Fantasy Flight Games has announced the May release of the new 2010 edition of Karl-Heinz Schmiel’s A La Carte (MSRP $49.95), a fun-filled romp of a game in which players take on the roles of psychotic French chefs. Each player receives a pan and a hot plate. Every turn the cooks can heat up their dish (by dice rolling), season their dish, or attempt to steal another cook’s recipe. Spicing the dish is a crucial function as players upend small bottles filled with wood pellets. If more than two pellets escape, the dish is considered “overspiced” and must be discarded.

 

A La Carte was designed for from 2-4 players ages 8 and up and takes just 30 minutes to play. The game was originally released in 1989, but was substantially revised for its 2010 re-release when it received a coveted “Spiel des Jahres” nomination. Fantasy Flight is releasing the German edition of the game with English rules.

 

At the same time that FFG is releasing A La Carte, it will also release A La Carte: Dessert (MSRP $29.95), an expansion for A La Carte that introduces new gourmet desserts and new gameplay elements such as menu cards. A La Carte: Dessert actually includes 4-mini expansions for the game and also providees the components that allow for an expansion of the game to five players. Two new coffee cups are added along with 5 salt dishes and a new spice bottle containing 5 grains of each of 4 different spices. FFG is also releasing the German version of A La Carte: Dessert with English rules.