Hapag-Lloyd Cruises: Two Innovative Culinary Concepts
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, renowned for its luxury and expedition cruises, is once again raising the bar for onboard gastronomy with the launch of two innovative culinary concepts.
On the EUROPA, the Pearls restaurant presents completely reimagined vegetarian caviar menus, while the expedition ships debut a pop-up seafood restaurant, designed to respond directly to guest requests. Led by Corporate Executive Chefs Timon Lohrengel and Marcel Jücker, these initiatives not only expand the fleet’s culinary offerings but also demonstrate the company’s commitment to creativity, technical precision, and personalized dining experiences.
Timon Lohrengel & Marcel Jücker
Golden Egg
By combining the timeless elegance of haute cuisine with contemporary techniques and plant-based innovations, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is redefining onboard dining, proving that even in the most remote regions explored by expedition ships, culinary excellence remains central to the travel experience.
The recently refurbished Pearls on EUROPA now offers guests an elegant setting with panoramic sea views. Known as the first caviar restaurant at sea, Pearls has always been synonymous with fine dining, emphasizing carefully curated caviar selections and meticulously crafted menus. The introduction of 15 new vegetarian creations alongside 15 caviar-based dishes marks a bold step in the company’s culinary evolution. Upon request, these vegetarian dishes can be adapted to vegan options, ensuring all dietary preferences are met without compromising sophistication.
Each Pearls menu includes seven courses, featuring amuse-bouches and desserts, designed to offer an unforgettable gastronomic experience. Chefs Timon Lohrengel and Marcel Jücker have reinterpreted the caviar theme using the spherification technique, a hallmark of molecular gastronomy that transforms flavored liquids into small pearls resembling traditional caviar. Ingredients such as yuzu, saffron tapioca, chili, and Granny Smith apple form the basis of these plant-based pearls, blending visual artistry with flavor.
Timon Lohrengel, Senior Corporate Executive Chef at Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, explained that the philosophy behind this innovation is to demonstrate how culinary indulgence and sophistication do not rely on individual ingredients but on the ideas that inspire them. He emphasized that the new menu embodies the spirit of innovation that drives the company, combining classical gourmet tradition with contemporary creativity and lightness.
By integrating molecular gastronomy into the menu, Pearls allows guests to experience a new dimension of fine dining, combining creativity, visual artistry, and flavor while remaining mindful of dietary trends and sustainability. This initiative reflects Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ broader goal: to continuously evolve culinary offerings while maintaining the highest standards of luxury and quality.
The_pop-up_fish_restaurant_Le_Petit_Poisson_ on_the_expedition_ships_Copyright_Hapag-Lloyd_Cruises
While EUROPA focuses on luxury dining, the expedition ships HANSEATIC nature, HANSEATIC inspiration, and HANSEATIC spirit now offer a pop-up seafood restaurant, designed to respond directly to guest preferences. The pop-up operates for four evenings on each expedition lasting at least 14 days and takes place in one of the existing themed restaurants onboard. With around 35 seats available per evening, the concept adds a fourth temporary dining venue, enhancing the overall culinary experience.
The pop-up seafood menu emphasizes fresh, regionally inspired ingredients, featuring dishes such as surf and turf with lobster medallions and beef filet, sole à la Marseillaise, and king crab. Marcel Jücker, Corporate Executive Chef of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, highlighted the importance of aligning culinary offerings with guest expectations: “The concept was created in response to this desire—fresh ingredients, regional inspiration, and slightly varied menus depending on the itinerary. It reflects our philosophy of working closely with guests while maintaining our distinctive style.”
The introduction of the pop-up restaurant demonstrates the company’s commitment to adaptability and personalized service, ensuring that even on smaller ships, guests can enjoy a varied, high-quality culinary experience. Despite the compact size of the expedition vessels, the culinary journey remains an integral part of the cruise, embodying the fleet’s philosophy of combining adventure with exceptional gastronomy.
Timon Lohrengel and Marcel Jücker, responsible for culinary development across all five Hapag-Lloyd Cruises ships, bring decades of experience and diverse perspectives. Lohrengel, Senior Corporate Executive Chef since 2022, has extensive experience in luxury hospitality and has previously worked on Hapag-Lloyd ships. His focus on precision, attention to detail, and product quality forms the foundation of the fleet’s fine dining experiences. Marcel Jücker, appointed Corporate Executive Chef in 2024, has international experience, including working at the Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York. His expertise lies in modern techniques and creative menu composition, allowing Hapag-Lloyd Cruises to offer innovative and surprising dishes.
Together, Lohrengel and Jücker ensure that the fleet’s culinary offerings maintain a coherent style while leaving room for creativity and adaptability. From luxury dining on EUROPA and EUROPA 2 to expedition cuisine in the Arctic, their collaboration guarantees that every meal is meticulously curated, highlighting molecular gastronomy as well as local ingredients and premium seafood.
Jücker emphasized that their work thrives by combining tradition and innovation, aiming to transform every onboard meal into a memorable moment of discovery, characterized by creativity, quality, and a commitment to getting the best out of every ingredient. This philosophy guides not only the new vegetarian caviar menus and pop-up restaurant but all culinary experiences offered by the company.
Marcel Jücker & Timon Lohrengel
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ focus on culinary innovation reflects a broader trend in the luxury travel sector, where gastronomic experiences have become an integral part of the journey itself. By developing concepts such as vegetarian caviar menus and pop-up restaurants, the company demonstrates that it does not merely follow trends but sets new standards for contemporary travelers.
The new menus also highlight a commitment to sustainability and inclusivity: vegetarian and vegan options ensure high-quality dining for all, while the pop-up restaurant features seasonal, locally sourced seafood, reflecting the company’s responsibility in ingredient selection. This dual approach, combining innovation and sustainability, guarantees memorable, conscientious dining experiences aligned with the expectations of modern travelers.
By blending technique, imagination, and quality ingredients, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises offers guests not just meals but complete culinary journeys that enrich the overall cruise experience, whether in the waters of the Mediterranean or the most remote polar regions.
The introduction of vegetarian caviar menus at Pearls and the pop-up seafood restaurant on the expedition ships underscores Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ commitment to culinary excellence, innovation, and personalized guest experiences. Chefs Timon Lohrengel and Marcel Jücker have successfully combined tradition, creativity, and modern techniques, offering new ways to enjoy cuisine onboard.
These initiatives are more than just new dishes: they represent a holistic approach to dining that is adaptable, sustainable, and guest-focused. From molecular gastronomy-inspired plant-based caviar to fresh local seafood, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises continues to elevate the art of onboard dining, turning every meal into a memorable moment of the journey.
Through these innovations, the company is setting new standards for luxury and expedition cruising, demonstrating that culinary discovery is as important as geographic exploration, and that extraordinary dining experiences can be enjoyed in every corner of the world’s seas.
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