Aqua Expeditions unveils three chef-hosted departures for 2025

Aqua Expeditions has revealed three exclusive chef-hosted departures, with two renowned gastronomic masterminds: Australian chef and restaurateur Benjamin Cross (on Aqua Blu in East Indonesia) and Peruvian legend chef Pedro Miguel (on Aqua Nera in the Peruvian Amazon).

Each chef-hosted sailing will include opportunities to personally connect with Schiaffino or Cross, to learn about the creation of their destination-specific menus, and to attend guided market tours where travelers gain a deeper understanding of local flavours.

Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino on Aqua Nera 

• Destination: Peruvian Amazon 
• Dates: June 3-7, 2025; September 30- October 4, 2025 

The pioneer of rainforest-to-table cuisine, chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino creates wildly original menus that are steeped in Peruvian tradition when it comes to techniques and ingredients (some 70 percent used on board are sourced within Amazonia). Schiaffino’s razor focus is on locally sourced produce — from the rainforest straight to the dining table — and his talent for transforming unusual ingredients into authentic dishes is echoed in Aqua Nera’s culinary offerings. Menu highlights include grilled tiger catfish wrapped in bijao leaf, causa with shrimp cocktail, and paiche fish ceviche with sweet potatoes and fresh corn.  

Chef Schiaffino has always been trailblazer and deeply inspiring personality at the intersection of gastronomy and conservation, and his partnership with Aqua Expeditions extends far beyond the kitchen. Meaningful collaborations include conservation projects, such as the protection and rehabilitation of native paiche fish population, as well as work with local river communities to foster sustainably sourced produce in the Amazon take center stage. For gourmands, aspiring chefs and travellers interested in connecting the dots between food, conservationism and sustainability, these two special sailings are not to be missed. Rates start from US$6,560 per person based on double cabin occupancy.  

Chef Benjamin Cross on Aqua Blu 

• Destination: Komodo National Park, East Indonesia 
• Dates: August 23 – 30, 2025 

 A region’s soul is captured not only in its landscapes and waterways but in its cuisine. In the nutmeg- and Pandan-infused dishes of Aqua Blu, guests find stories of ancient spice routes across the islands of Indonesia — over which wars were fought and kingdoms rose and fell. Aboard Aqua Blu, East Indonesia’s first resident long-range ocean explorer yacht, each meal is an adventure of its own. Guests will experience remarkable cuisine curated by chef Benjamin Cross, whose menus draw inspiration from Indonesian, European, and Mediterranean palettes. (Originally from New South Wales, Cross got his start in some of Sydney’s most acclaimed eateries before moving and settling down in Bali in 2008; he’s been a consulting chef for Aqua Blu since 2019).  

With over 160 recipes crafted exclusively for Aqua Blu’s Indonesian expeditions, chef Cross presents highlights including the 48-hour beef short rib rendang, Balinese suckling pig with bumbu Bali (Balinese spices) and organic Javanese prawns marinated in fragrant oil and lime. His personal favorite? Fresh, handline-caught fish grilled with Balinese sambal. Incorporating a variety of the region’s signature spices and flavors, the onboard menus allow explorers to embark on a multi-sensory journey of this incredible archipelago. Rates start from US$9,800 per person based on double cabin occupancy.