V&A Chef's Table

[sarcasticblonde]

So, after all of our delicious meals at WDW last week, I'm already planning the restaurants my fiance and I will be eating at next October. I'd really love to book the Chef's Table at V&A as a surprise. If we can book it, I'll tell my fiance that we have reservations in the regular dining room and then he'll be surprised when we go to the Chef's Table instead.

If you've eaten there before, how was the experience? Did you do the wine pairing? How far in advance can you book it (the standard 180 days out)? When you book, I know they will ask for a credit card...do they charge for it in advance as well?

It will only be the two of us dining and I would probably only get the wine pairing for Adam as I'm not a huge wine fan. And if we cannot get the Chef's Table, I'll just book a dining room reservation.

 

[sarcasticblonde]

Seriously? Nobody?

 

[Mr. Snail]

Seriously? Nobody?

Unfortunately, I've never eaten there, but I think about it often, if that helps.

Here is the address of a review that mentions the Chef's Table, which might help even more:

http://www.pscalculator.net/psreview_016.shtml

 

[Uncleromulus]

I believe they take the card only as a guarantee.
Been awhile since we ate at the Chef's table, but it was a great experience and a LOT of food--you'll get something of everything on the menu that night. And we always do the wine pairings at V&A. And you can get almost any other sort of beverage that you want--they use the bar at Citrico's or Mizners to get drinks.

 

[Gixer]

I'm having this same Dilema, we have eaten at V&A twice before and loved it, I definatley want to eat there again next trip, but I cant decide if we should do the Chefs table or not?
The only thing putting me off the Chefs table is a review I read about a couple who had done Chefs table and regular dining room and they compared the two, although the food at both was wondeful they said they preferred the atmosphere of the main dining room, you have the harpist, dim lighting, more romantic atmosphere, and of course being able to choose wht you want off the menu instead of just having it put infront of you, although I do believe the chef asks for any likes/dislikes so your not likely to end up with something you simply cant eat.

Part of me thinks do the Chefs table as we have already done the dining room, but part of me is worried incase its a bit of a let down and we wont enjoy it as much

Let me know what you decide and your reasons why, it might help me make my mind up too!

I do know that there is only 1 chefs table each night at 6pm, and you can book 180 days out. They take a card guarantee but dont charge it, we paid cash on the night both times.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I have done the Chef's Table three times.

My late wife was a gourmet cook and the first time we went she said watching what was going on and talking to some of the cooks was the best cooking lesson she ever had in her life.

And if you click here you will get to probably the best report I have ever seen of CT.

It can be booked from 180 days. The 180+10 rules does not apply for CT. I do not think they maintain a wait list as cancellations are unusual, but it does not hurt to ask. Also, if you can't get it you can retry once in a while just to see if there are any cancellations.

 

[mcr5298]

We ate at the Chef's Table back in April of this year and it was a fabulous experience! It is very difficult to get, so be flexible and try 180 out from every day that you will be going. We had the platinum plan booked so there were four of us calling each morning starting a few minutes before 7 am EST. I had a phone, so did my husband, and our platinum planner called and our travel agent. Our platinum planner was able to book the Chef's Table for us! We were so excited!!!

We have eaten in the main dining room several times. My DH proposed to me there back in 1995. It is extremely romantic, and the Chef's Table can be loud being at the back of the kitchen and all. But honestly, if you are not going for the food and the experience, then it is not for you. You are better off staying in the main dining room if you want it to be romantic. But honestly, I thought that it was pretty romantic for us. It was our 10 Year Wedding Anniversary. We were treated like royalty, since it was just the two of us at the table. We were all dressed up, which doesn't happen much anymore since we have children. Chef Scott Hunnel came to talk to us at the begining to go over what we did or didn't like. Then he came back each time a course came out to explain what it was. And the servers would come back from time to time. But other than that, we were alone. We did a lot of watching and sooooooooo much eating! I was proud that I made it all the way to the first dessert course without stopping. But once the last dessert came out I just couldn't eat another bite! I am not a wine drinker, so I didn't even consider it. My DH thought about it, but passed. He had tried it once in the main dining room and could hardly walk out by himself!

I'm not sure if they charge your credit card when booking the table. I think that they just used the card to hold the reservation. Good luck, I hope that you are able to get it. But you will not be dissapointed if you eat in the main dining room either. And I believe that you can pay for the menu of the Chef's Table to be served in the main dining room. But don't quote me on that!

 

[Calcio]

Sarcasticblond, gotta love that.

It's been some time since the 3 of us (self, spouse, 20 year old daughter) dined at the Chef's Table, but it remains the most extrordinary dining experience of our lives. And the most expensive, but you only live once.

After you are seated the chef de cuisine, Scott H comes to the table and introduces himself. He'll ask if you have any food allergies, and then offers to prepare unique dishes for all of you, if you're agreeable to that. Then the experience begins.

The table is in a nook in the back of the restaurent, separated from the kitchen itself by a iron work separator, perhaps 2 feet tall. You have your own space but you are close to the kitchen

We were served 13 courses each, and almost all of the courses differed among the 3 of us. Cold appetizers, hot appetizers, they were different and kept coming. We 2 old folks chose the wine pairing, and enjoyed the combinations of food and wine.

We were there nearly 4 hours and loved it all. One of the most pleasant parts was talking with the various chefs as they worked. You could see the pride they all take in their profession, and we enjoyed sharing our evening with them.

We too have dined in the main rooms. Both are great fun, but the CT is unique, worth doing.

 

[SarahInMN]

How far in advance can you book it (the standard 180 days out)? When you book, I know they will ask for a credit card...do they charge for it in advance as well?

We're getting married this January and we both wanted to try the Chef's Table.

We (based on what I've read and heard) got pretty lucky and got it! I called, my fiance called, and his parents were calling all at once, but I was the only one who got through. We tried on subsequent days to get our preferred night for the Chef's Table (with the intent of cancelling the original) but never got lucky again (we tried about 4 more days).

It can only be booked 180 days out and there is no Chef's table on 2 days of the week (I believe Wed and Sat). Posters here suggested we start calling at 5 minutes to 7 am (EST) and if the message hasn't turned over, hang up and start again. Then, once you get through, just blurt out "chef's table."

They take the credit card info but do not charge it.

 

[PaulaSB12]

You can always have the Chief's menu in the main dining room if you like the dining room.

 

[eeyore#1fan]

You can always have the Chief's menu in the main dining room if you like the dining room.

The Chefs Table menu is not available every night in the main dining room. We've eaten in the main dining room three times and the chefs table once. Of the three times in the main dining room, the chefs table menu was only available once.

 

[chell]

Good luck with it. We tried so hard to get it for our upcoming Honeymoon but they were already booked every day. Some people thought we were crazy for trying so hard but we are both foodies and love to cook and thought it would be a great experience.

 

[thompsonsstation2dis]

And if you click here you will get to probably the best report I have ever seen of CT.
QUOTE]

Thank you so much for the link. I think I had read it back when it was originally posted, but it just reminded me why I'll need to try and book this for our trip later next year!

 

[davinakb]

We've done it twice (having never done the dining room) as a group and just think we'd have to be too quiet in the dining room; at the CT we were able to relax a bit. For a romantic dinner for 2, I'd try to main room. As far as booking, IIRC the credit card is a guarantee for late cancel/no shows. And for the ADR you will need to start calling at 6:58 a.m. EST 180 days out; my sister tried for 6 days, only got the table once. FWIW.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

It was the dining experience of a lifetime! DH and I went on our honeymoon back in 2007. I got a reservation on my first try for the exact day I wanted. We both had the wine pairings. Even if you don't think you're that in to wine, I would recommend them. It is absolutely amazing how well the wine is paired with the food and it really enhances the experience. My DH is a chef and they even gave him a tour of the kitchen, answering his specific questions, which apparently they shouldn't do. Someone mentioned noise but that wasn't our experience at all. It was so quiet in there. The only talking was when the chefs, server and sommalier would talk to us. I would not hesitate to do this again if I had the money to spend.

 

[sarcasticblonde]

Thanks to everyone for all of your replies.

We aren't interested in eating in the regular dining room because we aren't looking at a romantic experience. I've heard about how stuffy the regular dining room is. We both love food and have worked in restaurants ourselves, so that is why we want the Chef's Table.

 

[ElizabethB]

For what it's worth, the dining room is not stuffy and is quite lovely. We've dined in the dining room several times. We've also eaten at the Chef's Table perhaps 8-9 times and will be doing so again in a couple of weeks.

The Chef's Table is a wonderful experience if you're really into food and wine. You do have some opportunity to interact with the chefs, although that's been reduced somewhat since they built the alcove area where the table is located. When they first started the Chef's Table, you really did sit in the kitchen. The chefs were rinsing pots right near us. I'll never forget DH's face when we sat down -- it was like "why in the world would you book us into the kitchen?" Then he took his first bite of the amuse bouche, grinned from ear to ear -- and as you can see we've been back numerous times since!

They do maintain a waitlist. We are on it because the night we have it booked is not the night we preferred for our upcoming trip. But, there are several names ahead of us so I don't think we'll get a call for another night. We shall see. Cancellations do happen.

Sometimes Scott Hunnell is the chef who starts out the meal with a greeting and a champagne toast. Sometimes it's Amy. And, last time we were there, it was a different chef. I'm afraid I don't recall his name.

It's very hard to book. It's not available on Wednesday nights and Friday nights. And, it's my own personal opinion, but it's sometimes not available even if you're the first caller in because it's already been pre-booked for someone with clout!

So, good luck on getting it. I would not hesitate to reserve a spot in the dining room if you don't manage to get the Chef's Table. It is an extraordinary experience as well.

 

[Raspberry Bubbles]

I would second that. We had a fantastic table in the main dining room and it was cosy and romantic. Not at all stuffy and I loved it. Chef's table or not, I'll eat there every trip we take.