I am looking for advice on Victoria & Albert’s Chef’s Table with some odd food allergies. I know they tailor the menu slightly to your likes, etc, however does anyone know how much? Between my partner and I we have several food allergies/food sensitivities that I would like to try and avoid. I have always wanted to do Chef’s Table but am not sure it is worth it if we are removing several items from the menu. TIA!
Perhaps you could email the restaurant and ask them the same question?
I know they called us several times before our dinner and made sure all accommodations were made to the menu that were necessary for our party. It was a fantastic experience.
3 Likes
I think that you will find that they will substitute rather than remove items. I dont think that you will miss out. It will still be delicious.
2 Likes
Based on the type of dining this is, and the types of food allergies you are dealing with, I doubt they can do much. You will definitely need to call them to find out.
1 Like
They do very serious tailoring. When I went we had 6 at the table. We had a vegetation, someone with egg allergies, and someone who was gluten-free - plus other things like no raw onion, no mushrooms, etc. Every individual with “food issues” had their courses tailored to them. I spent 15-20 minutes on the phone with them a month or so before the trip. It was the most amazing meal that I have had anywhere…
7 Likes
I’m waiting on the phone call, we go in 10 days and have the Chef’s Table on 3/9. I was told they would call us a week out.
2 Likes
Thank you everyone! I think I’ll book it (or at least try), my window opens up in one week!!! @davidjjenkins1961 let me know when they do call, how the process went. Have a great time!
“Know before you go”…
-
This is the single most difficult ADR to get in WDW. Literally 15 seconds after the date opened, only one of my 7 nights was still available.
-
Try for it as late in your stay as possible; this will give you a better chance of booking (e.g. 180+10).
-
If you can’t get an ADR, if you call the restaurant directly they will put you on a wait list.
-
The menu in the Queen Victoria Room is essentially the same as at the Chef’s Table, so if you can’t get the CT and the food is ore important to you than where you sit, you might consider this…
-
It’s a long meal, so do not make plans for after; our seating was at 5:30 and it was almost 10:30 when we finished the final dessert and coffee course.
-
It’s a lot of food, so eat lightly earlier in the day, and come hungry. Yes, the portions are relatively small, but there are 10 courses. There are 8 wine pours if you get the wine pairing. “Officially” they are “short pours”, but in reality they weren’t very short (I would say at least 4 oz. per pour - you do the math).
-
It’s very expensive. My wife and I each had one “add-on” (Wagu beef from Japan) and shared a wine pairing, and our bill with tax and tip came out around $950.
2 Likes
Someone on chat is dropping an April date. Maybe there is a waiting list system though.
1 Like
If you call V&A directly (407-939-3862) and talk them directly, they can, to my knowledge put your name on a list. When you call, there is a good chance you will have to leave a message, trust me, leave the message and they will call you back. They are there at 9:00am (est) and I called right at 9:00am, and left the message, I received a call back in about 5 minutes. I let them know what I was looking for (any night from the first day to the last night we are there - March 9 - 15, with my wife’s birthday (3/12 as first choice) and then let them know what I would like room wise, for us it was Chef’s Table, then Queen Victoria Room and then the V&A main dining room)
The woman looked and told me they had the Queen Victoria room for the first seating on 3/12). I took it. This was actually 6 days past my 180 day mark. 2 weeks later, I called back and let them know I had a reservation for 3/12 in the Queen Victoria room and wanted to know, if by chance they had an opening for the Chef’s Table for any dates from March 9 thru March 15. He checked and told me that they had the Chef’s Table for March 9. What went thru my mind was, well that means we will have to fly instead of driving, then I said, I’ll take it. I also asked if they could let me know if they get an opening for the Chef’s Table on March 12, as that is my wife’s birthday. As of tight now, no call back but that is ok as we are going to eat at V&A, our very first time.
2 Likes
I just verified somethings while checking at V&A.
Main Dining room and the Queens room can be booked on line. Chef’s Table can only be booked by calling V&A (407-939-3862)
They do have waiting lists. If you have a reservation but want a different date or time, you can call and request what you want to change or upgrade to (say main dining room but you want the Queens room)
Another waiting list is for those who do not have a reservation and want one. These are the 2nd list they would call.
3rd list is a local list.
She did tell me that they had a cancellation for tonight (2/28) and it was for, the Chef’s table. So if you are there, maybe you could get in.
They also call and confirm reservations that guest have made, and that sounds like it is about a week out.
2 Likes
This is a change from when I did it 4 years ago - back then it showed up as an ADR along with the main dining room and Queen Victoria room, and the wait list by phone was still a kind of “secret” back door that wasn’t publicized.
1 Like
I found out about it simply by asking. Yes there have been changes even at V&A
1 Like
Following up on this, as I am 13 days away and no call. When did they finally contact you to discuss the menu?
I got nervous and called them at the two week point.
1 Like
Just had dinner there last night (dining room, not chef’s table). They called me 10 days out.
1 Like