Top chefs trio expands Swan Hellenic team

SWAN HELLENIC: PRESS-RELEASE (17th June 2021)

Trio of top chefs brings Swan Hellenic world-class on-board gastronomy

Jörg Lehmann, Andrea Ribaldone and Sang Keun Oh bring internationally-acclaimed gastronomic expertise to iconic cultural expedition cruise leader

Nicosia, Cyprus: Today, Thursday 17th June, Swan Hellenic announced that it has appointed Jörg Lehmann as Executive Chef of its first 5-star expedition cruise ship, SH Minerva, due to embark on its maiden cruise this November.

Jörg brings extensive cruise industry experience, having risen through the ranks and to the top of the market at Crystal Cruises, then Silversea and Seabourn, where he became the company’s youngest Executive Chef aged 26. Later moves on land saw him developing the gastronomic offering for a Kempinski Hotels’ luxury beach resort in Zanzibar and then his own hotel and restaurants in Sweden, with clients ranging from Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel to 007 actor Daniel Craig and the cast of the film “The Girl with the Dragon tattoo”.

Accepting an invitation to return to Seabourn as Guest Chef on a prestigious farewell cruise in 2015, Jörg rediscovered his love of creating gastronomic sensations for the discriminating guests on small expedition ships, subsequently working with SeaDream Yacht Club, Noble Caledonia, Hurtigruten and now Swan Hellenic.

As Executive Chef, Jörg is already deeply involved in creating the varied menus for SH Minerva, including creative Italian and Asian fusion dishes in partnership with recently appointed Consultant Chefs Andrea Ribaldone and Sang Keun Oh, working directly with them in Italy and Moscow respectively

Andrea is an influential Italian chef with an extraordinary array of achievements to his name. These include gaining a Michelin Star for La Fermata, founding the gastronomy consulting company ARCO, being appointed Executive Chef at Eataly Tokyo, renovating Due Buoi in Alessandra and earning it, too, a Michelin Star, then managing Osteria Arborina in the Annunziata hamlet of La Morra and once again gaining a Michelin Star, as well as launching and managing a whole series of highly successful innovative dining concepts and venues.

Providing a different but no less distinguished perspective as Consultant Chef, the fabled Korean innovator Sang Keun Oh brings unrivalled experience of Japanese cuisine, acquired at the renowned Tsuji Culinary Institute, but equally of French cuisine, having risen to become Head Chef at the Franco-Japanese L’Étranger in London, which was awarded two AA Rosettes under his leadership. This led to a series of tremendous successes in Russia as Executive Chef of the Asian menus at the famous Moscow floating restaurants Lastochka and Chaika, followed by his own acclaimed restaurant Hibiki, serving modern Japanese cuisine. Sang Keun Oh is now sharing his unique insights to bring Swan Hellenic a gastronomic offering of exceptional quality, diversity and creativity.

Hans Heger
Swan Hellenic SVP Hotel Operations, commented:

“We’re overjoyed to have built such an extraordinary team of talents,ensuring our guests will not only see what others don’t, but also savour exceptional flavours and textures as they voyage. I have to confess I’ve already sampled some of the dishes being developed and they’re simply out of this world!”

Andrea Ribaldone
Consultant Chef, observed

“It’s a pleasure to work with such a professional team,all totally committed to creating a unique gastronomic experience. I’m delighted to play a role in bringing this iconic pioneer a further distinctive facet to its incomparable quality of life on board”

Sang Keun Oh
Consultant Chef, agreed

“I’ve been really impressed by the dedication of the Swan Hellenic team. We’ve been working incredibly well together to create on-board dining that’s every bit as spectacular as the legendary company’s cultural expedition cruises.”

Jörg Lehmann
Executive Chef, concluded

“It’s a great honour for me to work in such distinguished company, crafting an amazing variety of truly inspired dishes. I can’t wait to present our inaugural menus and see the faces of our guests as they dine on board!”

About Swan Hellenic

Swan Hellenic was relaunched in July 2020 to proudly continue the spirit of cultural expedition cruising the company pioneered in the 1950s. Building on its British roots, the new company has a global cultural cruising outlook dedicated to providing guests with the opportunity to ‘see what others don’t’.

Two new 5-star polar PC 5 ice-class expedition cruise ships arriving in November 2021 and April 2022 will each accommodate 152 guests in 76 spacious staterooms and suites, the majority with large balconies. A larger PC 6 ice-class vessel accommodating 192 guests in 96 staterooms and suites in the same distinctive comfort and style as its sister ships will be arriving year-end 2022. All three new ships are being built in full compliance with SOLAS Safe Return to Port requirements.

Dedicated to guests with a passion for adventure and cultural exploration, the company’s meticulously planned itineraries explore the wild landscapes, wildlife, peoples and unique cultures of the world’s less travelled regions.

Its ships feature elegant Scandi-design interiors, extensive outdoor spaces and dedicated expedition facilities. The crew includes an expedition team comprising expert guides, speakers and lecturers, and numbering 120 and 140 respectively almost equals the number of guests, reflecting the high levels of attentive personal service provided.

Headquartered in Cyprus with offices in London, Dusseldorf and Monaco, together with a branch office in Hong Kong (serving mainland China, Taiwan and South-East Asia), as well as partnerships serving India, Japan and Australia-New Zealand, Scandinavia and Iceland, Swan Hellenic supports the travel trade with specialist local partners to provide customers with expert personal service worldwide.