Karime López, the first Mexican woman to earn a Michelin star, will define the culinary vision aboard Aqua Expeditions’ newest ultra-luxury yacht
When Aqua Lares launches in the Seychelles this February, guests won’t simply be embarking on an expedition through one of the world’s most pristine marine environments. They’ll be sitting down to a dining experience crafted by Chef Karime López, whose career trajectory from her mother’s kitchen in Mexico to earning Italy’s first Michelin star for a Mexican woman tells its own story of exploration and discovery.
The appointment signals Aqua Expeditions’ continued investment in gastronomy as a pillar of luxury travel, not merely an amenity. Across the brand’s intimate fleet – vessels carrying between 16 and 40 guests – cuisine functions as both cultural interpreter and sensory anchor, translating each destination through meticulously composed plates.
From Florence to the Indian Ocean
Chef López’s path to Aqua Lares wound through some of the world’s most demanding kitchens. After formal training in Paris, she refined her technique across Spain, Mexico, Peru, Japan, and Italy, absorbing influences that now inform her distinctly personal style. Her tenure as Head Chef at Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Florence brought international recognition: Italy’s Chef of the Year in 2018, the Best Chef Art Award in 2022, and CANIRAC’s Best Outstanding Chef Abroad in 2023.
For Aqua Lares, she’s designed menus that reflect the yacht’s dual personalities. During its November-to-April season exploring the Seychelles, Aldabra Atoll, Zanzibar, and coastal Tanzania, the cuisine draws from Mediterranean foundations, coastal Creole traditions, and Japanese precision. Think Zanzibar-spiced rib eye finished with deeply reduced demi-glace, delivering layers of smoke and subtle heat. Or lobster tagliatelle in ocean jus, slowly built from lobster stock and crowned with caviar.
Glazed short ribs arrive with smoked carrot purée. Creole shrimp curry pairs with fried plantain. Citrus-forward compositions bring clarity to each plate – a reflection of López’s belief that genuine luxury emerges from flavour precision and geographical honesty rather than architectural plating or ingredient excess.
Sailing with the chef
The López appointment extends Aqua Expeditions’ program of chef-hosted voyages, where guests sail alongside the culinary minds behind their meals.
This September and October, Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino – whose work pioneering modern Amazonian cuisine has redefined Peru’s culinary identity – will host select departures aboard Aqua Nera through the Peruvian Amazon. His rainforest-to-table approach celebrates indigenous ingredients with contemporary technique, translating the region’s extraordinary biodiversity into focused, powerful dishes.
In May, Chef Benjamin Cross joins Aqua Blu for a Komodo National Park expedition from Flores to Bali. His globally influenced, ingredient-driven cooking draws deeply from Southeast Asian culinary heritage, employing local produce and the bold, balanced tastes that define the region’s cooking.
These aren’t celebrity chef appearances or promotional sailings. The chefs are present, working, and available – offering insight into their creative process and the philosophy underpinning each menu. For those who view cuisine as essential to understanding place, it’s an opportunity to engage directly with the interpreters translating each destination into edible form.
The Aqua difference
Aqua Expeditions has built its reputation on refining the expedition experience to its most essential elements: intimate vessels, expert guidance, and a one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio that enables genuinely bespoke service. The company’s six ships explore the Peruvian Amazon, Mekong Delta, East Indonesia’s remote archipelagos, the Galápagos, and – with Aqua Lares – East Africa and Svalbard.
The ice-class yacht will shift seasonally, spending June through September in Svalbard and the Arctic Circle before returning to the Indian Ocean. It’s this geographical range, combined with culinary ambition, that distinguishes Aqua’s offering in an increasingly crowded luxury expedition market.
Chef-hosted departures for Aqua Nera sail 1-5 September and 13-17 October 2026. Chef Benjamin Cross joins Aqua Blu from 2-9 May 2026. Bookings can be made directly through aquaexpeditions.com or through travel advisors familiar with the brand.
About the Author: Jason Kerr
