Chef's Table and Food Allergies

[GoochDSA]

One of the experiences my fiancee and I are hoping to get to experience on our honeymoon is the Chef's Table. She has really bad tree nut and peanut allergies. Do the chefs take note of food allergies and alter the menu? Do they know this before the dinner or is this something they won't know unless we tell them (which we would anyway)? Do they just eliminate the ingredients from her dish or give her a completely different dish? We have done Chef Tables and other similar dinners in the past and sometimes they give her something completely different and sometimes they just eliminate or substitute.

 

Also, how hard is it to get a table for the Chef's Table (we are doing an 11 night partial PC next October)? If it is popular, do we have a better chance at getting in since we will be in a full suite?

 

TIA! :D

[Loonbeam]

As long as they know about it (they will ask if you are accepted) the chef will adjust. How they adjust is their discretion, either a modified dish or different dish is an option.

 

The Chef's Table can be very popular, put your request in via the Dine Line on embarkation day. Suite status probably will not make a difference.

[Treven]

I just got off the Sea Princess last Tuesday. I boarded the ship about noon and immediately called the Dine line and the next day received a notice that I was included in the Chef's Table; there were only 9 of us, with a maximum of 12 people. We had a meeting with the maitre'd the day before the dinner where he asked if anyone had any food allergies. As everyone answered that they didn't, I really don't know how that would have been handled should someone had answered they did.

[LuvTheGoodLife]

My experience was a little different. We requested Chef's Table and got call back asking if we had any allergies. When I responded yes, I was told the menu could not be adjusted and that meant we were no longer on the list for attendees.

[CleoChase]

We have 3 in our party of 4 with food allergies and did Chef's table on our last Princess cruise. I don't think they changed the menu, but with the amounts of food that were presented it was pretty easy to avoid our trigger foods. They did ask a lot of questions to make sure that they could accomadate us. But then none of us has nut allergies. Definitely make the call, when they ask about allergies, they will talk to you and determine if they can work around them.

[HomelessBear]

When we did Chefs Table on the Crown, we couldn't book via the DINE line, we had to visit the Maitre'D in person in one of the dining rooms the first afternoon we boarded. I am allergic to mango and DH to melon, and we had to wait a day or two to know if we were accepted, which we were. The CT fell on the day of my 50th birthday and it was a lovely evening, one I will never forget. Food was stunning, service impecable and a big birthday cake at the end! They even did my favourite, strawberry soup, as a special course for DH and me.

They accommodated our allergies and I hope that they do for you too. The CT is wonderful.

[GoochDSA]

Thank you all for your responses. Are you able to book it from the table outside of Sabatini's? That is going to be our first stop after we board the Coral. Is it available for all nights or only a couple? Sorry to be asking so many questions after my initial question. You know how one thing leads to another. ;)

 

My experience was a little different. We requested Chef's Table and got call back asking if we had any allergies. When I responded yes, I was told the menu could not be adjusted and that meant we were no longer on the list for attendees.

 

That sounds really disappointing. I'm sorry to hear that happened to you. What kind of allergies do you have, if you don't mind me asking? I hope you eventually get to experience it.

[caribill]

Is it available for all nights or only a couple?

 

 

 

 

Usually it is only offered one time on a 7 day cruise.

 

Even if offered multiple times on a cruise, you do not get to pick which night to attend.

[thenars]

On our last cruise we called the DINE line to get on the list for chef's table and were asked about allergies. I told them about my husband's allergy to crab and they said that they would probably not be able to accommodate us. But I told them to leave us on the list anyway.

 

It later turned out that there was enough demand that cruise for them to hold 2 Chef's Tables and we got a call for the second one! They switched out the one appetizer that had crab for my husband and everything else was the same.

 

So I imagine it has something to do with demand and how difficult the allergy is to accommodate...definitely worth asking though! Good luck!

[SiBreeze]

We did the CT on the Emerald. We were amongst the first to board. We tried calling the Dine Line but you only had a choice of the Crown Grill or Sabatini's and when we tried speaking to each of them they told us that was not the correct place to call, but were unable to direct us to the correct place. :confused:

 

We went down to the Purser's Desk to inquire about it and the fellow was so nice. He picked up the phone and called someone, then handed the phone to me and I spoke with a gentleman about food allergies, etc. The next day we had our invitation in the mailbox. :D

[Treven]

Thank you all for your responses. Is it available for all nights or only a couple?

 

It's only available one or sometimes two nights of a cruise, probably dependent on the length of the cruise. On the Sea Princess last week, a ten-day cruise, it was only offered for one night.

[jdvmd]

My experience was a little different. We requested Chef's Table and got call back asking if we had any allergies. When I responded yes, I was told the menu could not be adjusted and that meant we were no longer on the list for attendees.

 

Same thing happened to me on two different ships. Mine is a severe shellfish and seafood allergy.

[Loonbeam]

This can happen if the allergen is an ingredient in multiple dishes (shellfish for example was in 2 of our appetizers, the risotto as well - since the risotto and the subsequent dishes were being plated and served tableside, cross contamination becomes a huge risk).

 

Same thing happened to me on two different ships. Mine is a severe shellfish and seafood allergy.

[caribill]

We have no allergies, but one of us is a pescitarian and the other one does not eat seafood, pork or lamb.

 

Once selected when we went to the meeting is when we spoke about our preferences.

 

For the pescitarian, they simply made a special salmon main entree.

 

For the picky one, nothing special had to be done. Just needed to eat what I liked. There was plenty and neither one of us went away hungry.

[marz_cat]

I've done the chef's table twice on the Crown, both times I was able to throw my hat in the ring via the Dine Line. But you have to be very, very early about calling/signing up. Both times they held two chef's table events during the 7 day trip. Both times, however, they emphasized that food allergies couldn't be accommodated and the menu was set. I see from the comments here that this might not always be the case, but a nut allergy might be too much liability exposure for them to work with. I certainly hope not for your sake, since it really is a wonderful experience. Good luck, as everyone says it doesn't hurt to inquire!

[TracieABD]

I dont drink or eat shellfish. I was able to do the Chefs Table and even received a small price reduction for not consumming wine. :)

[contentsam]

One of the experiences my fiancee and I are hoping to get to experience on our honeymoon is the Chef's Table. She has really bad tree nut and peanut allergies. Do the chefs take note of food allergies and alter the menu? Do they know this before the dinner or is this something they won't know unless we tell them (which we would anyway)? Do they just eliminate the ingredients from her dish or give her a completely different dish? We have done Chef Tables and other similar dinners in the past and sometimes they give her something completely different and sometimes they just eliminate or substitute.

 

Also, how hard is it to get a table for the Chef's Table (we are doing an 11 night partial PC next October)? If it is popular, do we have a better chance at getting in since we will be in a full suite?

 

TIA! :D

When calling for a reservation, make sure they know you are on your honeeymoon. I know that Princess take special occasion in consideration.

Sam

[bphman]

We did the Chef's Table on the Star and it was fantastic. I have a severe shellfish allergy and there was no problem accommodating me. There was so much food to choose from that I could have just chosen what I could eat. I would imagine if you were gluten free/celiac that it might be a problem. The wine selection with unlimited pouring was exceptional. The wine alone was worth the cost.

[Coolmama_1]

I think it may also depend on how many people have signed up to do the Chef's Table. We did have one couple interested in our group but was not chosen due to a nut allergy. If they have more interest than spaces allowed, then I would guess it is much easier for them to chose based on who can do the menu without having to make too many exceptions. Hope you can work it out as it is a wonderful experience.

[GoochDSA]

Thank you all for your replies. I talked to my fiancee last night about this and told her that while we will still sign up for it, there is a chance that her food allergies will prevent us. We may opt to book a UBD dinner instead. However, we have 496 days and a whole lot more to deal with between now and then (although it is never too early to plan).

 

Thank you all again. :D

[Iamcruzin]

I think it may also depend on how many people have signed up to do the Chef's Table. We did have one couple interested in our group but was not chosen due to a nut allergy. If they have more interest than spaces allowed, then I would guess it is much easier for them to chose based on who can do the menu without having to make too many exceptions. Hope you can work it out as it is a wonderful experience.

 

I was going to say the same thing. I also think that the popularity of the Chefs table depends on the sailing. I would imagine that it is much more popular on less port intensive itineraries like the Caribbean as opposed to long port days and touring in Europe. Also the price jumped from $75 to $95 dollars since the last time I attended so maybe the demand leveled out a bit.