 |
| The iconic ‘X’ Celebrity Eclipse |
Michelin Star Dining Experience On Board the Celebrity Eclipse
The award-winning Celebrity Eclipse offers a taste of first class foodie experience. For those who value world class food and fine dining, this is a luxury cruise you don’t want to miss out on. The ‘Taste of Modern Luxury’ two-night sailing on the Celebrity Eclipse was a culinary treat in partnership with Great British Chefs, which showcases the very best of British chefs and their stunning recipes.
The two handpicked Michelin-starred chefs Robert Thompson and Adam Simmonds entertained guests on board to a specially made six course tasting menu in the elegant Murano restaurant on the first night of the sailing, as well as a four course set menu at Tuscan Grille the next evening. The chefs will be back on board of Celebrity Eclipse end of August 2015. Make your reservations in advance!
We also had the chance to see a culinary demo by Robert Thompson at the Celebrity Eclipse Theatre on the second day of sailing. At the demo Chef Robert and his Sous Chef Simon demonstrated their skills by making the egg yolk ravioli with spring truffle, seasonal asparagus, peas and broad beans. It was like watching a painter at work the result was three perfect portions a real work of art on plates. The guests were mesmerised.
More info about Great British Chefs : GBChefs
The Chefs
 |
| Chef Robert Thompson, Celebrity Eclipse demo |
Chef Robert Thompson
 |
| Robert Thompson (left) and his sous chef Simon |
Robert’s the first chef from the Isle of Wight to bag a Michelin Star. He specialises in complex yet remarkable, classic food. Since starting his culinary career in 1997,
Thompson has won nearly every accolade you can imagine. He’s a masterchef with a lot of experience on his sleeve. He told us how he acquired a love for cooking at the age of ten thanks to his brother Patrick for the inspiration. Thompson’s dishes are imaginative with a modern twist. He treats his prized ingredients with utmost respect.
Chef Adam Simmonds
 |
| Adam Simmonds pic: GBChefs |
Simmond’s one of the most creative chefs currently working in Britain. Adam Simmonds is a holder of One Michelin Star. He won Great British Menu in 2014. His is a journey of ‘cooking his way up to the top’. His success didn’t come easy as he worked firstly as a pot washer on his way to top London hotels like The Lanesborough, The Halkin and The Ritz. He’s an experienced chef that has worked with other notable chefs in the UK. He’s creative, and very skilled as you will see by the dishes we had for dinner later on.
Excellent food and fine dining should engage all your senses he says. He believes to cook great food that people enjoy; you must go beyond what people expect. Great food experiences are made unforgettable when you exceed people’s expectations. When dining out, the service and ambiance teams up with the aroma and flavour of the food to create an outstanding experience that captures and pleasures all your sense.
Celebrity Cruises Eclipse Michelin Star Dining Experience
Murano
 |
| Murano, Celebrity Eclipse |
 |
| Dessert wine: light and fresh on the palette dessert wine is made from 100% Muscat, light lemon and yellow in colour. Lemon and limes scent with a hint of mint and fruit flavours of apricot and peach. It was a lovely dessert wine |
 |
| Strawberry sorbet, pistachio parfait, eucalyptus cream and olive – very refreshing like a palette cleanser, the eucalyptus cream was slightly overpowering, but I liked the creativity of Chef Adam Simmonds |
By now, I was very full but I rose to the challenge and ate (almost) all the next dessert…
 |
| Caramelised Banana served with a magnificent aerated Valrhona chocolate that slowly melted in the mouth and lingered for a while; it was very satisfying! Dulce the Leche sauce and Crème fraîche sorbet, the sour of the ice cream balanced beautifully with the sweetness of the other elements. It was a big dessert by chef Robert Thompson |
Tuscan Grille
 |
| Tuscan Grille, Celebrity Eclipse |
 |
| Pan fried breast of quail: confit leg of quail, boiled eggs, broad beans, asparagus, spring truffle, crispy sourdough – simple and scrumptious dish – probably the best of them all? by chef Robert Thompson |
 |
| Flame grilled mackerel, a lovely dish, perhaps a little bit too grilled, still good though. English Wasabi, compressed cucumber, salmon, avocado and Ponzu made a very fresh and pleasing dish by chef Robert Thompson |
 |
| Roasted loin of lamb, crisp belly, goat’s curd, Onion ash and purslane – Amazing, in my opinion the best dish of them all! Very juicy, perfectly pink and tenderloin (perhaps sous vide?) lots of flavours and textures in this dish. The onion ash added a bitter and smoky flavour to the plate. by Chef Adam Simmonds |
 |
| PS.: I had two portions! Ooops! |
 |
| Dessert wine: Fonseca, late-bottled Vintage Port, Porto, Douro,Portugal- Perfect paired with the next course Dark chocolate Délice |
 |
| Dark chocolate Délice, peppermint granita and gel – a great way to finish another feast! by Chef Adam Simmonds |
Ancient City of Le Havre
 |
| Le Havre – Port |
 |
| Le Havre views from Eclipse |
I researched Le Havre our destination port but, unfortunately, we didn’t have time to explore the town due to all the activities happening in the ship. Le Havre is the common port-of-entry for big ships on their way to Paris, and it’s also a place to go through on your way to the City of Lights. This ancient and textured city that is Le Havre lies along the English Channel on France’s western coast. It dates back to the 16th century. Despite losing much of its historical appeal as a result of heavy bombings during World War II, it’s still a city to behold. It’s however been rebuilt and is now added to UNESCOs world heritage sites.
I heard It’s a remarkable city to visit for those with a penchant for cafes and art galleries. Le Havre comes across as a relaxing alternative to the half-a-day commute into Paris – which is a world centre of culture, museums, food and fashion. Hope I come back one day to explore it.
A special thanks to Jeanne at Cooksister Blog for sharing this adventure with me.
news: Hot&Chilli has been shortlisted as best blogger in the Cruise Awards 2015, by Cruise International Magazine!
That looks like a pretty amazing experience. The food looks awesome! I've been in Le Havre ages ago, I must have been in my teens and it was with my parents, so not a lot of cafe-visiting at the time! Lol… Would love to go back though, it's been a while since I've been in that area!
Looks just as fabulous as when I went on a couple of the Celebrity ships a few years back… Shame you didn't make it off the ship at Le Havre..
Hi Simone I only had a view from the ship, but It looked quite nice and clean. Funny how our priorities change over the years, visiting cafes wasn't on my list in my teens either! LOL R
Andrew, what a shame I didn't have time to visit Le Havre, but the ship made out for it. What a beautiful adventure. Rx
Aaaah such happy memories! I loved our time on this ship and those meals were so memorable – especially the Tuscan Grille one!
Vo copia tudo! Lx