Oceania Cruises Launches Floating Pastry Academy with The Butter Book

New training programme to support onboard culinary development

Oceania Cruises has introduced the Floating Pastry Academy, a multi-year training programme for its onboard pastry and bakery chefs, developed in partnership with The Butter Book.

The programme will involve more than 200 chefs across the fleet and will run over three years, combining digital learning with practical assessments conducted both online and on board.

Structured learning model for pastry and bakery teams

The Floating Pastry Academy is designed to provide a structured framework for skill development in pastry and baking. It includes staged learning pathways, mandatory training for new team members, and role-specific progression.

The curriculum features chef-led digital modules, assessments and certifications at each stage, supporting long-term career development for culinary staff.

The initiative was developed by Eric Barale, Executive Culinary Director at Oceania Cruises, in collaboration with Sébastien Canonne, founder of The Butter Book. Both bring professional experience in culinary training and development.

According to Oceania Cruises, the programme is intended to support consistency in onboard culinary standards while strengthening technical skills across its teams.

Part of broader culinary and fleet development plans

The academy forms part of the company’s wider focus on culinary programmes and onboard guest experience. It complements upcoming developments such as La Table par Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, a restaurant concept planned to debut aboard Oceania Sonata in 2027.

Oceania Sonata will be the first in a new series of ships and is scheduled to begin operations in August 2027.