The first Food and Beverage F&B@Sea Awards showcased this year’s exceptional individuals at its first-ever event, held on April 11, 2024, at F&B@Sea.

Three award categories were dedicated to suppliers within the industry, while four categories were aimed at Cruise Lines.

These awards highlight brilliance and creativity in the worldwide food and beverage cruise sector and emphasize the industry’s significant impact on enhancing the cruise journey.

Presented by Ken Taylor, Vice President of MarkeTeam, and Holly Payne, Deputy Editor of Seatrade Cruise News, the awards covered seven categories. Three categories were dedicated to suppliers within the industry, while four categories were aimed at Cruise Lines. The awards included prestigious titles such as Most Sustainable Product, Wellness Pioneer, Best Restaurant, F&B Maverick of the year, and more. The judges for the 2024 F&B@Sea Awards were carefully selected for their unwavering dedication to culinary excellence. With diverse backgrounds in academia, journalism, hotels, wine & beverage, and culinary fields, the panel brought a wealth of F&B knowledge to the table. Their collective insights, combined with their specialized industry experience, ensured a fair and expert evaluation of each nomination, reflecting the latest trends in both land-based and at-sea dining.

The esteemed winners of the awards are as follows:
Most Sustainable Product: Riverence Provisions
Wellness Pioneer: Konscious Foods
Trailblazing Product: AUTEC
Best Beverage Program: Royal Caribbean International; Icon of the Seas
Best Restaurant: Crystal Cruises; Umi Uma
Most Sustainable F&B Program: Holland America Line; Food Sourcing & Food Waste Reduction
F&B Maverick of the Year: Rudi Sodamin; Princess Cruises

Additionally, the accolade for Best Vendor Stall Setup awarded to Pepsico was determined through onsite voting via QR code. This award spotlights exceptional presentation, engagement, and overall immersive excellence.

Chiara Giorgi, Global Brand and Event Director of Seatrade Cruise, remarked, “The F&B@Sea Awards spotlight excellence and innovation, providing a global platform for industry leaders shaping the future of F&B cruising. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 2024 winners for their remarkable achievements.”

In expressing gratitude, a representative from AUTEC stated, “We’re honored and thrilled to receive the Trailblazing Product of the Year award for our ASM865A Maki Maker. AUTEC is dedicated to sharing Japanese culture through sushi, and we’re delighted to introduce this culinary tradition to cruise line passengers. Our Sushi Robots enable cruise line chefs to deliver high-quality and authentic sushi experiences. Thank you for this incredible honor!”

“This award is a testament to Royal Caribbean’s commitment to delivering the best family vacation and infusing ‘adventure’ in thoughtful and unexpected ways — including the beverage program! On behalf of my colleagues shoreside and crew, thank you for recognizing the passion and hard work invested by all of us to deliver unique experiences, big and small. We’re proud to have an award-winning program to show for it,” added Linken D’ Souza, Senior Vice President, Food & Beverage Global Operations, Royal Caribbean International.

Is CLIA Too Optimistic? Cruising is Environmental Sustainable

Committed to sustainability, the F&B@Sea Awards trophies are crafted from responsibly sourced, individually unique, and 100% recyclable oak wood.

F&B@Sea was developed in close consultation with cruise lines, food and beverage stakeholders, and culinary leaders with support from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and industry consulting leader MarkeTeam.