Talking FOOD & Carnival Mardi Gras with Master Chef Rudi Sodamin

Whether he’s sprinkling parsley on flaky filets of dover sole at Rudi’s Sel de Mer or cutting the ribbon at Carnival Kitchen on board the new Carnival Panorama alongside celebrity chefs Guy Fieri and Emeril Lagasse, Rudi Sodamin is a staple in the cruise industry. His resume serving up gourmet cuisine at sea spans dozens of years and includes tenures at some of the best cruise lines in the world. 

Chef Sodamin was gracious enough to join Bill Panoff for a discussion about the state of the cruise industry, his new restaurants and optimism about getting back to travel. He also shared the recipe for one of his favorite desserts to order on a cruise!

I am very worried at this hard time, this unfortunate virus we are going through, it’s crucial that we come back as soon as possible to our industry… to ensure an amazing product.

Rudi’s Crème Brûlée Recipe

Serves Eight: 

• 1 quart heavy cream
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and scraped
• 8 egg yolks
• 8 tablespoons brown sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, granulated sugar, vanilla bean and vanilla bean scrapings. Heat until hot but not boiling, stirring to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and slowly add them to the warm cream mixture, stirring constantly. Fill each ramekin and place in a warm water bath. Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake 15 minutes at 300F and chill for 3 hours. Sprinkle each custard ramekin with 1 tablespoon brown sugar.

Brûlée with a torch or under the broiler and serve immediately. Serves Eight. Enjoy!

Rudi’s Crème Brûlée