$150 per person for the Chefs Table

[focat2]

$119 plus gratuities on my upcoming Celebration cruise. I debated for a long time, but just booked it about an hour ago. I've always wanted to try a tasting menu, and it's much cheaper than at restaurants near me.

Worth it? I'll do a review after and let you know what I think.

[PurdueChefAmber]

I am doing this on the Panorama on the April 20th sailing, I will report back any differences I notice.  Last chef's table was 2 years ago. 

[DPTexas]

We enjoy the CT each cruise.  We don't drink alcoholic beverages so that is not a consideration for us in the price.  We thoroughly enjoy the experience, the food offerings (at least 7 courses) and the company.  Yes, it is a lot of food so you have to pace yourself, but in our experience well-prepared and presented.  We also enjoy trying all types of foods which is important b/c during several of the CTs in the past, there have been diners who won't eat fish, vegetables, etc - which greatly limits the food and increases the cost of what has been tasted.  Last time, they adjusted the menu for someone who was gluten free and she seemed to enjoy it as much as everyone else.  Also, we factor in that the cost of the experience on land would be far greater. 

That being said, there are other purchase options (Cheers package, jewelry, art) on the cruise that we don't participate in, so this is our "splurge".  

We used to stalk the FTTF, but no longer as the price has out-paced its value.

Happy Cruising Everyone!

[Eric from San Diego]

The Chef's Table is for people who live in small towns.  If you live in New York or any other metro area with a population in the millions, you already have restaurants at home where you can drop $150 for a CT type dinner.  But a lot of cruisers live in towns here Red Lobster is the closest thing they have to fine dining.   For them, CT is a great experience that they normally would not have at home.   

[staceyglow]

12 hours ago, Eric from San Diego said:

The Chef's Table is for people who live in small towns.  If you live in New York or any other metro area with a population in the millions, you already have restaurants at home where you can drop $150 for a CT type dinner.  But a lot of cruisers live in towns here Red Lobster is the closest thing they have to fine dining.   For them, CT is a great experience that they normally would not have at home.   

I lived in one of the largest cities in the world (yes, even bigger than San Diego  😉) when I did the Chef's Table. Even at $150, it is still very reasonably priced compared to a similar experience in a land-based restaurant. 

[ninjacat123]

7 minutes ago, staceyglow said:

I lived in one of the largest cities in the world (yes, even bigger than San Diego  😉) when I did the Chef's Table. Even at $150, it is still very reasonably priced compared to a similar experience in a land-based restaurant. 

I love seeing and tasting all of the different preparations, like when the chefs make a liquid into little caviar-like balls or a foam.  Just don't use beets.  Beets taste like dirt.😉

[bdeluca03]

At $150 per person, I could easily find Michelin Rated Restaurants in many cities who would provide significantly more value than The Chefs Table.

[ninjacat123]

1 hour ago, bdeluca03 said:

At $150 per person, I could easily find Michelin Rated Restaurants in many cities who would provide significantly more value than The Chefs Table.

In the United States? Please list a couple. Thanks.

[ninjacat123]

Here is one menu with wine in one of our best restaurants The Fig Tree in Charlotte, NC. 

Edited April 8 by ninjacat123

[rrraydon]

On 12/1/2023 at 10:10 AM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

"upgraded" experience = hogwash

My thoughts exactly!!!!! 🤣

[bdeluca03]

10 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

In the United States? Please list a couple. Thanks.

Gladly: https://www.timeout.com/usa/restaurants/cheapest-michelin-starred-restaurants-in-the-us and the Chefs Table is definitely not Michelin Rated for a variety of reasons primarily on the service side, as for example all dishes don't hit the table at the same exact time to all seated guests.

 

[SpainAlien]

Just a note, I am on Horizon at the end of the month and Celebration from 5th May, both are showing CT at $119 per person (plus grats)

 

It does say "Sailing on Panorama, Firenze or Venezia? Your ship has an upgraded Chef’s Table experience! Enjoy an elevated menu with premium options for food and wine"

Edited April 8 by SpainAlien

[nc762shooter]

If they have changed it to include actual wine pairings with higher end wines for each course then I could 100% see it being a fair price at $150. Whether an individual finds that worth it or not is another story but I will reserve judgement until I have more information. Wife and I thoroughly enjoyed Chef's Table the only time we did it in the past, it was a splurge for a special occasion back then but we felt we got our money's worth. I always viewed Chef's Table more along the lines of an excursion instead of just a meal which in my opinion puts a different perspective on the cost. 

[weezal]

1 hour ago, bdeluca03 said:

Gladly: https://www.timeout.com/usa/restaurants/cheapest-michelin-starred-restaurants-in-the-us and the Chefs Table is definitely not Michelin Rated for a variety of reasons primarily on the service side, as for example all dishes don't hit the table at the same exact time to all seated guests.

 

off-topic for clarification

Does service play a part?
Again, no. It’s entirely up to the restaurant to decide what style of service it wants to offer – and that has no bearing on a Michelin Star.
https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/features/what-is-a-michelin-star

[bdeluca03]

1 minute ago, weezal said:

off-topic for clarification

Does service play a part?
Again, no. It’s entirely up to the restaurant to decide what style of service it wants to offer – and that has no bearing on a Michelin Star.
https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/features/what-is-a-michelin-star

It appears I've misspoken. As for quality of Michelin Stars (I live in Seattle so we are ineligible due to geography but use to love dining at them weekly in San Francisco) while I enjoy watching the Melting Chocolate Cake being made/served, I am not sure it's going to win any awards. 

 

What is the difference between 1, 2 and 3 Michelin Stars? 

One MICHELIN Star is awarded to restaurants using top quality ingredients, where dishes with distinct flavours are prepared to a consistently high standard.

Two MICHELIN Stars are awarded when the personality and talent of the chef are evident in their expertly crafted dishes; their food is refined and inspired.

Three MICHELIN Stars is our highest award, given for the superlative cooking of chefs at the peak of their profession; their cooking is elevated to an art form and some of their dishes are destined to become classics.

[Sten0127]

We were on the Panorama a couple weeks ago and tried the new Chef's Table.  Although my husband and I enjoyed it, I wouldn't do it again for $150.  We have done it several times in the past and the food choices were very similar, and several of the courses were the same as the last time we did one.  I really didn't see any differences in the food.

They still just offered a sparkling wine when you sat down and then one red and one white wine.  The wine they offered was definitely better than the other times we did it (The white was a Decoy, and I'm sorry, I forget what the red was, but it was a good wine.)

I wanted to try it because I was hoping they would do a wine pairing with each choice, which I thought would make it worth it.  I had recently done a Chef's Table on Royal Caribbean, and they did a different wine pairing for each course (I think we had at least 8 different wines) and it was very enjoyable.  I also can't remember the price, but it was less than $150! 

The service, presentation and food were all excellent, but for that price, it should include wine pairings.

 

[aborgman]

13 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

In the United States? Please list a couple. Thanks.

 

Nhà Hàng Vietnam (https://www.allmenus.com/il/chicago/354928-nha-hang-viet-nam/menu/)

 

Carnitas Uruapan (https://menupages.com/carnitas-uruapan/1725-w-18th-st-chicago)

 

Ghin Khao (http://places.singleplatform.com/ghin-khao-eat-rice/menu)

[BigTeee]

1 hour ago, weezal said:

off-topic for clarification

Does service play a part?
Again, no. It’s entirely up to the restaurant to decide what style of service it wants to offer – and that has no bearing on a Michelin Star.
https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/features/what-is-a-michelin-star

Funny.  Michelin was to encourage car drivers to drive on Michelin tires to a roadhouse eatery!   I guess all those car drivers driving out to the middle of the deep blue want a michelin rated experience?  Anyway, Carnival still promotes itself as a "fun" experience.  I might try this Chef's Table on my very first Carnival Cruise.  I've eaten in the finest restaurants on five continents, and I also have a Mikky Deez app on my phone.  I just love food.  My only fear is that I be sharing a table with fellow passengers who think that anything that's not served with a bottle of ketchup and a tub of mayo will taste like dirt?

[ninjacat123]

9 minutes ago, aborgman said:

 

Nhà Hàng Vietnam (https://www.allmenus.com/il/chicago/354928-nha-hang-viet-nam/menu/)

 

Carnitas Uruapan (https://menupages.com/carnitas-uruapan/1725-w-18th-st-chicago)

 

Ghin Khao (http://places.singleplatform.com/ghin-khao-eat-rice/menu)

All look very yummy!  Wish I was closer to Chicago😻

[ninjacat123]

1 minute ago, BigTeee said:

Funny.  Michelin was to encourage car drivers to drive on Michelin tires to a roadhouse eatery!   I guess all those car drivers driving out to the middle of the deep blue want a michelin rated experience?  Anyway, Carnival still promotes itself as a "fun" experience.  I might try this Chef's Table on my very first Carnival Cruise.  I've eaten in the finest restaurants on five continents, and I also have a Mikky Deez app on my phone.  I just love food.  My only fear is that I be sharing a table with fellow passengers who think that anything that's not served with a bottle of ketchup and a tub of mayo will taste like dirt?

Only beets taste like dirt.  With or without ketchup or mayo.😉🤣

[BigTeee]

I actually have baked beetroot cake, made from scratch with beets that I ground myself with my KitchenAid food grinder.  The key is to not skimp on sugar.   If I see the price of chocolate getting severely inflated as it's predicted, I may go back to baking beet cake and not chocolate cake.    

 

Anyway, I'm about to book Chef's Table on Carnival Legend Transatlantic Journey: $90.   Which is about what a mid-range meal costs in a sit-down restaurant costs in the Washington DC metro region, including 11% taxes, excluding tip and valet parking (I refuse to get another street parking  ticket from the traffic cops!)

[PurdueChefAmber]

On the same note, I am doing a Chef's Table at Essence in Elkhart, IN for the same price and it is heads above any Chef's Table I have done on Carnival but I get sick of the MDR on the cruise, I like doing Steakhouse, Teppanyaki and Chef's Table to break it up.  

[IntrepidFromDC]

On 4/7/2024 at 10:54 AM, ninjacat123 said:

I love seeing and tasting all of the different preparations, like when the chefs make a liquid into little caviar-like balls or a foam.  Just don't use beets.  Beets taste like dirt.😉

I agree - the experience is very nicely done on CT.  I only did it once, and at that time I think it was $50? $70?  I remember thinking Steakhouse had better quality food, although the CT was the "real deal" when it comes to the experience.  Enjoyed them teaching us how to make the Melting Cake too.

 

As for beets, I've never tasted dirt.  But I would rather risk a spoon of dirt in my mouth than a bite of beets.  Evil food.

[ninjacat123]

3 hours ago, BigTeee said:

I actually have baked beetroot cake, made from scratch with beets that I ground myself with my KitchenAid food grinder.  The key is to not skimp on sugar.   If I see the price of chocolate getting severely inflated as it's predicted, I may go back to baking beet cake and not chocolate cake.    

 

Anyway, I'm about to book Chef's Table on Carnival Legend Transatlantic Journey: $90.   Which is about what a mid-range meal costs in a sit-down restaurant costs in the Washington DC metro region, including 11% taxes, excluding tip and valet parking (I refuse to get another street parking  ticket from the traffic cops!)

I participate in a Holiday Cookie Exchange with my book club and I made chocolate cookies using canned shredded beets.  They won most original cookie.  I walked away with a fistful of dollars. I still thought there was an essence of dirt but some people like dirt, if it's mixed up with enough chocolate😉

[nc762shooter]

4 hours ago, Sten0127 said:

We were on the Panorama a couple weeks ago and tried the new Chef's Table.  Although my husband and I enjoyed it, I wouldn't do it again for $150.  We have done it several times in the past and the food choices were very similar, and several of the courses were the same as the last time we did one.  I really didn't see any differences in the food.

They still just offered a sparkling wine when you sat down and then one red and one white wine.  The wine they offered was definitely better than the other times we did it (The white was a Decoy, and I'm sorry, I forget what the red was, but it was a good wine.)

I wanted to try it because I was hoping they would do a wine pairing with each choice, which I thought would make it worth it.  I had recently done a Chef's Table on Royal Caribbean, and they did a different wine pairing for each course (I think we had at least 8 different wines) and it was very enjoyable.  I also can't remember the price, but it was less than $150! 

The service, presentation and food were all excellent, but for that price, it should include wine pairings.

 

That's a little disappointing to hear, however we still may give it a shot for a special occasion.

 

39 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

I agree - the experience is very nicely done on CT.  I only did it once, and at that time I think it was $50? $70?  I remember thinking Steakhouse had better quality food, although the CT was the "real deal" when it comes to the experience.  Enjoyed them teaching us how to make the Melting Cake too.

 

As for beets, I've never tasted dirt.  But I would rather risk a spoon of dirt in my mouth than a bite of beets.  Evil food.

If you've tasted beets, you've tasted dirt. 😂 However, I guess I'm strange and enjoy the taste of dirt, but I will definitely agree they taste like dirt even though I don't mind eating them LOL.