New York, NY (August 7, 2012) - FOOD & WINE® announced today its latest online editorial section, "Masters Series: Lessons from the Experts,"  highlighting extraordinary experts and artisans in fields ranging from brewing to baking. Inspired by this initiative, "The Art of Preparation" is a multi-platform program featuring FOOD & WINE and Royal Caribbean International "Masters" in a branded content experience. FOOD & WINE Marketing and Mindshare co-developed "The Art of Preparation" specifically for Royal Caribbean International.
 
This dynamic program, which includes custom rich media units showcasing videos of each expert, is designed to prompt food enthusiasts to learn more about the enticing culinary experiences available onboard any Royal Caribbean's ship. The first installment of the "The Art of Preparation" will roll out today with co-branded rich media units across www.foodandwine.com, American Express Publishing sister site, www.travelandleisure.com as well as select Time Inc. websites and will run through December 2012.

"Similar to Royal Caribbean International, the experts within 'The Art of Preparation' are masters in their respective crafts and are known for their superb attention to detail," said Christina Grdovic, Vice President and Publisher. "At FOOD & WINE we are always on the look-out for the industry's best talent.  Capitalizing on this synergy between our brands is a fun and engaging way to tell the stories of our hand-selected masters and those of Royal Caribbean International."

Hosted by Sissy Biggers, television personality and lifestyle expert, the two minute videos feature a look into each "Masters" area of expertise.  The FOOD & WINE Masters line-up includes:

·         Brewing:              Garrett Oliver (Brooklyn Brewery, NYC)

·         Baking:                 Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito (Baked, NYC)

·         Pizza:                    Mark Bello (Pizza a Casa Cooking School, NYC)

·         Cocktails:             Jim Meehan (PDT, NYC)

·         Spices:                  Lior Lev Sercarz (La Boîte a Epice, NYC)

·         Chocolate:            Jean-Francois Bonnet (Tumbador, NYC)

 

"Royal Caribbean International is proud to be recognized by FOOD & WINE as a master in our field," said Frank Weber, vice president, Food & Beverage Operations, Royal Caribbean International. "We have a history of innovation, not only in the unmatched designs of our ships, but also in delivering exceptional dining experiences that reflect the trends and varieties today's diner has come to expect."

The Royal Caribbean International masters include:

·         Josef Jungwirth - Director of Culinary Operations and Master Chef

·         Marco Marrama - Corporate Executive Chef

·         Frank Weber - Vice President, Food and Beverage Operations

·         Matthias Terskow - Pastry Chef and Supervisor

·         Fritz Halbedl - Chef & Culinary Consultant

·         Maureen "Molly" Brandt - Chef de Cuisine, 150 Central Park

·         Travis Kamiyama - Executive Sushi Chef, Izumi Asian Cuisine

·         Chef Michael Schwartz - Chef and Owner of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink and Exclusive Culinary Partner of Royal Caribbean International
 
"We look forward to showcasing our star chefs' philosophies and personalities and the variety of dishes that one can savor on a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation," said Jungwirth. "Throughout, viewers understand that even though we work at sea, our approach, still, is to start with fresh ingredients, talent and dedication to deliver delicious and memorable dining experiences to each and every guest, every day."

"By working with Food & Wine, we co-authored a highly topical Digital content series designed to radically change consumer perception of the onboard dining experience by showcasing Royal Caribbean's superior culinary offering," said Michael Wyllie, Group Planning Director, Mindshare NY.  "This unique approach leverages the latest innovation in dynamic asset distribution; the Pictela ad platform, which allowed us to be flexible with distribution and seamlessly integrate the Royal Caribbean message within premium editorial content."

Royal Caribbean International is also the presenting sponsor of the "Masters Series: Lessons from the Experts,"   editorial section.