It is RCI’s first dinner on land and it has to be delivered in a strange kitchen, but the culinary team of the cruise company pulls it off with finesse. By Prudence Lui
Event brief
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council approached Royal Caribbean International (RCI) with a request for a royal cruise themed gala dinner during its Hong Kong International Jewellery Show on March 3 this year. The event was for 250 guests and aimed to provide industry professionals a networking opportunity.
Challenges
The gala event proved to be a series of firsts for RCI’s culinary team. It was the first time that the team had to plan and execute a dining event on terra firma. Instead of a familiar kitchen, chef Michael Gilligan and his team had to adapt to an onsite facility with slightly different equipment, while partnering with Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre’s in-house catering and culinary teams to create jewel themed dishes.
It was also the first RCI dining event that did not run over a long time, lasting only from 19.00 to 20.30, unlike the usual lengthy fine-dining affairs on board the company’s cruise ships. Although Gilligan had proposed an eight-course menu for the gathering, the idea was found unfeasible due to timeline and budget.
Solutions
After reviewing the wine-pairing menu, the dinner was reduced to four courses. Still, that arrangement required precise use of time.
Simon Blacoe, RCI director of F&B operations for Asia-Pacific, explained that there were in fact seven courses that must be served in 50 minutes, as the first three courses comprised two dishes each.
“That’s not something we would experience on a ship or in the US,” said Blacoe.
Two rounds of tastings were held before the menu was agreed upon. To deliver this, Gilligan flew to Hong Kong in December 2015 to meet with the event organiser and the culinary and catering team serving onboard Quantum of the Seas. The meeting ensured all parties involved to be on the same page with regards to issues such as cooking arrangements and presentation. The local team also shared observations on how Hong Kong dinner events were often brisk and diners tended to eat less. As a result, smaller portions were planned.
The second round of tasting was held three weeks before the big day.
These dress rehearsals enabled Gilligan to adjust procedures along the way. For instance, after realising that the salad dressing must be prepared in a specific way to maintain consistency, he went back and forth several times with the culinary team to establish the right recipe.
Key takeaways
The F&B collaboration allowed RCI to show off its culinary prowess and learn how to execute such co-branded exercises. RCI believes that similar partnerships with local companies or restaurants are likely in the near future, since the company is focusing on F&B this year to attract the Hong Kong cruise market. Moreover, RCI benefitted from bring able to showcase to potential clients the wide range of quality food available on Royal Caribbean cruises.
