Young passengers can learn tips from executive chefs and compete in a live challenge
By
Rebecca Gibson |
MSC Cruises has joined forces with TV production company Endemol Shine Group to bring a new children’s cooking competition inspired by international TV show MasterChef Junior to MSC Seaview.
Following the introduction of the MasterChef at Sea programme for adults in 2017, MSC Cruises has created the two-stage MasterChef Juniors at Sea experience for children aged between five and 12 years old.
During the first stage, children participate in a cooking class led by one of MSC Seaview’s executive chefs, where they will learn about fresh and healthy ingredients, and practise techniques such as grating, cutting and peeling. All dishes will be created using recipes devised by former MasterChef contestant and cookbook author Rukmini Iyer. When the class is finished, all children will be given a certificate and invited to participate in the second round of the competition, which will take place in the ship’s main theatre.
In the second round, 20 children are chosen at random to participate in a ‘mystery box challenge’, where they will be given a selection of ingredients and asked to create a dish with the help of an executive chef. Each dish will be reviewed by a panel of guest judges and the winners will be awarded prizes as their family members watch from the audience.
“As a family-owned company, MSC Cruises has always put the needs of families and kids at the heart of the cruise experience and this latest announcement further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing wide and diverse family entertainment,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises. “We are particularly proud to be extending our partnership with MasterChef to include the younger members of the family. We already offer a comprehensive schedule of activities around the clock for kids of all ages, but we have worked tirelessly with the producers of MasterChef to create an immersive experience that is fun and interactive.”
MasterChef Juniors at Sea will roll out across the rest of the fleet starting in March 2019.
“Following the success of MasterChef at Sea, we are delighted to further extend our relationship with MSC Cruises,” said Jane Smith, group director of Brand Licensing and Gaming at Endemol Shine Group. “The MasterChef brand lends itself perfectly to onboard activations and the MasterChef Juniors at Sea programme really taps into the demand we see from fans of all ages wanting to engage with the brand.”