The Godfather of Italian gastronomy and much loved cookery writer and television star, Antonio Carluccio will be joining Australian celebrity chefs George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan and Damian Heads aboard a once-in-a-lifetime special European river cruise holiday in August -September 2013.  

 

The Italian born, UK based chef will be cruising with fellow food lovers on the second of two culinary inspired 'Cruise for Mates' fly-cruise holidays organized by Brisbane (Australia) based travel agent, Hilary Weir.  

 

The trip will take place (ex Australia) from 27 August to 13 September, 2013 with passengers flying with Emirates before boarding the privately chartered, brand new 'MS Avalon Expression' and river cruising from Amsterdam to Budapest.   

 

Guests will take in the sites and cuisines of various cities in Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary and receive the chance to socialize and share cooking tips with the celebrity chefs on board at no extra cost.  The chefs will not be catering for guests but rather relieved from their cooking duties so they are free to socialise, share meals and knowledge and passion for food with their fellow passengers.  

 

Hilary Weir said, "This culinary cruise is a celebration of friendship and good food.  It's a wonderful opportunity to see the cuisines of these countries through a chef's eyes.  

 

"The chefs are all well known to each other and firm friends. Because they are donating their time, the starting cost of each luxurious, privately chartered fly-cruise holiday starts at just under $9,000 ex Australia.   

 

"The cost includes return airfares flying Emirates, accommodation and cruising, daily shore excursions, transfers, beer and wine with dinner, all meals on board and the privilege of meeting and holidaying with these celebrity chefs aboard a ship which feels more like a five-star floating hotel.  

 

 "With only a maximum of 80 rooms it's a very exclusive opportunity.   

 

"We know many Australians would love to holiday with Antonio and be treated to his warm and generous personality as well as cooking tips garnered from his 50 years culinary experience. It's going to be a wonderful privilege to travel through Europe with this calibre of Italian and Australian chefs."  

 

The "Magnificent Europe" Cruise for Mates includes:

• Return airfares  (ex Australia) flying Emirates
• 14 nights in a luxurious Avalon Waterways twin window stateroom with ensuite (upgrades available)
• All onboard meals plus wine, beer and soft drinks with dinner
• An extra night in Dubai enroute to Amsterdam with breakfast and transfers
• Arrival and departure transfers, taxes, fuel charges and fees and prepaid gratuities
• Holiday makers are guaranteed of spending a minimum of seven days with each chef joining the cruises at various times throughout the cruise.

Guests can also consider the option of extending their holiday with Emirates airlines flying in and out of over 36 different cities in Europe. 

 

Enquiries and bookings for this exclusive Cruise for Mates holiday are not available through other travel agents and can only be made by:

 

1. Visiting www.cruiseformates.com.au

2. Visiting "Harvey World Travel Garden City" in Brisbane only.

3. Calling 1800 DREAMS (1800 373 267)

4. Cruise only options are also available 

 

For more information or images, please contact: Newsroom PR, Trena@newsroompr.com.au  0423 764 260

 

 

 

EDITORS NOTE:

 

About  Antonio Carluccio OBE

 

In September 2008, Antonio Carluccio, the much loved and respected Italian cookery writer, celebrated 50 years of championing, cooking and eating genuine, regional Italian food and wine. In 1958 at the age of 21 he began to cook simple pasta suppers for himself and his flat-mate on a two-ring stove in Vienna. Now, known for his gentle manner, gruff voice and his wild crop of white hair, Antonio is regarded as the Godfather of Italian gastronomy. 

 

Being born on the Amalfi Coast in the South and raised in the wooded North-West has given Antonio a rare and privileged breadth of culinary knowledge. It was here, in Piedmont, at the age of seven that Antonio started his life-long past-time of hunting and collecting mushrooms and funghi with his father. After time spent living in Germany, in 1975 Antonio moved to London and while learning English, traded as a wine merchant of Italian wines. His hobby of studying and collecting wild mushrooms continued to flourish as he found many varieties growing in the English countryside close to London, almost completely undiscovered. Antonio took over the Neal Street Restaurant in Covent Garden in 1981, which traded for 26 years. In 1991 Antonio opened a deli next to the restaurant and in 1998 started the first Carluccio's Caffè in Market Place, London. 

 

After ten years developing the Carluccio's caffè business Antonio is no longer a director but continues to work with the Carluccio's team on menu development and chef training whilst also concentrating on new projects. In 1983 Antonio made his first appearance on BBC 2 talking about Mediterranean food and at the same time was asked to write his first book, An Invitation to Italian Cooking.

 

Subsequently he has written thirteen books, published worldwide and made numerous television programmes including the hugely popular Antonio Carluccio's Northern Italian Feast and Southern Italian Feast. In 1998, Antonio was awarded the Commendatore OMRI by the President of Italy for services to Italian gastronomy, the equivalent of a British knighthood. In 2007 he was awarded an honorary OBE. 

 

Antonio acknowledges there will always be more to learn about the food he is passionate about. Above all he believes it is important to remain loyal to the ingredients and cooking traditions of his country.