• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

The Travel Bite logo

  • Travel Tips
  • Recipes
  • Destinations
  • Work From Home
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Travel Destinations
  • Travel Tips
  • Contact
  • Work From Home
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Destinations / Caribbean and Central America / Carnival’s Chef’s Table: A Sneak Peek Behind The Scenes

    06/30/2015

    Carnival’s Chef’s Table: A Sneak Peek Behind The Scenes

    Browsing through the dining options on my last cruise, there was something new I didn’t expect to see — Carnival’s Chef’s Table. I’ve had this sort of meal in restaurants and resorts, but I hadn’t experienced this type of interactive dinner on a ship. Turns out, it’s not just dinner, but a multi-sensory experience. We toured the kitchen, got hands-on with a cooking lesson, and were completely wowed by a fusion of flavors and different types of cuisine during a multi-course wine-pairing dinner. It was as entertaining as it was delicious.

    1.jpg

    We began the evening with a champagne reception where we met Executive Chef Vivek Menon and the other guests that were participating. There were only 8 of us total and it was nice to share the experience with such a small group of people that were all excited about food.

    2.jpg

    After a glass of bubbly, Chef Menon lead us on a private tour of the kitchen. It was fascinating to see all the action behind the scenes and how efficiently things are run. We could sense the team’s enthusiasm for sharing their passion for food and it was obvious that the Chef’s Table Dinner gave them a chance to get creative and play in the kitchen.

    1.jpg

    The appetizers rolled out one-by-one, with Chef Menon explaining the creation of each. One, a mango sphere served on a biscuit, totally challenged our perception of food. It sort of looked like an egg yolk, so we all hesitated a bit before trying it, but the sweet burst of flavor and mix of textures was a pleasantly delicious surprise.

    2.jpg

    After our little amuse bouche, we went to the pastry section of the kitchen to learn how to make Carnival’s famous Warm Chocolate Melting Cake. We also got a few cooking tips to bring back to our kitchens at home.

    3.jpg

    Then, it was time for dinner — a creative seven course meal paired with wine. Here’s the menu we tried:

    4.jpg

    Reception
    Mango Sphere, Rosemary Biscuit
    Salmon Tartar Cornets, Sesame Seeds
    Beef Carpaccio on Air Pillow, Chocolate Bacon, Apple Ribbons
    Double Cooked Lamb

    Beef Blanket, Spiced Grape Tea
    Asparagus Cauliflower, Honey Carrot Tian, Mache, Lemon Streusel

    Crab Stack
    Corn Custard, Polenta Cracker, Tangerine, Passion Caviar

    Duck Textures
    Creamy Quinoa, Parmesan Churros, Olive Snow, Port Wine Jus

    Bisque Our Way
    Two Tomatoes, Three Basil, Crisped Brioche, Garlic Chip

    Sea Bass
    Chorizo Crust, Fried Pop Corn Pudding, Lemon Macaroon, Lobster Foam

    Waygu
    Bone Marrow Souffle, Scallion & Garlic Panisse, Gremolata Crisp

    Pastry Chef
    Sea Salt Praline Chocolate, Raspberry Mojito, Key Lime Cake, Apricot Vanilla Gel, Citrus Cream

    Mid way through dinner we had a little bit of surprise entertainment … a magician that absolutely blew us away. I won’t let you in on his trick, but I will say that none of us around the table could figure out how he did it. We were totally wowed.

    5.jpg

    At the end of the evening, it was difficult to leave. We had made new friends and shared an experience I’m sure none of us will ever forget. Chef Menon gave us each a group photo presented in a lovely frame and an autographed recipe for the warm chocolate melting cake we learned to make in the demonstration.

    7.jpg

    The following afternoon, we came back to our cabin to find another surprise from the chef — a plate of chocolates with a thank you note. Such a wonderful personal touch.

    6.jpg

    The Chef’s Table Dinner was one of the most memorable meals on our cruise and I would definitely do it again. I think most would save this sort of thing for a special occasion, but I happen to think travel IS just the right occasion to try something this unique.

    If you decide to try the Chef’s Table, definitely sign up for it on the first day of your cruise since space is limited. It’s definitely worth it!

    This post was created for Away We Go with Carnival, the destination for getting in the getaway state of mind. Head on over.

    Filed Under: Caribbean and Central America, Travel & Food Blog Tagged With: Cruises

    About Rachelle Lucas

    Rachelle is the founder of TheTravelBite.com and was named one of USA Today's 10Best Food and Travel Bloggers. She believes the best way to learn about a destination is through its flavors and collects recipes from her trips to recreate them here on The Travel Bite. In her spare time she enjoys running and yoga to balance out her food obsession.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Wayne says

      07/21/2015 at 3:23 pm

      Wow – what an amazing job these chefs do!!!

      Reply
      • Rachelle Lucas says

        07/22/2015 at 3:14 pm

        They truly do. And they’re passion for food really shows when you get to meet them in person like this. It was a really fun event. 🙂

        Reply
        • Lena briggs says

          08/22/2015 at 10:47 am

          Hey Rachelle, my name is Lena briggs and I’ve been on a carnival cruise before and their food is fantastic I have a nephew name kyheim Chef Imjaqson and he is also a chef please visit his Facebook he has a promo called Straight Outta Da Kitchen I am so proud of him and I know it would do his heart good, he would be so proud to have you comment on his site God bless you continue to be amazing an awesome

          Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    Best Culinary Travel Blog
    How To Start A Blog

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Contact
    • Web Stories
    • Disclosure & Privacy Policy

    Recipes

    • Recipes
    • Travel Tips
    • Travel & Food Blog
    • Packing and Planning

    Travel

    • Asia
    • Europe
    • North America
    • Caribbean and Central America

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Travel Bite All Rights Reserved