Chef's Table - Spoilers, Photos and Review

[WyKnott]

I was wavering on the Chef's Table, as much as I wanted to do it, I also didn't want to miss out on whatever was being served in the MDR. Well, your pictures were the tipping point. We are now booked for the Chef's Table on the Spirit in a couple of weeks.

[bplazo]

Well, after looking at your pictures (which were very good) there is no way that I would try the Chef's Table. I like everything plain with no sauces and nothing fancy.

[italianfemmy]

Well, after looking at your pictures (which were very good) there is no way that I would try the Chef's Table. I like everything plain with no sauces and nothing fancy.

 

Well I am sure if you like everything plain, that you would have never tried Chef's table anyway knowing that Chef's like to make things fancy :-)

 

I am a rather plain eater myself which is why I wasn't doing this for myself but for Latanya. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved all of the courses.

[SarahQ]

Wow - amazing photos! We were on Dream in November and this was just like reliving our fabulous Chef's Table experience (especially seeing Balazs - he's so adorable!).

 

Thanks so much for posting this - made me smile and brought back lots of fond memories!

[jff50]

I shot all of them with the 5D MK II and these particular shots all were done with the 50 1.4. However, they weren't all shot at 1.4. The apertures varied. Some were natural light, requiring slower shutter speeds. Some of them were with a bounced 580 EX II flash set at varying +/- manual settings depending on what the shot required.

Thanks so much for this review and the fabulous pictures. I've done Chef's Table on Princess multiple times, but never on Carnival. We are on the Breeze this June/July, and I was just confirmed for 4 of us for the Chef's Table. I forwarded your reviews link to my wife and 2 daughters (that will be joining me). Everyone loved it, and is looking forward to the experience.

 

Just wondering which of my lenses would be the best fit for the Chef's Table. I have the Canon 5D MK II, and my collection of lenses includes:

• Canon's 50mm 1.4
  
• Canon's 85mm 1.8
  
• Canon's 24-105mm 4.0L
  
• Sigma 15mm 2.8 fisheye
  

Of these, which one or two lenses would you suggest for the Chef's Table?

[italianfemmy]

Thanks so much for this review and the fabulous pictures. I've done Chef's Table on Princess multiple times, but never on Carnival. We are on the Breeze this June/July, and I was just confirmed for 4 of us for the Chef's Table. I forwarded your reviews link to my wife and 2 daughters (that will be joining me). Everyone loved it, and is looking forward to the experience.

 

 

Just wondering which of my lenses would be the best fit for the Chef's Table. I have the Canon 5D MK II, and my collection of lenses includes:

• Canon's 50mm 1.4
  
• Canon's 85mm 1.8
  
• Canon's 24-105mm 4.0L
  
• Sigma 15mm 2.8 fisheye
  

Of these, which one or two lenses would you suggest for the Chef's Table?

 

 

First, I suggest you have your camera in a bag (not out) and that you ask the Chef directly if they mind you taking photos of your food or of the galley. Some do mind. And that your respect their policies.

 

If they say yes....

 

I used the 50 1.4 for my shots. I love it for detail shots because it makes everything so buttery and beautiful and works great for food photos.

 

With that said, I often couldn't get far enough away from my plate to get as much of the photo in focus as I would have liked to.

 

I still would probably use it again because of how pretty the images are that it delivers when using really shallow depths of field.

 

There is no way you're going to be far enough away from your plate to use your 85. And your fisheye will make your food look like it's super far away.

 

So take your 24-105 incase there are some shots you want to fit more in on the wider side. And your 50 1.4 to get that gorgeous depth of field and bokeh.

[vegadog2]

Aged Filet Mignon was the steak of choice for tonight. You could cut through this steak like it was butter. It was so tender and so full of flavor and absolutely delicious. It was served with Onion Streusel and a Three Pepper Mustard.

 

 

Then Chef and a couple his assistants began diligently working on plating our final course: Dessert! Watching the intricate plating that went into this was awesome! I loved being behind the scenes in the galley while everything was going on!

 

 

 

 

 

I love your review and the photosTHANKS FOR MAKING ME hungry.What camera were you using for this SHOOT.

 

[jff50]

First, I suggest you have your camera in a bag (not out) and that you ask the Chef directly if they mind you taking photos of your food or of the galley. Some do mind. And that your respect their policies.

 

If they say yes....

 

I used the 50 1.4 for my shots. I love it for detail shots because it makes everything so buttery and beautiful and works great for food photos.

 

With that said, I often couldn't get far enough away from my plate to get as much of the photo in focus as I would have liked to.

 

I still would probably use it again because of how pretty the images are that it delivers when using really shallow depths of field.

 

There is no way you're going to be far enough away from your plate to use your 85. And your fisheye will make your food look like it's super far away.

 

So take your 24-105 incase there are some shots you want to fit more in on the wider side. And your 50 1.4 to get that gorgeous depth of field and bokeh.

Thanks so much. I've never had any problems taking pictures of the Princess Chef's table, but I will definately ask permission.

[italianfemmy]

I used the 5D MK II for these photos because it's full frame. I also have the 1D MK IV but the crop factor wouldn't have worked well sitting at my table taking photos of a plate a couple of inches in front of me.

[LUVMYGSDOG]

I love your review and have looked at it several times. It was in one of the factors involved in my decision to book Chef's Table on Paradise in May.

 

The people who complain about everything on this board (like your photos) obviously are bored with nothing better to do. I sometimes actually feel sorry for them.

[jff50]

Cool beans. :-)

 

Anyway, back on topic...

 

We loved Chef's table so much that we're thinking of making it tradition! Latanya and I really loved how relaxing and well paced it was and the food was simply devine.

 

Now, my hope is that if we book it for the Breeze, that the menu will vary slightly because I can't imagine paying for the exact same courses every time. That would be the one thing that would make it not become a tradition for me. :D

Since we'll be doing the Chef's Table on the Breeze before you, I would be glad to send you the menu. Not sure I'd want to post any digital images here, given some people's lack of respect for intellectual property.;) Just kidding (sort of), I will probably post the menu. Maybe I'll put a watermark on it, just to piss some people off. However, after your thread, I'd probably be embarrased to post photos.

[italianfemmy]

Since we'll be doing the Chef's Table on the Breeze before you, I would be glad to send you the menu. Not sure I'd want to post any digital images here, given some people's lack of respect for intellectual property.;) Just kidding (sort of), I will probably post the menu. Maybe I'll put a watermark on it, just to piss some people off. However, after your thread, I'd probably be embarrased to post photos.

 

You're sailing her before me? Are you doing her Mediterranean itinerary? I am doing her first full U.S. one!

 

You can let me know if the menu is the same but if it's different, I want the suspense.

 

Everyone at our table opened their rolled up menu and read it, including Latanya. I opted not to because I wanted the surprise of what was coming to the table next and not knowing when it would be over! :-)

[jff50]

You're sailing her before me? Are you doing her Mediterranean itinerary? I am doing her first full U.S. one!

 

You can let me know if the menu is the same but if it's different, I want the suspense.

 

Everyone at our table opened their rolled up menu and read it, including Latanya. I opted not to because I wanted the surprise of what was coming to the table next and not knowing when it would be over! :-)

We are on the Med itinerary (her 3rd sailing June 27th). Celebrating our tenth anniversary with my 3 daughters--two of which will join us for the Chef's Table. I will try to remember (actually I'll note it in my calendar) to post whether the menu is the same--but no more than that--on this thread.

[italianfemmy]

Awww congrats on your 10th year anniversary! My 6th year anniversary is coming up on January 28th! It's hard to believe I am 30 years old and going on 6 years already! We'll be one of those couples that will be in the running for "who has been married the longest" on the cruise ship if we both make it that long. lol. I have to make it to age 74 to have a 50 year anniversary! Whoa! :-)

 

Yeah I'd really appreciate the info on if the menu is the same! Thanks a bunch! And I hope you enjoy it!!

[jff50]

Awww congrats on your 10th year anniversary! My 6th year anniversary is coming up on January 28th! It's hard to believe I am 30 years old and going on 6 years already! We'll be one of those couples that will be in the running for "who has been married the longest" on the cruise ship if we both make it that long. lol. I have to make it to age 74 to have a 50 year anniversary! Whoa! :-)

 

Yeah I'd really appreciate the info on if the menu is the same! Thanks a bunch! And I hope you enjoy it!!

I don't even want to think about a 50th anniversary--I'd be 101. I'm curmudeonly enough at 61--can't imagine myself being tolerable for that much longer.

[italianfemmy]

I don't even want to think about a 50th anniversary--I'd be 101. I'm curmudeonly enough at 61--can't imagine myself being tolerable for that much longer.

 

Awww so you married the love of your life at age 51?!! That's fantastic! This is why I love CC - getting to meet people I wouldn't have met otherwise and hear their fantastic stories! That's just amazing to me! Congrats!

[Julienatul]

Thanks for sharing. I have been wanting to do this but wondering about the menu for the price. I definitely will do it this next cruise.

[bplazo]

I love your review and have looked at it several times. It was in one of the factors involved in my decision to book Chef's Table on Paradise in May.

 

The people who complain about everything on this board (like your photos) obviously are bored with nothing better to do. I sometimes actually feel sorry for them.

 

The pictures are beautifull, I must have missed it where someone complained about the pictures.

[italianfemmy]

The pictures are beautifull, I must have missed it where someone complained about the pictures.

 

The mods cleaned up the complaints that one person was making about my logo on my photos. :-) It's irrelevant - they agree, I own the copyright and have the right to watermark my photos.

 

When they clean things up and a random quote gets left behind, it makes it look like that person is nutso! Haha.

 

Everyone, please enjoy the review! I cannot look at these pics without getting hungry!

[LynnTTT]

These are some of the best "off the cuff" and unplanned food shots I've ever seen. The food looks great, crystal clear photos, appetizing etc. Canival should hire you to do all their photography.

[Ontario_Cruiser]

Incredible review! I only saw it because somebody posted a link to John Heald's facebook page:

 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/JohnHeald/posts/317911018251466?notif_t=feed_comment_reply

 

John replied "fantastic review and please can someone post this thank you on Cruise Critic because it really is fantastic and is a brilliant review of this fabulous event. Thanks Jonathan for sailing. Cheers mate"

[Cyn7]

Great review! Someone post a link on John Heald's page and he asked if we would post what he said:

 

John Heald fantastic review and please can someone post this thank you on Cruise Critic because it really is fantastic and is a brilliant review of this fabulous event. Thanks Jonathan for sailing. Cheers mate

9 minutes ago · Like

[matondo]

Thank you for taking the time to post the pictures from the chef's table again. I had already seen them on your previous blog but I had to see them again.

 

Has Carnival approached you about purchasing some of your photos? WOW...

[Periwinkle19]

Alicia, you sold me on the Chef's Table! I was reluctant to do it because $75 is a lot of money...but this is waaay better than a shore excursion. We live in Florida, we can snorkel anytime we want. (Palm Harbor...howdy neighbor!)

 

And if I ever need a photographer you are my go-to person. All of your pictures are beautifully composed and executed. You make things look better than real life.

[italianfemmy]

Incredible review! I only saw it because somebody posted a link to John Heald's facebook page:

 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/JohnHeald/posts/317911018251466?notif_t=feed_comment_reply

 

John replied "fantastic review and please can someone post this thank you on Cruise Critic because it really is fantastic and is a brilliant review of this fabulous event. Thanks Jonathan for sailing. Cheers mate"

 

Cool! I don't see it on his actual FB wall though... how did you see it? :-)