The Chef's Table

Where do I start on this one? Firstly, if you are ever fortunate enough to take Princess cruise , as soon as you are in your room, you should immediately call the purser’s desk and ask to go to the Chef’s table. Ours cost $95 per person, but what you get is UNBELIEVEABLE!

After donning lab type coats we were escorted, by the maître d’hotel to the galley and were introduced to the head chef of the ship. He took us on a tour of the galley where we saw how meals were prepared for the passengers. Then we were served 4 (yes 4) different appetizers with champagne in the galley. Our next stop we were escorted through one dining room where we were stared at by other passengers sitting down for their dinners. After returning our coats we were escorted to another dining room and seated at the gorgeously decorated table for our party. Then started the feasting. Everything was prepared by the chef especially for us. Our next course was a pasta dish, asparagus risotto with lobster tails and claws. Then our pallets were cleansed with lemon sorbet with lemoncello marinated strawberries. Our entrée consisted of roasted veal shanks and beef tenderloin in a green peppercorn sauce with vegetables and mushroom potatoes (potatoes shaped like mushrooms). And this was followed by baked camembert cheese with pine nuts in a port wine reduction and walnut bread. Are we done yet? Nope. Of course we are so stuffed by now that we can only attempt small bites of everything. The funny thing during all this is that we were a party of 9 and the chef’s staff serving us were an army of 8! It was mass confusion during serving. Now on to the dessert section. Yep, more food. This time chef brings out his pastry chef with him as they serve an absolutely stunning work of art. Everything on the plate was edible! It was a passion fruit dome cake (light as a feather) with whiskey soaked raspberry soft center and covered with a mango glaze. OMG! Finally coffee or tea with chocolates. And the final touch – a rose for the women and a cookbook for the men. It was unbelievable. Would I do it again? Only if I was with our own group. We started at 7pm and didn’t leave the table until 10:15pm.