Chef Michael Meyepa has introduced 130+ new dishes in the ship’s six restaurants
By Eileen Ogintz
Pssst… want something not on the menu? Aboard Regent Seven Sea’s newest ship, Grandeur, all you need to do is ask.
You might crave a different flavor of sorbet or beef wellington, says Senior Executive Chef Michael Meyepa, who helped launch Grandeur last fall and Regent’s Splendor before that.
“We are very flexible,” says the chef, sitting in the Grandeur’s most popular restaurant, the Asian Fusion Pacific Rim, where the Miso Black Cod is an especially big hit.
Meyepa notes that some 130 new or revised dishes have been introduced on Grandeur (we are on a two-week transatlantic crossing, New York to Barcelona). They range from a different presentation for escargot in Chartreuse, the French restaurant, to a mixed grill platter in Prime, the steak house, to a Duck confit in Pacific Rim.
“One reason we have so many repeat guests – more than half those on board during this transatlantic sailing — is because of the food,” Meyepa said. Guests appreciate there isn’t an upcharge for the specialty restaurants, though they need reservations in the evening. We haven’t found them difficult to procure.
Meyepa adds that every kind of dietary restriction can be accommodated. “Plant based is a very big trend,” he said. Should someone be allergic to any kind of food, as long as the staff knows they will prepare that guest’s meal separately so there isn’t any cross contamination.
You might crave a different flavor of sorbet or beef wellington, says Senior Executive Chef Michael Meyepa, who helped launch Grandeur last fall and Regent’s Splendor before that.
“We are very flexible,” says the chef, sitting in the Grandeur’s most popular restaurant, the Asian Fusion Pacific Rim, where the Miso Black Cod is an especially big hit.
Meyepa notes that some 130 new or revised dishes have been introduced on Grandeur (we are on a two-week transatlantic crossing, New York to Barcelona). They range from a different presentation for escargot in Chartreuse, the French restaurant, to a mixed grill platter in Prime, the steak house, to a Duck confit in Pacific Rim.
“One reason we have so many repeat guests – more than half those on board during this transatlantic sailing — is because of the food,” Meyepa said. Guests appreciate there isn’t an upcharge for the specialty restaurants, though they need reservations in the evening. We haven’t found them difficult to procure.
Meyepa adds that every kind of dietary restriction can be accommodated. “Plant based is a very big trend,” he said. Should someone be allergic to any kind of food, as long as the staff knows they will prepare that guest’s meal separately so there isn’t any cross contamination.
Compass Rose, the ship’s main dining room, offers specials every night (including a different kind of souffle). There are meats, fish, and fowl, served with the guest’s choice of sauce and sides. Caper butter or lemon cream for your fish; Chimichurri sauce for your steak; Thai sweet chili sauce for your chicken or pork. That concept has been very popular, he said, though there are daily specials like Black Angus Beef Tartare (one of the new dishes), or Mediterranean Crusted Cod Fillet with Banana Macadamia Nut pudding for dessert.
When in port, Meyepa will go to the market seeking local food he can craft into special dishes—perhaps Paella in Spain or Sardines in Portugal. There are very popular chef-led excursions that include local markets. They typically sell out, as do the sessions in the Culinary Arts Kitchen, which tend to be destination-based. For example, on this cruise, among the classes are: Sensuous Spain, Mediterranean Masterpieces, and the Art of Pasta.
Other shore excursions, included on Regent Seven Seas, though some require an upcharge, are food related. Take a Tapas tour of Cartagena, or example, or visit a fishing village to sample traditional barbequed sardines. Visit a farm and learn to make paella in Valencia, Spain.
When kids are aboard, typically on shorter weeklong cruises during the summer and holidays, there is a kids’ menu for those who want that. And a special area is set aside for kids to eat with their newfound friends in the popular Sette Mari at La Veranda Italian restaurant. “It’s booked every night,” said Chef Meyepa.
There also are themed lunches at La Veranda, the buffet style restaurant, along with a variety of salads. Mediterranean one day; Greek another; Middle Eastern, French, or Italian.
There are also themed teas every afternoon. The chocolate tea is always a big hit, he said. So is the Sunday Brunch, where 450 of the 650+ guests helped themselves to a bountiful spread from breakfast favorites like waffles and omelets to carved meats, and a variety of deserts hard to resist. (Ricotta cake or chocolate covered strawberries from a flowing chocolate fountain?) The brunch, Meyepa said, is always a cruise highlight.
While guests certainly can eat as much as they like, Meyepa said the focus is on quality rather than quantity, with enough different dishes to keep everyone satisfied, even those cruising for a month or more. “They won’t get bored,” he promised.
Time for lunch.
