Le Petit Chef & Friends, an immersive, high-tech twist on dinner and a show, arrives in San Diego for the first time on Saturday evening.
Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter is the first venue in San Diego County to offer the 10-year-old projection-mapping dining experience, where digital films of tiny animated characters and visual designs are projected on the dinner table and plates accompanied by coordinated meal service by the hotel’s culinary staff.
Founded in 2015 by the Belgian art collective Skullmapping, Le Petit Chef & Friends overhead projection technology has been installed at more than 100 locations worldwide, including on cruise ships. There are 15 locations in the United States, including at a Hyatt hotel in Santa Monica and the Hotel Figueroa in Los Angeles.
The 90-minute to two-hour dinner is billed as three-dimensional, since each of its four courses is served to diners just as the 2-inch-tall cartoon chefs from Italy, France and Japan are finishing up preparing and plating the dish.
The introduction of Le Petit Chef & Friends at the Gaslamp Hilton is part of a recent $22.5 million renovation at the 401 K Street hotel, which also involved updating guest rooms and public spaces.
Francesca Ramirez, general manager of Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, said in a statement that she’s excited to be the first to offer the unique dining event in San Diego. “This one-of-a-kind, immersive dining experience combines a gourmet dinner, storytelling and stunning visuals that invite guests to enjoy a truly unforgettable meal.”
A diner in Japan watches the show during a La Petit Chef dinner in Italy. Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter has installed the technology to introduce Le Petit Chef to San Diego on Nov. 1. (Le Petit Chef)
The menu will change regularly, but the introductory menu for November includes a Spanish marinated tomato salad, Italian truffle ravioli, French steak and frites and Japanese chisano takahiro dessert of white chocolate cake with lemon sorbet and wasabi matcha cream. There’s also a vegetarian option.
Reservations for Le Petit Chef & Friends are available beginning Saturday, with up to three seatings (at 5:30, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.) Wednesdays-Sundays.
A classic dinner service for adults is $169 plus 18 percent tip and tax. Dinner for children ages 6 to 12 is $89 plus tax and tip. And a vegetarian dinner for adults is $129 plus tax and tip. A $60 deposit is required at time of reservation at lepetitchef.com/san-diego.