A Taste of Juneteenth on the Water: Chef Alexander Smalls Joins AmaWaterways
By Leroy Adams
The world moves fast, and so does travel. Here’s one story we’re tracking this week—and why it matters to Black travelers.
AmaWaterways Partners with Chef Alexander Smalls
Luxury river cruise line AmaWaterways is teaming up with James Beard Award-winning chef, author, and Grammy Award-winning opera singer Alexander Smalls to curate the Signature Juneteenth Dinner on all Soulful Experience sailings beginning in 2025.
Drawing from his Gullah Geechee heritage and the Creole traditions of New Orleans, Smalls has created a multi-course menu that honors African American culinary resilience and creativity. Dishes highlight African diaspora ingredients and cooking techniques—from corn-based soups to hush puppies and pickled shrimp—all paired with Smalls’ storytelling about the history and significance behind each flavor.
“Every dish carries a story, a piece of history, and the resilience of a people who transformed humble ingredients into a vibrant culinary legacy,” Smalls said.
Why It Matters:
For Black travelers, the partnership represents a rare fusion of luxury travel and cultural memory—where Juneteenth isn’t just marked on land but honored at sea. It signals a growing acknowledgment in the industry of the African diaspora’s role in shaping global food culture and ensures that celebration and history sail alongside leisure.
Where You Can Experience It
The Juneteenth Dinner will debut this month and will be featured on all AmaWaterways Soulful Experience itineraries through 2027. Highlights include:
Enticing Douro – June 2026 & August 2027
Riches of the Mekong – October 2026
Secrets of Egypt & The Nile – November 2026 & January 2027
Wonders of Colombia – May–June 2027
Paris & Normandy Wine Cruise – June 2027
Each sailing pairs the dinners with land excursions spotlighting Black diaspora heritage in cities like Lisbon, Cairo, and Paris. Learn more about the Soulful Experiences here.
