P&O Cruises Chef’s Table Menu: Marco Pierre White & Olly Smith
P&O Cruises’ Chef’s Table brings together food and wine through a menu created in collaboration with two of the cruise line’s Food Heroes: chef Marco Pierre White and wine expert Olly Smith. The dinner pairs a multi-course menu with optional wine recommendations selected to complement individual dishes.
The menu shown here features an amuse-bouche followed by a choice of starters, main courses and desserts, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices clearly marked. P&O Cruises continues to feature both Marco Pierre White and Olly Smith as Food Heroes across its fleet, although specific menus, dishes and prices can change over time.
For more P&O Cruises information, CruisePrism readers can also explore our P&O Cruises menus, P&O Cruises drinks menu and prices, and P&O Cruises onboard guides.
P&O Cruises Chef’s Table Menu
The Chef’s Table menu identifies the experience as a signature collaboration between P&O Cruises, Marco Pierre White and Olly Smith. Throughout the menu, a corkscrew symbol highlights Olly Smith’s recommended wines.
The photographs below show the complete menu available during this particular sailing.
Amuse-Bouche
The meal begins with a light amuse-bouche:
• Carrot and Peach Soup with a Ginger and Lime Salsa | VE | GF
Laced with P&O Cruises’ own Marabelle Gin
The suggested wine pairing is:
• Balfour Brut, Leslie’s Reserve, Kent, England – English Sparkling Wine
£8.80 – 125ml
£37 – Bottle
This opening course is both vegan and gluten-free, giving the Chef’s Table a plant-based option from the very beginning.
Chef’s Table Starters
Four starters are shown on this version of the P&O Cruises Chef’s Table menu, ranging from smoked salmon and lamb to soup and a vegan ceviche.
• Cannelloni of Poached and Oak Smoked Salmon
Avocado mousseline, salmon caviar, apple gel and pink peppercorn biscotti
• Crispy Braised Lamb Bonbon | GF
Rich bhuna sauce, coriander mayonnaise and a garnish of pink pickled onions
• French Onion Soup Gratinée
Gruyère cheese croûte
Gluten-free option available
• Mango and Orange Ceviche | VE | GF
Pink grapefruit gel, chilled ajo blanco, served with a spiced dukkah crumb
The menu recommends Rioja Reserva from Bodegas Ondarre in Spain alongside the salmon and lamb selections:
• Rioja Reserva, Bodegas Ondarre, Spain
£8.80 – 175ml
£12 – 250ml
£35 – Bottle
For the French onion soup and mango and orange ceviche, the suggested pairing is:
• Prosecco DOC, Italy
£7.70 – 125ml
£28 – Bottle
P&O Cruises Chef’s Table Main Courses
The main-course selection covers seafood, beef, pork and two meat-free alternatives.
• Pan-Fried Sea Bass Fillet à la Grenobloise
Herb-crushed new potatoes, saffron-braised chicory with a brioche crust and creamy cauliflower purée
The recommended wine pairing is:
• Domaine du Biéville, Louis Moreau Chablis, France
£10.90 – 175ml
£14.70 – 250ml
£43 – Bottle
The other main-course choices are:
• Classic Beef Wellington
Mushroom duxelles, luxurious Dauphinoise potatoes, honey-roast root vegetables, broccoli and a rich Madeira sauce
• Roast Pork Fillet
Potato fondant, steamed cabbage parcel, five-spiced apple purée, pork crackling crumb and a chorizo jus
The recommended wine alongside the roast pork is:
• Three Choirs Vineyard, England
£8.80 – 175ml
£12 – 250ml
£35 – Bottle
Two meat-free main courses are also available:
• Roasted Cherry Tomato and Goat’s Cheese Galette | V
Balsamic-glazed red onion, chargrilled courgettes, sweet red pepper piperade and fresh basil pesto
• Roast Mock Lamb Stuffed Butternut Squash | VE | GF
Chilli-roasted sprouts, sticky braised red cabbage and confit garlic jus
The mock lamb dish is both vegan and gluten-free, while the cherry tomato and goat’s cheese galette is vegetarian.
Chef’s Table Desserts
The dessert menu continues with five choices, including traditional desserts, fruit, a vegan chocolate option and a cheese plate.
• Trifle Wally Ladd | V
Sweet black cherry jam, aged sherry, vanilla-infused custard, crème Chantilly, toasted flaked almonds and pistachio financier
• Rum Savarin of Raspberries
Fresh raspberry coulis and vanilla sabayon
• Tropical Fruit Salad | V | GF
Light passion fruit syrup
The suggested dessert wine for this portion of the menu is:
• Le 2 de Romer du Hayot, Château Romer du Hayot, Sauternes, France
£7 – 75ml
£29 – Bottle
Two additional dessert choices complete the selection:
• Rich Dark Chocolate and Passion Fruit Delice | VE | GF
Crispy cocoa nib tuille and dark chocolate sorbet
• Cheese Plate
Quicke’s Extra Mature Cheddar, cranberry and raisin toast, fine cheese biscuits, dried figs and Nigella seed chutney
For the cheese plate, Olly Smith’s recommendation is:
• Graham’s LBV Port, Douro, Portugal
£5.70 – 75ml
The meal concludes with:
• Tea, coffee and petit fours
• Chocolate truffles
Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten-Free Choices
This version of the Chef’s Table menu offers several clearly marked alternatives for different dietary preferences. The menu uses V for vegetarian, VE for vegan and GF for gluten-free.
Vegan and gluten-free choices shown include the carrot and peach soup amuse-bouche, mango and orange ceviche, roast mock lamb stuffed butternut squash, and rich dark chocolate and passion fruit delice.
The tropical fruit salad is marked vegetarian and gluten-free, while the roasted cherry tomato and goat’s cheese galette and Trifle Wally Ladd are marked vegetarian. The French onion soup also notes that a gluten-free option is available.
Passengers with allergies or specific dietary requirements should still discuss their requirements with the onboard dining team rather than relying solely on the menu symbols.
Marco Pierre White and Olly Smith on P&O Cruises
Marco Pierre White and Olly Smith are longstanding members of P&O Cruises’ Food Heroes program.
Marco Pierre White contributes to P&O Cruises dining experiences and menus, while Olly Smith serves as the cruise line’s wine expert. His influence is particularly noticeable on this Chef’s Table menu because selected courses include specific wine recommendations.
P&O Cruises also offers Food Heroes experiences on selected sailings, which can include events such as cooking demonstrations, tastings and hosted dining experiences. These special activities should not be assumed to be available on every itinerary, so passengers interested in them should check the daily program and their specific cruise schedule.
Understanding the Wine Prices
The prices photographed on this Chef’s Table menu are in British pounds (£), consistent with the currency displayed directly beside the wine selections.
Some wines can be purchased by the glass in different serving sizes, while others are offered in a single glass size and by the bottle. For example, the Chablis is listed in 175ml and 250ml servings as well as by the bottle, while the sparkling wine is offered as a 125ml serving or bottle.
These are the prices displayed on the photographed menu and should be treated as a snapshot rather than guaranteed current pricing. P&O Cruises can revise menus, wine selections and prices.
What to Expect From the P&O Cruises Chef’s Table Menu
The menu is structured as a complete dinner rather than simply a collection of individual dishes. It begins with an amuse-bouche before moving into a choice of starters, main courses and desserts, and finishes with tea, coffee, petit fours and chocolate truffles.
The wine recommendations are integrated throughout the menu rather than presented as a separate wine list. That makes it easy to see which wines Olly Smith recommends alongside particular dishes, even for passengers who ultimately choose something different.
The variety is also notable. Seafood, lamb, beef and pork appear alongside dedicated vegetarian and vegan dishes, while several selections are marked gluten-free.
P&O Cruises Chef’s Table Menu FAQ
Who created the P&O Cruises Chef’s Table menu?
The photographed menu describes the Chef’s Table as a signature collaboration between P&O Cruises and Food Heroes Marco Pierre White and Olly Smith. Marco Pierre White is the chef associated with the menu, while Olly Smith provides recommended wine pairings.
Are the wine pairings included?
The menu displays individual prices for the recommended wines, indicating that the wines shown are separately priced rather than automatically included with the food.
What currency are the Chef’s Table wine prices in?
The photographed menu displays prices in British pounds (£).
Does the Chef’s Table have vegetarian options?
Yes. Vegetarian dishes shown on this menu include the roasted cherry tomato and goat’s cheese galette, Trifle Wally Ladd and tropical fruit salad.
Are there vegan options?
Yes. Vegan choices shown include the carrot and peach soup, mango and orange ceviche, roast mock lamb stuffed butternut squash, and rich dark chocolate and passion fruit delice.
Does the menu include gluten-free choices?
Yes. Several dishes are specifically marked GF, and the French onion soup states that a gluten-free option is available.
Will this exact Chef’s Table menu be served on my P&O Cruises sailing?
Not necessarily. Cruise menus, dishes, wine selections and prices can change. Use the menu photographed here as a guide to what the P&O Cruises Chef’s Table experience can offer and check the current onboard dining information for your sailing.
Where can I find dining times and other activities during my cruise?
Dining schedules and onboard activities can vary by sailing. Check the ship’s current daily program and onboard information for restaurant hours, entertainment, activities and other events taking place during your itinerary.
Final Thoughts
The P&O Cruises Chef’s Table menu combines Marco Pierre White’s food with wine recommendations from Olly Smith, creating a more structured dining experience than a standard dinner menu. This particular version offers a broad choice across its starters, mains and desserts, with seafood and traditional meat dishes alongside vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free alternatives.
For passengers researching P&O Cruises dining before their holiday, the menu provides a useful look at both the style of food served at Chef’s Table and the additional cost of the recommended wines. As menus and prices can change between cruises, the onboard menu for your particular sailing should always be considered the final reference.
