Key Aspects:
- Janaína Torres, named World’s Best Female Chef in 2024, will serve as godmother of Celebrity Xcel.
- The appointment marks the first time a Brazilian chef has held the role for a major cruise line.
- The new ship will introduce The Bazaar, a three-deck venue blending local cuisine, crafts, cooking classes, and rotating cultural festivals tied to destinations.
Celebrity Cruises has tapped one of the world’s most celebrated chefs to serve as godmother of its newest ship, Celebrity Xcel.
Janaína Torres, co-owner of São Paulo’s acclaimed A Casa do Porco and winner of the 2024 World’s 50 Best Restaurants award for Best Female Chef in the World, will take on the honorary role during the vessel’s naming ceremony this November.
Torres is the first Brazilian chef to be named godmother of a major cruise line ship and will attend the christening in Fort Lauderdale on November 16, 2025.
Celebrity Cruises’ President Laura Hodges Bethge said the appointment reflects the company’s focus on food as a central part of its brand.
“We are honored for Chef Janaia Torres, a trailblazer in the culinary industry, to be godmother of Celebrity Xcel,” Bethge said.
“Janaína shares our commitment to celebrating and sharing global culture through elevated culinary experiences, connecting diners with culture through unique food experiences,” she added.
Torres is widely recognized for her innovative, no-waste approach to cuisine that highlights Brazilian heritage while making fine dining approachable.
Her influence extends globally through restaurants, cultural projects, and her leadership in bringing Latin American flavors to the world stage, earning Torres a coveted Michelin star.
“I’ve always believed that fine dining should be accessible, not intimidating. Food brings us together, connecting us through new flavors, traditions, and shared memories,” said Torres. “I’m proud to partner with Celebrity Cruises to showcase our culture and cuisine on a global stage.”
Beyond her Michelin-recognized restaurant A Casa do Porco, Torres oversees multiple hospitality venues and recently launched A Brasileira, a project aimed at researching and promoting Brazilian culinary traditions.
Cultural Connections Aboard Xcel
Celebrity Xcel, part of the cruise line’s Edge-class series, will begin sailing November 2025 from Fort Lauderdale. Besides welcoming Torres’ culinary concepts, the vessel will also debut a new concept called The Bazaar.
The Bazaar will extend the cultural connection between ship and shore through local foods, entertainment, and activities. Spread across three decks, the venue will host rotating markets with regional crafts and tastings, destination-inspired cooking classes, and immersive festivals ranging from Caribbean-style carnivals to Mediterranean celebrations.
Guests of the ship will also be able to weigh in on programming through the Dream Makers platform, voting on themes, menus, and entertainment to shape the experience during their cruise.
Food will be central to The Bazaar, with Mosaic, an open-air specialty restaurant, serving dishes tied directly to the ports visited and a chef’s table offering multi-course tastings.
Spice, a more casual option, will rotate regional small plates included in the fare.
Beyond The Bazaar, Celebrity Xcel will feature more than 30 food and beverage venues. New to the ship will be Bora, an outdoor rooftop restaurant with sweeping ocean views. It will serve Mediterranean-influenced brunches by day and seafood-focused dinners at night, accompanied by live music.
Other returning favorites across the fleet include Fine Cut Steakhouse, Le Voyage, Raw on 5, Le Grand Bistro, and Le Petit Chef, along with main dining rooms such as Cosmopolitan and Normadie.
Celebrity Xcel’s inaugural season includes 7-night itineraries rotating through The Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.
By summer 2026, the 3,260-passenger ship will reposition to Europe for its first Mediterranean season. There, Celebrity Xcel will offer 7- to 11-night sailings from Barcelona and Athens, including overnight stays in Madeira, Portugal.
