EC Un-Plugged:

I’m not going to pretend I have any idea what goes into the creation of our menus. I sat down with our General Manager in Chicago, Dan Russell, and got inside his mind for info.

So Dan,

1. Where does the process begin?

♦ In the fall after our main cruise season, we evaluate what went well and not so well with our menu (most of the time there is only the “what went well” part), what was most popular with our guests and what has been on the menu for too long! There are lots of factors leading to a firm plan for what should be changed and how.

2. What are all of the steps in getting a menu item approved?
♦ Step 1: Assign the project to a select task force of restaurant managers and chefs and Food & Beverage directors.

♦ Step 2: Organizing a series of sessions to discuss our needs and check with our vendors to ensure the items and ingredients we want are available.

♦ Step 3: Meetings, meetings and more meetings in the kitchen to design new dishes between all the chefs.

♦ Step 4: Conducting tasting sessions (now comes the fun!) with corresponding discussion, edit and review, final tasting (a little more fun), then a rollout of recipes to all operations for the start of the following season.

3. How long does the process take?
♦ About six months. Doing it perfectly takes time. We have a variety of menu options for our different cruise products and parties.

4. Who has the initial and final say in menu items?
♦ The menu task force finalizes most. If they are unsure about any particular menu item or issue, our Senior V.P. of Operations will make the final decision. But of course, if our customers don’t like it, we make it go bye-bye.

5. What is the hardest/most time consuming aspect of the process?
♦ The creative trial and error of making each dish great requires a lot of thought and consideration from our talented and experienced chefs.

6. Do we have a taste-tester to sample all of the items?

♦ Yes, the menu task force and some lucky in-office shipmates!

7. If we get bad quality survey reports about an item, do we ever change it?

♦ Absolutely. If it is clear that a particular menu item is not working out (not that this has happened, ever), we don’t wait for the annual menu review. We convene immediately and give that dish the boot.

8. What is your favorite part of the process?
♦ Need you ask? Tasting the food.

9. Is there anything else you think our past passengers and future guests should know?
♦ We are very passionate about the food we serve and take great efforts to ensure the highest degree of creativity and quality possible for all of our cruises. It’s a process and a long one at that, but absolutely worth it to see the smiles on our guests faces.