TK Quest

Have they opened the TK Grill on the Quest?

Just back from transatlantic we found TK over rated. Head chef and all executive chefs are excellent when allowed to express themselves in their own style. Most people onboard were of the same opinion especially the seasoned SB travellers. In other words don't bother with TK

To answer the actual question, TK Grill should be operational as of this weekend's sailing. Chef Keller himself (and a couple dozen of his team) will be on in early May for a couple of weeks to help with implementation.

I do not know anyone who is on the first post-dry dock sailing but at most it's been open for a night or two at this point.

And not everyone who was on the transatlantic thought the food was overrated. There were definitely misses but I spoke with many individuals who did like at least some of the dishes they tried.

I think I might count as a 'seasoned' SB traveler and was on the same transatlantic as JeniDallas. I don't know if it was the same crossing as Instinct05 but, if so, I don't remember him/her asking my opinion. So where 'most' comes from is an interesting question.

My perspective of the TK offerings. Generally good, on occasion great.

The difficulty of TK in the format prior to getting a dedicated TK restaurant is that, in the MDR, there was only one TK option (starter, main, desert) and if you didn't fancy that then there was not another TK to choose from. So, often, the TK dish simply went untried.

I did try a TK starter and it was fabulous. I tried a TK main (lobster) and it was good but not how I like lobster and I tried a TK desert which was tasty but a bit dry for my liking.

We also tried the family style and it was pretty good. The problem with the family style for me is that it didn't really offer me something that I could not get easily at home. When I am on Seabourn I am usually looking for something different.

My sense is that when there is a proper TK restaurant (R2) with a menu and the ability to choose from that menu and with Seabourn chefs who have spent time training at TK then the offering will be quite a lot different and, hopefully, a lot better.

The other thing is that the TK restaurant will be another option. There will still be the MDR, the Colonnade and the Patio. So if one is not enamored of TK (and I was often not enamored of R2), there are choices.

Has there been any information about how to book in the TK Grill? I recall there was going to be an advance booking mechanism.

I'm attempting to advise friends who will be on Quest next month and want to be sure they advance book if they need to.

Rox, Well written and reasoned review. We love TK on land and by the time we cruise Seabourn the option should be well established. New endeavors always have growing pains and as well established a chef as TK is not going to accept failure or a mediocre effort.

Boarded in Monte Carlo, fresh carpets, beds. Great staff, R2 closed for re modeling. no TK this week, tomorrow they will have a special menu, does not look appealing. Took picture of note to all that it will not open yet, and we all get $50 credit for our inconvence. So far great cruise, staff perfect. Menu great, have not had bad meal. Weather very rough. More to come with the pictures, once I have Internet.

Boarded in Monte Carlo, fresh carpets, beds. Great staff, R2 closed for re modeling. no TK this week, tomorrow they will have a special menu, does not look appealing. Took picture of note to all that it will not open yet, and we all get $50 credit for our inconvence. So far great cruise, staff perfect. Menu great, have not had bad meal. Weather very rough. More to come with the pictures, once I have Internet.

I would much rather the restaurant be open next week when we board, than the $50, but at this point I really don't care all that much. Sounds like they made some other good improvements and that service, food, etc all top notch.

They say next week, but who knows, we had room service last night service was perfect, were a able to ge a selection from each restaurant. Our server said TK will board this week, but who knows, we just did get another spa with credit. really no faults on this cruise, ( a few with spa) but everything else beyond perfect. Our 3 rd Seabourn cruise, and last night my partner asked how can this get any better? I told him I can not see a way.

I have friends onboard Quest this week and they report that the Colonnade TK menus have changed/expanded. Tonight was fried chicken and I heard it was "amazing".

No word on the status of the TK Grillbut the expansion of the Ad Hoc menus suggest that they are not going away.

Were the TK Napa Burger and Yountville Dog available at the Patio Grill on Quest? We recently were on Odyssey for 43 nites and both went MIA shortly after we boarded in Fiji. Luckily we got to taste the Napa Burger on our first day and the Yountville Dog on a special market nite in the Colonnade. Nobody would tell us if/when either would return to the Patio Grill. It was very hush hush. We later learned from Chef Raj that guest feedback led to pulling them. I got the impression this was initiated by TK and not by Seabourn.

We later learned from Chef Raj that guest feedback led to pulling them. I got the impression this was initiated by TK and not by Seabourn.

That's odd - I just did a forum search and the Napa burger seemed to be one of the things about the TK menu which everyone who tried it, loved. There are lots of reports of it having disappeared however, with excuses about a missing ingredient.

If they took it off because people didn't like it, why can't they just say "we took it off because people didn't like it" instead of being 'hush hush' about it?

We disembarked the Quest in Copenhagen on the 14th. One of our party was invited quietly to dine in the new restaurant last Wednesday unannounced in a 'soft' opening. Was introduced to and served by TK, referred to as 'chef'. Was impressed by the elegant decor. Choice of first course was prawn cocktail (2 enormous prawns) or crabcake. The main course was a whole roast chicken for two, a choice of vegetables, served from the pan by TK. The choices for dessert were a lemon tart, sundae and two kinds of cake. The comment was that the serves were all very large. The wine sommelier said that the wines were all personally chosen by TK and and the recommended wine was charged for. No mention of house wines being available was made. No announcement of this evening was made on the ship. I don't know if further dinners have been made for all the people trying to make reservations. I felt that the delays in opening meant that the ship was 'awash' with rumours for the three weeks we were on, from the refit in Monaco. Seabourn could have handled the opening of this restaurant in a better way, by being honest about the delays, and keeping guests informed, following the fanfare of the early announcement of the TK partnership. This was also fuelled by the number of Seabourn 'suits' rushing around on board. I understand from rumour, that one cause of the delay was that the kitchen had to be redone, to Thomas Keller's standard. I also respect the fact that his name is on the product, and that it has to be right. In conclusion, we didn't love the TK offerings that we had in the Colonnade; very simple fare like I prepare each night, apart from the wonderful Fog cheese.The courses in the Restaurant were interesting, but not always available. The Napa burger was not offered in the Patio Grill, but the hot dog was, on occasion, and promoted. Didn't try it, as we don't eat hot dogs.

The food on the Quest was consistently excellent,hot, and as described.A Soufflé was offered every evening in the Restaurant amongst the desserts, a winner for me as it is something I rarely prepare, and the goat's cheese for entree each week. Caviar was plentiful, especially at the epicurean events; the Mediterranean and Spanish market dinners were excellent, food overflowing and varied.

The Restaurant was open for breakfast and lunch every day, even though the itinerary was port intensive;weather perfect, no rain in three weeks;no smokers anywhere near us, staff wonderful, great entertainment, including the wonderful Roger Wright, and Jan as well.

Will have to wait for The Encore next January to experience Mr Keller, in anticipation of a restaurant that is created just for his cuisine and standards, without all the rumour and rush.

We also just disembarked in Copenhagen. And as was stated the TK Grill was only doing a 'soft' opening for specifically selected guests in the final days of our cruise. That being said, Thomas Keller is putting together a brand new restaurant under his name and reputation in about 4 weeks (from dry dock) so while we were disappointed in not being able to eat in the TK Grill we understood why. We did sample many of his dishes that were offered in The Restaurant and the Colonnade and found them all to be extremely tasty and expertly prepared. We also were able to sample both the Napa Burger and the Yountville Wurst last Friday (our last full day on the cruise). They were also delicious.

All of that being said I have to tell you that there was a real bonus to being on board Quest during the cruise to Copenhagen. Chef Keller was on board for the second week of that cruise and we saw him in his chef whites often around the deck near his restaurant. Also Adam Tihany ...the designer of the new ship Encore and TK Grill ...was also on board and we saw him in his signature red glasses several times around the ship. And finally we also had a lovely conversation with Brian Van Flandern at the Observation Bar one evening. He is the designer of the new drinks and glassware that Seabourn has introduced throughout the bars on the ship. He helped Chef Keller open Per Se in New York City and was very open about his admiration for Chef Keller. And his new drink menu is wonderful. We became addicted to his Cosmopolitan even though neither me or my husband drink them normally. We just tried the 'new' drink to see what it was like and we loved it!!

So we too are looking forward to being able to try TK Grill when we are on Encore in 2017. Meanwhile there were plenty of opportunities for us to try Chef Keller's dishes throughout our cruise in the other food venues and we really enjoyed them

We were also on this cruise, Monaco to Copenhagen. Regarding TK, we did have one evening in the Colonnade when his 'family dining' idea is wheeled out - there was no fried chicken evening, that must have come up since. The meal was pretty poor - a waldorf salad which was almost entirely lettuce, and flavourless beef. Every other evening there was an insert in the DR menu offering 3 TK courses, sadly the number of plates provided was limited, so if you came too late your choice would not be available. As others have said, one or two things were excellent, the tuna carpaccio dish, the duck foie gras, and the chocolate tart,very rich but good. Others were much less successful. At the patio grill, we were maybe lucky that one day towards the end of the cruise the napa burger was available - not something I would normally eat, but had to try and it was indeed a very good burger. Did not try the hot dog - have never had one and do not intend to start now. For the last few evenings the TK grill was finally open for a 'soft opening', I think some people were invited, and I believe you could ask to try it. There were apparently two sittings; people we met waited a very long time to be served and said the music was very loud. They did not enjoy it. I did not know about the upcharge for wine. The great man was indeed on board, from soon after Lisbon until Copenhagen.

My current opinion is that it will be difficult to get all this right - TK is being spread over too many areas, and his understandable insistence on special ingredients etc. must make it very difficult for a ship's provisioning team to get the right things on board. Purely IMO, just to get him or another chef to do new menus for restaurant 2 would have been simpler and all that was necessary. Presumably Seabourn are hoping to appeal to younger Americans - most Europeans, Brits. etc., do not especially value hot dogs and burgers at lunchtime and the sharing bowls at dinner. However, I do really hope that it will sort itself out and keep Seabourn's reputation up.

We were given $50 credit each for each segment, as restaurant 2 was not available for most of the time. As secoma4 says, the weather was wonderful, and everything else as good as ever.

I have just read hamasgirl's report - just goes to show we all have different opinions! Probably a good thing; it would not do if everyone wanted to go on the same cruise line and have the same meals etc.

I have friends onboard Quest this week and they report that the Colonnade TK menus have changed/expanded. Tonight was fried chicken and I heard it was "amazing".

Yes, the fried chicken was scheduled to be added to the Colonnade TK menu after the dry dock, as they had to install new equipment to cook this dish.

The fried chicken was not on the family dining menu when we got off in Copenhagen, must have started after 14th.

Presumably Seabourn are hoping to appeal to younger Americans - most Europeans, Brits. etc., do not especially value hot dogs and burgers at lunchtime and the sharing bowls at dinner.

I don't recall folks complaining about the Patio Grill serving burgers at lunch before Thomas Keller's arrival. And yet Seabournhas served that kind of fare out there as long as I've been sailing. 😉

Please cease and desist all of this talk about fried chicken -- my Achilles heel. I allow myself two splurges a year but must admit this rule will go by the wayside on my 24 day Quest December cruise.

Please cease and desist all of this talk about fried chicken -- my Achilles heel. I allow myself two splurges a year but must admit this rule will go by the wayside on my 24 day Quest December cruise.

Haha - I was reading this thread whilst working out what to cook for dinner last night and we ended up with fried chicken, something I too don't do very often, but I just felt like it.

That said, even if the TKFC is really good fried chicken, it's not something I expect I'd be eating on Seabourn; will stick to things I don't generally rustle up in the kitchen on a weekday.

I don't recall folks complaining about the Patio Grill serving burgers at lunch before Thomas Keller's arrival. And yet Seabournhas served that kind of fare out there as long as I've been sailing. 😉

I am not complaining about burgers being served; of course they have always been there. And luckily lots of other things as well. It is just a special emphasis being placed on these 'gourmet' treats that gets a bit boring.

I would actually have liked to try the fried chicken dinner. I imagine TK was able to get this one sorted while he was on board, but sadly it did not appear before 14th.

The chicken dish was roast chicken and served in TK Grill ie old R2.

The chicken dish was roast chicken and served in TK Grill ie old R2.

I think there was to be a fried chicken meal as part of the 'family dining' concept in the Colonnade.

I should have said earlier - the pea and pasta dish, which did not sound too good on the menu, was in fact delicious.

The chicken dish was roast chicken and served in TK Grill ie old R2.

Incorrect.

It was the four course dinner in the Colonnade - I have a photo of the menu if I can figure out how to upload it.