Private Chef Service Guide
This guide explains how we work — the service styles we offer, what a typical menu looks like, how our pricing tiers are built, where our ingredients come from, and the questions we hear most often. It is a reference document: there is nothing to fill in or return. Sample menus and prices are indicative; the figures that apply to your event are the ones stated in your written quote.
Section 1 — How Our Service Works
- Consultation. We talk through the occasion, your guests, tastes and budget — in person, by phone or by video.
- Brief. You share the details — dietary needs, venue and kitchen, the feeling you want the meal to have.
- Proposed menu & quote. We design a menu tailored to the occasion and send a written quote with everything included.
- Confirmation. A signed booking and deposit hold your date. We finalise the menu and any special touches together.
- Sourcing & prep. We shop for the freshest ingredients, prepare what we can ahead, and arrive with everything needed.
- Service. We cook, plate and serve in your space, then leave the kitchen clean — as if we were never there.
Section 2 — Service Styles
- A multi-course meal cooked and served in your home for two to twelve guests, at your own table.
- Ideal for anniversaries, birthdays, proposals and quiet celebrations where the evening is about the people.
Dinner party & entertaining
- Plated or family-style menus for larger gatherings, with canapés and drinks on arrival.
- You host and enjoy your guests; we handle the food, the flow and the clean-up.
Chef’s tasting experience
- A curated succession of small courses built around the season and your preferences, often with wine or drink pairing.
- Tableside touches and a story behind each plate turn dinner into an evening to remember.
- Buffets, stations and passed canapés for weddings, corporate events and large parties.
- Scalable menus with serving staff available on request.
- Regular batch cooking of fresh, ready-to-eat meals tailored to your household’s tastes and nutrition.
- Delivered or prepared on-site, labelled and stored, on a schedule that suits your week.
Section 3 — A Sample Seasonal Menu
An example of a four-course dinner. Every menu is written fresh for your event and season — this is a taste of how we build one, not a fixed offering.
- Seared scallop, cauliflower velouté, brown-butter hazelnuts
- Hand-rolled pasta, slow-braised short rib, aged parmesan
- Herb-crusted rack of lamb, spring vegetables, red-wine jus (vegetarian: wild-mushroom Wellington)
- Dark chocolate délice, salted caramel, seasonal berries
Section 4 — Pricing Tiers & What's Included
Per-guest pricing is a starting point and moves with the menu, guest count, ingredients and travel. Groceries are billed at cost where indicated. Your written quote states the price that applies to you.
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| Weeknight dinners & casual gatherings | Three courses, menu planning, cooking, service & clean-up | |
| Celebrations & special occasions | Four to five courses, canapés, premium ingredients & plating | |
| Milestone events & the full experience | Six-plus tasting courses, pairing guidance & tableside touches | |
| | Batch of fresh meals, tailored plan, delivery or on-site prep | |
- A menu written for your occasion, with tastings available for larger events
- Shopping and hand-selection of ingredients
- On-site cooking, plating and attentive service
- Full kitchen clean-down and rubbish removal
Priced separately when needed:
- Additional serving or bar staff, rentals (tableware, linens, furniture)
- Wine, spirits and drink pairings; travel beyond our standard radius
Section 5 — Our Sourcing Philosophy
- Seasonal first. We build menus around what is at its peak, so the produce arrives ripe and full of flavour.
- Local where we can. We work with trusted farms, butchers and fishmongers and shorten the distance from field to plate.
- Responsibly raised and caught. We choose free-range, grass-fed and sustainably sourced proteins as a default.
- Transparent. Grocery receipts are available on request, and we are happy to source to your preferred suppliers.
Section 6 — Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I book? Two to three weeks for a dinner, and as early as possible for weekends and large events. We do our best with shorter notice.
Can you cook around allergies and diets? Yes — allergies, intolerances and dietary patterns are built into every menu. Tell us about every guest in advance.
What do you need from my kitchen? A working hob and oven, counter space, and access to water and refrigeration. We bring our own tools and adapt to smaller setups.
Do you clean up? Always. The kitchen is left clean and tidy, and we take our rubbish with us.
What about drinks? You are welcome to supply your own, or we can recommend and arrange pairings. Corkage-style bring-your-own is always fine.
When you are ready, send us your brief and we will design a menu and quote around your occasion. We look forward to cooking for you.