A Recipe for Success – P&O Cruises Celebrates Five Years of Salt Grill
Adding a touch of salt to
its menus has proved a winner for P&O Cruises, which last night celebrated
its five year partnership with celebrity chef Luke Mangan at a special event on
the Gold Coast.
When P&O Cruises
launched the first Salt grill by Luke
Mangan restaurant on Pacific Jewel in December 2009, the restaurant was an
instant hit, serving a full house twice each night. Within 12 months another
two Salt grills were opened on
Pacific Dawn and Pacific Pearl.
Over the past five years,
the three restaurants have served more than 350,000 guests.
At last night’s function
at the Gold Coast Salt grill by Luke
Mangan, attended by more than 120 P&O fans and partners, P&O
Cruises’ Senior Vice President Sture Myrmell revealed the restaurant success
story started with an off-the-cuff remark by Luke when the two men first met in
2008.
“Luke said to me he’d like
to try putting a restaurant on a ship and at the time I was thinking about ways
to add something new to P&O’s food offering,” Mr Myrmell said. “So I rang
him a few months later and suggested we give it a try – and we haven’t looked
back since.”
Mr Myrmell told guests at
the event that Salt grill by Luke Mangan
has been so popular that the cruise line would expand the concept on its latest
ships, Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden, which join the fleet in November.
In addition to the
much-loved Salt grill restaurant, the
ships will both offer a Salt grill
bar, perfect for pre and post dinner drinks.
Speaking at the
celebration, Luke said the Salt grill concept had been more successful than he
had ever imagined.
“From the first night we
opened our doors on Pacific Jewel, P&O’s guests have embraced the Salt
grill experience.” Luke said.
“To be celebrating five
Salt grill restaurants at sea five years later is a fantastic result, which
speaks volumes about P&O’s innovative approach to cruise cuisine as well as
Australians’ love of good food.”
For more information on P&O Cruises visit www.pocruises.com.au or call 13 24 94.
Featured on the three ships in
P&O Cruises’ existing fleet, Salt
grill by Luke Mangan is a 60-seat restaurant which offers dinner each
evening and lunch on sea days and is also the venue for P&O’s high tea. A
surcharge of $39pp applies to lunch and $49pp for dinner.
