Poll: Who will replace Michel Roux?

[npb]

Boring???

 

What could you possibly want for breakfast or lunch that is not available?

 

There are more choices than anyone can eat.

[xplrcrzn]

The "next thing" for cruiselines will be "fix your own" dining, where the passenger goes into a large galley, picks a dinner from one of the giant fridges, microwaves it and hands it to a waiter to be delivered to the table. If it doesn't taste good you have no one to blame but yourself.

[usha]

I wouldn't mind a shot at being Celebrity's next executive chef::p

[m steve]

Comparing the menus on X, Hal and Princes they seem really alike. It doesn't seem that a chef is really important except for advertising purposes. The exec chef could just open a cookbook and find for a 7 day cruise, 7 steak recipes, 7 fish, etc. One night for lobster tails, 2 nights for roast beef, 7 chicken recipes. Designing the menu isn't as important as following the recipe and using quality ingredients. If the chef is limited to a certain $ amount for each entree then there's really a limit as to what can ber done. The one constant on X that I liked every night was the bread sticks. If you use Ponderosa quality beef you get Poderosa tasting steaks. Ever the surcharge restaurants can't serve a steak the quality of the Palm, Ruths Chris or Mortons. Oceania is offering a cruise with Jacques Pepin on board preparing some dishes and supervising the kitchens so that might be a real change and the prices are similar to the other 3 mentioned.

[pilewski]

daniel bouland

[goouchjac]

Andy,

 

That is a legitimate concern. Unfortunately, I believe that when RCI took over their bean counters cheapened what had been an industry leader.

 

Our first cruise on Celebrity was 1993 . . . . . . the food was fantastic. The second in 1995 it was just as good. Our 3rd was in late 1998 (1+ years after the acquisition) and I was able to discern a decline. Our 4 cruises since then have only reaffirmed that decline. Michele Roux or RCI and its' bean counters? Seeing as how Michele Roux still enjoys world-wide renown for his culinary achievements on his shore side establishments, I am led to believe it is the bean counters.

You are so right!!!Totally agree,,we also first cruised X in 1992 and yes the food was fantastic!We have noticed that since RCC took over the it has steadily gone down hill...let's hope the powers that be read the boards and pay attention:(

[Parrot Mom]

There is no doubt in my mind as somebody that loves to cook or used to anyhow..that the exact same recipe will come out differently with different kitchens and diferent chefs....Consistency is the word but it must be difficult when your feeding probably 1200 passengers at a time or less.. I do know that the meat on the Century last y ear was incredible, the fish...well, most left much to be desired.. and the same for the soups.. it was hit or miss.. Remember too.. that the same quality may not be available from all vendors at different ports.. I myself messed up in waiting until the last minute to find out what brand of chocolate was being used.. You could tell by the instant caffeine rush it was sooooo good....

[negc]

You are so right!!!Totally agree,,we also first cruised X in 1992 and yes the food was fantastic!We have noticed that since RCC took over the it has steadily gone down hill...let's hope the powers that be read the boards and pay attention:(

 

If that is true about the decline, then I guess the Monsieur Roux wasn't doing his job as he has remained with the line for a lot of years since the takeover. However, most of what I read seems to indicate that the food on Celebrity is usually first-rate. I have only the experience of one meal onboard the Galaxy when I had an opportunity to tour her. It was in the buffet restaurant and while the food was good, it didn't seem, IMHO, exceptional and certainly not any better than I had had on any previous cruises on other ships or lines. There seems to be a tendency to equate change with decline, not only here, but in most aspects of life. Perhaps we romanticize our memories a bit and things are sometimes remembered as being better than they really were? I recommend looking at each cruise as a new opportunity for wonderful experiences rather than trying to rate it against our past trips.

[DocJohnB]

If that is true about the decline, then I guess the Monsieur Roux wasn't doing his job as he has remained with the line for a lot of years since the takeover.

 

My original point that goouchjac responded to had more to do with the quality of the food over the years and its' decline. Michel Roux has indeed been the "head Fred - so to speak" all those years and he does have to shoulder some of the responsibility. He would have been better off to disengage when RCI took over.

 

There seems to be a tendency to equate change with decline, not only here, but in most aspects of life. Perhaps we romanticize our memories a bit and things are sometimes remembered as being better than they really were?

 

I won't argue the first point, in general. However, I will say that in my case with THIS issue, I am not equating change with decline. I am equating decline with decline. The quality of food, IMO, has declined on Celebrity from when we first sailed on the line in 1992 - not just in the dining rooms, but also in other food venues. As to the second part of the quote above . . again in general, would agree . . . . . I may romanticize my memories of my first cruise, however, I really don't romanticize food or its memories.

 

Over the years on the C/C board in many different threads where food is the subject matter I have written and truly believe that food is the most subjective issue on a cruise.

 

I recommend looking at each cruise as a new opportunity for wonderful experiences rather than trying to rate it against our past trips.

 

I do look at each cruise as a new opportunity for wonderful/enjoyable experiences, but how does one come to the decision of it being wonderful/enjoyable if there are no comparisons?

[DocJohnB]

I myself messed up in waiting until the last minute to find out what brand of chocolate was being used.. You could tell by the instant caffeine rush it was sooooo good....

 

Excellent point Parrot Mom and one in which bean counters play a huge part. There is not only a taste difference between Hershey's chocolate and Ghiradelli chocolate, there is a price difference.

[dlhamlten]

Double Post

[dlhamlten]

She can prepare my pasta for lunch, dinner and breakfast anytime !

 

Hope whichever Chef Celebrity affiliates with will bring some innovative and high-quality cuisine with them. Not that any cruiseline food is bad, but in this very subjective area, the Celebrity food we have had was not that much better than any other mass line's.

 

Maybe our expectations had been built too high before trying Celebrity a few years ago ?

 

IMHO Celebrity needs to differentiate their product in some category and food is a distinct possibility !

[tcocktail]

If that is true about the decline, then I guess the Monsieur Roux wasn't doing his job as he has remained with the line for a lot of years since the takeover. However, most of what I read seems to indicate that the food on Celebrity is usually first-rate. I have only the experience of one meal onboard the Galaxy when I had an opportunity to tour her. It was in the buffet restaurant and while the food was good, it didn't seem, IMHO, exceptional and certainly not any better than I had had on any previous cruises on other ships or lines. There seems to be a tendency to equate change with decline, not only here, but in most aspects of life. Perhaps we romanticize our memories a bit and things are sometimes remembered as being better than they really were? I recommend looking at each cruise as a new opportunity for wonderful experiences rather than trying to rate it against our past trips.

 

 

Possibly this is why Michel Roux is no longer with Celebrity. I was on the summit in the spring and the executive chef did state they follow the recipes. IMHO, the fish was awful, no taste very bland, the beef was just ok except the filet, and the lamb was outstanding. It is certainly not the food before RCCL took over but I believe this is also an industry wide issue with the big companies. A friend was on the costellation in May had sailed Rccl and loved the food came home and couldn't call me fast enough they said the food was absolutly " awful" no doubt about. These people have travelled all over the world andhave eaten in the finest of resturants. The food is area that they can cut cuts still have the presentation and it look good. Things will not change until enough passengers complain to the management.

[tcocktail]

If that is true about the decline, then I guess the Monsieur Roux wasn't doing his job as he has remained with the line for a lot of years since the takeover. However, most of what I read seems to indicate that the food on Celebrity is usually first-rate. I have only the experience of one meal onboard the Galaxy when I had an opportunity to tour her. It was in the buffet restaurant and while the food was good, it didn't seem, IMHO, exceptional and certainly not any better than I had had on any previous cruises on other ships or lines. There seems to be a tendency to equate change with decline, not only here, but in most aspects of life. Perhaps we romanticize our memories a bit and things are sometimes remembered as being better than they really were? I recommend looking at each cruise as a new opportunity for wonderful experiences rather than trying to rate it against our past trips.

 

 

Possibly this is why Michel Roux is no longer with Celebrity. I was on the summit in the spring and the executive chef did state they follow the recipes. IMHO, the fish was awful, no taste very bland, the beef was just ok except the filet, and the lamb was outstanding. It is certainly not the food before RCCL took over but I believe this is also an industry wide issue with the big companies. A friend was on the costellation in May had sailed Rccl and loved the food came home and couldn't call me fast enough they said the food was absolutly " awful" no doubt about. These people have travelled all over the world andhave eaten in the finest of resturants. The food is area that they can cut cuts still have the presentation and it look good. Things will not change until enough passengers complain to the management.