Roadtrippin’ 2024: S.A.L.T. Lab cooking course brings outside in aboard the Silver Nova

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Onboard the Silver Nova, travelers can experience what’s known as the S.A.L.T. Lab, a highly-touted culinary arts program found onboard a limited number of Silversea ships.

S.A.L.T. stands for “sea and land tastes,” an effort the program’s creators said highlights food and ingredients from the region through which each ship passes.

“The idea is bringing the outside in in a way, and also making sure we talk about the recipes,” said Chef Drake Robertson, who’s worked aboard various cruise ships and was hosting a recent class onboard the Silver Nova. “I’m super passionate about bringing different cultures to different people, because a lot of people go to different places, but they might not go out to eat locally, or they may not understand the culture, or understand the food that they’re getting.

“I feel like we’re doing it for them a bit,” he said, “and teaching then how to cook it at home.”

S.A.L.T. Program Coordinator Adam Sachs said that for the Silver Nova’s inaugural cruise through Alaska, sample ingredients included Sitka spruce tips, Alaskan beer, Dungeness crab and local sockeye salmon.

“Food brings us together,” Sachs said. “I love to go into the kitchen and find out how things are made; I love to meet people who are producing these things, because I think it helps you relate to the to the place. And, it’s joyful.”

Sachs explained that part of the draw for many of the participants in S.A.L.T. Lab classes is being able to be hands on and learning about different local cuisines without an intense workload.

“Here, you’re rolling up your sleeves, you’re putting on an apron, you’re learning to cook,” Sachs said. “You’re enjoying the food of the region, we have S.A.L.T. Bar next door [...] sort of the same idea for drinks. So, regionally-inspired cocktails, local wines, beers and spirits where it makes sense.”

For Robertson, the experience is a focused one, with special care taken to ensure guests’ enjoyment of the class as well as education related to ingredients and their origins. The salmon recipes for the class on this trip, for example, were inspired by the Salmon Sisters.

“We don’t want to be in Alaska and teach you how to make pasta or a random sushi roll,” he said. “I’m from the East Coast, and I never really understood the ‘Wow!’ factor of salmon from Alaska until I came to Alaska, and realized that I’ve been eating Atlantic farmed salmon my whole life. And it never really had a flavor of its own.”

Robertson – who, during the class, explained some of the basics of Alaskan salmon, such as the five different types and prominent features of each – also made sure to share tips and tricks that could be used for a variety of dishes.

“The biggest question that we get from a chef at home is, ‘How can I make my steaks look really good?’” he said. “’Why is my chicken not looking like the restaurant? Why don’t I have any color on any of my food?’

“‘And honestly, it’s really hard to tell people that nine times out of 10, it’s just you,” he laughed, “and you touching it, you flipping it, you bothering it while it’s trying to cook.”

Both Robertson and Sachs said there’s nothing quite like the S.A.L.T. Lab, and learning onboard a ship like the Silver Nova.

“And our beautiful test kitchen at sea,” Sachs said. “And in my not-so-unbiased opinion, one of the most beautiful places you can learn to cook.”

To learn more about the S.A.L.T. Lab, related courses and dining experiences available onboard Silversea’s Silver Nova, check out this Royal Caribbean family website. You can check out more of Robertson’s work here.

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