We all have our reasons we love to cruise. For me, besides the exciting ports of call, it's being wined and dined and letting someone else do the cooking and cleaning for a week or more. I spent a week on the Caribbean Princess sailing to New England and Canada back in September. I have sailed Princess Cruise Lines several times, but passed on an opportunity I will never turn down again, The Chef's Table.
For the cost of $75 per person diners are treated to an unforgettable and delicious experience. The meal is specially prepared by the head chef himself. I had been reluctant in the past to pay that fee, but after this experience will gladly pay it again and again.
Our evening began with an invitation to meet Maitre D' Giuseppe Franchina outside the International Cafe on deck 5. We were then given lab coats and escorted through the dining room into the Galley. Giuseppe introduced us to Executive Chef Antonio Cereda. This is where the fun began. A select staff began pouring us champagne and bringing out appetizers one after another. Each appetizer was specially prepared only for us by Chef Cereda. They included caviar, salmon tartar and king crab margaritas to name a few. We spent about 45 minutes in the galley before being escorted to a special section of the dining room set up just for the Chef's Table group.
A word of advice, you are going to be served many delicious delicacies, so you may not want to eat much before you go, if anything at all. The food kept coming and each course was better than the last. Once seated at our table we were given our first course, baked parmesan dumplings. Next came my favorite course, raspberry ginger sherbet topped with Grey Goose Vodka. This helped cleanse the palate and prepare us for the incredible main course.
Chef Cereda then brought out a "trio of beef, veal and pork on a medieval spike". He flamed the meat for show and added taste. If that wasn't enough, Head Waiter Tomasz then placed a lobster tail on each of our plates. Did I mention that during this entire meal the wine was flowing? We were offered white, red and a dessert wine. By dessert we were all feeling the effects of the alcohol and had a great deal of fun with our last course. We were presented with an elegant dome which turned out to be made of spun sugar. Chef Cereda lifted the dome to reveal "iced amaretto strawberry parfait with fresh berries". The bowl securing this delicious dessert was also made of sugar. After devouring the parfait we all started to break apart and eat the sugar bowl.
Once the meal was complete a ship's photographer took a group picture and individual photos. He returned about 20 minutes later with our complimentary pictures and Chef Cereda and Maitre D' Franchina presented the ladies with roses and each couple signed cookbooks.
If you decide to take part in the Chef's Table sign up the second you arrive onboard your Princess ship. Only 12 people are selected per night and in our case they only offered the Chef's Table two nights. If you love being wined and dined don't pass up this truly incredible experience.
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