Regal Princess: Chef’s Table Lumiere
On our recent Princess Cruises Regal Princess cruise, we were fortunate enough to book dinner for the Chef’s Table Lumiere experience. And what a memory we will have! This intimate dining experience is held only once per cruise, and can only be booked once onboard.
Executive Chef John Convery recently joined the Regal Princess crew and his enthusiasm and culinary creativity was highlighted throughout the dinner. To begin the experience, we were greeted by Director of Restaurant Operations, Nicola Furlon and escorted to the opulent Lumiere Table in the center of the Allegro Dining Room. The Lumiere Table is a private dining table with illuminated glass centerpiece and Murano glass chandelier. It is surrounded by a shimmering crystal beaded curtain that envelopes guests in a magical space to dine.
We opted for the wine pairing add-on at booking, which began as soon as we were seated with ten other fortunate cruise passengers who booked this experience. A glass of Nicholas-Feuillatte, Brut Champagne was poured and introductions took place before the hors d’oevres course was served to each guest.
The hors d’oeuvres course was a meal in itself and my suggestion if booking this experience is to not eat all day. Our portions throughout dinner were extremely generous. This first course consisted of Citrus Salmon Gravlax, Greek salad and cheese, Chicken and Strawberry Compote Slider, Sturgeon Caviar over Steamed Potato, and Seared Ahi Tuna. This was paired with the Champagne, which was a delightful start to the meal.
Our second wine being poured was a 2021 Terra Alpina Pinot Grigio. It was paired with the soup and Ossobuco.
The soup course was a rich tomato bisque with basil, tomato, and cheese sable, poured tableside.
A Saffron Risotto Milanese with Oxtail Ossobuco topped with Parmiggiano Reggiano Crackling was the next course before cleansing our palates with and Aperol and Prosecco Sorbet, which was topped with a splash of vodka.
The red wine with our pairing menu was a 2021 Vall Llach Embruix that worked well with the next course.
The main course was a surf and turf that consisted of a Pancetta Wrapped Gorgonzola Stuffed Beef Tenderloin and Beer Battered Fried Maine Lobster served with a mushroom medley and potato nest. The tenderloin was perfectly cooked, retaining juiciness, and the lobster was pretty darn good, as well! Even my husband, who is a lobster snob (being from Maine, very particular about lobster dishes), enjoyed this play on lobster.
Dessert was a wonderful grand finale, with all guests being served simultaneously, followed by Chef and Nicola and our waitstaff presenting for applause and to answer any questions about the dishes that were served. The final wine was a sweet Errazuriz White from Valle de Casablanca, Chile.
After photos and conversation, tea and coffee were offered, along with pastry chef, Chef Federico’s Homemade Gourmandises. I was completely satisfied with the elegant dining experience and saved these last sweet nibbles to enjoy later in our stateroom.
A fun aspect to this exclusive dining experience is that no two dinners are the same. The menu will vary depending on Chef’s whim or based on regional-based ingredients. A big thanks to Chef John, Nicola, and the Princess Cruises service staff for this delightful cruise dining experience onboard the Regal Princess cruise ship.
