly,” said line spokeswoman Sally Andrews. The chefs are chosen, she said, based upon their area of expertise, presentation experience and general position in the culinary world.
“We are looking for higher-profile and very accomplished guest chefs,” said Andrews, who added that if an agent puts forward a name, the line’s onboard programming department makes the decision.
The culinary arts program enables passengers to watch master chefs cook in a theater-style demonstration kitchen, interact with them during hands-on cooking classes, participate in question-and-answer sessions
and, in some ports, take a local market tour with the chef.
Kuhn said Barnett was instrumental in coordinating her group space and arranging for Masson to serve as a guest chef. Onboard the Nieuw Amsterdam, he will offer two one-hour demonstrations in the ship’s culinary arts center.
“My group will also receive a private cellar wine-tasting onboard,” said Kuhn, who will accompany the group.
Barnett, a business-development manager with the line since 2004, said that Holland America encourages agents to participate in the Culinary Group Advantage Program.
“It’s geared to help retailers put together groups around a local chef who they source as part of the group,” she said. “Often these chefs, such as Eric Masson, are willing to share their passion with all guests.”
Barnett had planted the seed when she held a Web-based training session last year that highlighted the group advantage program. Kuhn, who participated in the session, was immediately interested in learning more.
“The focus was on what a good door-opener it is for agents trying to build group business,” said Barnett, who added that planning for the February cruise began last May. “Jean was very curious and asked many questions during the [session], so I set up a separate call with her to guide her through the process.”
She added: “Jean is a real go-getter and has been a delight to partner with because she is willing to work hard. She makes the sales calls, puts the marketing out there and is always willing to try something new to see if it will increase revenue.”
Masson, who specializes in Low Country French cuisine, holds culinary degrees from three schools in France. He appears regularly on TV and radio and holds cooking classes at the Brentwood Restaurant and Wine Bistro, which he owns with his wife, Kimberlee.
This wasn’t Kuhn’s first group project with Masson. In October, she booked him and another local group on a wine-themed river cruise through Burgundy and Provence onboard Avalon Waterways’ 138-passenger Scenery. Kuhn did not participate in that trip, other than handling the booking. She said Masson served as the tour guide, “accompanying his valued customers.”
“A journey on a France river cruise with a French chef guiding you at the helm would be a unique experience, I decided,” said Kuhn, adding that the group included about 30 clients. “And Eric was born in France, so I thought it was a perfect fit.
“There was a two-day stay in Paris, and as a special feature, Masson arranged for the group to have lunch at the Ferrandi Culinary School, where he trained in Paris,” she said.
Kuhn said she’s always on the prowl for new ideas to boost her group bookings on cruises, and typically she gets her inspiration from local organizations and people.
Barnett described Kuhn as “a very savvy travel seller” who “knows her way around packaging and marketing groups.”
As for Holland America’s role, she said, “Our Selling Groups literature and booklet help [agents] think about how and where to market potential groups, and we as business development managers always help walk them through the process.”
The Travel Lady is affiliated with Cruises & Tours Unlimited/Outside Agents, based in Jacksonville, Fla.
Kuhn’s agency website is www.travelladyvacations.com.
Agents can learn more about the culinary arts program on Holland America’s website.