Thomas Keller news

[Emperor Norton]

Exactly,and it won't be Per Se prices.

 

What value Seabourn is.

 

If it isn't Per Se (or its prices) it won't be the French Laundry either. Probably something closer to Bouchon or perhaps Ad Hoc.

[frantic36]

If it isn't Per Se (or its prices) it won't be the French Laundry either. Probably something closer to Bouchon or perhaps Ad Hoc.

 

Funny you should mention Bouchon. I read up about Thomas Keller this morning as I am ignorant about him being from a little place in Australia :). I will be visiting LA in December and I saw Bouchon Bistro and thought we might have a meal there......your thoughts on if it is a good place to visit?

 

It is partly sentimental as we used to have a favourite restaurant here by the same name which was actually run by a lovely French man.

 

Julie

[Emperor Norton]

I've not been to the LA branch of Bouchon (only Yountville). It's a nice French bistro with excellent seafood. The more terrestrial options are nice but I think the seafood is really the star.

 

The bakery is also quite nice and at least in Yountville has a nice view of Balloons.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Emperor Norton

[frantic36]

I've not been to the LA branch of Bouchon (only Yountville). It's a nice French bistro with excellent seafood. The more terrestrial options are nice but I think the seafood is really the star.

 

The bakery is also quite nice and at least in Yountville has a nice view of Balloons.

 

Thanks for this information. I did check out the menu and it looked good. We love seafood. We eat a lot here at home, in fact just about to have some local oysters which we will follow with fresh fish and salad so seafood as the star sounds perfect.

 

I like the balloon photo and if we didn't have so much packed into our pre cruise itinerary it would be a great place to visit! Next time. :)

 

Cheers

 

Julie

[Fletcher]

I have meet Chef Keller and dined at his restaurants. Something doesn't sound right; Mr. Keller absolutely refuses to use frozen food (proteins). And every thing on all Seabourn ships is frozen. It was required last year my the Seattle home office to have everything on the ship frozen for safety reasons....

 

Spot on comment, Carefree. These chefs depend on an extraordinary level of food supplies. Fresh fish, meat and vegetables arrive daily at the restaurant. Cruise ships take vast quantities of food and make it last for at least a month, deep in the hold in chillers and freezers. There is no way a ship can replicate the food you get in a *** Michelin restaurant. It won't be much above the level of First or Business Class airline food with fancier presentation. I had some awful food on the old Legend.

[Mr Luxury]

As usual there are a lot of views about what we will get regarding the quality and selection of the cuisine.

I suggest that we all try what Thomas Keller has to offer us and only then will we really know the level of his food on a Seabourn ship versus what he does on land.

 

To me I see a big step up from what Restaurant 2 has been giving us.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Mr Luxury

[Able Seaman H]

As usual there are a lot of views about what we will get regarding the quality and selection of the cuisine.

I suggest that we all try what Thomas Keller has to offer us and only then will we really know the level of his food on a Seabourn ship versus what he does on land.

 

To me I see a big step up from what Restaurant 2 has been giving us.

 

And confirmation of SB's desire for improvement.

 

The cruise industry is a tough old business with a lot of people competing for our pennies. It would be easy to rest on ones laurels but I think the announcement shows a genuine desire to push forward.

 

As Mr L says let the food do the talking.

 

Henry :)

[Kevnzworld]

TK will be designing the menus and training the chefs in the execution , not cooking the food.

Seabourn seems to be pretty good at food sourcing vs other cruise lines I've been on.

The menus need fresh inspiration and Restaurant two's time has passed. We ate there three times over the last month and I welcome the change.

Hopefully the redesign / rebrand will be done by Oct 3 when we will be back on he Odyssey.

[wripro]

As usual, Mr Luxury, you are right. Why don't we wait and see what happens instead of anticipating problems and complaining five minutes after the announcement? Nowhere in that announcement does it say that Keller will try to replicate Per Se or the French Laundry. More likely, as mentioned, it will be in the style of Bouchon. I have eaten often at the ones in Yountville and Beverly Hills and they are terrific bistros. I would be more than happy to have one of them on Seabourn.

[Nigella]

I was very happy to read this yesterday. Definitely an indicator of Seabourn's commit to quality going forward, IMO.

 

Haven't eaten at any of his establishments, but the French Laundry has been on our radar for a couple of years with respect to our 'Some Day' trip to California.

I think Chef Keller can be a great mentor for the Seabourn chefs, who already tend to turn out pretty good food, but it will be nice for some fresh menu ideas and new dishes, agree they will likely be Bouchon style.

 

Great news :D

[scm]

Food & Wine magazine has picked up on the story:

 

http://www.foodandwine.com/blogs/2015/04/27/thomas-keller-create-menus-and-restaurants-seabourn-ships?adbid=593203084366516225&adbpl=tw&adbpr=30278532&short_code=2w4uu&xid=blog_20150429_44823976

[jenidallas]

My favorite Thomas Keller spot is Ad Hoc. I'd be a huge fan of that although I suspect that many Seabourn regulars would look down their noses at the fried chicken that so many there love (to the point of lining up for it for day trip fare at Addendum on the weekends).

 

Ad Hoc's family style would be a fun reinvention for the Colonade.

[Mr Luxury]

My favorite Thomas Keller spot is Ad Hoc. I'd be a huge fan of that although I suspect that many Seabourn regulars would look down their noses at the fried chicken that so many there love (to the point of lining up for it for day trip fare at Addendum on the weekends).

 

 

 

Ad Hoc's family style would be a fun reinvention for the Colonade.

 

 

The Colonnade is staying,Thomas Keller will oversee a new restaurant that will replace Restaurant 2

 

Nothing wrong with fried chicken in the right place

Good food is good food.

[Emperor Norton]

My favorite Thomas Keller spot is Ad Hoc. I'd be a huge fan of that although I suspect that many Seabourn regulars would look down their noses at the fried chicken that so many there love (to the point of lining up for it for day trip fare at Addendum on the weekends).

 

Ad Hoc's family style would be a fun reinvention for the Colonade.

 

The fried chicken is also available at Bouchon Beverly Hills on Ad Hoc Mondays.

[jenidallas]

The fried chicken is also available at Bouchon Beverly Hills on Ad Hoc Mondays.

 

That is excellent to know!!!

[cruiseej]

We'll have to wait for the Keller-inspired improvements for a future cruise, but as someone about to embark on his first Seabourn cruise next month, I'm curious about all the negative or so-so comments about Restaurant 2. I've read lots of "we just don't care for it"-type comments on this board, so I'm just curious what makes it unappealing to many of you? Thanks.

 

Eric

[jenidallas]

I like haute cuisine, but the Restaurant 2 menu (to me) is overwrought with too many competing flavors in each "small bites" course. Each evening is basically five courses - chef's cocktail (an amuse bouche), appetizer (usually 3 separate bites), soup (usually a bite and a sip), mains (2 items, usually a couple bites each), and dessert (usually 3 bites).

 

There are, I believe, eight separate menus that rotate - some are better than others In my opinion - and you can see the schedule of them in Seabourn Square at any time. The "Signature" is one night I do like in there - it's their version of the Chef's Dinner and is the one night I personally would try to go.

 

Beyond the small bites fixed menu, something is just "off" to me with service in Restaurant 2. It feels forced and awkward (compared to the polish of the other shipboard venues). And the decor reminds me of an Asian restaurant going for "over the top" elegance - it seems dated to me rather than sophisticated.

[Mr Luxury]

 

 

 

Beyond the small bites fixed menu, something is just "off" to me with service in Restaurant 2. It feels forced and awkward (compared to the polish of the other shipboard venues). And the decor reminds me of an Asian restaurant going for "over the top" elegance - it seems dated to me rather than sophisticated.

 

 

So Seabourn taking steps to rectify what you do not like about restaurant 2 should make you a much happier sailor.

 

I have enjoyed R2 but it has now had its time and I am glad to see Seabourn continually improving things on their ships.

[wripro]

I too have like R2 as an alternative to the MDR and I found it refreshing that Seabourn chose a more cutting edge option than the typical steak house or Italian restaurant. However bringing Keller on demonstrates even more SB's dedication to not falling into the same old same old that most other lines follow.

[needleinahaystack]

Originally Posted by jenidallas

Beyond the small bites fixed menu, something is just "off" to me with service in Restaurant 2. It feels forced and awkward (compared to the polish of the other shipboard venues). And the decor reminds me of an Asian restaurant going for "over the top" elegance - it seems dated to me rather than sophisticated.

We have always enjoyed restaurant 2, but we only get to sail with Seabourn once a year, still chained to my corporate life for a while yet. But I can understand if you sail frequently with Seabourn it may get tiresome of the same thing over and over. I will not be onboard Seabourn until April 2016 and am looking forward to it very much. Even if it is still Restaurant 2 I know that it will be great quality food and I actually like the décor. Happy sailing

[Able Seaman H]

We'll have to wait for the Keller-inspired improvements for a future cruise, but as someone about to embark on his first Seabourn cruise next month, I'm curious about all the negative or so-so comments about Restaurant 2. I've read lots of "we just don't care for it"-type comments on this board, so I'm just curious what makes it unappealing to many of you? Thanks.

 

Eric

 

On a mainstream cruise line speciality dining is a chance to escape the madness of the main dining room and enjoy a much better standard of food. More like you would experience on dry land.

 

One of the "problems" for us with R2 is the quality of the other dining venues. On a mainstream cruise lines the buffet restaurant is to be avoided at all cost during the evening. We have had some great meals in the Colonnade, if the weather plays ball dining out on the aft deck is wonderful.

 

R2 is more intimate so as a change of scenery it works, but because the food across the other dining venues is generally so high you almost expect a Michelin star treat in R2. My stand out dishes from our short SB career have all come outside R2.

 

Please do not let anything I have said in any of my posts put you off trying R2. It isn't bad, the rest of the ship is just too good :)

 

 

Henry :)

[jimmyw9]

On our two past cruises (one of 14 days and one of 19 days) we have not been able to secure a reservation in R2. That is somewhat disappointing when we were speaking to other guests that had been 2 or 3 times in their cruise. Obviously R2 is popular, but as Able Seaman H says the other choices are excellent so whats to worry about!

[markham]

Jimmyw9,

 

Glad to hear you were happy to join the other venues rather than R2.

What was the reason they would not admit you? Your dress sense or maybe table manners? Something else? I did not know R2 was so exclusive but maybe that's a good thing.

 

Yes, glad to hear you had no problems getting seated elsewhere.

 

Hint: maybe those other couples who enjoyed R2 a few times can book you in WITH their party next time?

 

Happy sailing!

[MrsWaldo]

 

Glad to hear you were happy to join the other venues rather than R2.

What was the reason they would not admit you? Your dress sense or maybe table manners? Something else?

 

Markham our first cruise saw R2 being very heavily booked and I noted that those in premium suites had a priority ( I was in a premium suite and later spoke with someone who had tried to book the day before and been bumped)

 

I purchased the wine package … we considered R2 for another evening and lo and behold we could get a table that night…. yet the people we had befriended could not, even after they had wait listed at the beginning of the cruise….

[markham]

MrsWaldo,

 

I am surprised and would be disappointed if Seabourn really did prioritse "premium suites" above hoi polloi. No, I have always understood Seabourn treats all guests the same and so surmise that disappointments only arise when the reservations list for a particular night is complete.

 

Of course, that begs the question about what happened to poor ole jimmyw9. But I supposed we all will hear from them in due course. And it would be interesting to learn if they were in a "premium suite" and still were turned away repeatedly.

Something's not quite right!

 

Happy sailing!