Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part IV (Incredible Private Cooking Demonstration and Fireworks in Gibraltar)

The Goldring Travel 2017 Culinary & Cultural Cruise had a bit of a delay departing out of Portimao, Portugal due to high winds and subsequent tidal restrictions.  For me it was a bonus as it resulted in a second sea day, rather than spending a full day in our next port, Gibraltar. I have spent too much time in Gibraltar as a superyacht lawyer resulting in a less than a burning desire to return even though I won the case.

Chef David Whelehan and his team put on an incredible
Private Cooking Demonstration
More importantly, and luckily, Chef David Whelehen used the time to have the Goldring Travel Private Cooking Demonstration…And did he ever have one!  Well, not really one.  He had four (4) chefs demonstrating; including the Head Pastry Chef.  (Michelle Shea, our Adventure DiningGuide chef, was going to assist, but honestly it was an overwhelming show.)  

And, as a really sweet touch, the Sous Chef previously from The Grill by Thomas Keller on the Seabourn Quest was present and was really excited to see me.  That made me feel really good.


Chef David, keeping with the Spanish cuisine, but with a flare, concept started off with a delicious chorizo frittata to snack on while he prepared the other dishes
Chef David cooked up some delicious mussels purchased the day before during our Private Shopping with the Chef to start the seafood flowing


Please note not only the delicious mussels,
but the stylish
Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Cruise Jacket
that every guest receives when booking this annual cruise.
New jackets every year!
and then huge red prawns (Carabineros) from the market (and only found in the deep waters of area we were cruising) 


and the two huge tiger prawns…which were prepared and plated especially for me by my (second) favorite chef!


While this was happening the Head Pastry Chef was making this incredible tiramisu right in front of us.  Slowly creating layer after layer.  And, yes, I did find a spoon to taste the sabayon as he was spooning in the first layer.  (Not sure why nobody else did!) Yum! 


Meanwhile back at the cooking stations, Chef David created an incredible lobster and crab risotto using the two huge crabs he purchased with us in the market the day before.  It was the best risotto I have ever tasted outside of one seafood risotto I had in Venice. (That very particular risotto takes over two hours to make.)  I can still taste it.



Believe it or not, Chef David and his team was not finished (er’ um, finishing us off) with Black Sausage Sliders that were simple (OK, not that simple), and incredibly tasty.

And then, of course, the tiramisu was presented for dessert.

Chef David and his staff absolutely blew us away.  And this wasn’t even the Famous Food & Wine Spectacular set for the last day of the cruise.  There are no words…in part because we were all so full and gastronomically speechless.
Seeking refuge and a soak to settle my very full stomach, I headed to “my” hot tub on the bow.  Not five minutes later a waiter appeared with a rum punch for me as The Rock of Gibraltar came into sight. Seriously? 
Arriving in Gibraltar at 6:00 p.m. with a world-class food coma, it was time to relax for a while before the Rock the Boat party and, of course, 10:00 p.m. fireworks for Gibraltar’s National Day before setting sail and bringing another fantastic day to a close.

But not to worry:  There is more…Lots more!