Have you ever wanted a live, behind-the-scenes peak at what’s sizzling in the kitchen at a gourmet restaurant?

If so, La Terrasse in Bern, Switzerland should be on your travel and culinary radar. Starting in January, chef secrets will be streamed directly to an iPad at your table!

What’s the idea behind this? Chef Gregor Zimmerman explains, “Guests can now feel that they are a part of the whole cooking experience, and still have an intimate dinner.” You’ll be able to say a quick hello, send your compliments to the chef, or offer constructive criticism right from the comfort of your table.

You’ll also be able to use the iPad to digitally browse the gourmet menu or to take a look at the historical guest book, dating back from 1936. Look carefully and you’ll find comments from Grace Kelly and Fidel Castro!

La Terrasse is part of the luxurious Bellevue Palace, a hotel known for its class, great service, and prime location in Bern’s city center.

(Photo Credit: Bellevue Palace)

Steve Jobs just unveiled Apple’s latest creation, the iPad!

At Travel Plus Wine, we’re excited to learn more about how the iPad will help us travel easier and lighter!

Here’s why the iPad promises to be friendly travel option for the average tourist:

Cost:

There are several models to choose from with the 3G models marked up an extra $130.

- $499 (16 GB), $599 (32 GB), $699 (64GB) — WiFi-only models.

- $629, $729, $829 — Wifi and 3G models

The cheapest model isn’t a bad deal when you consider the Kindle DX starts at $440.

Portability:

The display is 9.7 inches, 0.5 inches thin, and weighs 1.5 pounds. The battery life is 10 hours, much longer than your average laptop.

Sounds like it’ll be easy enough to slip in a carry-on bag or maybe even in your Scottevest (because there’s probably a pocket for that… or will be one soon )

Entertainment:

Gone are the days when you needed to bring a laptop and a Kindle or that huge stack of books. The iPad looks like a decent all-in-one for books, videos, games, and the good old Internet.

-Books: Apple is building upon the Kindle and has made the iPad, quite possibly, the coolest electronic reader on the market. It looks like you’re actually reading a book. Users can change the fonts, tap to change the page, or just flip the page with a finger.

-Movies: Could the iPad be missing a DVD player? We’re living in a world where CDs & DVDs are becoming obsolete and the iPad is a clear indicator. Going DVD-less is fine as long as you have wi-fi available where you’re headed or pay $14.99-29.99/month for access to the 3G network. A subscription to Netflix would be helpful for this machine, otherwise you’ll be stuck buying videos from the iTunes store and worrying about how many gigs are left.

-Games & Apps: There’s talk the iPad could revolutionize the gaming industry which could keep your kids occupied on the next road trip. And for you app addicts…the iPad supposedly runs on iPhone apps, so rest easy tonight.

So much more…

The iPad does so much and we really don’t want to touch upon the iWork stuff for a travel blog, but if you’re curious about the blah blah blah and hype, this Mashable article is a good read.

Our Take:

I’m a huge Apple fan while fellow Travel Plus Wine writer, Ricardo, could take or leave the brand, which always makes for stimulating conversation! I can’t wait to get to an Apple store in the upcoming weeks to try out the iPad and see what all the fuss is about because this really does sound like a great laptop/iPhone hybrid!

Buyer beware: There are always drastic improvements on 2nd generation products so ask yourself if you really need this now.

But there is no doubt, the iPad will make travel easier and lighter. Fewer gadgets to track and guard with your life!

As I find out about more iPad features beneficial to travelers, I’ll keep you posted.

Question of the Day: Are you thinking of getting an iPad before your next trip? If so, why?