Chef's table dining experiences?

[helenb]

I have found that if you tell them in advance you don't eat veal then you are blacklisted from the event. Just like admitting to food allergies. There are usually enough passengers applying who are omnivores to make up 12 diners for a Table so why would they cater to anyone specially?

 

I have done chef's table 3 times. All 3 times, I told them that I do not drink, and I was charged less for the meal.

 

The first and most recent times, I was asked about allergies and I told them that I don't eat seafood. It's not a life-threatening thing (i.e. I can have a tiny amount) but if I have anything significant I get ill. No problem, they gave me no seafood.

 

The middle time, we were told very strictly by the maitre'd that there would be no accommodation for food allergies. My husband and I decided to do it anyway, and I would just skip the seafood portion. We got to the galley, where most of the appetizers are usually seafood, and when I passed up the second appetizer, the chef was concerned and he asked me the problem. I told him that I didn't eat seafood, but it was okay, I'd just wait for the appetizer that didn't have it. The chef looked horrified, and asked the Maitre'd why he didn't tell him. And I replied that I didn't tell the maitre'd, because he made it very clear that allergies could not be accommodated, and I had come to the dinner knowing this, perfectly happy to only eat the non-seafood portions.

 

The chef was still very upset, and insisted on making me another appetizer, and then at the dinner (which was surf & turf, and would have been fine, because I would simply have traded my lobster tail for my husband's filet mignon) the chef grilled me a piece of lamb instead of the lobster. So there was an accommodation last minute, but clearly the maitre'd had not communicated with the chef the 'restrictions' he had placed on the passengers.

 

In any case, I would do it again, even if they could not accommodate my seafood issue.

[XBGuy]

I have done chef's table 3 times. All 3 times, I told them that I do not drink, and I was charged less for the meal.

 

The first and most recent times, I was asked about allergies and I told them that I don't eat seafood. It's not a life-threatening thing (i.e. I can have a tiny amount) but if I have anything significant I get ill. No problem, they gave me no seafood.

 

The middle time, we were told very strictly by the maitre'd that there would be no accommodation for food allergies. My husband and I decided to do it anyway, and I would just skip the seafood portion. We got to the galley, where most of the appetizers are usually seafood, and when I passed up the second appetizer, the chef was concerned and he asked me the problem. I told him that I didn't eat seafood, but it was okay, I'd just wait for the appetizer that didn't have it. The chef looked horrified, and asked the Maitre'd why he didn't tell him. And I replied that I didn't tell the maitre'd, because he made it very clear that allergies could not be accommodated, and I had come to the dinner knowing this, perfectly happy to only eat the non-seafood portions.

 

The chef was still very upset, and insisted on making me another appetizer, and then at the dinner (which was surf & turf, and would have been fine, because I would simply have traded my lobster tail for my husband's filet mignon) the chef grilled me a piece of lamb instead of the lobster. So there was an accommodation last minute, but clearly the maitre'd had not communicated with the chef the 'restrictions' he had placed on the passengers.

 

In any case, I would do it again, even if they could not accommodate my seafood issue.

 

Those are sensational stories, Helen. Thanks for chiming in.

[Treven]

When I did the Table I was asked, when I first called the DINE line, if I had any food allergies. Then when the group met for the pre-dinner meeting with the maitre'd, he brought up the allergy question. So in my instance he/they were not going to accommodate any allergy.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Treven

[Shogun]

Hi Treven

 

Do you think it was a case of if you had allergies you would be refused a chance to do the chefs table,

 

or was it the case

 

that they were being extremely careful not put your health at risk,

 

as while your food might not contain say peanuts if may have come into

contact with them ?

 

 

yours Shogun

[Treven]

Steve, I got the impression that any food allergy wasn't going to be accommodated. I thought the initial screening, via the phone call, then with the meeting it was reinforced.