Chef's Table Review-Crown Princess Feb. 22 Sailing *LONG*

[mississauga]

For those of you who do not drink alcohol but your spouse does, you can do the chef's table at a reduced price. I think its $60.00 or less. It was the best money ever spent on a cruise.

 

 

$60.00 is expensive for a non-alcohol Chef's Table. By the sounds of it, more than half of the whole experience was alcohol related.

[3MBCruisers]

Theora - Thanks so much for the very enjoyable review! Definitely makes the the Chef's Table seem like the EVENT of the the cruise.

[EdSails]

and we also had the margarita crab appetizer .. have tried unsuccessfully to duplicate and will continue to.. the trials have been pretty good and we like the Patron! :)

 

So what's your recipe so far?

[MacThespian]

On the phone in your cabin, there will be a key that says "DINE". Press it and you will be connected to someone who takes reservations for the speciality dining venues as well as the Chef's Table.

 

Thanks! That's exactly what I needed to know. I don't recall this on any of the other lines I've sailed on.

[amybeth4]

Your review was a fantastic read. The only thing I would've corrected was the Title. "Not Long Enough!"

[caribill]

$60.00 is expensive for a non-alcohol Chef's Table. By the sounds of it, more than half of the whole experience was alcohol related.

 

For this type and quality of appitizers alone, you would spend more than $60 in many fine restaurants.

 

And the non-alcohol total of $120 for two includes a $29 coffee table cookbook.

[Theora]

ColoCruiser: The Maitre'd AND the ship's Head Chef were both Guiseppes. I only have the last name of the Executive Chef, though, who is Guiseppe Pollara. Sorry.

 

Regarding Closed Toe Shoes: Again, it is a Health Code issue. They're not supposed to let anyone in the working areas of any commercial kitchen wearing open-toe shoes. Bring tennis shoes, perhaps, for that portion of the evening. Besides, you're going to be on a ship in an area with potentially wet floors. Flats would probably be prudent in any case. But yeah, it's not that they want to ruin your flair for accessories, it's a rule that they're bound to.

 

HostCaroline: Is that one of the recipes in the cookbook? Because I really really want more of that darn cocktail! I'm pretty sure that a vat of that and some spiked cherry limeade would make my summer WAY more tolerable.

 

mississauga: If you only look at the items that I placed in bold, and ask the Chef not to pour Grey Goose over your Strawberry-Lemon Sorbet, there's no way you'd ever get that menu for $60 (or usually even twice that) anywhere else. Plus, with the galley tour, and the opportunity to grill (ha!) the Executive Chef, I think that it's well worth it. Even if I hadn't been consuming alcohol. Since I was, however, I will say that it got me to try things that I never would have even thought of ordering for myself in another restaurant, such as the white wine (because I usually am not impressed with them) and the limoncello. In any case, it was a learning experience, with or without alcoholic beverages, and learning experiences (IMHO) are priceless.

 

amybeth4: Oh, you asked for it now! Just you wait until my next cruise! I've been editing myself heavily, because I know I do tend to go on, but if you want more, sugar, you've GOT it!

 

3MBCruisers: Since this was my very first cruise ever, pretty much the whole week was THE event of the cruise. If you read my UBD/UBB review elsewhere on this board, you'll know what I mean. But as for dining, it was really no wonder that I gained a pile of weight on this trip. I don't regret an ounce, though. The experiences we had, in UBD/UBB, in Crown Grill, and at Chef's Table were all simply fantastic. The only things I didn't try were Sabatini's and Vines. The way I look at it, I should save something for next time, right? (This is me, rationalizing why I have to take another cruise.)

 

Everybody else: Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm just happy that you enjoyed reading it. Maybe it'll help others make the decision as to whether or not they feel that the Chef's Table Experience is for them.

 

Oh, and FYI, our chef's full title is Culinary Ambassador Master Chef Commendatore Alfredo Marzi.

 

itchin' for another sailing,

Crickett

[quincytoo]

Your review was a fantastic read. The only thing I would've corrected was the Title. "Not Long Enough!"

 

I agree :) Wonderful review :)

[mississauga]

Theora, We could tell by your exquisite review that you totally enjoyed the experience. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[SactoSteve]

Great review! It sure brought back memories of our Chef's table on the Golden last year. Almost the same menu. We missed the Galley tour and appetizers because I'd come down the a pretty severe allergy induced cold a couple days before - no way they were letting me in with all that chrome and uncooked food! Still, they treated us like..., not royalty, but honored guests or family from abroad. Next crusie, we'll be dialing the DINE line until they relent and let us go for another round.

[Theora]

Theora, We could tell by your exquisite review that you totally enjoyed the experience. Thank you for sharing your experience.

 

Thank you very much. And I do hope that even if you choose not to consume alcohol, you don't miss out on a Chef's Table experience. It really is stellar, whether or not you're a drinker. The service, the food, the behind-the-scenes peek at what's going on (don't you ever wonder what the galley looks like when it's in full swing?), totally worth the time and money. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, even if I *wasn't* drinking.

 

By the way, I'm not usually a huge drinker. If I have four cocktails in a month, it's notable. My rationale was that time-honoured excuse, "I'm on vacation". I don't want it to come off like I'm some kind of lush, because I'm really not. I hate the feeling of not being fully in control of myself, so I tend to nurse the drinks I do have, rather than pound 'em down. And your question is certainly a legitimate concern. But really, it's about the food. The alcoholic pairings were just icing on an already fantastic cake.

 

DISCLAIMER: I have not been paid by any entity, including Princess and CruiseCritic.com for my commentary on this feature. I would not, however, sniff at the chance to be paid to cruise and then write about it.

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

nice review, having done chef s table would do it again, however next time I will know notto eat for a week before hand.

 

And not plan anything for the following two days.

 

yours Shogun

[noahsdaddy561]

Thanks for the review and all the feedback. I would love to sign up for this when we take the Crown next week but am hesitant as my wife does not eat red meat. Does anyone know if they make variations to the menu or will accommodate certain dietary restrictions/choices? If not, she will be sitting at a table for one as I join others at the chef's table!

[happy cruzer]

Wonderful description. Thank you.

 

I know I sound like a wet blanket, but didn't all those foods use to be served in the main dining room to all cruisers? Oh well, at least we have the memories. And I even remember when the midnight buffets had alot of those foods.

 

Glad it is still offered to those who can get in and who want to afford it.

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

Ship will ask what type of food you like or hate and will go out of its way to assist, my other half does not do fish but loves pasta , so they addeda pasta dish.

 

yours Shogun

[Mermen]

Thank you for such a substantial and fun review. We'll look forward to contacting Dining upon our arrival next week! You made a believer out of me. :)

[Ldyandrea]

ColoCruiser: The Maitre'd AND the ship's Head Chef were both Guiseppes. I only have the last name of the Executive Chef, though, who is Guiseppe Pollara. Sorry.

 

I'm looking at the letter we got from the Maitre d'......his name was Giuseppe Gelmini.

 

Regarding Closed Toe Shoes: Again, it is a Health Code issue. They're not supposed to let anyone in the working areas of any commercial kitchen wearing open-toe shoes. Bring tennis shoes, perhaps, for that portion of the evening. Besides, you're going to be on a ship in an area with potentially wet floors. Flats would probably be prudent in any case. But yeah, it's not that they want to ruin your flair for accessories, it's a rule that they're bound to.

 

From what I recall, the open-toe requirement is also for your own protection.....busy kitchen, potential for falling knives, blocks of frozen whatever, etc. I'd agree, if you don't have "nice" closed-toe shoes, just bring a pair of tennies and change when you go to the dining room after the galley tour.

 

HostCaroline: Is that one of the recipes in the cookbook? Because I really really want more of that darn cocktail! I'm pretty sure that a vat of that and some spiked cherry limeade would make my summer WAY more tolerable.

 

If you're talking about the strawberry-lemon sorbet, I agree! I still want to take a crack at trying the bloody mary sorbet I had the first time I did the Chef's Table as well! Neither are in the cookbook, btw....I just checked. :(

 

Everybody else: Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm just happy that you enjoyed reading it. Maybe it'll help others make the decision as to whether or not they feel that the Chef's Table Experience is for them.

 

See! I told you that you should post it here! :D

 

Andrea-sister-of-Crickett/Theora

 

...

[Ldyandrea]

Thank you for such a substantial and fun review. We'll look forward to contacting Dining upon our arrival next week! You made a believer out of me. :)

 

Just make sure you call the second you get on board....don't wait! There was already a waiting list when we called, so we were lucky to get in at all.

 

I agree with the OP (my sister) that it was completely worth it! Hope you'll write a review when you get back and let us know what you think! :D

[Ldyandrea]

 

Our dessert was this divine orange mousse with spun sugar.. OMG the picture I have of it makes my mouth water.. and we also had the margarita crab appetizer .. have tried unsuccessfully to duplicate and will continue to.. the trials have been pretty good and we like the Patron! :)

 

I would LOVE it if rather than the hard cover cook book, they gave you (either instead, or offer the option) to get the receipes for that night's dinner. I'd imagine they could put something together and have copies made pretty inexpensively, versus the $29 coffee table book.

 

I'm still wanting to get the recipe for the lobster risotto I had at my first Chef's Table last year! :p

[stanford's girl]

Thank you for taking the time to write this great review. And kudos to you for having such an outstanding sense of humor!! :D

[Theora]

LdyAndrea: Actually, it was the crab/mango margarita thinger that we were discussing. So very tasty and crunchy and delicious. Mmmmm.

 

Stanford's Girl: When it's either laugh or go crazy, I choose the less expensive and healthier option.

 

Mermen: YAY! Don't forget to tell us what *your* menu and experience were like! We must all live vicariously if we can't live on the ship, don't you think?

 

total enabler,

Crickett

[Ldyandrea]

LdyAndrea: Actually, it was the crab/mango margarita thinger that we were discussing. So very tasty and crunchy and delicious. Mmmmm.

 

total enabler,

Crickett

 

Gotcha....I'd still love to get all of the recipes from the meal as part of the evening. This would be particularly nice if you already had the cookbook. :p

 

Also not above being a Cruise Enabler,

 

Andrea

[Theora]

Totally. I think that they should do a thing similar to the Cooking Demonstration, where you get the menu of the things he's making, the recipes, and a little area for notes as well. Beats me having to either record the whole thing or start writing on my arm (you have no idea how tempting it was).

 

Speaking of enabling, I just did more of it on the "My First Balcony" thread. If *I* can't be on more cruises, darnit, I'm gonna try to make the best out of everyone else's!

 

Off to get this week's lottery tickets,

Crickett

[Ninja50]

Thanks Theora for the wonderful and entertaining review of your experience at Chef's Table.

 

How long did the evening last. You mention that all began at 7:30pm but when did you finally have to drag yourself away and waddle back to your cabin??

 

Also wondering about the overall quantity of food. Sounds like a lot to eat...were there several mini breaks between courses?

 

As to cost, $75 sounds reasonable. You would certainly pay more than that at a top end restaurant for a full evenings entertainment and dinner and drinks.

 

As for the limoncello, we first discovered it aboard a Princess cruise ship and although we are not serious drinkers, limoncello has become my all time favourite drink. Can't imagine a cruise now without at least one glass of the wonderful yellow nectar.

 

Jan

[Ldyandrea]

Thanks Theora for the wonderful and entertaining review of your experience at Chef's Table.

 

How long did the evening last. You mention that all began at 7:30pm but when did you finally have to drag yourself away and waddle back to your cabin??

 

Also wondering about the overall quantity of food. Sounds like a lot to eat...were there several mini breaks between courses?

 

As to cost, $75 sounds reasonable. You would certainly pay more than that at a top end restaurant for a full evenings entertainment and dinner and drinks.

 

As for the limoncello, we first discovered it aboard a Princess cruise ship and although we are not serious drinkers, limoncello has become my all time favourite drink. Can't imagine a cruise now without at least one glass of the wonderful yellow nectar.

 

Jan

 

Hey there, this is Theora's sister, who was also at the Chef's Table. We actually started at 7pm (I'm getting this off of the letter we received notifying us when and where to meet) and it went for probably 3 hours total. It was certainly around or after 10:30pm before we could waddle (or be rolled like Veruca Salt) on back to our cabins!

 

The different courses were many, but the food portions were just the right size without being overwhelmingly huge. With all of the pre-dinner goodies in the galley (AND the champagne), you really had to pace yourself! Each course did take long enough that you had plenty of time to enjoy it, and had time to chat, without feeling rushed.

 

It is definitely a FULL evening (both timewise and tummywise), and I agree it is very much worth the $75 for everything that you get! The wines alone would have been far more than that I think, and you also had a unique opportunity to talk with the Chef (in our case an even MORE unique opportunity, since Chef Marzi only gets to each ship for one week out of the whole year....a rare treat for us all!) and ask all sorts of questions!

 

And, has been mentioned earlier, that pricing also includes one copy per cabin of the hard cover cookbook, and group photos with the rest of your tablemates! You really are left with an amazing set of memories and souveniers!