Two more F&B partnerships announced for Dubai-bound MSC World Europa

MSC Cruises has revealed two new food and beverage partnerships debuting aboard its new cruise ship MSC World Europa, which will be named in Doha, Qatar, and spend her inaugural season cruising roundtrip from Dubai.

The new partnerships are with Michelin-starred chef, TV personality and author Niklas Ekstedt and award-winning brewmaster Teo Musso, who created the Baladin Farm Brewery in Italy.

Ekstedt  has designed the menu for the specialty restaurant Chef’s Garden Kitchen, while Musso, has worked with MSC Cruises to create a range of signature craft beers that will be brewed at sea in the ship’s full-scale micro-brewery.

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The new Chef’s Garden Kitchen aboard MSC World Europa will focus on natural ingredients and a farm-to-ocean ethos, with the first-at-sea hydroponic garden.

Ekstedt’s creations will be prepared in an open kitchen against a backdrop of panoramic sea views, according to MSC Cruises.

“Working with MSC Cruises to develop a new dining concept on MSC World Europa has been an exciting experience and we have created something really special and unique,” said Chef Ekstedt. “The menu is rooted in my core philosophy that everything needs to start with the very best natural ingredients and as such the dishes are simple but full of flavour and will feature the hydroponic micro-greens that are grown in on board in the restaurant to enhance the flavours, texture and colours.”

Musso, meanwhile will create a range of Oceanic signature craft beers for the Master of the Sea Micro Brewery. All will be made with desalinated sea water, and the range will include a pils, a bitter, and a wheat beer.

“I have always loved to experiment and be creative with my beers,” said Musso. “This partnership with MSC Cruises was a gift, a chance to create not only three new beers but to do so in the most romantic of ways: at sea.”

“The result is three totally new ‘Oceanic’ brews, a pils, a bitter and a wheat, each with its own unique array of flavours. A chance for MSC Cruises’ guests to discover new tastes, just as they discover new destinations,” he added.

MSC World Europa is MSC Cruises first LNG-powered cruise ship and the largest ever built for the line at 200,000-gross tons. When she is named in Doha, Qatar she will be the largest cruise ship ever named in the Middle East (beating out MSC Virtuosa, which was named in Dubai last year).

MSC World Europa will join two other MSC cruise ships in operating as a floating hotel in Qatar for the FIFA World Cup in Doha until December, when she will reposition to Dubai and sail a full winter season of roundtrip 7-night cruises in the Arabian Gulf.