Chef Rudi Scholdis has worked alongside some of the most respected names in the culinary world — including Alain Ducasse and Charlie Trotter — and has prepared meals for dignitaries and celebrities such as Queen Elizabeth, Bill Clinton and Benjamin Netanyahu. Today, as Culinary Director for Silversea Cruises, he oversees a refined dining program designed to bring restaurant-quality cuisine to guests at sea.
Born in Belgium, Scholdis developed his culinary skills throughout Europe before spending five years in London, where he worked in prestigious hotels including the five-star Dorchester. There he served as executive sous-chef, managing a brigade of 140 chefs, overseeing 10 banquet venues and running five food outlets, among them the celebrated Oriental Restaurant on Park Lane.
Now responsible for the dining venues and operations across Silversea’s fleet, Scholdis continues to elevate the onboard culinary experience. Under his leadership Silversea secured an exclusive partnership with Relais & Châteaux and integrated it into L’École des Chefs, creating the only Relais & Châteaux cooking school at sea — a unique offering for travelers who want hands-on instruction from world-class chefs.
What three go-to ingredients are always in your home kitchen?
Wine — I often drink wine while I cook, and I also use it in food. Wine is a staple for building sauces, braising stews and adding depth to many traditional, family-style dishes.
Flour — I work with many varieties. My home kitchen features an old wood-fired bread oven, so I bake fresh breads regularly and use flour extensively in baking and pastry work.
Homemade condiments, chutneys, pestos and glazes — with a large home garden, I always have herbs and produce to make preserves and sauces. My cooking style could be described as “condiment-forward,” using these prepared elements to enhance flavor and texture in dishes.
What’s your favorite season for cooking, and why?
Spring and summer. Produce is at its best in those seasons, with a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruits that inspire light, vibrant cooking.
Aside from your current position, what’s the best job you’ve ever had?
Being head chef at The Dorchester Hotel in London was a defining role in my career — an opportunity to work at the highest level in a historic, demanding culinary environment.
What’s the first meal you ever cooked?
At 14 I wanted to recreate a dish I loved: marcassin, or young wild boar, after dining at a game restaurant with my parents. Because wild boar was expensive, I substituted pork roast and marinated it for three days in wine, herbs and spices to approximate the game flavor. Friends and family still recall that meal, and it remains one of my earliest proud culinary memories.