Be Inspired – Gastronomy

Culinary Excellence

Our voyages by private train are an exceptional gourmet experience. Steward served and chef prepared, our offerings of delectable delicacies, use only the finest ingredients. We believe that cuisine is the core of a culture. Our chefs source ingredients from local markets and take influence from regional culinary traditions – creating a unique insight into your destinations. Guests can watch the daily morning parade, as locally sourced, seasonal supplies are loaded onto the train.

Meet the Team

Golden Eagle Luxury Trains boasts a culinary team of unparalleled skill and artistry.

Comprised of world-class chefs with extensive international experience, they bring a symphony of flavors to the dining carriages, creating exquisite culinary masterpieces that mirror the diverse regions our luxury trains journey through. With their culinary prowess, they elevate each dining experience to a level of culinary excellence that defines luxury travel aboard our Private Trains.

Krisztian Szoke

Golden Eagle Danube Express Catering Manager

Joining the Golden Eagle team in 2014, Kristian has worked on every Danube Express voyage. Extremely driven and dedicated to his craft, Kristian has worked in multiple Michelin-Star restaurants.

Originally working as Head Pastry Chef, Krisztian brought an artistic flare to the kitchen, designing incredibly intricate desserts and colourful culinary creations. Newly promoted to the role of Golden Eagle Danube Express Catering Manager, Krisztian continues to apply his signature level of detail and delicacy to ensure the ultimate dining experience for our guests.

Speaking to Nicole Edenedo (Travel Weekly), Szoke outlined the care that goes into sourcing ingredients; “The fruit that we use for any dessert we pick ourselves from the local shops, and we always make sure that the fruits are very clean and not too sweet.”

“We are not talking about work here — we are talking about passion…We aspire to show that passengers don’t just experience sightseeing, but that they also have a gastronomic experience, as well.”

We believe that cuisine is at the core of a culture

Dmitry Skopenko

Restaurant Director Golden Eagle

Dmitry originally joined the Golden Eagle team as a cabin attendant; however, it was not long before his passion and determination was recognised with the promotion to the role of Train Manager and later, Restaurant Director. Having also worked as a Barman, Dmitry has an extensive knowledge of all areas of the trains operations and logistics required to deliver the voyage of a lifetime.

An accomplished cheesemaker, when he is not travelling the world with Golden Eagle, Dmitry can be found in his kitchen, experimenting with new flavour profiles and pairings… which are then enjoyed by our guests onboard the Golden Eagle!

The plate is the pathway to a meaningful experience

Pavel Zelenin

Head Chef

Celebrated by Travel Weekly for serving dishes like those in a “Michelin-starred restaurant”, Head Chef, Pavel Zelenin continues to deliver innovative menus with perfectly executed creations.

Speaking on his passion for gastronomy and the Golden Eagle brand, Zelenin states: “The opportunities to develop and grow with Golden Eagle Luxury Trains continue to fuel my drive to challenge myself and deliver the ultimate gastronomical adventure for our guests.

I am inspired by the incredible destinations featured on our voyages, experimenting with locally sourced ingredients, and learning from regional recipes – working aboard our collection of luxury, private trains, offers never ending opportunities to learn.”