Sometimes the most unexpected opportunities become the most exciting journeys.
I’m incredibly happy to share that I’ve recently started a new position as Executive Chef on a 7-month contract with Carnival Cruise Line. Over the coming months, I’ll be documenting this journey through a series of blog posts here on ChefWiseGuy. Each month I’ll share reflections, lessons learned, challenges, and memorable moments from life and work aboard a cruise ship.
This adventure begins with a journey from Denmark to Florida, where I will join the Carnival Venezia and begin sailing throughout the Caribbean. For someone who has spent most of his career in restaurants on land, stepping into the world of cruise ship gastronomy is both exciting and completely new territory. In fact, before this opportunity, I had never even been on a cruise ship.
The opportunity itself came in an unexpected way. I was recommended by another Executive Chef, who encouraged me to apply. After going through the process, I was invited to present a trial menu in Naples, where I cooked for the company. That experience ultimately led to me being offered the position with Carnival Cruise Line.
Now the real journey begins.
As an Executive Chef, my responsibilities extend far beyond cooking. My role involves leadership across large culinary teams, ensuring food quality and consistency for thousands of guests, maintaining strict food safety standards, managing budgets, and coordinating large-scale ordering and logistics. Running a culinary operation at sea is a completely different scale compared to traditional restaurants, and learning how everything functions within this floating ecosystem will be part of the challenge.
But it’s not just about the kitchen.
One of the aspects I’m looking forward to the most is the unique lifestyle that comes with working at sea. Meeting guests from around the world, collaborating with international crews, and experiencing the different ports we arrive in across the Caribbean will undoubtedly become part of the story as well.
Preparing for Life at Sea – The Travel Gear I Chose
Preparing for a 7-month contract at sea required packing more thoughtfully than any trip I’ve taken before. Moving between airports, ports, and crew cabins means everything needs to be durable, practical, and easy to organize.
For luggage, I invested in a Samsonite suitcase, which has long been one of the most reliable brands for frequent travelers. When you’re moving across continents and through multiple airports, durability matters. The hard shell, smooth wheels, and strong build make it much easier to handle long travel days and constant movement between destinations.
I also picked up several pieces of travel gear through Amazon that have already made the journey significantly easier. Things like packing cubes and travel organizers help keep clothing and kitchen gear separated and organized inside the suitcase. When you’re living out of luggage for months, having a system makes a huge difference.
On the tech side, I packed a few essential items that make working and traveling smoother. A compact travel adapter, portable charging gear, and a lightweight tech organizer help keep all my cables, devices, and accessories in one place. Since I’ll be writing and documenting this experience along the way, having reliable tech equipment while traveling is essential.
I’ll likely write a more detailed post soon about what I packed for seven months working on a cruise ship, since the preparation itself turned out to be an interesting process.
This blog series will be my way of capturing the journey.
Each month I’ll share insights into what it’s actually like to run kitchens on a cruise ship — the challenges, the systems behind the scenes, the culinary creativity required in a constantly moving environment, and the personal experiences that come with living and working at sea.
For me, this is both a professional challenge and a personal adventure.
And I hope you’ll follow along as the journey unfolds.
The first chapter begins soon.
