THE ASK
Holland America Line wanted to showcase the full breadth of their onboard dining — from their buffet and casual spots to their specialty restaurants and bars. With a culinary council of notable chefs anchoring their premium offerings, HAL needed more than static images. Faculty was brought in to create individual promotional spots for each dining option, from the Pacific Northwest steakhouse at Pinnacle Grill to the experimental Dinner at the Culinary Arts Center, communicating the distinct personality of each venue in its own right.
Faculty audited each restaurant and built a distinct creative approach for every spot. Lido was framed around abundance and variety. Tamarind led with East Asian flavor and atmosphere. Pinnacle Grill leaned into the language of fine dining. The Culinary Arts Center highlighted fresh ingredients and exclusivity. Each venue got its own identity — the same rigor applied whether it was a specialty upcharge restaurant or the burger joint on deck. Fourteen to sixteen spots in total, covering the full range of what eating well at sea could look like.
THE
APPROACH
Tamarind - An ultra-modern Pan-Asian fine dining experience onboard. Faculty highlighted the cuisine and the restaurant's sleek, contemporary aesthetic through close-up food photography shot against pure black, with a mirrored water surface beneath each dish that gave the visuals the same precision as the food itself.
Pinnacle Grill - The best the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Pinnacle Grill is the finest steak and seafood restaurant at sea. Faculty put the signature filet mignon front and center, letting the food speak for itself through clean compositions and a piano score that matched the weight of the room.
Rudi's Sel De Mer - HAL's French bistro with a story behind it. Faculty followed Chef Rudi to the south of France, capturing him sourcing the ingredients that define the restaurant's commitment to authentic French cuisine. The spot brings the origin of the food to life before a single dish is plated onboard.
Dinner at The Culinary Arts Center - HAL's most exclusive dining experience, centered entirely on the quality of what goes into each dish — including ingredients grown onboard in a dedicated grow space. Faculty led with the ingredients themselves, using slow motion and stop motion to give each element its own moment before it ever reached the plate.
Gelato - A bright, vibrant stop on deck that earns its place in the lineup. Faculty captured the full spread of the gelato station in a single pan, then recreated the signature build in studio — scoops that hold their shape perfectly under lights because they are mashed potatoes dyed with food coloring, not ice cream.
The Result
The spots ran on HAL's onboard TV system for years, replacing static imagery with something that actually communicated what each dining experience felt like. For guests deciding where to eat — and whether a specialty restaurant was worth the upcharge — that distinction mattered. Faculty delivered a complete visual language for HAL's culinary program, one spot at a time.
