Chefs table

[Gazcruisefam]

How strictly was the dress code enforced for Chef's Table? The suggestion is for the men to wear suit jackets and ties. Normally we try to adhere to the dress code suggestions but my husband just realized he didn't pack dress pants or a suit coat. He does have khaki type dockers and a short sleeved button down shirt. Hoping that will be good enough as we are booked for Chef's Table on the Enchantment of the Seas this weekend!

[foxgoodrich]

How strictly was the dress code enforced for Chef's Table? The suggestion is for the men to wear suit jackets and ties. Normally we try to adhere to the dress code suggestions but my husband just realized he didn't pack dress pants or a suit coat. He does have khaki type dockers and a short sleeved button down shirt. Hoping that will be good enough as we are booked for Chef's Table on the Enchantment of the Seas this weekend!

 

His shirt and slacks should be just fine. We've seen a variety of outfits at the Chef's Tables we've attended! Some guys wear a shirt/tie/jacket, some just a shirt/tie, some just a shirt/jacket, and some just a shirt. Last month at Chef's Table on Liberty, my DH forgot and that afternoon he sent his suit out to be pressed before the next formal night. So...he wore a pair of starched jeans (nice ones, no rips or holes) with a button down shirt and didn't look out of place at all. So dockers and a shirt will be fine - ENJOY!!!!!:D

Judy

[troykahack]

How strictly was the dress code enforced for Chef's Table? The suggestion is for the men to wear suit jackets and ties. Normally we try to adhere to the dress code suggestions but my husband just realized he didn't pack dress pants or a suit coat. He does have khaki type dockers and a short sleeved button down shirt. Hoping that will be good enough as we are booked for Chef's Table on the Enchantment of the Seas this weekend!

 

 

We booked the first night about 4 months before the cruise, knowing that generally the ships consider the first night casual by word of mouth. Although it clearly states formal attire, suit and tie for me, because luggage is not always in the room in time to dress up, they are very lax in all eating establishments the first night. We ask our waiter, whom we were able to meet that afternoon on boarding, and discussed dress with him. He told us it didn't matter the first night. Our luggage was a bit late but I did grab a pair of long pants and my sport jacket. No tie. There was 3 couples the first night. One was there to celebrate a birthday and they were very dressed up. However, we ran into them the other 3 nights of our cruise and they were always very dressed up for dinner. The other couple, the gentleman had on a tie only.

[Hawaii697]

We recently did the Chef's table on the Adventure of the Seas June 11th sailing. It was a six course menu with five wines. We had a full table of 12. We were told we are the first to have this menu. It was very good. Menu consisted of:

 

1 - Hearts of Palm Avacado, Tomato, Champagne Vinagerette

Sauvigon Blanc wine - nice

 

2 - Sweet Pea Soup, Pirnot Grino wine (this tasted like frozen pea soup) :(

 

3 - Braised Short Rib Ravioli, Pinot Noir - delicious

 

4 - Butter Poached Lobster, Chardonney - delicious

 

5 - Prime Beef Tenderlion, Cabarnet - very tender

 

6 - Chocoate Sabotage Mousee cake - served with a Chocalate Martini - excellent

 

Portions were appropriate. I was stuffed and tipsy. Did not drink the chocolate martini but was told it was very good!

[Gazcruisefam]

His shirt and slacks should be just fine. We've seen a variety of outfits at the Chef's Tables we've attended! Some guys wear a shirt/tie/jacket, some just a shirt/tie, some just a shirt/jacket, and some just a shirt. Last month at Chef's Table on Liberty, my DH forgot and that afternoon he sent his suit out to be pressed before the next formal night. So...he wore a pair of starched jeans (nice ones, no rips or holes) with a button down shirt and didn't look out of place at all. So dockers and a shirt will be fine - ENJOY!!!!!:D

Judy

 

Thanks for the reply, Judy! I appreciate it!

[foxgoodrich]

Does anyone know what the Chef's Table on Legend of the Seas is like? Is the wine pairing just a taster, or a proper glass? Someone mentioned receiving a cookbook & apron on one cruising, but not another, does anyone know if Legend offers this? Trying to work out whether it's worth $120AUD to book for the 5 course meal, or if we're better to have dinner at Chops (or stick to the MDR!)..

 

We've done Chef's Table on Legend, but it was two years ago, so things may have changed since then. The wine pours are a proper glass - about 3-4 ounces - and more is available of each wine if you want more. (Just ask!) Our last Chef's Table had 6 courses and 6 different wines. The final wine (Moscato) was a smaller portion (maybe only 2 ounces?) served in a smaller glass since it was a sweet dessert wine.

 

Chef's Table on Legend was held in a special room on the top floor (deck 5) of the MDR - it was a nice area and perfectly equipped for the Chef's Table, but it seemed a little bit loud since we could hear noise from the MDR (music, voices, dishes/silverware clanking, etc.) The table seated 12, and it was full the night we went.

 

We did receive a cookbook, plus a disposable chef's apron and hat on Legend back then (2014.) Our most recent Chef's Table was on Liberty this year, and we did not get the cookbook/apron/hat. So I don't know the answer to that question! It may be that they do it differently on different ships, or it may be that they don't give away the cookbook and chef stuff any more.:confused: Sorry I can't be of more help on that!

 

This is just my opinion, but I do think Chef's Table is worth it. It's very different from a specialty restaurant and the MDR, and the food is much nicer, even nicer than the specialty restaurants. And, of course, there is plenty of WINE and it's good wine, not the cheapo 'house' wine. To me the value for Chef's Table is better than the value for Chops, but that may be because I live in 'cow country' and we have some of the best beef in the US in my area. (And we have many choices of local restaurants where we can spend $35 per person or less and get a much better steak than what we've had at Chops.) Our 5th course on Liberty at our recent Chef's Table was Prime Beef Tenderloin, and I thought it was better and had much more flavor than the filets I've had at Chops.

 

So...we don't go to Chops anymore, but we DO GO to Chef's Table!:)

Judy

 

P.S. I think there is a real difference in the EXPERIENCE of Chef's Table compared to a specialty restaurant like Chops. A specialty restaurant experience is just like going out to eat a nice meal in a nice restaurant. Chef's Table is like a celebration of food and wine along with a bit of education on both. It's more of a 'gourmet' meal. Both the Chef and the Sommelier discuss the courses and explain both the food and the wine paired with it, so you leave the table with a full stomach, a little tipsy, and a lot of information!

Edited June 21, 2016 by foxgoodrich

[foxgoodrich]

Okay, I'm going a little off topic here. I already know it and I already scolded myself for it....

 

The coolest outfit EVER at Chef's Table was worn by a guy at our May 10 CT dinner on Liberty. As a matter of fact, he was julesbeara's husband, and I don't remember his name, but she (Julie) posts here on CC. I sure do remember his face and his SHIRT though! He wore a fabulous VINTAGE silk cruise line shirt from the early 1950's that was absolutely beautiful. I had to restrain my DH from trying to take it off the man and run away!:eek:

 

The shirt was short sleeved, charcoal gray silk, with the Matson Line insignia and name on the front left pocket. But the back....oh my, the back....the back had a BIG beautifully detailed embroidery of the cruise ship MATSONIA, the very first ship my DH ever cruised on. Julesbeara told me she found it in a shop that sold high end vintage items and she paid $150 or so for it. (DH then tried to buy it off the man's back!) It brought back a major memory for him...

 

It was 1955 and he was 6 years old. His Air Force dad was already in Hawaii, so he and his 2 siblings and his mom cruised to Honolulu on the Matsonia to join him. They sailed into a storm and his mom and his older sister were terribly seasick for the first few days. So my DH and his younger brother entertained themselves rolling a ball across the cabin as the ship pitched and rolled and helped their mom and sister who were both very sick. They also ran around the ship and had a ball. My DH, who was clearly a very helpful little boy, discovered that a previous occupant of the cabin had left 12 or so empty pint whiskey bottles in a drawer under a bed. Helpful child that he was, he would put 2 or 3 of them in the small wastebasket each day so the steward could empty it and get rid of them. It took several days for him to get rid of all those bottles. About that time his mom started feeling better and started getting up and around. She said she thought the cabin steward was acting a bit frosty and hateful toward her, like he disapproved of her for neglecting her kids or something, and it made her mad to be criticized for being seasick, puking, and staying in bed for several days, as she couldn't help it. So she ignored the steward's bad attitude and was not generous with her tip. It was many years later when, during one of those "do you remember when.." conversations, she found out that DH had been doing a daily disposal of whiskey bottles. Suddenly she figured out why the steward had disapproved of her!:eek: She laughed so hard she nearly wet herself - since she was about 90 at the time, that was remarkable in itself.

 

So...now my DH really REALLY wants one of those Matsonia shirts! His mom has passed, so he wouldn't be able to wear it for her, but he'd definitely add it to his cruise wardrobe. (And if he ever finds one, I know he'll wear it to Chef's Table. See? I made it back to the topic.;))

Judy

Edited June 22, 2016 by foxgoodrich

[troykahack]

We recently did the Chef's table on the Adventure of the Seas June 11th sailing. It was a six course menu with five wines. We had a full table of 12. We were told we are the first to have this menu. It was very good. Menu consisted of:

 

1 - Hearts of Palm Avacado, Tomato, Champagne Vinagerette

Sauvigon Blanc wine - nice

 

2 - Sweet Pea Soup, Pirnot Grino wine (this tasted like frozen pea soup) :(

 

3 - Braised Short Rib Ravioli, Pinot Noir - delicious

 

4 - Butter Poached Lobster, Chardonney - delicious

 

5 - Prime Beef Tenderlion, Cabarnet - very tender

 

6 - Chocoate Sabotage Mousee cake - served with a Chocalate Martini - excellent

 

Portions were appropriate. I was stuffed and tipsy. Did not drink the chocolate martini but was told it was very good!

 

This is exactly the same menu we had on Chefs Table Majesty 5/27. The better half kept a copy of the menu. I will scan and post a picture later if needed but the same as above.

[harola]

We recently did the Chef's table on the Adventure of the Seas June 11th sailing. It was a six course menu with five wines. We had a full table of 12. We were told we are the first to have this menu. It was very good. Menu consisted of:

 

 

 

1 - Hearts of Palm Avacado, Tomato, Champagne Vinagerette

 

Sauvigon Blanc wine - nice

 

 

 

2 - Sweet Pea Soup, Pirnot Grino wine (this tasted like frozen pea soup) :(

 

 

 

3 - Braised Short Rib Ravioli, Pinot Noir - delicious

 

 

 

4 - Butter Poached Lobster, Chardonnay - delicious

 

 

 

5 - Prime Beef Tenderlion, Cabarnet - very tender

 

 

 

6 - Chocolate Sabotage Mousee cake - served with a Chocalate Martini - excellent

 

 

 

Portions were appropriate. I was stuffed and tipsy. Did not drink the chocolate martini but was told it was very good!

 

 

We had the same menu on Rhapsody end of april. Only I. thought the sweet pea soup was delicious with the truffle poached egg and we had Beringer white Zinfandel. And for dessert wine we had ruby porto.

It was delicious especially the the lobster.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Bobal]

That's the same menu we had on Brilliance last week and it was delicious. One of the best chef's table menus we've had. We ate at chef's table twice on Radiance in March and had different menus to the latest one.

[island lady]

Had the same menu on Serenade last February. Delicious! :)

[troykahack]

We had the same menu on Rhapsody end of april. Only I. thought the sweet pea soup was delicious with the truffle poached egg and we had Beringer white Zinfandel. And for dessert wine we had ruby porto.

It was delicious especially the the lobster.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Yes. Exactly the same on Majesty 5/27

[lokix2]

Went twice on the same cruise(Serenade) in March. Had different menue an different wines. A fabulous experence!