Robert Van Rijsbergen takes the helm in the kitchens
onboard Uniworld’s river cruises as the new culinary director. He will take charge of the company’s team of corporate and senior executive chefs, and the culinary operations on all of Uniworld’s ships, implementing new food concepts and menu designs.
Van Rijsbergen has worked in the F&B scene for a long time, having served at some of the more well-known restaurants in the Netherlands. Throughout his culinary journey, he spent five years working alongside food connoisseurs, earned Michelin stars and learnt the ropes from celebrity chef Robert Van Kranenborg, while developing his own expertise.
Azamara then recognised Van Rijsbergen’s talent and took him on as its executive corporate chef for four and a half years where he supervised the entirety of the luxury cruise line’s culinary operations, including recipe and menu development, purchase control, and chef training.
Now as Uniworld’s newly appointed culinary director, Van Rijsbergen aims to foster the continuous development and training of its culinary crews, and focus on integrating more sustainable ingredients and produce into the river cruise line’s menus.
Van Rijsbergen’s commitment to sustainable cuisine is already evident in Uniworld’s 2022 Europe cruise season which began on 13 March. Guests are being served dishes created from fresh ingredients locally sourced from the region each ship sails from.
“I hope to take Uniworld guests on a journey through these wonders, transforming the magic and authenticity of fresh local foods from the glorious places we sail, into exquisite meals that ignite tastebuds and highlight the unique flavours of the location,” said Van Rijsbergen, said.
“It is also incredibly important that cuisine not only pays homage to the surrounding cultures, but also directly gives back to the communities and land.”