8/18/22: Princess Names New Vice Pres of Food & Beverages

[LACruiser88]

More changes by Mr. Padgett!  

 

 

Sami Kohen Named Vice President of Food & Beverage at Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises today announced that Sami Kohen has been named vice president of food & beverage overseeing the line’s culinary operations. Kohen will join Princess Aug. 29 and will report directly to President John Padgett, according to a press release.

 

“Great cruise vacations and exceptional food and beverage go hand in hand and Princess is fortunate to have access to the best culinary talent and the most sophisticated on-demand location-based capabilities in the world,” said Padgett. “Sami is a distinguished food and beverage operations leader who not only has deep cruise industry experience, but also has operated high volume lifestyle restaurants with elite hospitality brands and has been a service innovator leader as a micro-fulfillment ghost kitchen developer and operator.”

 

Kohen started his career at sea onboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2, Royal Viking Line and Crystal Cruises progressing from sommelier, head waiter and maître d’ and then continued shoreside as a food and beverage controller and operations director with Crystal Cruises and Celebrity Cruises through the Apollo Group. 

He also served as hotel director for Kyma Ship Management serving the Japanese luxury charter market. 

 

Moving to the terrestrial service industry, Kohen opened and operated high volume lifestyle restaurants and lounge operations as well as oversaw seven luxury hotel food and beverage operations under SBE group helping cultivate new culinary and beverage concepts with Michelin star chefs Such as Dani Garcia, Iron Chef Morimoto and Dario Cecchini. His shoreside experience also includes chief operating officer for Wired Kitchens which builds and operates 850 “ghost kitchens” nationwide supporting micro-fulfillment multi-brand on-demand food services.

 

Kohen holds a Master of Science from Istanbul University School of Business in Istanbul, Turkey; a Certified F&B Operations Manager and Food & Beverage Management Certificate from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and a Food & Beverage Controller Certificate from the American Hotel & Motel Association Education Center.

Cruise Industry News Email Alerts

[MissP22]

Should this change excite me?

[uspearls]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

Should this change excite me?

 

Only if they give him the latitude and budget he had at Crystal or Celebrity!  🙂

[Fat Albert]

Sami is a very kind gentleman; he will make some additions to PCL that will be well received.  He brings enormous knowledge of operations in a high-quality control environment. His background is proven to have been successful in every Operational Challege in his distinguished career. I wish him the best.

[CineGraphic]

At this point, anything is an improvement.

I wish him luck.

[cruzsnooze]

Maybe he'll put some beef dishes back on the menu. 

[CineGraphic]

Before anything happens, they need to hire galley crew.

That's been the biggest problem since the start-up.

Many loyal Princess crew members have left, and will not return.

They've learned during the shutdown, that they don't have to work 7 months straight without a day off to make a living.

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, CineGraphic said:

Before anything happens, they need to hire galley crew.

That's been the biggest problem since the start-up.

Many loyal Princess crew members have left, and will not return.

They've learned during the shutdown, that they don't have to work 7 months straight without a day off to make a living.

And do so while living with their families. 

It's going to be hard to find replacements in the time frame that all these cruise lines need.

Especially with the anticipated increase in business on the horizon.  

[suzyed]

21 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

More changes by Mr. Padgett!  

 

 

Sami Kohen Named Vice President of Food & Beverage at Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises today announced that Sami Kohen has been named vice president of food & beverage overseeing the line’s culinary operations. Kohen will join Princess Aug. 29 and will report directly to President John Padgett, according to a press release.

 

“Great cruise vacations and exceptional food and beverage go hand in hand and Princess is fortunate to have access to the best culinary talent and the most sophisticated on-demand location-based capabilities in the world,” said Padgett. “Sami is a distinguished food and beverage operations leader who not only has deep cruise industry experience, but also has operated high volume lifestyle restaurants with elite hospitality brands and has been a service innovator leader as a micro-fulfillment ghost kitchen developer and operator.”

 

Kohen started his career at sea onboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2, Royal Viking Line and Crystal Cruises progressing from sommelier, head waiter and maître d’ and then continued shoreside as a food and beverage controller and operations director with Crystal Cruises and Celebrity Cruises through the Apollo Group. 

He also served as hotel director for Kyma Ship Management serving the Japanese luxury charter market. 

 

Moving to the terrestrial service industry, Kohen opened and operated high volume lifestyle restaurants and lounge operations as well as oversaw seven luxury hotel food and beverage operations under SBE group helping cultivate new culinary and beverage concepts with Michelin star chefs Such as Dani Garcia, Iron Chef Morimoto and Dario Cecchini. His shoreside experience also includes chief operating officer for Wired Kitchens which builds and operates 850 “ghost kitchens” nationwide supporting micro-fulfillment multi-brand on-demand food services.

 

Kohen holds a Master of Science from Istanbul University School of Business in Istanbul, Turkey; a Certified F&B Operations Manager and Food & Beverage Management Certificate from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and a Food & Beverage Controller Certificate from the American Hotel & Motel Association Education Center.

Cruise Industry News Email Alerts

"ghost kitchens"  "micro-fulfillment ghost kitchen developer and operator" what on earth is that?  I never heard of that before!!
Geez, now I really can't wait for our October cruise....."Ghost Kitchen"  just in time for Halloween!!

[CineGraphic]

Just now, suzyed said:

"ghost kitchens"  "micro-fulfillment ghost kitchen developer and operator" what on earth is that?  I never heard of that before!!
Geez, now I really can't wait for our October cruise....."Ghost Kitchen"  just in time for Halloween!!

 

This will help:

In short, ghost kitchens are physical spaces for operators to create food for off-premises consumption.

https://theconversation.com/whats-a-ghost-kitchen-a-food-industry-expert-explains-163151

[CineGraphic]

12 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

It's going to be hard to find replacements in the time frame that all these cruise lines need

 

Going to be hard!?

This has been a problem since the start-up!

They are already behind the 8 ball.

 

[villauk]

57 minutes ago, suzyed said:

"ghost kitchens"  "micro-fulfillment ghost kitchen developer and operator" what on earth is that?  I never heard of that before!!
Geez, now I really can't wait for our October cruise....."Ghost Kitchen"  just in time for Halloween!!

 

Basically, no restaurants and food delivered. That’s it then, we’ll be queuing in the corridors to collect our bag of food to eat in our cabins 🤣🤣. Won’t be a problem then not having enough dining room staff 😂😁😆.

[4x4bob]

9 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

Basically, no restaurants and food delivered. That’s it then, we’ll be queuing in the corridors to collect our bag of food to eat in our cabins 🤣🤣. Won’t be a problem then not having enough dining room staff 😂😁😆.

And, we can look forward to all of those empty bags sitting out in the hallway to be picked up. 😲

Bob

[1emerald1]

What are lifestyle restaurants?

[CineGraphic]

7 minutes ago, 1emerald1 said:

What are lifestyle restaurants?

 

A lifestyle restaurant brand markets its concept to embody the interests, attitudes, and opinions of a group or a culture. They inspire, guide, and motivate their customer-base, while their brand helps to contribute to the elements that make up a consumer's way of life.

 

https://www.foodabletv.com/blog/2017/fast-casual-ceos-on-how-to-develop-lifestyle-brands

 

[rbtan]

Just hope the food is better than what we've experienced on Princess. We know what they are capable of: Ultimate Balcony dinner proves that.

[cruisequeen4ever]

I was nervous when I saw that there was a change, but I have to say that it sounds like he has excellent experience and could maintain or even enhance the quality for Princess. I just hope he doesn’t change the beloved recipes we have all come to know and love over the years.

[Guest ldtr]

On 8/19/2022 at 3:10 PM, rbtan said:

Just hope the food is better than what we've experienced on Princess. We know what they are capable of: Ultimate Balcony dinner proves that.

One of the best meals I have ever had on a cruise ship was on Princess recently at the most traveled luncheon on the Ruby.

 

Now I just need to travel more to get to more of them other than on the Alaska cruises.

[LACruiser88]

1 hour ago, ldtr said:

One of the best meals I have ever had on a cruise ship was on Princess recently at the most traveled luncheon on the Ruby.

 

Now I just need to travel more to get to more of them other than on the Alaska cruises.

Those are usually our favorite meals of the cruise!