Princess Cruises has received four prestigious nominations at the 2026 F&B@Sea Awards, underscoring the cruise line's continued leadership in culinary excellence, beverage innovation and talent development across its global fleet. These nominations highlight the strength of Princess Cruises’ food and beverage division under the leadership of Vice President of Food and Beverage Sami Kohen and the high-performing teams he has assembled and directed across the culinary and beverage operations.
After being shortlisted by an independent jury of industry experts, Princess Cruises was nominated as a finalist in the following categories:
Best Beverage Program, Best Restaurant – Makoto Ocean, Rising Star – Andreas Dymke and Woman of Impact – Sarah Hancock. The award will be presented at the F&B@Sea Awards in Miami on April 16, 2026, one of the cruise industry’s premier global events dedicated to excellence in food and beverage.
Green tea, available across the Crooners fleet
Celebrating beverage excellence across the fleet
Princess Cruises’ nomination for Best Beverage Program recognizes the brand’s end-to-end transformation of beverage operations—from curated wine and spirits selection to innovative cocktail development, premium partnerships and exceptional training. Director of Beverage Operations Sarah Hancock, along with Sami Kohen, leads the fleet-wide strategy with a focus on quality, consistency, cost control and guest satisfaction to enhance the onboard beverage experience across all ships.
Red fruits and roses, available in the Sanctuary Club aboard Star Princess and Sun Princess
Makoto Ocean: an outstanding culinary partner
Best Restaurant Nominee – Makoto Ocean celebrates one of Princess Cruises’ most successful culinary collaborations. Led by Sami Kohen, Senior Director of Culinary Operations Andreas Dymke and renowned celebrity chef Makoto Okuwa, Makoto Ocean redefines contemporary Japanese dining at sea. The concept has been widely praised for its execution, authenticity and ability to deliver a high-end land-based restaurant experience on board a cruise ship.
Steak tartare with Osetra caviar*
Hand-cut Seasoned Beef, Sour Cream – Dario/Butcher Block
Tiramisu
Mascarpone cream, coffee sauce, chocolate mousse – Alfredo's Restaurant
Andreas Dymke receives Rising Star recognition
The Rising Star nomination for Senior Director of Culinary Operations Andreas Dymke highlights the next generation of leadership in Princess Cruises’ culinary organization. Under Kohen's guidance, Dymke was instrumental in driving menu innovation, operational excellence and the successful launch of new dining concepts across the fleet, making him one of the most respected emerging leaders in cruise ship culinary operations today.
Women of Influence: Excellence in Leadership in Beverage Operations
Director of Beverage Operations Sarah Hancock completed four nominations to be shortlisted for the Women of Influence Award. Her leadership has played a key role in modernizing the beverage program, strengthening supplier partnerships and developing high-performing onboard teams, while setting new standards for excellence and inclusion in the cruise ship dining industry.
Build team leadership and industry recognition
These four nominations reflect not only individual achievements but also the broader culture of performance, collaboration and accountability within the Princess Cruises catering organization. Since taking on the role of Vice President, Sami Kohen has been focused on building a leadership team capable of delivering a world-class guest experience while maintaining strong operational discipline and talent development.
“These nominations are a direct reflection of the incredible people behind our food and beverage programs,” said Cohen. “I am proud of the leadership our team demonstrates every day on board and ashore and honored to see their dedication recognized by the industry,
Kohen also won the annual F&B Maverick Award from the F&B@Sea Awards last year.
As Princess Cruises continues to invest in culinary innovation, premium partnerships and future leaders, the 2026 F&B@Sea Award nominations further solidify its position at the forefront of cruise dining excellence.
