Jacques returns on Oceania Allura, led by Chef Pépin

Published on Oct 14, 2025, 7:43 pm CDTUpdated on Oct 14, 2025, 7:51 pm CDT

4 min read

Oceania Cruises has officially reprised Jacques, its signature French restaurant, aboard the new Oceania Allura. Chef Jacques Pépin hosted a ribbon-cutting in Boston on October 6, 2025, joined by family and longtime colleagues, marking a new chapter for the brand's culinary identity. The refreshed venue blends time-honored classics with contemporary touches, keeping Pépin's imprint front and center while expanding the repertoire for modern palates. The opening underscores Oceania's positioning around cuisine and destination depth across its newest ships.

Key points

Why it matters: Reinforces Oceania's core promise, The Finest Cuisine at Sea, with a flagship French venue.
Travel impact: More specialty capacity and variety aboard Allura for culinary-focused cruisers.
What's next: Allura continues inaugural events ahead of her Miami christening in November 2025.
Menu keeps classics like duck à l'orange, veal with morel sauce, and Crêpes Suzette.
Additions include deviled egg with trout rillette and caviar, plus tableside tartare and sea bass en croute.

Snapshot

During a port call in Boston on October 6, Chef Jacques Pépin presided over a ceremonial opening for Jacques on Oceania Allura. Pépin was joined by daughter Claudine Pépin, son-in-law Rollie Wesen, granddaughter Shorey Wesen, and Executive Culinary Director, Chef Eric Barale. The event highlighted the restaurant's evolution since debuting on Marina in 2011 and Riviera in 2012, preserving guest-favorite dishes while introducing new, ingredient-led plates and classic tableside preparations. The celebration aligns with a broader Allura culinary program that emphasizes multiple complimentary specialty venues and elevated French touches across the ship's food and beverage lineup.

Background

Jacques has been central to Oceania's brand since the line's early growth, establishing a culinary north star guided by Pépin's technique, integrity, and seasonality. On Marina and Riviera, the venue built a following for meticulously executed French standards, intimate service, and a menu that rewarded repeat visits. With Allura, Oceania reprises the concept for a new flagship, maintaining familiar signatures while layering in contemporary additions. The approach mirrors the line's strategy, pairing destination-rich itineraries with dining breadth. Allura also features Red Ginger, Toscana, and Polo Grill as complimentary specialty options, plus a new Crêperie, signaling the company's continued investment in culinary variety across meal periods and venues.

Latest developments

Menu highlights and tableside classics

The reimagined Jacques menu balances nostalgia and novelty. Returning signatures include duck with a Grand Marnier-infused orange sauce, a veal medallion with morel sauce, and desserts like Crêpes Suzette and profiteroles. New starters, such as a deviled egg crowned with smoked trout rillette and sturgeon caviar, showcase richer textures and briny contrast. Tableside service returns as theater, featuring traditional beef tartare mixed to order and a sea bass en croute for two, carved and plated in the dining room. Together, these updates aim to satisfy loyal Oceania guests while inviting newcomers to experience Pépin's influence through modern flourishes and time-tested technique.

Analysis

Reprising Jacques on Allura is both brand defense and brand offense. Oceania's competitive moat has long been culinary leadership, and a refreshed Jacques keeps that promise visible, tangible, and bookable. By retaining beloved signatures, the line honors guest memory, which matters in luxury where repeaters drive yield and word of mouth. The additions, particularly tableside preparations and caviar-topped canapés, signal ceremony and craft, differentiating the experience from high-throughput main dining rooms. Strategically, placing a French flagship on the newest ship harmonizes with Allura's broader lineup of complimentary specialty venues, increasing perceived inclusions and value. Operationally, the focus on tableside service requires training and pacing, but it also creates moments that justify premium positioning. As Allura approaches christening, Jacques functions as a narrative anchor, reminding travelers why cuisine remains Oceania's defining edge.

Final thoughts

For travelers who choose itineraries around meals as much as ports, Jacques on Allura reaffirms Oceania's culinary identity. The Boston ribbon-cutting was more than a photo moment, it marked a careful evolution that keeps Pépin's classics while introducing fresh accents and dining-room theater. As Allura ramps up inaugural programming, expect Jacques to be a high-demand reservation and a touchstone for the line's brand story. If French technique, tableside elegance, and destination-focused sailing appeal, this reprise strengthens the case for Oceania Allura's Jacques restaurant.