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Chef's Table


DianetheCruiser
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We booked a reservation for Chef's Table to satisfy my husband's affinity for exotic food. I only eat very plain food and I understand there aren't any choices for this meal. Can they accommodate me with a salad or something from the main dining room or even a caprese salad from Manfredi's. It appears to be a very seafood/fish heavy menu and I don't eat any of that. I don't want him to miss this experience but I also don't want to sit there watching him eat for two hours either.

 

Has anyone substituted anything at Chef's Table on previous Viking ocean ships?

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I do not know the answer to your question, but when we dined at the Chef's Table with a couple we met on the ship, they did make a substitution for one of them based on a shellfish allergy.

 

Is this a reservation that you have made before boarding? The theme of the Chef's Table menu changes every three days, and once onboard, you can see the rotation of the menus. Maybe you can find one that has some appeal for you, as well as for your husband. If you do this early in your trip, you may be able to change your reservation.

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We booked a reservation for Chef's Table to satisfy my husband's affinity for exotic food. I only eat very plain food and I understand there aren't any choices for this meal. Can they accommodate me I don't want him to miss this experience but I also don't want to sit there watching him eat for two hours either.

 

This is not a 2 hour experience. As stated, menus are available upon boarding and it seems to be very easy to change reservations for a meal that might appeal to you for one of the 3 nights served. Substitutions can be made. I saw it happen and I know the other guy in my cabin can not eat dairy products for allergy reasons and we have been informed that things can be adjusted. I really liked this restaurant but certainly don't eat that was normally. They aren't Cheesecake Factory portions so you won't be overwhelmed by food and if you want to pass a course, there is always the World Cafe afterwards to fill the void!

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We booked a reservation for Chef's Table to satisfy my husband's affinity for exotic food. I only eat very plain food and I understand there aren't any choices for this meal. Can they accommodate me with a salad or something from the main dining room or even a caprese salad from Manfredi's. It appears to be a very seafood/fish heavy menu and I don't eat any of that. I don't want him to miss this experience but I also don't want to sit there watching him eat for two hours either.

 

 

 

Has anyone substituted anything at Chef's Table on previous Viking ocean ships?

 

 

 

When are you doing the Chef's Table ? We are slated to do ours in Darwin, Australia - I figured it would be mostly fish - my wife loves salads and fish, so I think it will most interesting . She Hates to Cook and be creative in the kitchen so we are putting it down as a learning experience! I'm sure it will be Fun !

 

 

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When are you doing the Chef's Table ? We are slated to do ours in Darwin, Australia - I figured it would be mostly fish - my wife loves salads and fish, so I think it will most interesting . She Hates to Cook and be creative in the kitchen so we are putting it down as a learning experience! I'm sure it will be Fun !

 

 

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Unless they add a whole bunch of special menus the Chef's Table for the World Cruise, don't hold your breath.

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We're signed up for Chef's Table the first night in Venice on the October 4th Venice to Athens cruise. It's a relief to hear that they try to accommodate you.

 

Really they do and what I would do is to go talk to them once you board the ship. Read over the menus that are available for your cruise and then choose the meal that seems the most appealing (you might even find something that is wholly appealing). Do not feel that you are wed to October 4. Once you choose your night, then talk to the maitre'd about changes or adjustments for your diet. I have found that I like to do the "food issues" chat-- before I arrive for the meal--and then remind then again when I arrive.

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Your husband should not count on the Chef's Table being "exotic." Maybe, maybe not. He will have to look at the menus to see which one might meet his expectations.

 

Another point about the Chef's Table. It was our least-favorite dining location regardless of the menu. Because it is fixed, they try to serve a group of tables at the same time. In other words, it feels somewhat automated. In the group the waiter is trying to work together, some are served relatively quickly after they sit down, and others are waiting. Contrary to the aura of elegance, there is a bit of assembly-line feel. Others may not feel that way, but it was noticeable to us. Also, after dining in the Chef's Table, we generally went up to the World Cafe for a bit of something else. That never happened after Manfredi's or The Restaurant.

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I enjoyed the the wine presentations/information ( Silver Package) at the Chef's Table. Often the wines served then were not available by the glass elsewhere on the ship. If I did not care for the wine they were always happy to bring me something else. They had a wine tasting or two during the cruise for an additional cost as well.

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It's nice to try new food from time to time. It's possible that something you've never tried turns out to be delicious. Get out of that plain food rut!

 

Not a "foodie" and someone with plain tastes. Yet I loved our 2 Chef's Table dinners. A different experience. If you don't like something, eat little of it. It's not like you're starving on a Viking Ocean cruise. You can also ask for a standard substitution from The Restaurant but that defeats the purpose of the CT experience. Or go up deck to the World Cafe for a buffet bite on your way to the Explorers Lounge.

 

The CT premium wine pairings were excellent. Didn't have the Silver Pkg but our dinner companions did.

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How many entries do you have to choose from? I would think that if you had a choice of two or three there has to be something decent that would satisfy most people.

 

I assume you mean entrees. There is no choice each night and that is what they serve. The menu changed every three days so that is the next menu for 3 days. The length of the cruise determines how many rotations you will have available to you. If you have already made your reservations without knowing what the menu is and you are not happy with the choice that night, there was no problem to switch to another menu served on a different night. Don't go with too many preconcieved notions of your preferences. We were on the first round of Northern European menu. Salmon was one of the courses and I'm not a fan. The portions are tasting portions not Friday's portions so there is not a magnatude of food you have to devour in any of the 5 courses. Good news, it was done so well, I didn't taste the salmon at all. It wasn't from the can or the croquettes in the school cafeteria. I don't think it was the interior design but this was definitly a pleasent surprise.

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DianetheCruiser, I am a lot like you. I am a comfort food type gal and wasn't even going to make a reservation. A certain someone on this board (ahem, Dauntless) talked me into it and boy was I happy he did. It turned out to be my favorite restaurant. It was fun trying all the different offerings for each course. At least for the first time there, go with the offerings and don't ask for anything off menu. You might be pleasantly surprised. If not, run up to the buffet or get room service for a bite to eat.

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DianetheCruiser, I am a lot like you. I am a comfort food type gal and wasn't even going to make a reservation. A certain someone on this board (ahem, Dauntless) talked me into it and boy was I happy he did. It turned out to be my favorite restaurant. It was fun trying all the different offerings for each course. At least for the first time there, go with the offerings and don't ask for anything off menu. You might be pleasantly surprised. If not, run up to the buffet or get room service for a bite to eat.

 

And you're welcome! The Chef's Table is like being invited to someone's house for dinner or a holiday meal. You eat what they are serving. You can maximize the experience by perusing the menus to aviod being dissappointed with your options.

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And you're welcome! The Chef's Table is like being invited to someone's house for dinner or a holiday meal. You eat what they are serving. You can maximize the experience by perusing the menus to avoid being disappointed with your options.

 

Dauntless, what a perfect way of putting it. And fortunately for us, our hosts are graciously prepared for those of us with food issues. For me, it is a win-win. It just comes down to the question if you are interested in sampling what they have to offer.

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And you're welcome! The Chef's Table is like being invited to someone's house for dinner or a holiday meal. You eat what they are serving. You can maximize the experience by perusing the menus to aviod being dissappointed with your options.

 

And the person inviting you for dinner is a really good cook!

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We loved our dinners at The Chef's Table and thought it was easily the best food on the ship. We went 4 times and I cannot wait to go on again on our next trip.

 

It is a set menu so there aren't choices but they will work with you if need be. In our 4 meals, there was one dish that we requested a sub for and they were happy to oblige.

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I do not know the answer to your question, but when we dined at the Chef's Table with a couple we met on the ship, they did make a substitution for one of them based on a shellfish allergy.

 

Is this a reservation that you have made before boarding? The theme of the Chef's Table menu changes every three days, and once onboard, you can see the rotation of the menus. Maybe you can find one that has some appeal for you, as well as for your husband. If you do this early in your trip, you may be able to change your reservation.

 

Once on board, where do you find the various menus to view?

Thanks!

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Is there is another type of special meal with only a few people & more than 5 courses? "Kitchen something"?

Last night on Smithsonian cable channel program about Viking Sea going to upper parts of Norway, a dinner with 8 people & the chef was shown....

 

There is another venue called "Kitchen Table". Dinner in this venue is in conjunction with a shore excursion and there is a fee for the whole experience. You shop with the chef in the morning at the local market and the meal is put together and purchased. That part is over until the evening when you return for a session with the chef. Though I did not do this, my understanding is that you might help the chef in some way preparing the menu, and the meal is then prepared and presented for your dinner. All the first hand, hands on and preimum time with the chef is the reason for the extra charge.

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Once on board, where do you find the various menus to view?

Thanks!

 

There is a reservation table in the World Cafe on the port side as you enter. I assume the menus are available there and when that is not open you can find a space near the restaurant until about an hour before seating starts. Since it is not our type of eating, we went in blind the first night with no knowledge of the menu or reservations. We arrived when the restaurant opened, the last night of the first rotation, to check availability and were seated. Enjoyed and made reservations for the next night for the new menu. Before we left that night we had reservations for each rotation of cruise.

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There is another venue called "Kitchen Table". Dinner in this venue is in conjunction with a shore excursion and there is a fee for the whole experience. You shop with the chef in the morning at the local market and the meal is put together and purchased. That part is over until the evening when you return for a session with the chef. Though I did not do this, my understanding is that you might help the chef in some way preparing the menu, and the meal is then prepared and presented for your dinner. All the first hand, hands on and preimum time with the chef is the reason for the extra charge.

 

Where do you find out more information about this? TBQH I haven't looked for it on the VO website.

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