Going to Market with the Chef

[Toronto Maple Leaf Fan]

We are going on our first Seabourn Cruise this August and I have read where passengers go to the market with the chef. When does this occur ie. is it daily? How do you arrange this as it really does interest us.

 

Thanks,

 

Kim

[clarky]

We have done a couple of tours with the chef and they are fantastic. I believe the tours are mentioned in the daily seabourn newsletter but do fill up fast. We mentioned our interest in doing this tour early on in our cruise to the purser. The purser's desk then rang us to let us know when the tour was taking place and this assured us of a place on the tour. We did the chef's tour in Vietnam and it was fascinating to watch the chef buy local lobster and then have it served for dinner that night.

[JaneBP]

I would also mention it to the Tour specialist and the Chef as well. It's a wonderful experience, even if you end up sitting on coolers of fish on the return to the ship.

[Keith1010]

Check when you board the ship to see when it will be offered. For us it was an outstanding experience. What you end up doing will vary but I want to share our experience on our last Seabourn cruise. Many times it won't be like this.

 

We were in Dublin. Six of us signed up. We were taken in a luxury van with the chef into Dublin. In addition to the driver there was a guide who provide lots of valuable information about the history of Dublin and pointed out various sites along the way. We went to a seafood market where the chef ordered various types of seafood and we were taken to a market and then to a luxurious grocery store. Along the way the chef asked us questions about what types of food we lliked. We also went to a Pub. On our way back the chef told us that he would be making a special meal for us for the following evening. So, the next evening the six of us dined on a wonderful meal that was prepared for us from some of the items that were purchased on the tour.

 

Again, how this works will vary and normally might not be as extensive as it was for us, but it was a glorious day and then a wonderful meal the next evening.

 

Keith

[LN50]

This sounds really interesting.

Is is classed as a tour? if so how much does it cost? Are you out all day?

or is it a complimentary experience?

Linda

[Martita B.]

Linda

Don't miss this fun "excursion" with the Chef! No charge ~~usually the Chef meets his guests around the gangway around 10 am. It's 1/2 day as he needs to return to the ship to prepare for his dinner.

JB and I probably started "shopping with the Chef" back in 2002. We stopped in Ponte Delgada for fuel (a TA Crossing) and I ask Chef Lambrecths if it would be possible for us to tag along with he and the Port Agent. He said "by all means come with us." So the 4 of us went to the large island grocery store and bought fish, cheese, and some local vegetables. It was one of the most delightful days I've had on Seabourn.

Just mention to the Purser or the Ex. Chef you would like to join him on his "shopping jaunt." ~~fun, fun!:p

Martita B

[parisbully]

Is this done in Caribbean ports also?

[LN50]

Hi Martita,

Thank you for the reply, I shall certainly make arrangements for this when I board. Counting the days...

Linda

[Martita B.]

I don't remember the "Shoppin' with the Chef" excursions in the Caribbean ~~ only in the Med. But ask at the Purser Desk when you board.

Also, if there's anything you see at the grocery store you'd like just mention it to the Chef ~~he'll include it in his purchases.

MB

[dd@sea]

I was on one in Goa, India (very interesting). Trevor, the Chef got two huge fish, packed them in ice and burlap, through them in the back of the mini van. Dinner that night was the fish and the next day was a handmade bouquet of Indian seasonings with a couple of recipes.

 

Another was in Vietnam at the market. Then that evening the Chef had a special Vietnamese dinner for the excursion to the market participants. Delicious!

[Chairsin]

As others have noted, shopping with the chef is not heavily promoted -- you sort of have to know. I went shopping with chef Pascal in Palma de Mallorca last fall -- unfortunately too many other people went . With about 15 of us it was really too many to get an intimate experience with the chef. There were three young people from Switzerland with us that were very inconsiderate in the market -- blocking the paths of customers trying to purchase from some of the vendors. Nonetheless, it was an interesting experience.We came away with three very large garbage bags fulls of seafood. Not only was there great fixings for bouilliabase the next night but since we picked up a ton of fresh mussels I was able to give hubby the heads up an he ordered a huge bowl of them for dinner that night much to the jealousy of those with whom we dined

( me, I am allergice to shellfish!)

[joolsb]

I have copied below my post of a couple of years ago about our shopping trip in Mumbai - it was certainly an experience (and I was amused to read Chef Markus' own account in the Seabourn Magazine a few months later!).

 

We "shopped" with the chef in Mumbai in April - but it wasn't quite what we expected. It was "gratis" as you say - but turned out to be practically a whole morning touring sights which we had booked to see on a "proper" tour that afternoon!

 

We were taken (2 busloads of us, so it wasn't an intimate experience!) to the fish market, which was unbelievably antiquated and filthy; there was no way chef Markus was going to buy anything there! We weren't allowed to take photographs, since the port area was under military authority. We were then bussed the the Crawford food market, which was certainly an experience, but again the standards of hygiene made it obvious from the start that nothing would be purchased for the ship.

 

After that we were bussed round various sights, and were also dropped off at some government controlled shops, before returning to the ship to have lunch and get ready to go out and do it all over again - although this time we had to pay!

 

As I say, some unbelievable sights and experiences, but not what we were led to believe was involved with shopping with the chef - and to be fair I don't think the chef was very happy either, since his trip had obviously been "hijacked" by the tourist board, in an attempt to get a couple of busloads into their shops!

 

This hasn't put me off though - I fully intend trying to get an altogether different experience the next time!