Has anyone done the Chef's Table onboard?

[brwneyedgirl72]

I'm curious about the Chef's Table on my next cruise on Summit - has anyone does this in the past?  Is it worth it? Is it worth the price?  Any feedback would be much appreciated!  Thank you!

[patty1955]

16 minutes ago, brwneyedgirl72 said:

I'm curious about the Chef's Table on my next cruise on Summit - has anyone does this in the past?  Is it worth it? Is it worth the price?  Any feedback would be much appreciated!  Thank you!

We do the Chef's Table every time we cruise. We thoroughly enjoy it and think it's worth every penny. It's a better deal on Royal Caribbean and Oceania (they include the wine pairing) but Celebrity's is good too. If you have the wine package, the sommelier can create a wine pairing for you.

[Arizona Wildcat]

Did it a few years ago.  We felt it was overpriced.   Just remember asking about if food is great or a value will get you answers all over the place.  Too subjective. 

[patty1955]

[Jim_Iain]

I've done it a number of times.     The current Chef's Table is the David B's menu and in my opinion is not as good as the original Chef's Table.   While it is very enjoyable it can also be hit or miss depending on the other guests dining with you.    On one occasion we had a couple that proceeded to over drink and very loud and vocal. 

 

On our last experience, everyone except one other couple cancelled last minute so here we were stuck with a couple that we had nothing in common with and it was like pulling teeth just to keep a conversation going.  Also Iain was the only one doing wine pairing.  It was very uncomfortable and not an enjoyable evening at all.

 

Having said that we have also had some wonderful experiences and the whole table really meshed and socialized in the Martini Bar after the dinner.

Edited April 3, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[lettrich]

We did a chefs table on RC.  The food was excellent however you are stuck at a table for 3 hours or so with strangers.  I enjoy meeting new people but the 3 other people we were seated with were very "braggy" and it got to be annoying.  Not sure I will do another chefs table from that point alone.  I get very restless sitting at a dining table for more than 2 hours.  

[patty1955]

It's funny, I'm normally a non-social person and we've never had a problem at the Chef's Table. I'm not doubting other's experiences but maybe I have lower expectations.

[Texed]

Love the Chef's table.  Also, love meeting new folks.  😊

[Rika1]

I did Chef's Table on Apex last December and enjoyed it. Food was great - and there was way too much - but the thing I remember best was the couple who were staying in one of the Iconic Suites. We were on the ship during the Christmas storms in the US, and that also affected us in the western Caribbean. They were complaining about how much rocking of the ship they were feeling - to the point that they asked about going into another cabin, but nothing was available but one Edge Villa, and they're in about the same location. I was tempted to offer to trade! 😀

[chemmo]

Two very different experiences. One time, lovely couples, lovely food and a wonderful evening. Second experience we had Mr. Know it all and his wife Mrs. Drink it all. Despite the efforts of the other couples it was simply unpleasant. No matter what topic was introduced Mr. Know it all interrupted with a monologue…By the end of the meal I was beginning to understand and sympathise with the state Mrs. Drink it all was in…

[ian441672]

We have booked this for our upcoming Apex trip in August to Iceland. Is there a standard 'usual' day of the cruise that it is on, or can it vary by itinerary? Was just looking ahead to plan and book Eden and steakhouse and to see what days might be available (on a day that Luminae may not appeal to us!).

 

Thanks.

[aruzinski]

We always did the chef’s table and it was great, but this past cruise on Silhouette with the new menu was not great.  We opted for the special wine pairing which were excellent but another $70+ added to the charge.  But the wines I have no complaints about.  When we sail next month back on Silhouette, we will not be doing chef’s table.  We opted for a chef’s excursion in Copenhagen where the chef takes you to different food halls during the day then at night prepares a special dinner catered to the foods/dishes of the country.  We find these much better than the new chef’s table menu.  Did one in Estonia that was great.  It’s limited generally to 10 people like the chef’s table. So intimate and charming.

[crazyank]

11 hours ago, Rika1 said:

I

 

31 minutes ago, aruzinski said:

 

Deleted

Edited April 12, 2023 by crazyank

[bikerunner]

I now do the Veuve Clicquot Champayne dinner if it is offered, only offered onboard never in the cruise planner.  Found this to be a much better dinner food wise and value wise.  

[mitz18]

On 4/3/2023 at 10:01 AM, brwneyedgirl72 said:

I'm curious about the Chef's Table on my next cruise on Summit - has anyone does this in the past?  Is it worth it? Is it worth the price?  Any feedback would be much appreciated!  Thank you!

Hard to say if it is worth it to you as everyone is different.  Some will see the worth, others not.  Why not try it once and decide for yourself?

[Vagabond Knight]

Did it twice on Carnival and it was fantastic... tour of the galley ahead of time and they showed you how they make one of their special desserts... for dinner, they set up in the middle of a huge room... wine for every course... wonderful food... chef coming out to announce/describe each course and take questions.  With this in mind, we figured Celebrity would be an even better experience when we sailed last year and booked the Chef's Table, but nope.

 

No galley tour (still a Covid holdover?)... ridiculously expensive considering we've already paid for dinner and most of us had already paid to upgrade to Aqua/Blu... 10 or 12 of us (I forget) crammed in a side room in Murano that would comfortably seat eight... another $89 pp + tip if you wanted the wine pairing... I think the chef popped in there once... we seemed to be sharing servers with Murano and so we sometimes had to wait for a course until they could gather them up again...at least 2/3 of the food was terrible (weird combinations of tastes that didn't go together, inedible beef that was full of gristle and cold in the middle)... those of us with the regular drink package who chose not to get the official wine tasting for an additional $89 pp treated like second class citizens ("... and here is a wine for the rest of you...")... dessert was good, though.   My husband and I spent several hundred dollars for that awful meal and left hungry.

 

YMMV, of course.

[TN Vol Fan]

Vagabond- what ship? I’ve done the CT several times on different X ships and never had those problems.
I’ve only had the Classic Drink Package, told the sommelier and he served me very good wines that I suspect were better than the package I had. Never had more than 8 people at the table, so no crowding.

Unfortunately the kitchen tour has been suspended since Covid, but that’s understandable. Fellowship is hit or miss but I guess I’ve lucked out with interesting fellow diners. Going to do the CT next month on the Equinox and looking forward to the new menu.

[Oceansaway17]

On 4/3/2023 at 1:02 PM, lettrich said:

We did a chefs table on RC.  The food was excellent however you are stuck at a table for 3 hours or so with strangers.  I enjoy meeting new people but the 3 other people we were seated with were very "braggy" and it got to be annoying.  Not sure I will do another chefs table from that point alone.  I get very restless sitting at a dining table for more than 2 hours.  

oh I have been down that path.  that is why I did Petit place on my own.

Also, I do not like raw fish so if they could cook it for me as I do not like tarte tarte.  

[patty1955]

Maybe we've been lucky but we've had nothing but good experiences. Most of the other diners were friendly. A few were quiet but that's their right. Food was always good and the wine was excellent. Celebrity is the only one that charges separately for the wine pairing. About half of us had the premium wine package and the sommelier treated us that same as the rest. 

[Boo's Mom]

On 4/12/2023 at 5:26 AM, chemmo said:

.... Mr. Know it all and his wife Mrs. Drink it all. 

Hilarious! 😂