Oceania Cruises has named the chefs who will be godparents of the Oceania Allura, a ship that debuted in July and will be christened in Miami on Nov. 13.
While announcing its partnership with Food & Wine in June, Oceania said the ship's godparents will be individuals that have been on Food & Wine's annual list of Best New Chefs.
Best New Chefs alumni Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Katie Button, Calvin Eng, Aisha Ibrahim, George Mendes, and Lawrence "L.T." Smith will serve as godparents. Smith will officiate the tradition of breaking a champagne bottle across the ship's bow.
"Paying homage to the Food & Wine Best New Chefs program and having its alumni represent as godparents reflects our belief that food lies at the heart of global exploration," said Jason Montague, who oversees Oceania as chief luxury officer of parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
Katie Button (Best New Chef in 2015) is a five-time James Beard Award nominee, cookbook author and media personality best known as the chef and founder of the Cúrate restaurant group in Asheville, N.C.
Calvin Eng (Best New Chef in 2022) is the chef and owner of Bonnie's, a Cantonese American restaurant in the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn, N.Y., and the author of "Salt Sugar MSG: A Cantonese American Cookbook."
Aisha Ibrahim (Best New Chef in 2023) was executive chef at Seattle's Canlis Restaurant, where she served until 2025.
Tavel Bristol-Joseph (Best New Chef in 2020) is the partner, pastry chef and director of hospitality for Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group, overseeing seven concepts across Austin and San Antonio, Texas.
George Mendes (Best New Chef in 2011) is best known for bringing modern Portuguese cuisine to the forefront of New York City's dining scene. He was the executive chef/owner of the Michelin-starred Aldea from 2009 to 2022 and opened Veranda at the ModernHaus SoHo hotel in 2021.
Lawrence "L.T." Smith (Best New Chef in 2024) founded Chilte in Phoenix, where he redefines Southwestern cuisine through dishes rooted in Mexican, Black and Midwestern traditions. An Ohio native, Smith played college football at the University of Akron.