Award-winning Brazilian chef named godmother to new Celebrity Xcel cruise ship

Former Best Female Chef in the World Janaína Torres will christen the brand’s newest cruise ship in November

Top chef Janaína Torres has taken on the ceremonial role of godmother for Celebrity Xcel (Celebrity Cruises)

Award-winning Brazilian chef Janaína Torres has been named as godmother to Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship.

Torres, named Best Female Chef in the World 2024 by World’s 50 Best, will take on the ceremonial role when Celebrity Xcel launches in November.

Torres, who is co-owner of the award-winning restaurant A Casa do Porco in São Paulo, and is known for her no-waste approach to cooking and for using authentic local ingredients, will christen Celebrity Xcel during the official cruise ship naming ceremony on 16 November in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Torres also recently launched a gastronomic-cultural project – À Brasileira – for researching, valuing and promoting Brazilian culture through food.

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Celebrity Cruises said the brand shares a passion for celebrating culture through culinary experiences with Torres, and that the brand’s new The Bazaar venue on Celebrity Xcel will demonstrate this by offering local and authentic food, entertainment and activities linked to the destinations that the ship visits.

Other new features on board Celebrity Xcel will include an adults-only arcade room and an exclusive on-board pool club.

Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises, said: “We are honoured for chef Janaína Torres, a trailblazer in the culinary industry, to be godmother of Celebrity Xcel.

“Janaína shares our commitment to celebrating and sharing global culture through elevated culinary experiences, connecting diners with culture through unique food experiences.”

Torres added, “I’ve always believed that fine dining should be accessible, not intimidating. Food brings us together, connecting us through new flavours, traditions, and shared memories.

”I’m proud to partner with Celebrity Cruises to showcase our culture and cuisine on a global stage.”

From November, Celebrity Xcel will sail her inaugural season from Fort Lauderdale, offering seven-night itineraries alternating between The Bahamas, Mexico, Cayman Islands, and Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.

She will then sail across the Mediterranean in summer 2026, with seven-to 11-night journeys out of Barcelona and Athens.

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