Inspired by La Table par Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, La
Table will be the first Master Chefs of France’s dedicated restaurant at sea,
debuting on the cruise line’s newest vessel, the 1390 passenger Oceania
Sonata, in August, 2027.
In addition to the restaurants that have been longtime Oceania
favorites, guests will find both hallmark and new dining venues with diverse
new dishes ranging from the casual to the extravagant.
One example is La Table, opening as a specialty restaurant and
dedicated to honoring French chefs around the world. Reservations will be
required and the restaurant will feature a rotating menu that includes selected
wine pairing. The elegant, refined dining venue will offer evening seating for
18 guests with a Michelin-star-like menu created, and the only restaurant at
sea blessed with a seal of approval of the Master Chefs of France, preserving
the excellence, creativity and heritage of French gastronomy.
As such, an exclusive preview was held in San Francisco at O’
by Claude Le Tohic whose team prepared a sampling of the inspiring, inventive
cuisine guests can expect aboard Oceania Sonata.
Created by Oceania
Cruises’ Executive Culinary Directors and Master Chefs of France Alexis
Quaretti and Eric Barale, La Table represents the ultimate expression of their
passion and vision. La Table will also be the only Oceania restaurant helmed by
two chefs and two executive culinary directors.
Guests at O’ by Claude Le Tohic were not only treated to a private
seated dinner that included select wine pairing but mingling time with Master
Chefs of France Quaretti and Barale, along with Chef Louis Dumonet of the
Maitres Cuisiniers de France delegation, Chef Sebastian Cannone, instrumental
in Oceania Cruises’ recently debuted floating pastry academy, and Oceania
Cruises executive leadership.
A rendering of Oceania Sonata (Photo Credit: Oceania Cruises)
An Amuse-Bouche represented the first course; a cherry gazpacho
served with a corn and geranium sorbet and olive oil. The course was paired
with a Vollanweider, Reisling, Karinett, Goldgrube, Mosel 2024.
Next up, the Seafood Salad, created and elegantly presented with
various shellfish, dashi gelee with Osetra caviar and seasonal vegetables.
Domaine de Bichery, La Source, Champagne NV was an ideal pairing.
The third course was a delectable Black Cod, roasted with
five spices topping baby spinach and sauce verjus. Who would guess that a
burgundy would pair so well with a seafood dish? But it did. The Agnes Paquet,
Hautes Cotes de Beaune Rouge, 1993 was a delightful and surprising match to the
spices of the fish.
La Table par Maîtres Cuisiniers de France (Photo Credit: Oceania Cruises)
American Imperial Wague was the fourth course and a
favorite, served medium rare with natural jus and seasonal vegetables. A
Kathryn Kennedy Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 from the Santa Cruz Mountains,
California was a perfect choice for the beef dish. Though focus is obviously on
French food and wine, chef Claude Le Tohic explained that the ideal pairing was
important.
To not be undone by the other choices, the final dessert
course consisted of Red Berries with Champagne sabayon, rhubarb shortbread biscuit,
whipped cream and sorbet and paired with a Renardat-Fache, Cerdon du Bugey,
2023/2024.
Service couldn’t have been more attentive for the dining
experience, but the opportunity to meet with the distinguished chefs and talk
with Oceania executive leadership was the topping on the cake. The evening
represented a snapshot of what Oceania cruisers have to look forward to.
Seafood Salad created for Oceania Sonata (Photo Credit: Noreen Kompanik)
“At Oceania Cruises, our dedication to cuisine is rooted in
continual refinement and respect for tradition, a philosophy mirrored by the
storied Maîtres Cuisiniers de France organization. Through La Table, Chefs
Quaretti and Barale bring this extraordinary and industry-leading collaboration
to life. It will be a true celebration of culinary heritage, mastery and modern
luxury, in ways which are both meaningful and unmistakably Oceania Cruises,”
said Jason Montague, Chief Luxury Officer of Oceania Cruises in a statement.
Jean Luis Dumonet, President of the USA and Canada
delegation of the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France added, “Through our
collaboration with Oceania Cruises and its culinary leaders Chefs Eric Barale
and Alexis Quaretti, we’ve brought this heritage to life with authenticity,
craftsmanship and deep respect for French gastronomy. La Table reflects our
shared commitment to creating refined, memorable dining experiences where
culinary artistry is central to the voyage.”
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