A review of Silversea’s Silver Nova food experiences and excursions

Keen foodies will delight over the many culinary experiences available onboard the Silver Nova. Photo / Tim Faircloth

If you love experiencing a destination through food, Silver Nova is the ship for you, writes Ashleigh Cometti

Many things set Silver Nova apart from other luxury cruise lines, but after sailing on the ship for its maiden voyage around Aotearoa, I can say food is top of the list. Not only does the ship host an abundance of top-notch restaurants, cafes and eateries, but has an exclusive culinary programme perfect for foodies who delight in meals that go beyond simply eating good food.

Curated by Adam Sachs, the former editor in chief at Saveur magazine, the ship’s S.A.L.T programme (Sea And Land Taste) is a unique culinary programme offering immersive experiences from bespoke cooking classes in the S.A.L.T Lab on board, to curated shore excursions that promise a deeper insight into every destination, as accompanied by one of Silversea’s food experts.

Wining and dining in Craggy Range

For our cruise, the S.A.L.T shore excursion included a private coach to one of Napier’s premier wineries, Craggy Range. Situated under the escarpment of Te Mata Peak, Craggy Range is renowned for its premium red wines (Syrah in particular) alongside Bordeaux-style blends, but also produces Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Rose.

Alongside a bespoke wine tasting, guests were served a multi-course lunch which served to celebrate the best seasonal, local fare.

Due to number restrictions, we couldn’t join the Craggy Range trip but had an equally delightful time with our afternoon spent wine tasting at Napier’s Clearview Estate and Abbey Estate.

Owner Tim Turvey has spent the last 39 years tending to Clearview Estate, which he took from an overgrown paddock he purchased for $76,000 to a burgeoning winery with 27 varietals, including an award-winning Chardonnay.

While the vibe was relaxed, we sat along trestle tables under a shade sail as we drank and dined, the wines were elevated and complex.

Clearview’s Black Reef Blush is one of the best-selling Roses in the Hawke’s Bay wine region, which garnered many “mmm’s” of approval from our group.

The dessert course at the S.A.L.T excursion at Craggy Range. Photo / Tim Faircloth

Next came a trip to Abbey Estate, where we were treated to tasting six of the 12 varietals grown at the 30-acre boutique winery.

Located in the heart of Bridge Pa, Abbey Estate was booming on the Saturday afternoon we visited, large groups enjoy the sunny courtyard and sprawling outdoor area as they imbibed.

Varietals were named with religious monikers befitting the church-style setting, including the Rapture Merlot, Testament Cabernet Merlot and Gabriel, a late-harvest dessert wine.

Cooking up a storm in the S.A.L.T Lab

The theme of each S.A.L.T Lab cooking class varies depending on location and what’s in season, and for our session - aptly named “Kūmara: The Story of the Sweet Potato of Aotearoa” - we learned the different ways to cook kumara. Who knew there were quite so many ways to present the country’s favourite root veggie?!

Under the expert guidance of Chef Aldo, our group of eight was split into pairs and assigned a station each.

This was my first ever cooking class, and I can’t say I wasn’t a little nervous. We certainly looked the part, donning white aprons and faces serious like we belonged in Hell’s Kitchen.

Thankfully, Aldo’s clear instructions and the accompanying recipe cards ensured each dish was broken down into such simple steps that even my husband (whose go-to dinner includes air-fried chicken) could’ve confidently followed.

We started with a kumara and lentil salad, a recipe shared by Christall Lowe, the author of Kai - Food Stories and Recipes from my Family Table.

“This salad is a firm family favourite, and one my mum has been making for years with different variations. The sweetness of the kumara with the saltiness of the feta and the sourness of the dressing is a beautiful thing, and you’ll be wanting to have this as a meal in itself,” read a note left on our recipe card by the author herself.

She wasn’t wrong, either, and the salad was a standout - not a simple side. We served this alongside perfectly seared steak, marinated in a sweet teriyaki sauce, and kūmara fritters, which were fried in oil until crispy.

Unfortunately, we were short on time to whip up Christall’s other recipe, kūmara roroi sweet potato pudding, but walked away with a recipe card to try the dish from home.

The view from the balcony outside La Terazza. Photo / Tim Faircloth

Sitting at the Chef’s Table

The S.A.L.T Lab isn’t solely reserved for cooking classes, however, and the well-appointed commercial kitchen was the perfect setting for our Chef’s Table dining experience on our final night.

Our group sat side by side along the marble bench top, as Chef German and his team of attentive staff led us through an inspired menu that captured the unique flavours of products native to Australasia.

We were offered the choice of two Australian wines - the Xanadu Chardonnay or Mount Langi Shiraz - to pair with our 11-course degustation (yes, you read that right).

The array of dishes presented were bite-sized and beautifully presented on polished stones, sculptural glassware and hand-crafted ceramics, further elevating the experience.

To start, kingfish crudo served with finger lime, squeezed lightly to reveal the ultra zesty caviar-like pearls inside, which burst on contact with your tongue. Next, an asparagus tartlet with a dusting of black truffle, which was messy yet flavoursome (I should not have worn white pants).

Our third course, the lamb with macadamia crust and river mint was the standout - and I’m still salivating at the thought of crunching through the thick crust to the tender lamb underneath.

I could rattle off all 11 courses, which ranged from confit kumara to a shiraz-spiked emu pie, but as I’m already dangerously close to dribbling on my keyboard, I won’t.

Unlike other degustations I’ve been lucky enough to try previously, this one didn’t take several hours. Courses were prepared in advance, meaning the service flowed seamlessly and we weren’t left wondering how long till our next bite.

DETAILS

For more information on Silver Nova, see Silversea.com.

The writer travelled courtesy of Silversea.