New Luminae Menu Soon?

[Plato123]

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/20380-celebrity-inks-deal-with-michelin-starred-chef-daniel-boulud.html

[FLbeachbaby]

I sure hope it's soon...the menu needs some love. Luminae in March and August so I'll check it out. Thanks for the post.

 

[jelayne]

Not sure it will be a new menu, maybe some “signature dishes” added.

[Jim_Iain]

If it is like other changes to the menu it usually isn't a quick process. 

 

[TeeRick]

It seems that the Luminae menu is being enhanced a few nights by this special Chef's Table type menu.  Most likely an upcharge.

[WonderMan3]

17 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

It seems that the Luminae menu is being enhanced a few nights by this special Chef's Table type menu.  Most likely an upcharge.

 

I thought the Chef's Table was a separate dining experience not an offshoot of the Luminae or MDR menus? They were offering one when I was on Summit last month. It took place in Tuscan and had the galley tour, etc. and had an upcharge. I assume this would be a reworking of that experience that already exists on Celebrity ships.

[Gonzo70]

Yeah, that was my take from reading the article; the "Michelin-starred chef" [sic - Michelin does not star chefs] is 1) Adding some signature dishes to Luminae's menu  and 2) The Chef's Table on Celebrity will be revamped (and named after this Chef) and he will be involved in the changes.

[jagoffee]

Long overdue IMO.

[vtcruising]

If you go to the links on the other thread by Andy that leads to which cruises have these changes, so far it only lists the Summit, though the article says that it will be rolled out on the Equinox and Millennium in 2019 as well.

 

 https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8219056-celebrity-cruises-american-ballet-theatre-daniel-boulud/

 

This is from that article that included the new ballet program as well:

"The new experiences with both American Ballet Theatre and Chef Boulud will begin rolling out across the fleet in 2019, starting with Celebrity Summit, then Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Millennium. To learn more about Celebrity's partnership with American Ballet Theatre, visit www.celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/entertainment/american-ballet-theatre. More information regarding the brand's partnership with Michelin-starred Chef Boulud can also be found at www.celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/eat-and-drink/daniel-boulud."

 

 

Edited February 14, 2019 by vtcruising

[TeeRick]

19 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

 

I thought the Chef's Table was a separate dining experience not an offshoot of the Luminae or MDR menus? They were offering one when I was on Summit last month. It took place in Tuscan and had the galley tour, etc. and had an upcharge. I assume this would be a reworking of that experience that already exists on Celebrity ships.

Yes you are correct for the traditional Chef's Table.  I interpreted from the new press release that Chef Boulud would be helping Celebrity with a new type of similar event associated with Luminae on some evenings.  Maybe I read it the wrong way but it is not very clear.

[Hlitner]

So here is my contrarian view.  Nearly all the cruise lines have played the "marketing game" by allying themselves with various top chefs (or at least those with a "name") who do help design menus.  But the best menus in the world are meaningless unless the galley has access to the highest quality products and the ability/motivation to properly prepare and serve food while it is fresh and hot!  It does not take a star chef to make good pizza.  But it does take some training, good/real cheese, decent tomato sauce, etc.   You can have steak on the menu, but if the quality of the beef is lacking then a nice menu description is not going to improve the item.  Replace decent cold water lobster tail with a large shrimp and it is not going to satisfy a lobster lover.  Buy cheaper cuts of meat, veal, etc....run it through high tech tenderizers and it is not going to satisfy folks that enjoy good meat.  

 

When we started cruising (in the mid-70s) very good cuisine was the norm on many cruise lines.  Even RCI used to serve vegetables out of large silver serving bowls where a waiter would give you the sides you desired and it came out of the serving bowls piping hot.  Steak in the MDR was thick, tender and tasty.  Fish was real wild fish with lots of flavor....not the tasteless farmed stuff served these days (which cruise lines justify by saying it is "sustainable seafood").  DW recently reminded me of a cruise on a budget cruise line (Regent Spirit  of Regency Cruises) where we actually walked with the ship's executive chef from our small dock in Nice, France to the nearby Flower Market where the chef actually purchased fresh fruit and veggies for our small ship.   Fish was bought in multiple ports and served fresh...that same night.  Nowadays, the fish is frozen, shipped around the world in frozen containers along with the meat and many other items.  

 

The cruise industry has changed.  Huge megaships do not lend themselves to producing high quality food.  How on earth can we expect a ship to produce 10,000 plus high quality meals per day?  Cruisers have been forced (programmed) to expect decent quality (at best) banquet food.   The one exception we have found on Celebrity is in Murano where much of our food has been excellent to outstanding.  But to get this kind of quality one is expected to pay a premium.  We used to get comparable food in many ship MDR's.  Time has changed.

 

Hank

[cruisestitch]

New Luminae Menu Soon?

 

I would say, not soon, but eventually.  Menu revisions take a long time to implement.  They require testing, training, revamping, and more testing and training.  You may see one or two dishes roll out at a time, or they may re-do the whole menu, which will obviously take longer to accomplish.

[TeeRick]

On 2/15/2019 at 11:46 AM, Hlitner said:

So here is my contrarian view.  Nearly all the cruise lines have played the "marketing game" by allying themselves with various top chefs (or at least those with a "name") who do help design menus.  But the best menus in the world are meaningless unless the galley has access to the highest quality products and the ability/motivation to properly prepare and serve food while it is fresh and hot!  It does not take a star chef to make good pizza.  But it does take some training, good/real cheese, decent tomato sauce, etc.   You can have steak on the menu, but if the quality of the beef is lacking then a nice menu description is not going to improve the item.  Replace decent cold water lobster tail with a large shrimp and it is not going to satisfy a lobster lover.  Buy cheaper cuts of meat, veal, etc....run it through high tech tenderizers and it is not going to satisfy folks that enjoy good meat.  

 

When we started cruising (in the mid-70s) very good cuisine was the norm on many cruise lines.  Even RCI used to serve vegetables out of large silver serving bowls where a waiter would give you the sides you desired and it came out of the serving bowls piping hot.  Steak in the MDR was thick, tender and tasty.  Fish was real wild fish with lots of flavor....not the tasteless farmed stuff served these days (which cruise lines justify by saying it is "sustainable seafood").  DW recently reminded me of a cruise on a budget cruise line (Regent Spirit  of Regency Cruises) where we actually walked with the ship's executive chef from our small dock in Nice, France to the nearby Flower Market where the chef actually purchased fresh fruit and veggies for our small ship.   Fish was bought in multiple ports and served fresh...that same night.  Nowadays, the fish is frozen, shipped around the world in frozen containers along with the meat and many other items.  

 

The cruise industry has changed.  Huge megaships do not lend themselves to producing high quality food.  How on earth can we expect a ship to produce 10,000 plus high quality meals per day?  Cruisers have been forced (programmed) to expect decent quality (at best) banquet food.   The one exception we have found on Celebrity is in Murano where much of our food has been excellent to outstanding.  But to get this kind of quality one is expected to pay a premium.  We used to get comparable food in many ship MDR's.  Time has changed.

 

Hank

Hank not sure why you call this a contrarian view.  Many older experienced cruisers on CC share similar stories of the days before megaships.

[Hlitner]

48 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Hank not sure why you call this a contrarian view.  Many older experienced cruisers on CC share similar stories of the days before megaships.

Oh my!  I guess the emphasis should be on "older."   :).  But seriously, I call it contrarian because CC has many so-called "cheerleaders" for which their favorite cruise line can do no wrong. 

 

Hank 

[doubled]

Anyone have any updates on new menu?

[bikerunner]

On ‎2‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 11:46 AM, Hlitner said:

So here is my contrarian view.  Nearly all the cruise lines have played the "marketing game" by allying themselves with various top chefs (or at least those with a "name") who do help design menus.  But the best menus in the world are meaningless unless the galley has access to the highest quality products and the ability/motivation to properly prepare and serve food while it is fresh and hot!  It does not take a star chef to make good pizza.  But it does take some training, good/real cheese, decent tomato sauce, etc.   You can have steak on the menu, but if the quality of the beef is lacking then a nice menu description is not going to improve the item.  Replace decent cold water lobster tail with a large shrimp and it is not going to satisfy a lobster lover.  Buy cheaper cuts of meat, veal, etc....run it through high tech tenderizers and it is not going to satisfy folks that enjoy good meat.  

 

When we started cruising (in the mid-70s) very good cuisine was the norm on many cruise lines.  Even RCI used to serve vegetables out of large silver serving bowls where a waiter would give you the sides you desired and it came out of the serving bowls piping hot.  Steak in the MDR was thick, tender and tasty.  Fish was real wild fish with lots of flavor....not the tasteless farmed stuff served these days (which cruise lines justify by saying it is "sustainable seafood").  DW recently reminded me of a cruise on a budget cruise line (Regent Spirit  of Regency Cruises) where we actually walked with the ship's executive chef from our small dock in Nice, France to the nearby Flower Market where the chef actually purchased fresh fruit and veggies for our small ship.   Fish was bought in multiple ports and served fresh...that same night.  Nowadays, the fish is frozen, shipped around the world in frozen containers along with the meat and many other items.  

 

The cruise industry has changed.  Huge megaships do not lend themselves to producing high quality food.  How on earth can we expect a ship to produce 10,000 plus high quality meals per day?  Cruisers have been forced (programmed) to expect decent quality (at best) banquet food.   The one exception we have found on Celebrity is in Murano where much of our food has been excellent to outstanding.  But to get this kind of quality one is expected to pay a premium.  We used to get comparable food in many ship MDR's.  Time has changed.

 

Hank

Great thoughts and agree that food is based off the quality that is bought, I think many don't understand the point or the scope of the amount of food that is made for the ships this size, celebrity are 2500 plus ppl I think  besides the ones for Galapagos.  That is a lot of meals to prepare and large scale quality control that needs to be done.   I agree Murano is above par.  For what they do though, the high end banquet it is really good. Yes not the same as going to my favorite small restaurants, mainly farm to table and talking to the chef.     I am trying smaller ships next year (Seabourn)  but still your dealing with a good size.  Food is subjective tho and have had different dishes on cruises I didn't care for, easy enough to get something else. 

[hcat]

Wish Luminae menu could include some BLU  favorites that seem to draw suite guests to BLU...would help with the numbers in BLU!

[hcat]

Last great chef  X was associated with was Michael Roux..all downhill since then!

[Greenymac]

26 minutes ago, hcat said:

Last great chef  X was associated with was Michael Roux..all downhill since then!

Daniel Boloud is a BIG name....

[bikerunner]

4 minutes ago, Greenymac said:

Daniel Boloud is a BIG name....

Its a name, that's all.  Still comes down to quality and skill of chef preparing it.  I have a few local chefs where I live that I would put there food on par with some of the so called big names, or Michelin stars.  I worked in the hotel/restaurant industry many years running places.  The chefs did the big city thing in there younger life now just run small farm to table.  And in NH/Vt you get some great ingredients to choose from.  I do like Chef Boloud food and restaurants but they can design the menus for X but it still comes down to the execution and ingredients.  For large size ships that is not an easy task.   

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Last great chef  X was associated with was Michael Roux..all downhill since then!

I am going to respectfully disagree in that I think the Celebrity Chef stuff is more about marketing hype then improvement of food.  Anyone can pull up Celebrity Chef recipes and follow the instructions (DW does this all the time).  Using their name is simply using their name as a gimmick.  The real key is having talented chefs and cooks and giving them the raw materials with which to create the final product.  This now seems to  be lacking in the MDR.

 

The name of the game on mass market lines is how to produce lots of meals at the minimum cost per meal.  This is now achieved by using lower cost products and smaller quantities.    Go to one of Michael Roux's restaurants and you are not going to find food that is even close to what was served on X.....backed by his name.   You certainly will not be served Mousseline de Homard with Champagne Caviar in the MDR.... :).  And that is a fantastic Roux dish.

 

Hank

[hcat]

True..but  the taste, menus,  food etc on X back then were all excellent... in the mdr!

 

Shortly after Roux, they went with Vegas style and then a series of others...all downhill imho!

Edited June 6, 2019 by hcat

[bermadu22]

I have the Celebrity app on my phone for our September 1st cruise this year on the Summit. Right now I can see the menus for Luminae, MDR, and Blue. The Luminae menu has a separate dinner offering of Daniel Boulud's signature dishes, an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert. 

Chilled carrot and ginger veloute, with prawns, lime, and cilantro

Moroccan chicken tagine, with saffron couscous, turnip, cauliflower, preserved lemons, and olives

Raspberry pistachio vacherin, with Vanilla ice cream

 

It doesn't indicate there is an extra charge for the Daniel Boulud signature dishes. We will see if it's actually rolled out by the time we take our cruise in September. 

Edited June 6, 2019 by bermadu22
to clarify a point

[C-Dragons]

On 2/15/2019 at 11:58 AM, cruisestitch said:

New Luminae Menu Soon?

 

I would say, not soon, but eventually.  Menu revisions take a long time to implement.  They require testing, training, revamping, and more testing and training.  You may see one or two dishes roll out at a time, or they may re-do the whole menu, which will obviously take longer to accomplish.

Or, your waiter in Luminae will bring a dish to you and say “this is something new they are trying out, please let me know how you like it...” 😉  This happened a couple of times on our last cruise on the Edge.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

There was a live from post by Chicago Paul who had the Moroccan chicken and he said it was great. No upcharge. We tend to eat in Muranos a lot but will make it a point to go to Luminae to try this.