Steak Master Class - Buyer Beware!!!

[FlyingCruiser2]

Just finished the Steak Master Class Ship Experience on Reflection.   This was the first time they’ve done this class on this ship.  
 

Quoting from the description “During this hands-on class, learn how to get your steak to come out as tenderly and well-seasoned as when you order at your favorite restaurant.”  We also had l letter in the cabin reminding us we are in crew galley and other areas and warning about straying off, having to wash our hands frequently, etc. 

 

In reality, it was a short demo of them cooking in the Lawn Club Grill followed by sampling the meat they cooked.  The demo was informative, however the “experience” was nowhere near the description and certainly not worth the price that was charged.  
 

 

Edited April 23 by FlyingCruiser2
Spelling

[Traveling Fools]

Good to know,  Thanks

[jenf22]

Bummer.  I signed my husband up for it on our July Silhouette cruise.  Kinda figured he would be cooking a steak... especially for $60.  Thanks for the review!

[FlyingCruiser2]

Update……

 

Looks like they posted a refund for all of us of 50% of the charge for the class.  This wasn’t asked for or even expected, to be honest.  
 

Hopefully they’ll change the description in the future.  
 

Have to give them kudos on how it was handled now.

 

[Octavias]

Wow.  Hard pass for us.  We weren’t able to sign up for the steak one because of timing but we’re considering the pizza one.  For that price it should include a meal.  No way we will now.  Thanks for the heads up. 

[ZapRowsdower]

8 minutes ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

Update……

 

Looks like they posted a refund for all of us of 50% of the charge for the class.  This wasn’t asked for or even expected, to be honest.  
 

Hopefully they’ll change the description in the future.  
 

Have to give them kudos on how it was handled now.

 

It seems like they know that what they delivered is not what they advertised. Perhaps it was first-day issues that will get resolved in the future. I had been looking at this activity as well as the mixology class for my sea day on Reflection in July. Looking forward to see what Kteacher has to say about that class in her thread.

[PTC DAWG]

21 minutes ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

Update……

 

Looks like they posted a refund for all of us of 50% of the charge for the class.  This wasn’t asked for or even expected, to be honest.  
 

Hopefully they’ll change the description in the future.  
 

Have to give them kudos on how it was handled now.

 

Thats better for sure

[FlyingCruiser2]

33 minutes ago, Octavias said:

Wow.  Hard pass for us.  We weren’t able to sign up for the steak one because of timing but we’re considering the pizza one.  For that price it should include a meal.  No way we will now.  Thanks for the heads up. 

Someone asked about that, as they were going to cancel the pizza class they reserved.  We were told that the pizza one is actually hands-on.

When I said earlier a “sampling of what they cooked”, it was definitely meal-sized, and you could go to the salad bar.

Edited April 23 by FlyingCruiser2

[Octavias]

1 minute ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

Someone asked about that, as they were going to cancel the pizza class they reserved.  We were told that the pizza one is actually hands-on.

Thanks for clarifying.  

[Lena11033]

That doesn't sound good at least there was some sort of refund.

 

I did a beignet one, they had the ingredients for each person and we did all the steps to make the dough. Only bit we didn't do was frying (makes sense), they fried dough they had made in the morning to had more time to proof. After they had us sit in the restaurant and they served us the finished product with sauces and coffee.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I've done a cooking class for a fee in Tuscan where we got a full meal. Have also done demos for no fee where we got a taste of what was cooked, and others where it was just a demo.  This sounds like a money grab, even with a 50% refund.

[mahasamatman]

4 hours ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

We were told that the pizza one is actually hands-on.

When I make pizza, it takes over 24 hours.

[jwlane]

1 hour ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

This sounds like a money grab

After you board, everything is a money grab.

[kwokpot]

6 hours ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

During this hands-on class, learn how to get your steak to come out as tenderly and well-seasoned as when you order at your favorite restaurant.”

I'll tell you here for free.

1) Buy a nice ribeye steak

2) have on hand a cast iron skillet or grill pan 

3) preheat pan at high heat

4) season steak with sea salt, fresh coarse black pepper, garlic powder 

5) grill 4 minutes on each side 

6)remove from pan, let rest 5 minutes

7) eat your perfect steak

Edited April 24 by kwokpot

[mn1111]

9 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

I'll tell you here for free.

1) Buy a nice ribeye steak

2) have on hand a cast iron skillet or grill pan 

3) preheat pan at high heat

4) season steak with sea salt, fresh coarse black pepper, garlic powder 

5) grill 4 minutes on each side 

6)remove from pan, let rest 5 minutes

7) eat your perfect steak

Afterwards, de-glaze the pan with beef stock and cognac, when halfway reduced add some heavy cream (Ronnybrook farms non-homogenized if available) and let reduce a bit more at a lower heat setting.  When sauce thickens, fortify with European style butter and spoon over the steak. 

 

You can also reverse sear by cooking steak to 125 degrees in the oven at about 275 for 40mins or so and then searing for one minute to a minute and a half on each side in the hot pan to finish.  Either way it comes out perfectly if you control your temperature properly.

[Georgia_Peaches]

6 hours ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

however the “experience” was nowhere near the description and certainly not worth the price that was charged.  

Good to know. What was the price of this experience?

[FlyingCruiser2]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

I'll tell you here for free.

1) Buy a nice ribeye steak

2) have on hand a cast iron skillet or grill pan 

3) preheat pan at high heat

4) season steak with sea salt, fresh coarse black pepper, garlic powder 

5) grill 4 minutes on each side 

6)remove from pan, let rest 5 minutes

7) eat your perfect steak

Pretty much what we learned.  They said the most important part was to let it come to room temp (said it was safe to leave out up to 4 hours), and rest longer than you think.

[FlyingCruiser2]

59 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Good to know. What was the price of this experience?

it was $68.  They refunded $34. 

[kwokpot]

4 minutes ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

Pretty much what we learned.  They said the most important part was to let it come to room temp (said it was safe to leave out up to 4 hours), and rest longer than you think.

I usually take mine out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking.

 

As others have said at least they realized the experience wasn't what was advertised.

 

 

[RichYak]

7 hours ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

Looks like they posted a refund for all of us of 50% of the charge for the class.  This wasn’t asked for or even expected, to be honest.

I imagine someone complained and asked for a credit, to be honest. 

[Homosassa]

10 hours ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

  They said the most important part was to let it come to room temp (said it was safe to leave out up to 4 hours), 

Cringe worthy advice. 

 

Four hours at room temperature is the limit at which food should be thrown out. A half hour should  safely bring the meat to room temperature.

[Arubamoose]

14 hours ago, kwokpot said:

I'll tell you here for free.

1) Buy a nice ribeye steak

2) have on hand a cast iron skillet or grill pan 

3) preheat pan at high heat

4) season steak with sea salt, fresh coarse black pepper, garlic powder 

5) grill 4 minutes on each side 

6)remove from pan, let rest 5 minutes

7) eat your perfect steak

You missed a step before 1)

Leave the pre-salted steak out in your refrigerator a few days to age.

 

[Arubamoose]

Pre Covid - years ago - we did the pizza thing up at the Lawn Club.

It was very much hands on and we had a lot of fun.

The pizza was so-so but the rest of the meal was great.

[mahasamatman]

14 hours ago, FlyingCruiser2 said:

They said the most important part was to let it come to room temp (said it was safe to leave out up to 4 hours), and rest longer than you think.

 

The general rule of thumb is that rest time should be the same as cook time.

[mnocket]

I don't know if this is still the case, but it used to be that you could cook your own steak alongside the chef when dining at the LCG. Seems one could get a more personalized and hands-on experience doing this than attending the steak Master Class Ship Experience.