What is a chef who fed 1.9 million children in São Paulo school cafeterias naming a luxury cruise ship valued at a billion dollars? The choice of Janaína Torres as godmother of Celebrity Xcel It is more than a recognition: it is the reflection of the contradictions of contemporary luxury.
He November 16, 2025Torres will break a bottle of champagne against the bow of the Celebrity Xcel in Fort Lauderdale. It will be the first Latin American chef to assume the role of godmother on Celebrity Cruisesa position previously held by figures such as Malala Yousafzai y Simone Biles.
The election marks a cultural shift in an industry that for decades prioritized family entertainment over curated gastronomic offerings. Torres—recognized as World’s Best Female Chef 2024 and co-owner of The Pig House, #17 restaurant on The World’s 50 Best— embodies the maturity of Latin American cuisine as a global reference.
But the appointment also raises questions. Social activist, Torres reformed São Paulo’s school feeding system —benefiting 1.9 million children— and organized support networks for gastronomic workers during the pandemic. How do you reconcile that profile with now being the face of a cruise corporation?
Represent Latin America beyond individual recognition
The appointment comes at a crucial time for Latin American cuisine. In the last decade, the region went from the periphery to the reference: eight Latin American restaurants in the world Top 50 (2024) compared to only two in 2010, with the presence of Peru (Central, Maido), Mexico (Quintonil, Pujol), Brazil (A Casa do Porco), Colombia (Leo, El Chato) and Argentina (Don Julio).
For the Latino traveler, the appointment has immediate symbolic weight. It is the first time that a figure trained entirely in the region, not in Europe, assumes this role in a luxury American shipping company.
In words sent in writing through the Celebrity Cruises communications team, Torres reflects:
“Being recognized at this level carries enormous responsibility.. I believe, like Celebrity, that every meal can be a memorable experience. But above all, it is an opportunity to show that Latin American gastronomy is much more than a trend or exoticism. We carry an indigenous, African and European heritage that has formed a complex and living culinary system. I want to bring this vision to the world, showing that Food, in our culture, is history, affection, healing and identity”.
A philosophy that travels to the sea
Founded in 2011 with Jefferson Rueda, A Casa do Porco is a symbol of accessible sophistication: communal tables, an a la carte menu, and moderate prices ($80–120 per person versus $300–500 at other restaurants on the list).
Their philosophy is radical in its simplicity: using every part of the pig—from ears to viscera—not as a conceptual gesture, but as an ethic of sustainability. That vision, born from his childhood in São Paulo, has made Torres one of the most influential voices in the gastronomic scene of the entire continent.
When asked how to translate that philosophy to a luxury cruise, he answers:
“Fine dining doesn’t have to be distant. Excellence is measured by respect: for the ingredient, for the culture and for those who eat. On a luxury cruise you can maintain that essence by showing the origin of the recipes, the value of the techniques and the work behind each dish.”
Sustainability on board: the promise and the challenge
The cruise industry remains under scrutiny for its environmental impact. According to data from the shipping company, the Xcel will reduce its carbon emissions by 25% compared to previous generations and is designed to operate with green methanol. However, it is impossible to ignore that it is still a 3,260-passenger ship that will consume thousands of liters of fuel a day.
In A Casa do Porco, every part of the animal is used. There, sustainability is not aesthetic but daily practice. Torres insists—in written responses—that this principle can be adapted to any kitchen, even that of a cruise ship:
“Sustainability is not a slogan; It’s a daily practice. Using everything, understanding the food cycle, valuing producers and reducing environmental impact are actions applicable to any kitchen.”
Still, the contradiction persists. While Celebrity promises to “reduce” and “offset,” experts remind us that no cruise can be truly sustainable: its very scale defies the concept. In this contrast—between the philosophy of total utilization and industrial reality—lies the true dilemma that will make this project a test of coherence.
The Bazaar: the cultural experiment of Xcel
The most ambitious dining space on the new ship will be The Bazaar: 850 m² (9,150 sq ft) designed as a living market that changes depending on the route.
During the 2025–26 Caribe season it will transform into four rotating festivals —Jamaica, Martinique, Barbados and Puerto Rico—with local cuisine, classes, music and workshops. In 2026 it will cross the Mediterranean, incorporating Sicily, Madeira, Athens and Barcelona.
According to Jan Sorensen, vice president of Food and Beverages at the shipping company, The goal is to “integrate time on board with the experience on land through culinary festivals and local collaborations.””.
For the type of traveler that Celebrity appeals to, who seeks sophistication without ostentation, the proposal is attractive. The inevitable question is whether it will manage to escape decorative tourism to offer a real dialogue with the destinations.
Breaking barriers: message to young chefs
Torres joins a line of godmothers—Malala Yousafzai, Simone Biles—who symbolize leadership and inspiration. But in gastronomy, its designation has an additional nuance: represents the full entry of Latin American cuisine into the global luxury scene.
“For a long time, Latin American gastronomy was seen as simple, when in reality it is one of the most sophisticated in the world. I would say to young chefs: don’t let anyone tell you what qualifies or doesn’t qualify as fine dining. Our tradition has technique, history and power; “That’s what the world needs to see.”
Between luxury and cultural legitimacy
He Celebrity Xcel It not only seeks to redefine luxury: it also aspires to translate it into cultural awareness. But that tension—between activism and opulence, between basic cuisine and premium cruise—is what will make this case interesting to follow.
At A Casa do Porco, Torres serves dishes that chronicle memory and resistance. In the Xcel, these stories will travel on a stage that symbolizes the opposite: consumption, exclusivity, speed. The inevitable question is whether this coexistence can be more than aesthetic.
Baptism: symbol and promise
On November 16, in Fort Lauderdale, Torres will break the champagne bottle. A nineteenth-century ritual transformed today into a media spectacle. The Brazilian chef will thus become godmother of a ship that represents an investment of more than a billion dollars.
The scene will be brief, but its symbolic load is immense: a woman who defended community kitchens blessing a luxury cruise ship that promises “sustainability and awareness.” A gesture between the poetic and the paradoxical.
Epilogue: the bet of the sea
The Celebrity Xcel is more than a boat; It’s a test to see if the industry can reconcile pleasure and responsibility. Janaína Torres, with her story, is the perfect face for this paradox. Latin American gastronomy is no longer “exotic”, but rather referential. But between the promise and the reality, there is still an ocean of execution.
In November, when the bottle crashes and the foam flies, the real question will not be whether the champagne breaks, but whether the narrative holds up. The sea, as always, will be the final judge.
Practical information
- Rates and reservations: Rates for the 2025-26 Caribe season range between $2,500 per person (interior cabin, 7 nights) and $5,500 (suite, same duration), according to data from the shipping company. Reservations are now available at Celebrity Cruises official site.
- Ability: 3,260 passengers (double occupancy)
- Design: Tom Wright (Burj Al Arab) and Kelly Hoppen (interior design)
- Class: Edge (fifth and final ship in the series)
- Innovations: hybrid propulsion prepared for green methanol, 25% reduction in emissions, The Bazaar (rotating restaurant), The Retreat (exclusive suite area).
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