Discover The Magic Of Le Petit Chef At Qsine

Celebrity’s Le Petit Chef is an animated presentation combining a four-course dinner with an entertaining show. Since my son, Chris, works as a 3D modeler, the concept of an animated cruise dinner fascinated us. 

I had seen numerous YouTube videos of this dinner performance but wanted to try this one-of-a-kind experience firsthand. This immersive experience is not just about the visuals; it also features a carefully curated menu that showcases exquisite dishes inspired by global flavors.

Each course is thoughtfully paired with stunning animations that enhance the dining experience, making it a highlight for many travelers seeking memorable moments at sea. This article is my review of Le Petit Chef at Qsine on the Celebrity Millennium.

Who Is Le Petit Chef?

• Location: Le Grand Bistro or Qsine Restaurant on select ships

Le Petit Chef is a tiny animated quirky character who works hard to deliver meals through 3D visual mapping. Le Petit Chef is the brainchild of Skullmapping, and their idea of creating a thumb-sized chef came about in 2015. 

This little man is a miniature version of a life-sized chef, complete with a white jacket, red scarf, and chef’s hat. Their tiny chef became so popular that many land-based restaurants started using their technology.

In December 2018, Le Petit Chef debuted on the Celebrity Edge, and the cruise line has slowly been adding him to their other ships.

As of 2025, the animated dinner is now featured on the Edge, Apex, Beyond, Eclipse, Equinox, Solstice, Millennium, Constellation, Reflection, Summit, Silhouette, and Infinity. On some ships, the show is called Le Petit Chef and Friends. We had first tried Le Petit Chef on the Celebrity Eclipse.

On the Edge-class cruise ships, the tiny chef demonstrates his cooking skills at Le Grand Bistro. On other ships, he calls the Qsine restaurant his home.

Le Petit Chef At Qsine Menu

Since this dinner is not only a meal but a show, seating times are set at two intervals; 6 pm and 8:30 pm. Times may vary per ship. Reservations are required, and it’s best to book early.

Servers deliver the food simultaneously because the 3D orchestrated animation shows your tiny friend preparing each course. If you’re a fast eater, you will need to wait until everyone else has finished before the animation and next course can begin.

Arriving at the restaurant, I noticed the simple white décor and sparsely dressed tables. Diners aren’t required to share a table with other guests. Since it was just my husband, Brian, and I, we were seated at an intimate table for two.

Browsing the menu, there were several choices for dinner, and liked that we could mix and match. On our first experience on the Eclipse, there were only two choices.

On our Japan cruise on the Millennium, the animations changed each evening to match different menus. I expect it’s a way to get cruise guests to dine at Qsine more than once. Brian chose the menu above, and I had an adaptation of the one below.

The Cost

The regular price for this dinner show is USD 60 per person plus gratuities. We booked our dinner on a port day in Hiroshima, and benefited a 2-for-1 pricing.

The new Le Petit Chef animated differs from the original by introducing your meal preparation through a cooking book. Chapter one was the appetizer, and so on.

I like that we were given a blank “storybook” and the animated was presented on the blank pages.

I have food allergies, and my experience on the Millennium was fantastic. They suggested how they could adapt the meals to accommodate my needs. It was in stark contrast to the experience I had on the Eclipse.

The Animation

As the anticipation builds for the pocket-sized chef to create his magic, I examined the stark white place setting and minimalistic décor. Your plate is placed on a specific spot, and you’re informed not to move it.

As the lights dim, the projectors above shine lights onto your plate. When the light hits your plate, you can see if your plate is in the perfect spot for the animation. The ring of light should ideally match the outer rim of your plate.

First Course

Our meal began with the cookbook animation and prepartion of the appetizer. It explains that it isn’t an ordinary cookbook but a magical one. Our little chef cooks up the magical soup, before it arrives at our table.

Brian had the soup, while I had the crispy lamb and asparagus salad which was beautifully presented. It tasted as good as it looked.

Second Course

Chapter two of the cooking book was entitled “the Future in now.” A fairy grants Le Petit Chef three wishes and suggests he use them wisely. His first wish is to have the best state of the art kitchen the world has ever seen. The fairy grants him a robot.

The robot appears on the center of the plate. The Robo 3000 proceeds to make the next item on the menu, the citrus poached cod loin which we both enjoyed.

Entrees

For the second wish, the little chef wishes to become the world’s largest chef. With two swigs of a magical potion, the chef grows and bursts thrugh the roof. Then he vows to make the world’s largest dish in the city’s fountain.

The beef tenderloin en croute was also beautifully presented. I had an adaptation because the pastry included butter which I could not eat.

During our entire meal, we were pleasantly surprised with the attentive service. The head chef even appeared at our table and asked us what we thought of the food and if there were suggestions for improvements.

After three courses, we were feeling rather full, but wait, there’s dessert!

Dessert

The chef’s last wish is for everyone. He wishes for a place where it’s all-you-can-eat. Sounds like a cruise ship to me. He’s transportated to candyland filled with chocolate and sweet trats, but wrestles with the gingerbread who eat everything in sight.

Once the animation was over, Brian received the chocolate cremieux with raspberry coulis, chocolate crumble, Yuzu caviar, and raspberry sorbet. I had an adapted flourless choclate cake with raspberry sorbet.

The dinner comcludes with Le Petit Chef locking up his magical cooking book and throwing the key.

How Has Le Petit Chef Changed

Our second experienced dining at Qsine far outseeded the first experience. The staff was attentive, the meal delicious, and the food was well presented.

We were disappointed the first time and weren’t sure we’d try again, but we were glad we did. Initially, there wasn’t much choice in menu and we felt the quality of the food wasn’t up to par with the animation or expensive price tag.

Now that Le Petit Chef was been around for a few years, the menus and animations have expanded, making it a must-do experience.

Overall Experience

The concept of table projection mapping is an interesting one and marries entertainment ideas with a culinary experience. I’ve always said you not only eat with your mouth but with your eyes too.

Food presentation and delivery are just as important as taste. Le Petit Chef is a crucial ingredient in what Celebrity Cruises calls an immersive fusion of entertainment and dining.

If you’re looking for an intimate dining experience, Le Petit Chef is not that. Seeing as the meal is orchestrated and follows a set time, you cannot dine at your leisure. However, if you’re seeking a different out-of-the-box dining experience, it’s definitely worth a try.

Overall, the dining experience was a memorable one, especially our second time around. It’s definitely a meal that families will enjoy, not just couples.

While Le Petit Chef is available on land worldwide (and we’ve had family dine there), it’s much more expensive. In my home city of Vancouver, expect to pay CAD 167++ pp. In other areas:

• London, England – GBP 129 per person + 12.5% service charge.
• San Diego – USD 189.00 + Service charge 18% + tax 7.75% per person.
• Singapore – SGD 298++ per person.
• Berlin – Euro 145 per person.

So, if you’re eager to try the animated dining experience, Celebrity Cruises offers a way to enjoy the experience at a much lower cost.

Final Thoughts

The animation of Le Petit Chef is genuinely spectacular and the highlight of the dinner. If this type of animation show is on your radar, the USD 60 is reasonable.

The idea of animated dinner shows has expanded across cruise lines. Princess Cruises added the 360 dining expensive which was a big hit with guests. However, this one costs USD 150 + gratuities (at the time of this writing).

Have you tried Le Petit Chef on land or at sea? If so, we’d love to hear about your experience.