Economist Podcasts The Weekend Intelligence: Mise en masse
Nov 29, 2025
Join Gary Thomas, the Culinary Director for Royal Caribbean, who oversees food operations for thousands at sea. He shares the secrets behind feeding thousands on the colossal Star of the Seas, detailing the choreography of dining, staggering protein volumes, and the use of AI to minimize waste. Discover the high-stakes world of kitchen logistics, the immense pressures on crew, and the fascinating connections between modern dining rooms and factory lines. Gary also reflects on the challenges of crew life and his culinary philosophy.
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Culinary Scale At Sea
- The ship's chefs produce 100,000 fresh meals a day across 26 dining venues, all made to order.
- Royal Caribbean runs a full-scale culinary operation at sea comparable to a large city's restaurants.
Escoffier's System Powers Scale
- Auguste Escoffier's brigade system split kitchen tasks into specialized stations and calmed chaotic kitchens.
- That 19th-century factory-like model underpins modern large-scale food production at sea.
Make Mise En Place Data-Driven
- Dial mise en place precisely to avoid over- or under-preparing and protect thin restaurant margins.
- Use data-driven forecasting rather than intuition to match prep to real demand.
