Chef's Dinner

Is this done every night? Specifically, in my circumstance, do they do it on Christmas day? Do they still charge different prices for drinkers and non drinkers?

Thanks for any information you can provide. :)

Is this done every night? Specifically, in my circumstance, do they do it on Christmas day? Do they still charge different prices for drinkers and non drinkers?

 

Thanks for any information you can provide. :)

If you are talking about the Chefs Table, its done only a couple of times during a cruise. Its based on how many sign up. If there's not enough interest they may cancel it. $95pp $115 on the Royal/Regal.

There is a cheaper price (less $15 i think) for no alcohol.

Hard to say if one will fall on Christmas.

Now if you are taking about the Chefs dinner/menu, thats a different themed dinner in the DR. Nothing special. Just a menu theme during the cruise.

If you meant the Chef's Dinner Menu, that is usually the first formal night. If you ment the Chef's Table, Keith covered it above.

Thank you for that information- extremely helpful.

I meant the chef's table. The chefs menu was something I was wondering about too but didn't know it until you mentioned it. :) Good to know it's first formal night. That's the menu with the twice baked goat cheese soufflé, correct?

I have a culinary student who wants to do the Chef's Table, another son who doesn't want to miss any Prime Rib/ good steak nights and me who doesn't want to miss the soufflé. Luckily husband is happy to be fed!

Thank you for that information- extremely helpful.

 

I meant the chef's table. The chefs menu was something I was wondering about too but didn't know it until you mentioned it. :) Good to know it's first formal night. That's the menu with the twice baked goat cheese soufflé, correct?

 

I have a culinary student who wants to do the Chef's Table, another son who doesn't want to miss any Prime Rib/ good steak nights and me who doesn't want to miss the soufflé. Luckily husband is happy to be fed!

When you board, the maître d' is likely to have "office hours" in the fixed seating main dining room sometime on embarkation afternoon. Do call the DINE line as soon as you are onboard to make reservations for the Chef's Table, but I also recommend going to visit the Maitre d' that first day and make a special request/plea to be included - take the culinary student along with you - indicating that it would be particularly fascinating for him.

The other son - will probably enjoy an evening dining in Crown Grill.

I am with you - twice baked goat cheese soufflé is one of my favorites. The recipe has posted somewhere on here in the past....and as you might expect is a heart attack in a ramekin. :)

Do call the DINE line as soon as you are onboard to make reservations for the Chef's Table ... The sooner you can get onboard & call, the better your chances. When I did the Table, I was in my cabin and on the phone by noon!

 

I am with you - twice baked goat cheese soufflé is one of my favorites. The recipe has posted somewhere on here in the past....and as you might expect is a heart attack in a ramekin. :)

Guess I'd better bring along a bottle of nitroglycerin tablets.:D. My comment above is in purple.

Thank you. All advice noted and will be followed!

Is it first come first served for the CT or do they choose?

OMG! I have never dined in a specialty restaurant on Princess but have read the menu's for this cruise. Culinary student wants to taste everything! He has been on many cruises and hasn't cared before. The menu's in the specialty restaurants make me wonder why I haven't done this before!!

Thank you. All advice noted and will be followed!

 

Is it first come first served for the CT or do they choose?

 

OMG! I have never dined in a specialty restaurant on Princess but have read the menu's for this cruise. Culinary student wants to taste everything! He has been on many cruises and hasn't cared before. The menu's in the specialty restaurants make me wonder why I haven't done this before!!

It's first come - first served that's why I mentioned that the earlier you can get on board and call the DINE line the better your chances of getting accepted. One thing that may break your chances is if anyone in your party has a food allergy. I'm quite certain your young "foodie" would be in heaven, from appetizers and champaign in the galley along with the maitre'd and head chef, to a sit down five course dinner with accompanying wine. Then at the end everyone gets an 8.5x11" color photograph of your group, along with a copy of Princess' cook book, Courses.

I don't know if it's standard but toward the end of our dinner the maitre'd envied the group to have a second dinner the following evening - at no charge, other than if anyone bought wine it would be charged to their card. I think I just ordered a glass of wine through dinner and then a martini afterwards.

Got it. Thank you. Wish us luck!:)

Thank you. All advice noted and will be followed!

 

Is it first come first served for the CT or do they choose?

 

OMG! I have never dined in a specialty restaurant on Princess but have read the menu's for this cruise. Culinary student wants to taste everything! He has been on many cruises and hasn't cared before. The menu's in the specialty restaurants make me wonder why I haven't done this before!!

It is "almost" first come, first served on the Chef's Table, but not quite. Priority is given to suite passengers, it seems.....and the Maitre d' has some discretion when it comes to attendees. This is why I recommend not only calling the DINE line to reserve asap, but also talking to the Maitre d' asap, which is embarkation afternoon. We've done Chef's table a number of times, and I don't think we have ever not gotten an invitation when we have registered, but I can tell you that whether it is sailing in a suite as we now do fairly often, or being elite, or a combination, we are assured there will be a place for us and asked which evening we would prefer....so I will tell you that making sure the Maitre d' recognizes you and understands that your chef in training is - well - beyond eager - for the experience, and conveying that as politely as possible is an extra level of assurance.

Sounds like specialty dining is in your future as well. If the servers know they have a culinary student at the table, they just might make sure that there are "tastes" of things that were not ordered presented. Go hungry......go very hungry to the chef's table and specialty dining. Oh, for Chef's Table, please pace yourself. By the time you actually sit down at the table (after appetizers and champagne in the galley) you may already feel that you have had enough to eat. So, if the risotto course is delicious, enjoy it, but there is so much more to come. I hope you have one of the more outgoing Executive Chefs for the experience, so that your son will have a very special time and conversation. Also, the head pastry chef is likely to make an appearance with the dessert course so by all means have your son engage him as well. (Oh my, I would so love to be a fly on the wall for this one.)

I wish you a magical time watching your son in foodie heaven.......:D

OMG - you are going to be on the Grand. I think Rui Periera will be back on by then as Maitre d. Schedules get changed, but he should be on vacation now...and we know when we sail in March of 2016 he is scheduled to still be on board. He is an angel. Also, he and Executive Chef Joel Directo are a "team". We very much enjoy his Chef's Tables. Just did one with both of them at the beginning of June this year.

Please e-mail me at wesmarshall2000 at comcast dot net with the title culinary student chef's table. I would like to give you a personal message for Rui (that I hope will be helpful in securing you the reservations) if Rui is indeed on board. Also a few other notes....From one serious foodie to another......:D

Got it. Thank you. Wish us luck!:)

Here is a copy of the evening's menu. Just to give yiou and your budding foodie an idea of what to expect.

In addition to the photo and cookbook I mentioned earlier as souveniers, you will also get a printed copy, on parchment, of your dinner.

https://treven.smugmug.com/Chefs-Table-Menu/i-23h2MnZ/1/XL/Chefs%20Table%20copy-XL.jpg

ggprincess2000 - I have just sent an email. Thank you!

Treven- That menu is amazing. It was suppose to be all about my son but looking at it I believe it has switched back to being all about me!

ggprincess2000 - I have just sent an email. Thank you!

 

Treven- That menu is amazing. It was suppose to be all about my son but looking at it I believe it has switched back to being all about me!

How old is the young chef to be? The reason I asked is that if he's "under age" i don't know how it will be handled with the champaigne in the galley; whether he will be served champaigne or some other sparkling drink, or what.

Also keep in mind, that menu was just what we had on that particular cruise. Who knows what you will have. In addition, your group will meet the head chef a day or so before your dinner. He will go over the planned menu with the group and ask if anyone has any food allergies pertaining to that menu. If someone does, I would imagine they'll be excused from participating.:eek:

Have done Chefs Table at least 3 times. Entirely different menu each time.

If you have an allergy they make you something different.

Well worth the money.

Here are some photos and a menu from 3 years ago.

http://www.dmmarks.com/Chefs_Table

First menu posted I thought 'oh my, YES'. Then you post this one with pictures and I want that one too.

And it all has nothing to do with me sitting here, by myself, eating Chef-Boy-R-Dee from the pot (before heading out to son's baseball game).

It's first come - first served

I don't know if it's standard but toward the end of our dinner the maitre'd invited the group to have a second dinner the following evening - at no charge, other than if anyone bought wine it would be charged to their card.

No, that's not standard, but very lucky for you. I wonder how often that has occurred?

Reading this thread makes me sad we missed getting selected for CT in the past when price was $75.

But just I would mention if the OP is on Royal/Regal, there is the Winemaker's Dinner which is also very nice at a much more affordable price point. But it is the meal with selected wines for each course and not the extra goodies of the CT such as the galley visit with hors d'oeuvres and bubbly, and the gifts.

I plan to try this one out in November.

...

And it all has nothing to do with me sitting here, by myself, eating Chef-Boy-R-Dee from the pot (before heading out to son's baseball game).

At least you're eating it out of a pot, presumably hot, instead of cold out of the can. See, it could be worse.

Well, yes, this is true...........

Game cancelled due to thunder, lightning and hail. If I had waited a bit it would have been cold as the lights are now flickering!!

BTW- culinary student is 19. Old enough to drink here but not on the ship. Not a big deal unless they would prefer to have drinkers filling the table.

Well, yes, this is true...........

 

Game cancelled due to thunder, lightning and hail. If I had waited a bit it would have been cold as the lights are now flickering!!

 

BTW- culinary student is 19. Old enough to drink here but not on the ship. Not a big deal unless they would prefer to have drinkers filling the table.

Given his age, they may not even question him regarding that. Princess, I think, isn't so concerned with filling the table with drinkers as they have a lower price for those who don't drink, "I think" it's $15 less.

If they do balk at him drinking champaigne in the galley, and then wine with dinner they may offer him sparkling apple cider or something like that.

When I was entertaining, I would have everyone (or couple) bring a bottle of champaigne (I didn't want them drinkin' my booze). For those who didn't drink I asked them to bring a bottle of Sparkling Apple Cider. I would serve their drink of choice in lead crystal champaigne flutes, just like the real thing.