NORTH PALM BEACH LIFE
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wonderland

A Talk with the Man Behind the Magic 

Picture
By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life


ABOARD HARMONY OF THE SEAS _ ​It's the most in-demand restaurant on the world's largest cruise ship.

Called "Wonderland," it's a whimsical dining experience inspired by the Louis Carroll classic, "Alice in Wonderland."

Trust me. This is one rabbit hole you want to go down.

The setting itself is magical. Wonderland is located on Deck 12 on Harmony, with a view overlooking the ship's massive atrium.

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Wonderland is situated on Deck 12
It's easy to see this will be special from the beginning of your meal. You start with a blank piece of paper in a frame. Then the waiter hands you a paintbrush and water. You brush the water on the paper and like magic, a menu appears!

"The menu uses special paper that we found in Miami after a long search," said the man who has guided this unique culinary idea into reality -- Catalin Buta, Royal Caribbean's Food and Beverage Director New Build.

Buta has been with Royal for 17 years, working his way up from several restaurant management positions to his current role, where he supervises a team of 1,200 who see to the daily food needs of both passengers and crew.

One of eight specialty restaurants onboard, Buta worked with Royal's Director of Food and Beverage, Culinary Operations, Michael Gilligan to develop the imaginative menu.

Featuring "molecular cooking and hand-crafted cocktails," Buta said the menu has five courses under the headings, Sun, Ice, Fire, Sea and Earth. Due to the complexity of the food, Buta pointed out the Wonderland chefs have three months of training. Likewise, the servers do more than just serve -- "they tell a story."

Due to its popularity, reservations are a must. They serve about 100 guests a day, and there is an upcharge of $49.

For all the pride he takes in Wonderland, it only takes up a fraction of the effort required to feed up to almost 9,000 people, seven days a week. "The logistics are tremendous," said Buta, who hails from Romania. "The only thing that comes close is Disneyland."

To what does it attribute his success? "Listening to our customers," he said, "and staying ahead of the game."

We can't wait to see what Buta and Gilligan dream up for their next restaurant.

​

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Catalin Buta at Wonderland's open kitchen
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The Wonderland menu
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  • Home
    • Weather >
      • Hurricane Readiness
  • Cruise/Travel
    • Cruise Reviews and Stories
    • Victory I Great Lakes Cruise
  • Gigi in the 561
    • Gigi's Wine Shelf
    • Gigi in the 561 Interviews
    • Cora
    • My Father's Tales >
      • My Father's Tales - Photo Album
    • Travel Bistro
  • Blogs
    • Gerry Pronounced Gary
    • Rock and Roll Rewind
    • Susan Goldfein -- Blog >
      • Susan Goldfein
  • Video
  • Explore
    • October Odyssey >
      • Cartagena, Columbia
      • Panama Canal
      • Antigua, Guatemala
      • Cabo San Lucas
      • Birds and Bees Speakeasy in Los Angeles
      • We Love LA
      • Coast Starlight
      • Napa Wine Tour
      • California Zephyr
      • California Zephyr Part Two
      • Chicago
      • Amtrak Capitol Limited
      • Washington DC
    • Pam - Traveling in Style
    • Road Trip! >
      • Road Trip! -- Tucumcari, New Mexico
      • Road Trip! -- The Painted Desert
      • Road Trip! - Sedona, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - Sedona Wineries
      • Road Trip! Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
      • Road Trip! - Mogollon Rim
      • Road Trip! - Verde Canyon Railroad
      • Road Trip! - Jerome, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - California
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Celebrity Tour
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
      • Road Trip! - Festival in Palm Springs
      • Road Trip! - Willcox, Arizona and Apple Annie's Orchard
      • Road Trip! Willcox Wineries
      • Road Trip! Chiricahua National Monument
      • Road Trip! Tombstone, Arizona
      • Tombstone, Part Two
      • Road Trip! - Epilogue
    • Traveling With Joe >
      • Beartooth Highway
      • North Cascades National Park
      • A Visit to the Philippines
      • Grand Canyon National Park
      • Glacier National Park
      • Yellowstone National Park
      • Hiking in Bear Country
      • Crater Lake National Park
      • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
      • The Kerrville Folk Festival
      • Building Hope in the Rio Grande Valley
      • Yellowstone Camping Tales
    • Unknown Yellowstone >
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Heart Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Summit Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Shoshone Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Grizzly Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Riddle Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Pelican Cone
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Mt. Washburn
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Specimen Ridge
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Avalanche Peak
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Divide Creek
  • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • Pamela Barker - Author
    • The Story of StarText
  • Search