Disappointed Chef - Let down by Cruise Dictator Ken Mills

[DisappointedChef]

Surely a little research - even coming on CC and asking questions about the Top Chef onboard -- would have let you know that this isn't a real "Top Chef" activity. As are most things onboard this is meant for laughs - and they would NOT have appreciated you trying to take over for the chef because that isn't what you get picked for.

 

They want the laughable train wreck not the guy with desperation in his eyes. So you did not do your research and set all your dreams in the wrong basket. I'm very sorry for that but you need to accept responsibility.

 

Second, part of being a grown up is learning to handle disappointment ... or I'd still be crying about not making the Pom Pom Team in high school, or the Homecoming Court, or ..

 

Hi Jane,

The Celebrity website promises:

-------------------------------------

Our exclusive Top Chef at Sea program sharpens your skills and invigorates your palate with delicious culinary experiences on most of our sailings.* We've partnered with Bravo and its Emmy® Award-winning TV show, Top Chef, to bring you this tantalizing experience. Quickfire Challenges toss you into the spotlight—if you dare—and Top Chef Night in the main restaurant treats you to dishes conceived by popular cheftestants from the show. You'll be in foodie heaven from appetizer to dessert.

--------------------------------------

Which part of that smacks of "only for laughs"......pray tell!!!!! It is advertised as a "Cookery" programme......NOT a stand-up comedy routine!!!! Or did I miss the memo????????

As an avid watcher of the Top Chef competition on TV.........I can confirm that it is a thoroughly professional show. So yes! I did my research......but none of my findings pointed to the "buffoonery" that I experienced onboard. The Cruise Director and the Executive Chef chasing each other away from the table so their teams would excel.......

Chef Tom Collichio and Padma Laxmi would cringe if they were present!!!!

[DisappointedChef]

And have an obvious flair for the dramatic. You remind me of my 5 year old grandson who had a temper tantrum because he didn't get to fight Darth Vader when he visited Walt Disney World.

 

Next time, do your homework so that your expectations are somewhere close to the reality.

Either you didn't bother to research this properly, or you allowed your imagination to run amok.

 

The Celebrity website promises:

Our exclusive Top Chef at Sea program sharpens your skills and invigorates your palate with delicious culinary experiences on most of our sailings.* We've partnered with Bravo and its Emmy® Award-winning TV show, Top Chef, to bring you this tantalizing experience. Quickfire Challenges toss you into the spotlight—if you dare—and Top Chef Night in the main restaurant treats you to dishes conceived by popular cheftestants from the show. You'll be in foodie heaven from appetizer to dessert.

Passion can be misconstrued for the "dramatic"........but you knew that!!! Didn't you?

Nowhere does it mention that the Top Chef @ Sea show is "for laughs only!!!!" What other homework would you suggest for me.......despite the fact that I am not your 5 year old grandson!!!!! LOL

Edited October 18, 2016 by DisappointedChef
spelling

[richsea]

Thanks to all for the very entertaining afternoon.

 

DiappointedChef, I am sorry you did not get picked & did not realize the activity was supposed to be fun entertainment & not a showcase for chefs, or chef wannabes. However, I think you are way over-reacting to a perceived slight on the part of the cruise director. Get over it and move on; you'll feel better.

[north29]

But MOST of the actual competitions activities on cruise ships are farcical buffoonery and entertainment for the masses, not that it is all bad, but winning or getting chosen to participate many times is the LUCK of the DRAW. Some one said above, you might have spoken to the CD and set up your chances but who knows. Some one mentioned HAL had a pay for cooking activity, could be interesting. My lady watches the Cooking channels and she would love to watch one live.

[CaroleSS]

On our cruise on the Reflection (maybe 2 years ago), they had one of these. My DIL is an avid chef and wanted her to be selected for the show. I spoke with the CD (maybe 1/2 hour before the show) and asked if she could be a contestant. He obliged and I went looking for her. Long story shortened, she didn't show up, so I took her place.

 

Although it was REALLY fun, a first-rate cook-off, it wasn't. I was relegated to stirring and the like, whereas the head chef did the major lifting (and much of the meal was handed to us from someone off the stage). I took the opportunity to 'ham it up' with the 'judges'. I rubbed their shoulders, poured them some wine and the like (I think I even gave one of them a peck on the cheek!). This was a SHOW (read entertainment) and no one (NO ONE) thought it was anything other than that. It was NOT a serious competition.....there were no 5star chefs scouting the show....it was a SHOW. (I did win a bottle of sparkling wine for my troubles!!)

 

While I do understand your disappointment as not being selected, I do hope that you had a wonderful vacation. People want a lot of things in their lives. I wanted more than anything to be a ballerina.....that didn't happen and I lived to tell the tale of trying.

 

If not being selected for this is your greatest disappointment in life....count yourself lucky.

[digital_curator]

I've finished my popcorn, so just in case this is legit.

 

OP- X sometimes offers special Top Chef cruises, with chances to meet past contestants, see their cooking demos, and other show-related events. I think this would better provide the experience that you were looking for.

 

I have seen 2 Top Chef competioins onboard. It would have been fun to get picked but I was happy to watch the show. Very limited "cooking" because of fire regulations but a nice way to spend 1/2 hour on a sea day...I'm sorry that your expectations were so different from your experience.

[AmberCascades]

I think you owe Ken Mills an apology. He didn't do anything deliberately to hurt your feelings. His job is to organize entertainment for 2,000 + people. His job is NOT to make all your cooking show dreams come true.

 

It's hard to believe you would spend thousands of dollars and drive 4 hours to the port, to take a cruise, so that you could participate in a 30 - 60 minute competition. Perhaps you were hoping a Top Chef producer would be there, immediately recognize your culinary brilliance and whisk you off the ship to begin your career as the new Gordon Ramsey??

 

If you are joking then thanks. This makes a nice change from the usual dress code/tipping threads.

 

If you are serious, perhaps you should look into taking courses at a cordon bleu school, or, as someone mentioned, apply on-line for a tv-show cooking competition.

 

But the blame for your mis-managed expectations should not be placed at the feet of Mr. Mills.

[DrivesLikeMario]

OP, you clearly need to share your talents in another venue. A cruise ship is not the place. The Top Chef @ Sea is not an awards program on TV. No one really considers the person that wins a real winner of Top Chef. It's a joke and meant to be that way.

 

You clearly have cooking talents that would be better suited to other cooking competitions. But, the point I take away from your post is that if you're really, really interested in doing 1 particular thing on a cruise, do everything you can beforehand to increase your chances of being picked for whatever it is you want to do.

[DisappointedChef]

Thanks to all for the very entertaining afternoon.

 

DiappointedChef, I am sorry you did not get picked & did not realize the activity was supposed to be fun entertainment & not a showcase for chefs, or chef wannabes. However, I think you are way over-reacting to a perceived slight on the part of the cruise director. Get over it and move on; you'll feel better.

 

Hi Richsea,

If the Masterchef @ Sea was intended to be "all fun and light entertainment"......why does the website misrepresent this thus:

Exclusive Top Chef at Sea program sharpens your skills and invigorates your palate with delicious culinary experiences on most of our sailings.* We've partnered with Bravo and its Emmy® Award-winning TV show, Top Chef, to bring you this tantalizing experience. Quickfire Challenges toss you into the spotlight—if you dare—and Top Chef Night in the main restaurant treats you to dishes conceived by popular cheftestants from the show. You'll be in foodie heaven from appetizer to dessert.

Bear in mind this was the deciding factor in my selection of Celebrity over the other........

If Celebrity had the courtesy to reply to my feedback......it might have lessened the sting of the disappointment.........

[warmwinds]

Whether it was meant to be serious or meant to be light-hearted entertainment, the fact remains that you were ONE out of how many in the audience? Dozens? Hundreds? How many were even in the first row with you? And how many were chosen...sounds like 4 or 5?

 

This cannot be something you actually complained to Celebrity corporate about.

[DisappointedChef]

OP, you clearly need to share your talents in another venue. A cruise ship is not the place. The Top Chef @ Sea is not an awards program on TV. No one really considers the person that wins a real winner of Top Chef. It's a joke and meant to be that way.

 

You clearly have cooking talents that would be better suited to other cooking competitions. But, the point I take away from your post is that if you're really, really interested in doing 1 particular thing on a cruise, do everything you can beforehand to increase your chances of being picked for whatever it is you want to do.

 

Thanks DrivesLikeMario,

That is one of the most convincing suggestions I have received. I presumed the selection would be "fair and fortright" and that was my undoing. There were no details of the actual "selection" to be found. I did speak to the Cruise Director when I met him the day before......

Next cruise (IF there is a "next" cruise!) I will make sure I curry favour with the Cruise Director and make sure I've done all the necessary spadework in advance. I just didn't think it was necessary. Selections for anything in Sweden are pretty cut-n-dried. I need to think outside the "spice-box"....and your input threw light on the fact that one needs to work to an end!

Thanks again!!!!!

[Cruise Raider]

Thanks. I am a virgin-poster......but not a virgin-cruiser.

If anyone has any leads on specific Cruises that have any similar opportunities with renowned Cookery shows.......I'd be happy to hear about them! Hopefully they help water down the disappointment of The Solstice & Ken's snub!

 

The cruises offering their sailings related to any renowned cookery shows will most likely always be a competition against a couple thousand other passengers just to get on stage so would just lead to further disappointment.

 

Now, I am not sure if you are eligible to book through an American based travel agency (not a bias but maybe because of some legalities in your laws) but there is a big box store agency (we aren't allowed to mention agencies in this forum) in the US that has what are referred to as Buyer's Choice cruises. Many of these cruises are culinary -- I see some culinary cruises offered on the Millennium, Reflection and the Solstice for 2017. We've done these before and loved them. The groups are kept under 100 people and there is no competition but the chefs they invite onboard are easily accessible if you want to discuss cooking techniques. There are also some wonderful wine pairing luncheons offered as well as other amenities that you might enjoy. It is not competition based ... but for the enjoyment of the small group that books with this particular agency.

While you might be too disappointed to pick Celebrity again, I thought I would just throw it out there in case you might be interested in something a little different but also based on culinary expertise.

We did one with John Howie, a well known restaurateur from Seattle, and had an amazing cruise. Best thing is, he treated our small group like family.

We've also done several of the wine cruises under this group promotion. The prices are great and there are some nice events included ... again, just for the small group.

[DisappointedChef]

Whether it was meant to be serious or meant to be light-hearted entertainment, the fact remains that you were ONE out of how many in the audience? Dozens? Hundreds? How many were even in the first row with you? And how many were chosen...sounds like 4 or 5?

 

This cannot be something you actually complained to Celebrity corporate about.

 

Hi Warmwinds,

If the selection was fair.......read: Interested candidates dropped their names into a hat....or something similar.......like a sign up form.......I would bear no grudge or carry no millstone!

And why dont the BravoTV or Celebrity websites advertise this as "Strictly for laughs?"

Isn't it time someone brought these shortcomings to the attention of Celebrity Corporate? I'd be happy if future "Cheftestants" were not disappointed. Hopefully this thread will serve as "research" to future Cruisers.....

[donaldsc]

You have posted 22 replies on this topic. You are a one thread wonder.

 

There is a TV show that you might consider applying to - http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/worst-cooks-in-america.html

 

DON

 

Just to make it clear as the full show title did not show, it is "The Worse Cooks in America". BTW, even though the show is obviously not on the level, it is a hoot to watch. Try it.

 

DON

[London Traveller]

Def def definitely a windup thread. Absolutely brilliant ;)

 

Haven't laughed so much in ages. German MIL :p

 

Wish I had popcorn.

 

Have to say, would still have been funny without the comments regarding Mr Mills motive. :(

[helen haywood]

I think you are putting too much faith in your definition of what the Top Chef at Sea program was. To go by the Celebrity wording you just quoted: "We've partnered with Bravo and its Emmy Award winning TV show..." that means they have reached a legal agreement allowing Celebrity to use the words "Top Chef." No more. "Tantalizing experience" is a marketing expression. "Quickfire Challenges"...they did offer that. It was not the serious cooking demonstration you thought it would be but it fulfills the legal responsibility Bravo and Celebrity worked out. There was a "Top Chef Night" in the MDR on your cruise I'm sure.

 

Celebrity was not misleading at all. You interpreted what the experience would be based on the Top Chef TV shows you have seen at home. The experience wasn't the serious culinary competition you had expected it would be. That is unfortunate but Celebrity, again, did not mislead you and therefore I really wouldn't expect a response from them. I've provided feedback when my toilet overflowed and was not fixed for 24 hours and they did not respond to that!

[NLH Arizona]

Hi Algebraluvr,

From which comment exactly did you deduce "young people being entitled"?

I had a long chat with Ken Mills the night before the show when I met him at the Theatre. I did tell him how far we had travelled and how important the Top Chef feature was in selecting Celebrity over their competitors......so he knew my background and reason for selecting Celebrity.

I do have a hifalutin writing style.....but dont let that lead you to wrongly believe that I am of the "entitled" ilk!!!!! I am the most down-to-earth, outgoing person you could ever find!

This disappointment was genuine......not a cry for help!!!!!!!!

I think meeting with the CD and telling them how important it was to you to be picked, was probably the reason you were not picked, especially if you told him how serious you were about cooking, as the show was suppose to be fun and entertaining, not a cooking lesson. If he would have picked you or anyone else who told him they really wanted to be picked, folks would have cried fowl, because you really, really wanted to be picked instead of randomly picking folks.

[DisappointedChef]

The cruises offering their sailings related to any renowned cookery shows will most likely always be a competition against a couple thousand other passengers just to get on stage so would just lead to further disappointment.

 

Now, I am not sure if you are eligible to book through an American based travel agency (not a bias but maybe because of some legalities in your laws) but there is a big box store agency (we aren't allowed to mention agencies in this forum) in the US that has what are referred to as Buyer's Choice cruises. Many of these cruises are culinary -- I see some culinary cruises offered on the Millennium, Reflection and the Solstice for 2017. We've done these before and loved them. The groups are kept under 100 people and there is no competition but the chefs they invite onboard are easily accessible if you want to discuss cooking techniques. There are also some wonderful wine pairing luncheons offered as well as other amenities that you might enjoy. It is not competition based ... but for the enjoyment of the small group that books with this particular agency.

While you might be too disappointed to pick Celebrity again, I thought I would just throw it out there in case you might be interested in something a little different but also based on culinary expertise.

We did one with John Howie, a well known restaurateur from Seattle, and had an amazing cruise. Best thing is, he treated our small group like family.

We've also done several of the wine cruises under this group promotion. The prices are great and there are some nice events included ... again, just for the small group.

 

Thanks for the suggestions CruiseRaider.

I will certainly do more research........ I'm currently still trying to figure out which "Big Box store" you are referring to. Must work on figuring that one out.....

[DisappointedChef]

I think you owe Ken Mills an apology. He didn't do anything deliberately to hurt your feelings. His job is to organize entertainment for 2,000 + people. His job is NOT to make all your cooking show dreams come true.

 

It's hard to believe you would spend thousands of dollars and drive 4 hours to the port, to take a cruise, so that you could participate in a 30 - 60 minute competition. Perhaps you were hoping a Top Chef producer would be there, immediately recognize your culinary brilliance and whisk you off the ship to begin your career as the new Gordon Ramsey??

 

If you are joking then thanks. This makes a nice change from the usual dress code/tipping threads.

 

If you are serious, perhaps you should look into taking courses at a cordon bleu school, or, as someone mentioned, apply on-line for a tv-show cooking competition.

 

But the blame for your mis-managed expectations should not be placed at the feet of Mr. Mills.

 

No! I'm sticking with pinning all the blame for the disappointment on Ken Mills!

My exact words to him on departure were' "A Cruise Director can make or break the experience for a Cruiser.....and he CHOSE to break it for me!!!!!!"

[Orator]

I would curry favor with the Executive Chef. I've seen them selecting people. Most of the Executive Chef's I know love to discuss cooking and would welcome time with a real foodie who has a passion for cooking. Celebrity's Executive Chefs are an interesting lot. One cooked for the Royal family another from Jamaica prepares kosher food for his wife.

[AmberCascades]

No! I'm sticking with pinning all the blame for the disappointment on Ken Mills!

My exact words to him on departure were' "A Cruise Director can make or break the experience for a Cruiser.....and he CHOSE to break it for me!!!!!!"

 

 

But it wasn't even the competition you thought it was :confused:. So you are disappointed that he didn't choose you to be in a competition that wasn't really a competition???

 

I am sorry you were disappointed but the only other thing I can say is that it's too bad you didn't find this forum before your cruise. Had you come here and asked about cooking cruises, or the Top Chef at Sea program, you would have had a better idea of what to expect instead of thinking you were going to be on a tv show.

[Gonzo70]

It all makes sense now; the OP is Ken Mills having a little fun under a pseudonym. Well played!

[DisappointedChef]

I think you are putting too much faith in your definition of what the Top Chef at Sea program was. To go by the Celebrity wording you just quoted: "We've partnered with Bravo and its Emmy Award winning TV show..." that means they have reached a legal agreement allowing Celebrity to use the words "Top Chef." No more. "Tantalizing experience" is a marketing expression. "Quickfire Challenges"...they did offer that. It was not the serious cooking demonstration you thought it would be but it fulfills the legal responsibility Bravo and Celebrity worked out. There was a "Top Chef Night" in the MDR on your cruise I'm sure.

 

Celebrity was not misleading at all. You interpreted what the experience would be based on the Top Chef TV shows you have seen at home. The experience wasn't the serious culinary competition you had expected it would be. That is unfortunate but Celebrity, again, did not mislead you and therefore I really wouldn't expect a response from them. I've provided feedback when my toilet overflowed and was not fixed for 24 hours and they did not respond to that!

 

Hi Helen,

Thank you for taking the time to type out details.

I am NOT going to go with a "My bad" for misconstruing the promise on the website. If the Powers that be at Bravo and Celebrity want to position the show as "frivolous" entertainment unlike the decorous and staid TV Show......then they need to specify that, so that shoppers are not misled!

The "Top-Chef Night Menu" enthused me even more......

Hopefully my suggestion of more transparency.....coupled with this thread being out-there in cyberspace........will help future cruisers better with research.

Its better if wannabes come onboard with no expectations whatsoever.......

Those of us who have to endure 13 hours of flying to position ourselves for a cruise will also think twice........

[Chunky2219]

I've worked and travelled in Sweden much more than I care to remember. I even used to speak the lingo once, but all these years later it's pretty much gone.

 

All I can say is that if you are a half decent chef, please stop sailing, stay in Sweden and put your heart and soul into improving the local cusine. Any nation that can serve up a stir-fry with Bernaise sauce on top needs all the help it can get. Potatoes, tomatoes, elk meat, sil, lax, they're all great but for heaven's sake, get a bit more international.

 

.

[DisappointedChef]

It all makes sense now; the OP is Ken Mills having a little fun under a pseudonym. Well played!

 

What is an OP?

Forgive my ignorance.......but this is my "virgin" attempt at using a Cruise message board.

 

And no.......I am not an avatar/pseudonym/incarnation of Ken Mills.

 

I am based in a remote part of Sweden......and made the mistake of pinning too much hope on something I am extremely passionate about.

 

The number of responses is intriguing!!!!!