Nikki Cascone, television personality, chef, author and co-owner of Prince 24 Restaurant in New York, is scheduled to sail aboard ms Prinsendam as part of the guest-enrichment program on a 10–day segment of Holland America Line’s Grand South America Explorer Voyage.

Cascone will board the vessel March 13 in Manaus, Brazil, and sail until March 24, when the voyage ends in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. During Cascone’s time on board, the ship will call at Parintins, Brazil; Devil’s Island, French Guiana; Bridgetown, Barbados, and Ponce, Puerto Rico.

While cruising, Cascone will conduct cooking demonstrations and hands-on classes for guests in the ship’s state-of-the-art show kitchen.

Chef Nikki Cascone studied at the School of Culinary Arts in Atlanta, Ga., before going on to work at restaurants in the Atlanta area including Bacchanalia Restaurant and Floataway Café with renowned chef Anne Quatrano. Cascone also is a certified sommelier with extensive wine knowledge and a seasoned mixologist, designing both the specialty cocktails and wine lists for several New York restaurants.

In 2005, Cascone served as director of food and beverages at Yankee Stadium, overseeing all of the restaurants, clubs and private suites within the venue. In 2007 she was a contestant on Bravo’s Emmy-nominated show “Top Chef.”

Currently Cascone travels around the country participating in seminars, charity events, culinary classes and cooking demonstrations. She plans to start her own management company called The Printz Group, which will oversee expansion of her future restaurant ventures.

Holland America Line’s Culinary Arts Center
Holland America Line’s Culinary Arts Center is featured on each of the line’s 14 ships. A first-class “show kitchen at sea,” the Culinary Arts Centers presented by Food & Wine magazine resemble the elaborate show kitchens used by celebrity chefs on television cooking programs. The facilities offer demonstrations, tastings and hands-on cooking classes aboard every Holland America Line sailing.

Each facility features a theater-style venue, with two large plasma video screens and a large cooking display counter where guests can learn from and interact with the masters. In partnership with Food & Wine magazine, Holland America Line will schedule approximately 60 celebrated chefs and wine experts to sail in 2010. On cruises that do not have a celebrity chef on board, hands-on classes and demonstrations in the show kitchen are scheduled with Holland America Line’s own expert chefs.

Holland America Line also offers a youth Culinary Arts Center activity program to teach kids and teens how to cook. The program incorporates dishes from breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in complimentary 45-minute-long classes. Kids under eight years old learn to make theme cookies, fruit roll-ups, ice cream sandwiches, salad people art and scones. Kids eight and over make soft pretzels, granola bars, pita chips and hummus, and saltwater taffy. Teens also can attend adult culinary demonstrations.