Cruise Lines

Michelin-starred chef Atul Kocchar, the man behind Sindhu, the Indian restaurant opening on P&O Cruises' new ship Azura, tells me his dishes will be Indian "with a British twist".

The "twist" being that there will be no hot curries, but rather a tasty use of spices. "What if some like it hot?" I asked, a little dismayed. We can cater for them too, Atul promised.

Atul said Sindhu will also be all about presentation. The food will look more attractive than the stuff dished out at your local Tandoori, with meat and sauces served separately so diners can see what cut of meat they are eating (I know what he means - I always go vegetarian at my local curry house, just in case....).

As well as creating the menus, Atul will be helping to design Sindhu and also training the staff who will work there, either by going on board himself or having one member of staff learn the ropes at one of his restaurants (he owns Benares in London, Vatika in Southampton and Ananda in Dublin) so he or she can teach the others.

Meanwhile, he is getting ready to embark on his first P&O voyage, in March or April next year, so he can see what this cruising lark is all about. "I've been on Ventura in Southampton and am confident this will work," he says. "The biggest challenge for me is not having an open fire."

And for that I think we can all be grateful.