Holland America’s Chefs Go to Germany in Search of a Better Loaf

Sometimes, the next great cruise-ship culinary innovation does not begin with truffles, caviar or a celebrity chef…Sometimes, it starts with flour.

NEW YORK, NY – AUG 28, 2026: Holland America Line recently sent members of its Culinary Fleet Chef team to Schapfenmuehle, its baked-goods partner in Germany, for a hands-on session devoted to bread, pastries and the small details that can make a very big difference at the table.

The chefs worked alongside Schapfenmuehle’s baking experts on recipe development, product testing and new techniques, all with the goal of bringing fresh ideas back to Holland America’s ships. The company already uses Schapfenmuehle flours and base products to bake breads and pastries fresh on board each day, so the visit was less about reinventing the wheel than making that wheel a little flakier, crustier and more delicious.

Guests will eventually taste the results in updated recipes for baguettes, brioche and the bread service at Canaletto, Holland America’s Italian specialty restaurant.

The trip is a charming reminder that some of the best moments in cruise dining are often the simplest ones: warm bread arriving at the table, a buttery brioche at breakfast or the first bite of a crisp baguette.

For Holland America’s chefs, apparently, even the bread basket is serious business.

And if the end result is a better baguette at sea, passengers are unlikely to complain.