Island-Chef's Table

[Shesailsaway]

:cool:We're sailing March 15 on the Island through the Panama Canal. How and when do we sign up for dinner at the "Chef's Table?"

[Talisker92]

You sign up the minute you get on the ship by calling the DINE line. I have attached a copy of the menu from the one we did on the Coral Princess last month-Bon Appetit!

chefstable.pdf

[muccouple]

Just talk to the Maitre D´ after embarkation and ask for the Chef´s Table.

Have fun, it´s worth it

[D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL]

We did the same cruise and ship last year and did not board until late afternoon so we called the dine line and also spoke to the maitre d. We were fortunate enough to get picked and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

[geoherb]

I called the dine line immediately after getting to our cabin last month. We boarded on Dec. 20 and did not receive the notice that we had made the cut until Dec. 24. I had given up on getting in. Unlike the other ships that we've done the Chef's Table (Crown and Sapphire), we did not have a meeting with the maitre d' before the meal. All we had to do was fill in the form and return it to a head waiter. Here is my description from my "live" thread:

 

We started with a blue crab margarita with avocado and mango. It was the best of the hors d’ouevres. The three that followed were pizzette with goat cheese and ricotta, braised escargots in vol-au-vent, and roasted new potatoes with sour cream and caviar. They served champagne with all of these. Our risotto course was asparagus and lobster. They served half lobster tails on top of the risotto. The wine with this course was a pinot grigio. The palate cleanser was the bloody mary sorbet with vodka. We had this at our first Chef’s Table on the Crown. People who like bloody marys will like it. I don’t, but I gave it another taste and enjoyed the raspberry garnish.

 

The main course was the trio of beef, veal, and pork tenderloins on medieval spiked flambé roaster. The only twist was that the chef paired it with dirty rice with corn and pine nuts instead of mashed potatoes. We had the same sauces served alongside the meats, but I thought they were good without any sauce and only tried the salsa verde. The others were béarnaise, café de Paris butter, and pork and beef jus. The maitre d’ picked out a merlot to serve with the meats.

 

He served the dessert wine with the cheese course—potted stilton with port wine reduction, walnuts, and rosemary biscotti. The pastry chef came up with a different presentation for the dessert. It was large blue and red sails of sugar rising up from a hockey puck size block of sugar. Each was about a foot tall. The soft-center chocolate fallen cake with whiskey-soaked raspberries and brandy snap tuile was the best tasting dessert I’ve had at a Chef’s Table. We ended the meal with chocolate dipped strawberries, biscotti, cookies, chocolates, and marzipan. Of course no one could eat one of each of these. I had just one strawberry and a piece of marzipan shaped like an apple.

[roundpond]

Can you give me the scoop on the chef's table? What is the additional cost? How do you make "the cut" as another poster mentioned? I am a foodie - and most definitely want in on this! First time Princess cruiser here!

[WeBeGone]

Can you give me the scoop on the chef's table? What is the additional cost? How do you make "the cut" as another poster mentioned? I am a foodie - and most definitely want in on this! First time Princess cruiser here!

 

It's $75pp and it's first come first picked, so it's very important to call the DINE line the minute you get in your cabin.

[georoc01]

That assumes someone is answering the DINE line when you board. When we were on the Island in Alaska, no one was answering the DINE line so we met up with the Maitre D during his office hours and were selected that way.

[dcruisers]

We will be on the Island this summer and would like to do this....for those who have done this...is it worth $150 per couple?

Our friends did this on the Crown last week and really recommend it. One of the couples they cruised with chose not to.

Thanks!

[caribill]

We will be on the Island this summer and would like to do this....for those who have done this...is it worth $150 per couple?

 

 

In a word, yes.

[avcruz]

In a word, yes.

 

We will be on the Island this summer and would like to do this....for those who have done this...is it worth $150 per couple?

Our friends did this on the Crown last week and really recommend it. One of the couples they cruised with chose not to.

Thanks!

 

Absolutely worth it! Just don't eat for several hours beforehand. ;)

[Cruisin' Grandma]

We did the Chef's Table on the Island Princess last April. If Chef Nilo Palma is still on board, you're in for a real treat. It was fantastic!!!

[dbeckett]

Do they give the menu as a souvenir or do you have to ask for one?

 

What about the wine? is it included on the back of the menu?

[sns1]

We just got off the Island today (1/29). We did the Chef's Table and it was outstanding. We called from our room the day we arrived and no one answered the phone. We tried many times. We decided to call from a hall phone and guess what? Someone picked up. They took down all our information and said we would hear from them in a day or so. There were six couples chosen. All the other couples were told that they were wait listed for the event. We were never told that.

 

There is an enormous amount of food but it was worth every calorie and also the $75.00 price tag. We would do it again.

[LARGIN]

Do they give the menu as a souvenir or do you have to ask for one?

 

What about the wine? is it included on the back of the menu?

You will get the menu as a souvenir and you can have as much wine as you want. Raise your glass and it will be filled.. :D:D

[sultan_sfo]

Not quite based on our experience (and also some of the other posters)! May be only for suite dwellers that are also at chefs table.

 

You will get the menu as a souvenir and you can have as much wine as you want. Raise your glass and it will be filled.. :D:D

[rdsqrl]

Absolutely worth it! Just don't eat for several hours beforehand. ;)

Several hours?! More like, several days!! I was rueing the yogurt and grapefruit I had eaten at 9am!

 

Not quite based on our experience (and also some of the other posters)! May be only for suite dwellers that are also at chefs table.

Wine was sloshed about pretty lavishly at my chef's table, and I can assure you that I was not a suite dweller; however, I was in a deluxeoceanview, so maybe that was why. If you wanted more wine, did you try asking: you know, with the bowl of the wineglass cupped in your hands, in your best Cockney accent, "Please, sir, may I have some more" a la Oliver Twist?

[sultan_sfo]

I should have have mentioned that a whole bottle of the Ferrari Carano Merlot Red just for me would have hit the spot after the free flowing champagne and one glass of the white! Well I was not driving and going back to the cabin the sea always acts rough causing me to sway a bit. But we are polite cruisers and never insist.

 

Several hours?! More like, several days!! I was rueing the yogurt and grapefruit I had eaten at 9am!

 

 

Wine was sloshed about pretty lavishly at my chef's table, and I can assure you that I was not a suite dweller; however, I was in a deluxeoceanview, so maybe that was why. If you wanted more wine, did you try asking: you know, with the bowl of the wineglass cupped in your hands, in your best Cockney accent, "Please, sir, may I have some more" a la Oliver Twist?

[L&D]

Last March, DH and I did the Chef's Table on the Coral (Panama Cruise). It was fantastic and not to be missed. It was well worth the $75 pp. As others have said call the DINE line as soon as you get to your cabin. We were "interviewed" to see if we had any allergies etc and what to expect. Note, ladies you are required to wear closed toed shoes in the kitchen. Yes, I did wear sneakers with my dress!!

At the appointed time and day, we met the Maitre d', put on a white coat and were escorted to the galley for a mini tour. Be sure to take your camera!! We were served our hors d'ouvres in the galley, chatting with Executive Chef who explained the different stations, and you could ask question of the galley staff. It was fascinating!

We were then escorted to a private table in one area of the main dining room. We were 10 at the table with a serving staff of 6+. The presentation, food and wine and the service were excellent and the whole evening memorable.

At the end of the meal you were presented with 2 photos - one of the whole group with the Maitre d' and the Executive Chef and the other photo with the Maitre d' and the Executive Chef and yourself. (Taken in the Dining Room at the table). As well you were presented with a Princess cookbook signed by these two gentlemen, a copy of the menu and the ladies were presented with a long stemmed rose which lasted for the remaining 14 days of the cruise!

We are going on a Caribbean cruise in February and plan/hope on doing it again. I hope you enjoy it as much as we all have. It is one of the best kept secrets of Princess!!