Inside American Cruise Lines’ Galley: Chopped Champion Luca Annunziata on Feeding a River Ship
During lunch service aboard American Ranger, American Cruise Lines’ new Hudson River ship, Regional Executive Sous Chef Luca Annunziata runs the pass. Annunziata, a Chopped champion, is the last person to touch every plate before it reaches the dining room. In a galley interview filmed during the sailing, he explains how the ship’s galley feeds a full dining room on fresh product, route-specific menus, and a system built around allergies and advance preparation.
Running the pass
Annunziata guides the galley team through service, watching each order as it comes together. He checks the plates for color, consistency, and contrast before they leave the kitchen. The role is hands-on by design: the pass is where the menu meets the guest, and Annunziata treats it as the final quality check on every dish.
Fresh by truck, two to three times a week
Fresh deliveries arrive two to three times a week, and the galley plans its orders around the truck schedule. The team orders enough to last until the next delivery, with particular attention to fresh seafood and fresh vegetables. The goal is simple: nothing sits long enough to lose its freshness, and nothing runs out before the next truck arrives.
A different menu for every river
Each American Cruise Lines route gets its own menu, developed by the line’s corporate chef. The idea is that returning guests always find something new, even on a ship they have sailed before. On the Hudson River route, that means a menu built around the region, including a heavy emphasis on apple dishes. One standout is the apple risotto with U10 scallops, the largest size the kitchen stocks.
The 3:30 dietary meeting
Guests can pre-order lunch and dinner through the line’s app, which helps the kitchen plan for special requests and allergies. On embarkation day, guests with dietary concerns meet the chef and the restaurant manager at 3:30 in a dedicated dietary meeting. The conversation covers allergies and worries in advance, so the kitchen can have alternatives ready. Inside the galley, three separate stations keep seafood and other allergens apart, a setup designed to prevent cross-contamination.
Prep starts the day before
Much of the next day’s food is prepared during the current service. A chef on every shift starts prepping for tomorrow, peeling and cutting items like beets a day ahead so they can be finished the next day. Sweet potatoes for the evening’s risotto are roasted in the morning, with onions and other components chopped as service builds. The system keeps the kitchen ahead of the dining room rather than chasing it.
From a butcher’s son to the river
Annunziata grew up around food. His father was a butcher and his mother was a farmer, and he credits them with his love of cooking. After culinary school, he worked in France, Germany, Switzerland, and London before joining his first ship at 19 with Cunard. He came to the United States about 25 years ago, worked in New York restaurants and hotels, then opened three restaurants of his own. He eventually sold them all to return to sea. He has been with American Cruise Lines for three years, starting as an executive chef and working up to senior roles before becoming Regional Executive Sous Chef. He plans to finish his career on the water.
The full galley interview is below.
