The promotion of Sai Baddi to general manager of The World, Residences at Sea has drawn fresh attention to an intriguing part of his long career aboard the ship: working with Michelin-recognised chefs from around the world.
Baddi joined The World in 2008 and rose through its food-and-beverage operation before being appointed general manager from September 2026. During those years, the residential ship developed a guest-chef programme that brought some formidable culinary talent to sea.
Rather than simply lending their names to an onboard menu, visiting chefs have cooked for residents, collaborated with the ship's culinary team and, in some cases, delivered demonstrations or masterclasses. Their appearances have often been designed around the destinations through which the ship was travelling.
Curtis Duffy
American chef Curtis Duffy joined The World in July 2015 while it sailed from Porto to Bilbao. At the time, his Chicago restaurant Grace held three Michelin stars.
Duffy and members of his team prepared a multi-course dinner in Portraits, the ship's fine-dining restaurant, and he hosted a cooking demonstration for residents. Food preparation began at Grace in Chicago before being completed in the ship's galley.
Silvio Nickol
Silvio Nickol came aboard during the ship's call at Amsterdam in July 2018. He was head chef of the two-Michelin-starred Silvio Nickol Gourmet Restaurant at Palais Coburg in Vienna.
Nickol prepared a multi-course dinner and champagne reception in Portraits. The announcement for his visit specifically named the onboard team led by executive chef Geoffrey Murray, beverage manager Marinela Ivanova and food-and-beverage manager Saikumar Baddi as working with him on the event.
Soenil Bahadoer
Soenil Bahadoer sailed with The World from Cagliari to Barcelona in April 2019. The ship described him as the two-Michelin-starred head chef of Restaurant De Lindehof in Nuenen, the Netherlands.
His appearance included a special menu in Portraits followed by a close-up demonstration of his cooking techniques. Bahadoer's cuisine brought together his Surinamese and Hindu heritage with the precision and presentation of European fine dining.
Jonas Andre Navik
Norwegian chef Jonas Andre Navik was invited to join the ship during its exploration of Japan in September 2019. The invitation followed a visit by members of The World's food-and-beverage team to his Michelin-starred Restaurant Fagn when the vessel called at Trondheim the previous year.
The ship's announcement again identified Baddi as one of the senior managers leading the team that would work with the visiting chefs and winemakers.
Viki Geunes
Belgian chef Viki Geunes, associated with the two-Michelin-starred restaurant 't Zilte in Antwerp at the time, has also cooked aboard The World.
An account of the visit says Geunes embarked in Honfleur in 2016 and served a special dinner during the voyage to Antwerp. Residents subsequently enjoyed another private dining event at his restaurant after the ship arrived in the Belgian city.
Kiko Moya
Kiko Moya became the first Spanish guest chef to visit The World when he joined the ship in June 2022. Moya, from the two-Michelin-starred L'Escaleta restaurant near Alicante, prepared a one-night-only black-tie dinner as the vessel sailed from Gijón.
The menu was intended to combine Basque influences with Valencian gastronomy, supported by wines selected from the ship's extensive cellar. Moya also brought experience gained at celebrated Spanish restaurants elBulli and El Celler de Can Roca.
Can a restaurant at sea receive a Michelin star?
Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants included within the geographical areas covered by the Michelin Guide. They belong to the restaurant rather than becoming a permanent personal title held by a chef.
That means Portraits aboard The World is not itself a Michelin-starred restaurant merely because these chefs have cooked there. The accurate description is that Michelin-starred or Michelin-recognised guest chefs have prepared special dining experiences aboard the ship.
Bringing destinations aboard through food
The World contains six restaurants, but its culinary programme extends beyond regular onboard dining. Visiting chefs, winemakers and local ingredients are used to reflect the regions through which the residential ship travels.
For Baddi, the guest-chef programme formed part of a much broader responsibility for restaurants, bars, culinary events and service standards. It also illustrates why his promotion is significant: his path to the general manager's office has been built partly through years spent delivering unusually ambitious hospitality experiences at sea.