We hired Affordable Chef Services to cater three meals at the 2017 California State Horsemen's Association Trail Trials State Championship Event at Santa Cruz. We hosted 70 horses and their riders along with nearly 50 volunteer staff members at the Graham Hill Showgrounds and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. We enjoyed our catered meals outdoors at the Santa Cruz County Horsemen's Association Club House. Mark and Blanca were completely professional every step of the way and ensured that we had enough food even when our dining guest count exceeded our original estimate. Mark met his promise, "I do not run out of food." Our guests were delighted and gave great compliments about the food and food service. I recommend Affordable Chef Services to enhance your Santa Cruz Experience! -Andrew Turnbull Chair, 2017 CSHA Trail Trials State Championship Event at Santa Cruz September 23-24, 2017 read more

We hired Mark in October of 2012 to cater our wedding reception in Santa Cruz and we were very impressed with the quality of service and food from him and his team. From the beginning we were happy with Mark's willingness to accommodate our needs and specific requests whether it was regarding the menu, the set-up or the equipment. Everything was delivered as promised and the food, set-up, and staff were impeccable. The staff were helpful, punctual and a great addition to our party. Mark's food was fantastic - we are still getting raves from our friends and family about how great the food and how friendly the atmosphere was. Working with Mark was an experience for me - he is a genuine mix of professional and relaxed. Being a bit of a control freak myself there were times where I would have appreciated additional communication about delivery times, etc. but in the end everything was how I had wanted/hoped it to be. I could not have been more satisfied with the final outcome. Mark was truly a joy to work with and I plan to use his services again. I recommend Mark and Affordable Chef Services for any special occasion - please consider them! The service and the price cannot be beat. Thank you Mark! read more

Mark Gallagher catered my wedding on August 22nd and I am so happy that my husband and I chose him. He is very personable, knowledgeable and super easy to work with. Mark is the perfect mix of organized yet relaxed. He didn't stress us out like other caterers we talked to - Mark is very good at putting you at ease. His prices are very reasonable and he does not skimp on quality. On our wedding day, the food was delicious. I got several comments from family & friends praising the appetizers and entrees. The staff was very good as well - attentive and friendly. Everything went very smoothly and I would definitely recommend Affordable Chef to anyone in search of a caterer. If you are looking for good quality, value and someone who really cares about your event, call Mark Gallagher. read more

Now folks, if you're looking for a great Chef for your events, well look no further because( Affordable Chef) will take care of you. I played at a wedding in the Santa Cruz Mountains at the Highlands Park. There I met Mark the Chef who was catering for the wedding. He was very pleasant and fun to work with and also his crew. Mark's cooking skills are AMAZING and he was always on top of everything and made sure there was plenty of hot delicious food to go around. I saw many people go back for thirds and that's very rare especially at events. People were talking about his food all night long how flavorful everything was and they were going to hire him as well. Well Mark all I got to say is, you made the wedding a success and The DJ (me) and Bride and Groom (Mike & Terresa) thank you very much for all you done to make this event a success. Thank you Ezequiel Gonzalez read more

Planning your wedding? Look no further!!! Chef Mark and his crew put my husband and I at ease and made the food planning a breeze. Our buffet was outstanding and made quite the impression! Our guests are still raving about it weeks later. Not only was the food outstanding, but Chef and his crew also set up all the chairs, table cloths, and napkins to ensure the tables looked just as we wanted. (Not to mention then packed everything up after the reception was over!)The presentation completely exceeded our expectations, and looked stunning. Chef Mark is super fun to work with and really allowed us to infuse our own likes and wants into the overall meal. We look forward to enjoying his culinary expertise, and incredibly friendly staff at our next event! read more

We hired Mark for our wedding May 2019 and we couldn't have been more happy with our selection. We wanted a more casual "food truck" style dinner and Mark delivered- everything was delicious. Mark returned all of my emails and calls promptly during the planning process and was very open to any changes we made to the menu. Mark and his team also handled glassware, dish-ware and linens as well which was one less thing we had to worry about. On the day of the wedding itself, Mark and his team were AUTOMATIC and everything went like clockwork. My wife specifically wanted grill cheese and tomato soup appetizers and we completely forgot to eat while greeting our guests- Mark overheard and made sure that all of the apps we missed were at our table so we could eat them. Finally, Mark did late night food for our guests- burgers, dogs and Mac and cheese - nothing better to soak up some booze. I can't recommend the affordable chef and his team enough from both a price point perspective but for quality of food and service. Thanks Mark! read more

Affordable Chef Services - Grill Cheese & Tomato Soup Shooters - Caterers Near Me - Capitola , California

We hired Chef Mark to cater our daughter's wedding at Roaring Camp in Felton. He and his staff did an outstanding job from providing a bartender for the alcohol to a delicious buffet. We received many compliments on the food which we had tasted beforehand. Chef Mark responds quickly for any questions or concerns. I would highly recommend Affordable Chef for your event planning. read more

We recently celebrated our "30th" wedding anniversary. My romantic husband hired Mark from affordable Chef to prepare our lunch for us. Our lunch however was under a tent on the beach in the pouring rain along with a white table cloth and wine glasses! I was stunned as we drove up and mark escorted me from our vehicle with umbrella and then continued with making us the most fantastic and delicious meal! We had seared ahi salad, cocoanut Mahi, Mahi, petite filet, and a fantastic dessert of Cream filled Cannolis and Bread pudding! Mark went out of his way to make it special and it was! It was the most memorable, Romantic and delicious anniversary we have ever had!!!!!!!! A HUGE THANK YOU MARK!!!!!!! and of COURSE A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY HUSBAND RON FOR PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER!!!!!!!! read more

Mark and his team were great! They catered our rehearsal dinner and did an amazing job. Mark was always incredibly responsive and flexible, and the event went flawlessly and exactly as planned! Not to mention, the food was delicious and very tasty. Thanks Mark & team! read more

We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary and my 50th B-Day, at Bargetto Winery in Soquel. Chef Mark was a pleasure to work with. Great menu ideas. The food was great. The day of the event all went smooth with Chef Mark at the helm. Also, his catering contract was great all inclusive, included everything, including the tip, cake cutting, coffee service, no additional add ons. We really like this style with an all inclusive catering contract. We would highly recommend Chef Mark for any event. Also, Bargetto Winery patio is perfect venue for all events, We had approx 112 guests and it was a beautiful setting, our guests loved the entire party. It is the perfect venue for any party. Patti & Coult. read more

THANK YOU AFFORDABLE CHEF SERVICES! Chef Mark and his staff did a fantastic job in catering our wedding. We could not have had such a great event if it wasn't for his affordable price. We had 200 guests at our wedding and had cocktails and appetizers following by a great buffet. We chose items from his signature dishes as this is what we figured he did best. Everyone really liked the food and we got some great compliments on the cute bartender as well! His staff was courteous and helpful. Don't be put off by Mark's short emails: he simply gets to the point and gets the job done. We recommend his services if you want to have a nice wedding. He seems to have A LOT of experience and at the end of the day --this is really what you want from your caterer. read more

Mark and his team did excellent job for my mother's Celebration of Life. The food was fresh, delicious just what I ordered (with some helpful tips from Mark), and plentiful. Mark and team were highly attentive, making sure empty plates were picked up and dishes were refreshed constantly on the buffet table. They also were really nice to work with. read more

We hired Mark and his team for our wedding. They were fantastic! Great food, great service, etc. And everything for a super low price compared to any competitor we talked to. AWESOME! read more

DO NOT HIRE. BAD REPUTATION. MANY PREVIOUS DELETED REVIEWS. I don't know where to start with this review.... I ALWAYS try to give people chances, hear out their side of things, and make things right but I feel it is my duty to alert all future brides and grooms NOT to use Mark for any catering needs. I had a bad feeling from the moment we did our tasting (at his house). I was sure because of this feeling to get everything in writing and be very clear with what we needed and wanted. 4 weeks before our wedding we went to a rental company and while making small talk with the owner, she asked us who was doing our catering. I informed her and she turned white. She asked if he was providing the rentals and I replied yes. then she stated "nobody in SC county will rent to him so that is a surprise" and i asked why was that. she stated "he doesn't pay his bills, you need to be very cautious with him," Just what a bride wants to hear a month before the wedding! I have put off writing this review for about 6 months to allow mark to make things right and he has failed us over and over again. We hired mark for our wedding in August over a year prior to date. We gave a high estimate of people (220) and prepaid in January 2018. As the wedding approached Mark was notified of the guest count being low (165) and he agreed that after the wedding we would even up and get a reimbursement for what was over paid. During this email exchange mark asked if we would like to change out our menu selections from New York Steak to tri-tip and from Asparagus to green beans, stating that many of his clients were making the change because it is easier. I replied stating that I would like to keep the meat the same but the veggies could be changed. The day of our wedding comes, I arrive at the venue and hear nothing but negative things about Mark. Everyone was telling me how hard he was being during set up. Dinner comes, we were served tri-tip instead of NY steak and asparagus instead of green beans.... I was so disappointed and honestly embarrassed that we had this huge menu sign by the buffet that was misleading our guests. Not to mention the major cost difference between tri-tip and NY steak.... We paid for something that wasn't even provided. The catering staff was a joke. There was one really nice lady who checked on us every few minutes which was amazing but other than her it was a joke. Stained T-shirts and all. there was a boy probably not older than 15 pouring wine for our guests at their tables. The bartender, who was a complete ass was literally never at the bar. Our guest served themselves about 80% of the time. Then to top it off, we had over ordered cases of wine and the bartender was caught trying to take them home. Stating, "Well there is so much extra i thought i would take a couple cases home." He was reminded several times that we provided the alcohol. The staff left behind a number of items, which i collected and took home. After returning from our honeymoon 2 weeks later, I contacted Mark about the refund and returning his items. He stated that he needed to calculate the refund and that he would put a check in the mail and asked if i could drop off the items at a random apartment. Out of good will, i returned the items, hoping mark put a check in the mail. All attempts of contact to Mark were not returned. I sent a final attempt to collect letter and my husband called Mark to see if there was something else going on. Mark refuses to answer the call and responds in text messages which is perfectly fine with me because things in writing hold up better in court. We have been promised many times that a check is in the mail... and still nothing. FYI there were many reviews JUST like mine that have mysteriously disappeared. many of them included the fact that personal checks from Mark had bounced. Do your self a favor and do not go anywhere near this man or his company. He will say whatever it takes to get your money. read more

We were so pleased with the food and the services provided!! Mark was prompt in communications and was wonderful to work with!! We threw him a last minute event and they were able to accommodate all of our craziness. You won't be disappointed using Affordable Chef Services!! read more

My husband and I really enjoyed working with Mark as our wedding caterer and received many compliments on the food at our wedding (especially Mark's veggie lasagna). In addition to catering, Mark also provided the bartending staff for our reception and did the cake cutting. Mark's staff passed appetizers, served drinks and re-stocked the buffet like pros and with 215 guests we were no easy wedding to cater to. I was told by multiple guests how much they liked Mark's staff and how professional they all were and Mark made us feel at ease through the whole process while also being affordable. Mark provided my husband and me with a tasting at our home, which was great, and answered all of my questions in a timely fashion. Mark also provided us with all of our linens and serving needs for the evening (plates, glasses, utensils, etc). I wouldn't hesitate to use Mark again for a future event. read more

Mark handled 4 meals at our wedding at Camp OVY in San Gregorio CA. Mark went above and beyond in all respects, we highly recommend his catering services. All his employees were super friendly and helpful. The food was great! Everything was on time and perfect read more

I cannot say enough good things about Mark and his team! Our wedding was in May 2016, but we already had him booked in 2015. He is very responsive to his emails and offers great rates on catering. His menu is more creative than your standard wedding food, and all our guests loved it! Very well executed on all the dishes, but the vegetarian lasagna and meatballs were my favorite! The plates, silverware and napkins were beautiful and well arranged. Mark has plenty of colors to choose from and is very accommodating. His team did a FANTASTIC job on the day of our wedding!! They knew my husband's and my names, made sure to bring platters of food to us during pictures, and kept everything stocked to keep our buffet line moving. I was so touched that his team knew my name, and even more touched when they asked which appetizers were my favorite so they could bring more to me during pictures! I was not a hungry bride on my wedding day :) read more

GREAT SERVICE We got married yesterday and had to post a review immediately because Affordable Chef was so great! Chef Mark was punctual in replying to my questions before the big day, which, as an out-of-town bride, was very reassuring! At the last minute, Chef Mark was unable to attend the reception, but his on-site chef made delicious food, and the staff were phenomenal! There was one staff member in particular who took an interest in my Husband and I. She told us that we were her "celebrities for the day," made sure we ate appetizers before we walked in, escorted us to the buffet first, and was constantly checking on our drinks. She also took an interest in our families, leading many people to tell us how amazing she was! The bartender Chef Mark sent was also lovely, knew her stuff, and made our signature cocktails perfectly! All in all, a great experience and a company we would trust our next big event to! read more

We hired Mark for our wedding in September. Mark is a very easy going guy that makes amazing food. The entire day went without a hitch, Mark made it all happen very seamlessly. Affordable Chef definitely lives up to its name, with quality to match. read more

My new wife and I hired Chef Mark to cater our wedding last month and were very happy with the results. I was nervous at first because his prices were so much lower than everyone else we looked at but we really had no other option so we rolled the dice. Chef Mark definitely has a laid back attitude but when it came down to crunch time he was very prompt with answering all our questions and guiding us through the hectic final stages of wedding planning. Chef Marks staff was excellent through out the entire party and the food was excellent. We received nothing but compliments and our guests had a blast! Cece and Andrew read more

Chef Mark was indeed affordable! And not only that everyone loved the food! I received many compliments at my wedding especially about the ribs and mac cheese but really everything I had was delicious! I would definitely recommend booking him for your next event! :) read more

Mark and crew are so awesome!! So easy to work with no pretense no BS just solid food, solid service, and plenty of it!! Mark really helped us out by serving a fresh, healthy, and affordable dinner for 70 people including injured service men and women who were in Santa Cruz for the Operation Surf Event. He was really flexible when we had some last minute add-ons, and I definitely recommend his services. We will absolutely use him again and again!! Thanks Mark!!! read more

Mark is wonderful, what a gentleman he is and how responsive he was for my 50th birthday party event that he catered at my private home. Mark was the best priced Private Chef i could find; he was on time, did everything that he promised to do, was very respctful to my guests and his cooking was deliciouse. I loved his Belini bar specialty and his baked Salmon was a very specail dish that i will reammber for a long time. When mark left my kitchen, it was cleaner than it was when he started. Everything washed and done so quietly as the party ended. My guests felt very special because of Mark and his staff. I really recomend Mark and his staff to anyone wishing to throw a memorable party and who wished to feel like a princess all day long. read more

We booked Chef Mark for our wedding this past summer. He and his staff catered appetizers and dinner for our 100 guests at Highlands Park in Ben Lomond. The Fabulous: Mark is friendly and responded to every one of my bride-to-be wishes, questions, and concerns. It seems there isn't much he hasn't done, so he can pull off just about anything you can dream up! His staff was friendly, energetic, and incredibly responsive. I'm the only bride I know that actually *ate* on her wedding day, and that's thanks to them! The food was marvelous! Of course, the cuisine is true to its name- it is such a great price for such delicious food. Bonus- he can get your rentals- tables, chairs, linens, etc- cheaper than anyone else too! Opportunities for improvement: Mark will give you anything you want, but he doesn't hide it very well when what you want isn't exactly what he wants. I was a pretty down-to-earth bride, but for a few of my requests I felt like he was rolling his eyes at me. Things worked out beautifully on The Day. He even played well with my coordinator, and I'm sure he'll admit to you that he isn't a huge fan of coordinators. ;) Overall, I highly recommend Chef Mark. I wouldn't think of using anyone else in the future!! read more

Chef Mark and the Affordable Chef Services were a life saver. We had our caterer back out two weeks before our event. With less than two weeks to go Chef Mark was so accommodating to our needs. We created a BBQ menu to feed approximately 200 people. Not only was the food delivered on time in hot insulated food boxes, but it was delicious. Everyone raved about the ribs. I highly recommend Affordable Chef Services for your next event. read more

Stay away from this vendor. Stole $1,300. After repeated requests, Mark finally sent us a check but with insufficient funds. We tried to deposit it twice to no avail. Repeated attempts to contact via email, text, and phone have gone unanswered. We are filing a claim with The Superior Court of California. read more

I was considering working with this business, so I used the request a quote tool on yelp. I got a rude reply back from mark g. The chef saying if you actually went on the website it would a lot more simple for him to quote me and then went on about why i requested the menu I requested...why have to option to request a quote from yelp if you give a rude response to someone that possibly would give you business.. read more

March 4, 2011 Amazing Birthday Celebration - Thanks Chef Mark It was my twin sisters 60th birthday and didn't want to just go a restaurant so I searched the internet for a Private Chef. Wow did I find the perfect choice, "Chef Mark Gallagher". We rented an ocean view home on West Cliff and had a Night to remember. He and his server came to the home, cook and entertained the 20 of us with rave reviews. The food was over the top, from the scrumptious hors d'oeuvres passed around before hand to his 5 star dinner all the while keeping the wine glasses full. Baked Rolled Salmon, Fillet Mignon, Fingerling Potatoes, Asparagus Tips. Need I say more - Treat yourself and guests to Chef Mark Thanks Again Bob D. Capitola, Ca read more

This was the worst catering experience I've ever had. The food was terrible tasted like pre-packaged frozen food.

I contacted Chef Mark to see if he had servers for an engagement party at my home. He was very quick to get back to me, had a formula for how many servers I would need based on the number of attendees and confirmed that he could support me within a couple of hours. He sent Summer and Jackie, and they were fantastic! They were seasoned professionals that hit the ground running. I sincerely appreciated not only their support but how they did the job without being distracting. They were efficient, cleaned up during and after the party, and seamlessly provided great service. THANK YOU! I would definitely recommend Affordable Chef Services, and will use them again. read more

Chef Mark did a great job at our daughter's wedding. He arranged all set-up and take-down in addition to preparing the food and having servers for 200 guests. Through the entire process he was gracious and working behind the scenes making it all run smoothly. read more

We had Mark Gallagher provide catering services for our wedding/reception at Villa Viscaya on 10/8/11. The price for what he has to offer is impossible to beat. The food including appetizers and multi-course dinner tasted very good - prepared with high quality ingredients and professional care. Mark is very experienced at catering weddings and events so rest assured he understands execution. Overall, everything went very well. We did notice during setup that the place settings weren't correct, but after calling this to Mark's attention he quickly had it fixed. The only other consideration to mention was that Mark's communication and reassurance during the planning stages isn't his strongest suit. Perhaps that's because he's very experienced at this. Nonetheless, those who like to work out detailed plans with lots of communication may be left wanting. Still, for the price and overall quality of food, it's a tradeoff that's certainly worth considering. Worked for us, that's for sure. read more

Mark catered our wedding in June 2014 and we couldn't be more pleased with how everything turned out. During our 11+ months of planning, Mark was available, accommodating, and did everything that he could to make our vision a reality. On the big day, we had appetizers, dinner, and late night food. It was all delicious, affordable, wonderfully presented, and we were told that the late night pulled pork and mac and cheese were some of the best that our guests have ever had. Mark came with a large staff, including several servers and 2 bartenders, all of whom were personable, professional, and a great addition to our party. Thanks for everything, Mark! read more

We recently hired Mark at Affordable Chef for our Wedding Reception. Mark and his team were AWESOME! Mark did a taste testing in our home, and kept us smiling the entire time. Mark has easy online payment options, and he's clear and upfront about the cost. Mark was very responsive by email/phone, and flexible with my changing RSVP headcount. On the Wedding Day Mark and his team arrived on time, dressed for the occasion, helped with set up, etc. The food was great! Everyone loved the meatballs and chicken. I enjoyed the vegetarian lasagna with a white sauce. During our reception Mark and his team were helpful, respectful and easily adjusted to the minor changes in the days timeline. Mark's team worked with well with our reception coordinator to help make the night go smoothly, and keep everyone happy! Mark also prepared a Bride/Groom food/cake to go, that we gratefully ate later that night. We definitely recommend Mark! read more

Long overdue review for wonderful Chef Gallagher who catered our wedding in 2012 in Ben Lomond. He's a down to earth, Santa Cruz type of guy, which can make an anxious and high strung bride and her San Francisco wedding planner a little nervous, but all my worries were unfounded. Everything turned out perfect! He was quick to respond to emails and phone calls and like other helpers have said, really wants to please. His team of servers were so friendly and courteous, and he also organized all the tables, linens, tableware etc, which was all fabulous. Above all, the food was delicious. Highly recommend Affordable Chef! read more

Mark and his team recently catered my daughters wedding reception at our home in Capitola. From beginning to end his relaxed nature + excellent execution + delicious food enabled the guests as well as the hosts to make the event memorable and relaxed at the same time. His experience came in handy when planning the event and he took care of everything from start to finish. My wife and I have thrown many parties over the years and this was the first where we called out for help and it was well worth it. Thanks again to Mark and I would never hesitate to recommend him or call on him again. read more

Affordable Chef Services catered my dad's 80th birthday party. In our initial communication, I described the food my dad prefers and Mark promptly delivered a wonderful menu and quote. Throughout the planning process, Mark was responsive to questions and helpful. On the day of the event, Mark and his staff arrived early, surveyed the venue, and set things up in a way that maximized the space and allowed the guests, food, and beverages to flow. Many people remarked about the great food. Mark is cool as a cucumber under pressure which ensured that we didn't stress about the event. His staff were amazing and extremely professional. They prepared and served our friends and family with humor and good cheer. At the end of the party, they quietly cleaned up and packed so that we had very little to do but enjoy the time together and with the friends who lingered. There were no hassles with anything which enabled my family to be able to focus on the celebration rather than the logistics and to visit with friends and family, many of whom had traveled great distances to see my family. Thank you so much, Mark, for your help with this landmark life event! read more

Chef Mark and his entire catering team were so helpful during our wedding. We gave him a few different menu changes and he worked it out with us every time. His responses through email were prompt, and he was very straight forward with the prices. The food was excellent! My favorite was his veggie lasagna. I just felt bad that he had to work with some power outages at the venue, but still managed to get everything out and setup on a timely manner. I'd like to give a shout out to his running lady, Blanca, who made sure everything was running smoothly. She noticed that my mom was filming and was asking my dad in MY native language for him to bring her some food from the buffet, Blanca noticed that and made sure my mom got a plate of food. She also made sure the DJ was offered food as well, which I had totally forgot to tell her to do. Now that's taking initiative! Chef Mark is lucky to have you! Thanks for a pleasant experience ACS!!! read more

Affordable Chef is an all in one great place to get everything you need. Chef Mark provided the food, plates, linens, utensils, glasses, tables, and chairs for my 175+ wedding. They provided the best food at the best prices. My wife and I find ourselves thinking about the food at our wedding craving it a year after. Go with Affordable Chef for any catering needs in the Santa Cruz area. He will make your life easy and carefree on the day of your event, and will make sure it's YOUR day and nothing will get in the way! read more