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A new series of BBC 2’s Masterchef the Professionals starts this week and Saga Cruises has announced a huge line-up of award-winning international chefs – some of whom have starred on Masterchef – to hold masterclasses on Saga Sapphire, Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure which depart from Dover and Southampton in 2020.

Saga Cruises has a long-standing reputation for fine dining and guests know they will be spoilt for choice and service from morning to night. The guest chefs will add to the indulgence by going ashore with passengers to buy local produce, as well as hosting destination-led masterclasses including modern French cuisine, Spanish tapas and Irish and Scottish favourites.

Nick Nairn and Paul Rankin
The two Michelin-starred chefs will be on board Spirit of Adventure to inspire guests to celebrate regional produce as the newest ship in Saga’s fleet circumnavigates the British Isles. Nick became the youngest Scottish chef to win a Michelin star in the early 1990s while Paul changed the face of culinary arts in Northern Ireland when he opened Roscoff, the first restaurant in the country to be awarded a Michelin Star.

14-night This Sceptred Isle from £4,015 pp departs September 7

Daniel Galmiche 
Four-times Michelin-starred chef Daniel Galmiche will celebrate the best of French cuisine with guests during masterclasses on Spirit of Adventure and when berthed overnight in Bordeaux he will go ashore with passengers to buy a range of local specialities.
12-night A Taste of France and Spain from £3,473 pp departs September 28

Rachel Allen
Irish chef Rachel Allen will showcase her culinary skills and join an on-board Q&A session on Spirit of Discovery. She studied at the Ballymaloe Cookery School where she still teaches and is the author of 15 cookery books. In 2017 Rachel opened her first restaurant Rachel’s serving naturally produced food from the Cork area.9-night Ireland’s Romantic West Coast from £2,649 pp departs September 6,

Sean Wilson
Best known as Martin Platt in Coronation Street, Sean Wilson is an actor and cheesemaker who will board Spirit of Discovery to share his passion for cheese and host cookery masterclasses. Sean, who has appeared on Celebrity Masterchef, supplies Lancashire cheeses to Saga Cruises through his Saddleworth Cheese Company.

15-night Western France and Costa Verde from £3,884 pp departs July 23

Omar Allibhoy 
Spanish chef Omar Allibhoy is creating a buzz across the UK food scene as founder of Tapas Revolution. He will board two sailings to focus on Spanish cooking. When he’s not in his kitchen, he can be found on TV programmes including Masterchef, Saturday Kitchen and Sunday Brunch.
19-night A Taste of Spain and Portugal from £2,629 pp on Saga Sapphire (Twin Inside Guarantee Fare) departs March 23

14-night Canary Island Flavours on Spirit of Discovery from £2,864 pp departs November 18

Kevin Woodford
A Saga Cruises’ favourite guest chef for more than a decade, Kevin joins Saga Sapphire’s final sailing in the eastern Med and Spirit of Adventure’s first cruise into the Caribbean. The Manx celebrity chef is a former restaurateur and always cooks up a storm of fun in his masterclasses.

31-night Rhythm of the Caribbean, from £7,119 pp departs November 15

Dean Edwards
After coming second in BBC's MasterChef Goes Large in 2006, Dean left his job as a digger driver to pursue his love of cooking. He made his debut on ITV's ‘This Morning' in 2009 where he featured in a weekly cookery slot and has been a regular chef on ITV’s ‘Lorraine' since 2010. He will sail on two cruises:
Seven-night Irish Coasts and Cities from £949 pp, on Saga Sapphire, departs March 8
18-night Flavours of North Africa from £4,749 pp, on Spirit of Discovery, departs Oct 31 

Nargisse Benkabbou
Food blogger and author Nargisse grew up in Brussels with her Moroccan parents and moved to London to pursue an education in politics. It was here she realised her passion for cooking and trained at Leith’s School of Food and Wine. In 2018 Nargisse was named The Observer newspaper’s Rising Star in food.
18-night Flavours of North Africa from £4,749 pp, on Spirit of Discovery, departs Oct 31 

For details visit saga.co.uk/ocean-cruises or call 0800 50 50 30.

Prices includes UK travel package up to 250 miles from Dover or Southampton, all meals and entertainment, all-inclusive drinks (a choice of table wines at lunch and dinner, house-branded spirits and soft drinks, afternoon tea, 24-hour room service, welcome cocktail party and unlimited tea and coffee in selected venues), free wifi, all on-board gratuities, porterage, free shuttle bus to nearest town centre (whenever possible and when the ship is berthed more than 500 yards away), optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights, or a discount if passenger has own insurance.

All Spirit of Discovery and Adventure cruise prices shown, are based on two people sharing the lowest available Outside Balcony cabin. Saga Sapphire’s Taste of Spain and Portugal cruise price is based on two people sharing an Inside Guarantee cabin. Guests booking a Guarantee grade will receive their cabin number shortly before sailing ( or at embarkation) and not at the time of bookings, and all fares shown include any relevant booking discount. Your Guarantee cabin can be located anywhere on the ship. On Saga Sapphire twin cabins may have two single beds or one double bed. All fares were correct at the time of sending and are subject to availability and change. Further terms and conditions apply. Please call for further details.