Ceremony Etiquette

Events at The Culinary Alchemists are conducted as a ceremony, and as such we have special etiquette in place to help create a memorable experience for each participant. All public ceremonies are conducted in English, please let us know if someone in your group does not understand English. Please make sure to read all points, if you come with your family or spouse, please ensure that every person in your group has read and agreed to respect these guidelines.

Request Form

If you are attending as a Single, Couple or Family travelling together, you may fill out one form for you/your group. If you are attending with friends or family members NOT travelling with you, they must fill out their own request form.

Seatings

A Gastronomic Ceremony with The Culinary Alchemists is an exclusive event for a maximum of 12 people who will share a communal table. There is only one seating per evening – everyone starts together, everyone finishes together. Seating requests can be made on the request form. Seats will be assigned before guests arrive and no changes are permitted.

Arrival Time

“To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, to be late is to be forgotten” ~ Unknown

Arriving on time not only shows respect for the Chefs and their creations, but also for the other members of the group, and for yourself. Doors will open at 17:15 and close at 17:45. There is no admittance after 17:45. If you do not arrive on time, you will forfeit your seat without refund.

Smudging

All guests are invited to join in the Native American cleansing ritual of  “smudging, which will start at 17:45. If you are not familiar with this ritual, here is some more information: https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/a-definition-of-smudging

Set an Intention

We invite you to set a personal intention for your Ceremony. This ceremony is not just a celebration of food, it’s a time to pause, give attention and gratitude, and share in a truly unique experience. Something simply magical occurs when we gather together for a shared purpose. There is a creativity, vibrancy, and depth that emerges through relationship that is far greater than the sum of any of the individuals present. We urge you to take advantage of this opportunity by consciously holding an intention for the duration of this event.

Families with Children

Guests of all ages are welcome, as long as they can sit, behave, and participate in the ceremony with the rest of the group (for 3-4 hours) without being disruptive. There is no children’s menu, substitutions or discounted pricing. This experience is not suitable for families with babies or toddlers.

Dress Code

Appropriate dining attire is required.  We are a gourmet, fine dining experience, but also casual.  No beach wear such as bathing suits, coverups, etcetera. Beach casual is fine. We ask that all parts of the body that will be touching the seats be fully covered.  Please remember, our ceremonial space is a covered, but open, outdoor space in a tropical environment, and as such, the presence of nature is a given.  Homemade, non-toxic bug spray is available to all guests.

Appropriate and Respectful Behavior

  1. Appropriate and respectful behavior towards yourself and others is expected at all times.
  2. Guests who arrive visibly intoxicated/impaired, will not be allowed to enter and will forfeit their payment.
  3. Guests who over-indulge during the ceremony and/or cause a threat or distraction to other guests, will be escorted from the property immediately with no refund or recourse.
  4. In order to maintain a sacred space we ask our guests to refrain from controversial topics that may trigger emotions and cause harmonic imbalance. For the time of the Ceremony please leave these topics outside: politics, religion, sexual orientation and virus/vaccine.
  5. We encourage you to take pictures, but please turn your phone to silent during the ceremony.
  6. When the chefs come out, please pause your conversation and listen, as they have only a few minutes to explain before they have to return to the kitchen.

Alcohol

The Culinary Alchemists do not provide alcohol. Our Ceremonies are based on health and healing and being present with the group and the experience. Alcohol changes the energy and we feel that this experience is best when everyone is in the same energetic space. The drinks included in our Ceremonies are gourmet Mocktails.   However, we understand that it is traditional in many cultures to have wine with your meal, so if you wish, you may bring your own wine. Please contact us in advance. Beer and hard liquor are not permitted.

Smoking

The use of tobacco is prohibited in all areas at The Culinary Alchemists. Once the ceremony has begun, there are no smoke breaks and to maintain the integrity of the ceremony, we ask that guests remain seated for the duration of the ceremony, except for the use of the bathroom.

Confirmation of Understanding

In the past we have had customers who did not fully understand our concept. We need you to be fully aware of the experience we provide. To confirm, that you have read and understood our Etiquette, please write “verstanden” in the answer box on the request form.

Further Questions

If you have any additional questions that have not been addressed in this Etiquette, please send us a message through our contact form. Questions that have been addressed here, will not be replied to.

Changes

We reserve the right to change and/or amend this Etiquette at any time, therefore you must read and accept this form each time you request a reservation with The Culinary Alchemists.

Payments

All reservations must be fully paid in advance. We currently accept the following payment methods:

  • Cash
  • Bank transfer
  • Wise (USD/EUR)
  • Credit card
  • PayPal
  • Crypto – BTC/ETH only

Reservation Confirmation

Your reservation is NOT confirmed until full payment has been made and you have received a confirmation email with additional details for your event.

Please make sure the email address reservations@theculinaryalchemists.com does not go to your spam folder.  All correspondence will be from this address.

Cancelation Policy

Due to the limited seating and the impact that cancellations have on the group dynamic, we have a very strict cancellation policy. 

  • Less than 2 weeks from the date of event – NO REFUND
  • 2 – 4 weeks from the date of event – 50% REFUND
  • More than 4 weeks from the date of event – 75% REFUND

Return to Reservation Request