Le Cordon Bleu Circle of Interest

[HollDoll]

Hi: Has anyone participated in the Cordon Bleu program on a Regent cruise? I'm wondering if participants need to be very good chefs to begin with when choosing this program. I love to cook, but am definitely not a "chef"!! I don't know if I'd be totally intimidated by this program, esp. when they say on the description that each participant "will also prepare selections from the ship's own Le Cordon Bleu menus." Any input?

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I am doing the Cordon Bleu program for the 3rd time this November. The recipes are from simple to very complex. Everything is partially prepared and no cleanup required. They demonstrate each recipe first before you prepare it and the instructor and Cordon Bleu Chef/Executive Chef are usually there to assist. You also have a partner who will help - it's a group exercise and very social and fun. While I love to cook and my skills in the kitchen are decent, I've learned a lot and done things I haven't done before. It's a lot of learning techniques and presentation.

[Hambagahle]

I have done this twice. The first time I adored it. As noted you see the demo and then you cook - sometimes with a partner and sometimes alone. You don't clean up but you can eat what you cook (or, in my case, my husband "suddenly" appeared at the right time and ate it!!

The second time I liked it less. The main reason was that several recipes were repeated, even though the first chef was from London and the second from Canada. the other reason was many (most?) of the participants in my second group were rather large and it made moving around the galley difficult! To be fair, the first time on Mariner we cooked in the restaurant at Latitides. There was oodles of space around the tables. The second time on Voyager we cooked IN the galley itself and there was simply no room to pass these large people to get to the cooker!!

It is a shame that recipes were repeated but I suppose it can't be helped. If you have never done it it is really, really fun and you learn a lot!! Go for it!!

[Hody]

My wife and I have signed up for the April 7, Mariner Le Cordon Bleu Experience. We have had no formal chef training but are looking forward to learning some new cooking techniques and having fun. Regent does a great job of taking care of their quests so I expect it to be great.

[JDRMYS]

We're signed up for our 5th Cordon Bleu session on the 2008 "Grand Voyage" transatlantic on the Voyager. It's always one of the highlights of our cruise. You get to cook without cleaning up; the other participants are usually very interesting; and, no matter how often we take thses classes, we always learn something.

[Fitzcruiser]

Cruisers,

 

I am interested in the Cordon Bleu but my husband is not. So, how much time is involved and how often do you meet. Is there a limit on class size? Perhaps I am already aced out of the Nev. 3rd crossing! Any insight would be most appreciated.

 

Fitzcruiser

[ChatKat in Ca.]

Fitzcruiser, I am on the cruise of November 3rd and am taking the CB class. There will be three lessons of about 3-4 hours, a cocktail party, two dinners (one in Signatures and one in La Veranda with special menus) and a galley tour. Other then the 3 cooking sessions, your spouse will get to participate. It's a lot of fun. My husband hasn't taken the class with me yet. (That way he does dishes at home when I do cook!). You can invite them to taste your preparations when the preparation class is over.

[Fitzcruiser]

Thanks, Chatkat,

 

that really helps me to make a decision - hope I'm not too late!!!

 

Fitzcruiser

[JDRMYS]

Fitzcruiser, I have a friend going on your transatlantic cruise. He has tried, without success, to get a place in the Cordon Bleu classes. We are signed up for our 5th and 6th Cordon Bleu sessions in January and November of 2008. These classes have become more and more popular during the past few years. People seem to be booking their suites and the Cordon Bleu classes very far in advance. We are now making our bookings on Regent (and for the Cordon Bleu classes) at least 15 months in advance.

 

Good luck with your booking!

[ChatKat in Ca.]

The first time I took the CB class on the Mariner, they opened several additional classes when we boarded. The cruise featured a local cooking show host and her contingent of cruisers wanted to be included so additional classes were added on board and the existing classes were increased in size.

 

Last year on the Voyager, there were two full classes and there were some who signed up on board. That being said, I booked Cordon Bleu when I booked my cruise - about 14 months ago.

[Goofyisme]

DW and I reserved the CB Workshop for November '08 last week. After reading this thread I am glad we did so early.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I took one of these classes with Kathy. My husband and I actually cooked together for the first time, and no fights broke out!

 

We had a terrific time, learned a lot, and ate some great food, drank some great wine.

 

But...with all the great food on Voyager, I found that the eating became just a bit much. Cordon Bleu chefs use lots of butter and cream, that's for sure!

[freddie]

Wendy, my dear - What on earth is "just a bit much" about a little butter and cream in every dish from appetizer to dessert?! If people can deny global warming, then I choose to deny the existence of cholesterol, by cracky. Looking forward to our Cordon Bleu course on the Voyager crossing in November... Cheers, Fred

[JACKHAWK]

Just returned from Voyager Dover to Nice. Hubby and I both participated in CB...it made the voyage!!! There were 3 groups, each with about 14 participants (max is 16/class). Starting times alternated but classes were 2-3 hours long. Our classes met in Latitudes. Learned to fix seared scallops and risotto, marinated loin of lamb (from the menu) and a wonderful Cointreau souffle. Our group won the souffle "competition" with a masterpiece. Chef Loic was fantastic. He is an instructor Chef at London Cordon Bleu. Seemed genuinely interested in making our experience the best and he could fix any of the "mistakes" we made. Hubby has very little cooking experience and loved the classes. We are looking forward to recreating the dishes (as soon as I find the energy to unpack). Would definitly do it again!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Nice to hear all your recipes were different from ours last summer, same itinerary in reverse. I'd heard from one former participant who got tired of the classes because the recipes were all the same! I am embarrassed to admit I have not cooked any of our recipes since I returned home. I actually asked my (greek) butcher about the lamb loin we did (it was like a little filet mignon), and he just rolled his eyes and suggested it would cost a fortune. So haven't tried that!

[JDRMYS]

Change butchers! Yes, lamb loin is expensive, but so is Rib Roast, Shell Steak, free-range chicken, guinea fowl, poussin and top quality fish. I have never had a top quality butcher discourage me from buyng top quality meat. My quess is that your butcher does not have access to true prime beef. Red meat, especially, may not be too healthy; therefore, when I buy it, I make sure that it is the best quality available. There is no point in dying from heart disease as a result of eating industrial grade chuck steak. If you are going to eat beef, buy the very best and enjoy it!

 

No matter how expensive it may be, it is cheaper to cook at home than to eat in the Compass Rose or Signatures. Still, my preference would be dinner at Signatures -- if only we could live on the Voyager or the Mariner.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Not beef, lamb. As a butcher catering to local ethnic tastes, he has whole lambs hanging in his cooler, so he knows. Just outside of his ken, for sure. His clients tend to barbeque halves or quarters.