I was glad to work off a lot of calories walking Halifax during the day because this night we were gifted a unique luxury experience found on cruises known as The Chef's Table, or Chef's Table Lumiere as it is known specifically on Princess' Royal Class ships like Enchanted. This was a culinary experience we had never experienced on any cruise line. It is an upcharge experience of $115 per person and includes a set menu arranged by the Executive Chef as well as the wine pairings the chef has chosen to pair with each course. It is also a limited availability experience with reservations only available to be made once on board. We would like to thank our SEM April and Princess Cruises for gifting us this experience for Dad's birthday. I would also like to thank April for saving us a trip to Guest Services on disembarkation morning when a charge for Chef's Table showed up overnight before that last morning on each of our onboard charge accounts.
Chef's Table Lumiere is a unique experience partly because it is limited to twelve participants for each one held. It raises the bar to give you more than simply a dinner in the main dining room with a set menu. The pomp and circumstance that surrounds each step of this dinner is as exciting as the food. While it is a set menu, April took care of alerting the culinary team about Dad not eating seafood. He was provided equally as delectable alternatives and is still raving about his main course. We are not champagne or wine drinkers so we were replenished with still and sparkling water and Sprite as fast as we could drink it.
In the past, this experience also included an escorted walk by the Director of Restaurant Operations through the galley where passengers would partake of appetizers and a champagne toast. Due to the few remaining COVID restrictions, this part was not available for us. It was announced by Silvio during the dinner with his apologies. He then happily announced that this was the first cruise since the shutdown that they would be allowed to offer the free galley tour to all passengers that is usually held after the cooking demonstration show in the theater. Anyone who chose to participate would have to do so wearing masks and gloves. I heard later from future cruisers that a couple weeks after our cruise, they started allowing the offered bridge tour for Sky Suites with the same precautions. I hope in the future that I'll be on a cruise with that opportunity as well.
Chef's Table Lumiere dinner starts with a letter from the Executive Chef (in our case Executive Chef Florin Dragan) left in your cabin inviting you to attend with instructions about where and when to meet the Director of Restaurant Operations. This evening, I finally broke out the dress as this is considered a formal affair. It added to the feeling of exclusivity when we arrived at the lounge and were approved to be on the list and let inside by the crew member watching the door. We met up with our ten other tablemates seated at tables by the door and chatted until Silvio arrived.
After a brief introduction and explanation, Silvio led us down to one of the main dining rooms and past the other diners to the large table in the center of the room surrounded by a shimmering curtain of light. I could hear another passenger remark "Oh I know what they're doing!" as we were paraded past. We followed Silvio's instructions to have each female take a chair while the gentlemen stood behind them for a group picture with him and Executive Chef Florin Dagan. We all oohed as the curtain of light closed in around us. Once the ship photographer took our group picture, we were directed to find our assigned seats with printed name cards. Then the photographer took pictures of each "couple" with Silvio and Florin. These photos as well as printed versions of tonight's menu were left in our cabin later in the cruise.
Champagne was poured for all and after Florin was introduced, Silvio led the group in a toast. Dad took the opportunity to also propose a toast to the wonderful crew that has worked so hard and treated us so well which was met with resounding echoes of approval from the rest of the table. A good part of this experience that lends to its magical feeling is the way each course is presented. Each diner has a crew member from the wait staff who brings out the courses covered in silver cloches. They come out in a parade of their own to stand behind each diner holding the cloche until given the instruction to place them all at once on the table in front of us. A new chorus of oohs and ahhs is heard around the table as the cloche lids are lifted all at once and the Executive Chef explains what is in each dish once revealed. The wait staff then reverses course and parades out while we partake. Both Silvio and Chef Florin hung around to check in, answer questions, and add to the easy flow of conversation but weren't intrusive.
As we did not sample any of the wine options, I will list them here in the order shown on the menu:
Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label from Champagne, France
Silverado Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley, California, USA
Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California, USA
Prunotto Moscato d'Asti from Piedmont, Italy
One of the first things those in the culinary industry will point out is that you eat just as much with your eyes as you do with your mouth. Chef's Table Lumiere does lean more toward the fancy gourmet appearance of food with multiple courses. As a result, some dishes will be composed of multiple small bites.
Our first course was a tray of three squares. The first square held a small bite size portion of Sashimi Salmon Tataki with Yuzu Dressing. The second square held a Burrata Mousse with tomato and basil. The third square held a Dry Aged Beef Tartar. I tried each of the three though I don't normally care for salmon or anything tartar. The Burrata Mousse served as mozzarella inside a tiny cherry tomato was both visually and gustatorially pleasing.
Our next course was a Panko Coated Black Tiger Shrimp. It had a slightly spicy dipping sauce. Can't go wrong with shrimp in my book.
The next course was Homemade Tortellini described as Homemade Fresh Ravioli with Mascarpone Cheese and Spinach. I'm pretty sure pasta and cheese are my love language.
As a palate cleanser before our main course, we were served these tall martini style glasses with a scoop of Raspberry Sorbet sprinkled with crack pepper. Everyone else took advantage of the planned dish's addition of Grey Goose Vodka which was poured over the sorbet once served. They were encouraged to drink the contents once the sorbet was consumed. We opted to eat the sorbet sans vodka and the crack pepper made for an interesting taste sensation since it wasn't diluted.
Our main course for everyone but Dad was a Duet of Lobster Tail & Filet of Angus Beef with Lemon Foam & Chanterelle Burgundy Sauce, Roasted Beets and Grilled Vegetables. The lobster tail was already removed from its shell and wrapped in a sort of fried bean sprouts blanket. It was an interesting but delightful contradiction where the same bite had a crunchy layer followed by a tender layer. Dad's entree paired the filet with lamb chops instead. We both agreed that his lamb chops were much better than the lamb we'd had at Sabatini's. Dad couldn't stop raving about his lamb chops. I think if he could have found a way to sneak some home, he would have.
Our next round was Goat Cheese Mousse Mille-Feuille with Caramelized Onion and a Port Wine Reduction. The salty and savory combo in this Saltine like cracker sandwich was delightful.
Our dessert course of Milk Chocolate Mousse with Hazelnut Cremeux looked like modern art on a plate. We all delighted in the whimsical presentation. Coffee and Tea was offered while our dessert was complimented by a small plate per person of Chef Florin's Homemade Gourmandises. I was impressed with how each person had been given a differently shaped piece of chocolate in addition to the truffle and chocolate covered strawberry on these small plates.
As the dinner came to a close, each female passenger was gifted a long stemmed flower to take away. We all shared our approval and thanks with Chef Dragan before saying our goodbyes to each other. If you decide to partake of this experience on your cruise, plan to not have time for much else the rest of the evening. Thankful for the Sky Suite perk of reserved theater seats, we went straight from Chef's Table Lumiere to the theater for the 10PM show.
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