Highly recommended!Shoutout to Chef Ray Swanson of Chef 805 Catering for an absolutely incredible experience. My wife and I attended a friend's birthday party where Chef Ray handled the catering, and the food was truly outstanding. Having spent 22 years in the food service industry myself, I'm not easily impressed--but the presentation, flavors, and overall execution were exceptional. Every item was fantastic. The bruschetta with goat cream cheese was fresh and perfectly balanced. The seared ahi tuna bites were beautifully prepared, and the shrimp spring rolls with ginger peanut sauce were bursting with flavor. Even the flatbread pizza with Caesar salad was spot-on. One great dish after another--we were honestly stuffed by the end of the night. What stood out most was the attention to detail and restaurant-quality presentation, something you rarely see at private catered events. Chef Ray clearly takes pride in his craft, and it shows in every bite. We're already looking forward to the next event he caters at our friend's house--and we'll definitely be using Chef 805 Catering for one of our own parties in the future. -- Anil read more

Chef Ray exceeded our expectations. He was responsive, friendly, and professional. The food was delicious! He prepared a buffet with something for everyone, including those with dietary restrictions. I will definitely work with him again. He offers luxurious food at really reasonable prices. But the best part about working with him is his wonderful, positive attitude. read more

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I received calls from five different guests after the party 805 Catering catered praising the amazing food. I got repeat calls saying the same from people who had taken home leftovers. Chef Ray and Sunny and Alex helped to make Mom's birthday something spectacular. Cannot say enough about the quality of the food, the attention to detail and Chef Ray's generous and helpful nature - from linen rentals and changes to the linens to menu changes. I recommend 805 Catering 100%. What a nice company to work with!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

I contacted 805 catering two weeks ago. I spoke to Ray, the owner. At that time I explained what we were looking for. He sounded very positive in that he could help us with what we needed for my daughters upcoming bridal shower. He said he would get me a quote and put together the brunch menu that I was requesting. I didn't hear back that night so I left a voicemail with my email address spelled out a couple of days later to see if I could get the quote. No response. I then sent another inquiry through the website with my request. Again, no response. I then asked my daughter to call to try and get a quote. No response. I noticed another review that someone else had the same problem and they responded that they maybe had the wrong email address. My suggestion is that if you can't do the event or don't want to do it, be upfront and say you can't do it. You can even say you are booked that day. A response of any kind would be better than no response at all. Needless to say, we will not be calling them again in the future. read more

Chef Ray and his staff did a fabulous job for our 50th anniversary and 80th birthday party at the Santa Barbara Woman's Club. With 110 plus guests it was great to come into the ballroom and know our heavy appetizers would be presented well and all would be taken care of. Our guests were very complimentary about the awesome food. Ray and his staff take care of our monthly luncheons at the Club also. They have worked in our Club kitchen and know the guidelines specified by the Club. I would highly recommend them for any special occasion! Nanci E. read more

Chef Ray did a fantastic buffet for my birthday party! We had the Santa Maria style BBQ with Tri TIP, Ribs and chicken. Plenty of tasty food. The special Mac n cheese was awesome as well as the cornbread and corn. My guests loved the food. Setup and cleanup was smooth and well done. Highly recommend! read more

Chef 805 Catering - Caterers Near Me

Chef Ray and His team catered our Daughter's wedding this weekend . As soon as they arrived we felt a huge sense of relief since they took control of the food and beverage services immediately . The food was wonderful . All of our 50+ guests enjoyed the meal . The service was professional and flawless both for the food and bar service. I'd recommend them to anyone I know who is throwing a large party. We were more than satisfied with everything . read more

Chef 805 catering is amazing! His charcuterie board and lunch buffet were a sheer work of art and delicious! The great service and delicious food helped make my daughter's bridal shower such a memorable day! Thank you Chef Ray! EG/ LG- Simi Valley read more

Chef 805 Catering - Charcuterie board- work of art! - Caterers Near Me

Chef Ray and his team are amazing. I had a Mother's Day brunch at my home for 75 people the day after my daughter's wedding. Everything was amazing- planning the layout, set up, planning the menu, service, even clean-up and break down. The staff was professional, efficient, and super friendly. Most importantly, the food was incredible. People went back for seconds and thirds. For any future event, I won't work with anyone but Chef Ray. He goes above and beyond. read more

Ray and his crew recently catered a wedding at our home and it was GREAT! Everyone was talking about the food and how wonderful it was. We did have to deal with some weather issues the day of the event and Ray made sure we we communicated about options should the weather become an issue (it did not!). Ray's staff also continued to stay on top of things all throughout the day and evening. Having food freshly prepared and served was definitely a plus. A huge thank you to Ray for making this event one to remember! read more

AMAZING!!!! This was my first time having a party catered where a chef cooks in your home. Everything Chef Ray cooked was DELICIOUS! From the appetizers to the entrees, EVERYTHING was delicious. I loved the fact that they cleaned my kitchen afterwards. Chef was attentive along with his help. All of my guests raved about your food! Thank you so much Chef Ray! read more

Chef Ray and his crew catered my sons wedding and we couldn't be happier. From the appetizers to the main course everything was top notch. Gourmet food at a reasonable price. The whole crew were courteous and professional. The wedding was at my relatives house and we were a bit nervous that the catering crew would leave a mess but the kitchen looked just as they had found it. I would definitely recommend Chef 805 for your next event. read more

Wonderful staff, wonderful food! Hired them for my daughter's first birthday party. Everything was perfect! Food was amazing and they listened to all our requests!! read more

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Grateful for Ray and Lexi, they catered 2 back to back lunches for my company event. Excellent customer service, friendly, flexible, mindful, and genuine. Even my colleagues asked for his business card for personal use. The food was delicious, everyone went back for seconds. And, the presentation was so delightful to look at. Bonus, they cooked and prepped on site and cleaned up as if they were never there. Sincerely appreciate that. I enjoyed our conversations and look forward to working with them again. Thank you Ray and Lexi! read more

Thank you Chef Ray and his excellent staff! I highly recommend working with Ray for any and every catering event. He made this surprise party so easy to plan and the food was delicious! Many many guests complimented on how much they loved everything & how pretty it looked displayed together. Every bite was so good!! I especially loved the seared ahi bites, brisket sliders, roasted veggies & hummus, and the creme brulee! Thanks again for making this James Bond themed party the best it could be! read more

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Thank you to Chef Ray for your amazing work with catering our wedding! We met Ray at a friend's private wedding dinner (smaller scale of 20 people) and we were looking for a caterer for ours. I had asked if he traveled to San Luis Obispo and how big of a group he can accommodate. We had 80 people and he said "no problem!" We customized the entire menu, and did an Italian flare all family style. And for dessert, he helped out and did ice cream cookie sandwiches which were so fun!!! Our main priority for the wedding was having really fresh good food, and I can't tell you how many times people said "that was the best wedding food we've ever had!" Ray also helped us stay in our budget which was so nice. Weddings are so expensive and we told him our head cost and he made sure to stick with that! Ray - we can't thank you enough for your help and support of the wedding! The food was AMAZING and I can't recommended him and his team enough. From private intimidate dinners to larger scale catered weddings, Ray made it look easy. THANK YOU! read more

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We hired Chef Ray for our 20-person wedding last weekend and, in all honesty, it was the smartest decision we made during the entire process. He was THE BEST, not just the day of but throughout the entire process. First of all, his communication was impeccable. He answered all of our questions, offered great ideas in terms of the menu (and even set-up) and served as an invaluable resource in the months leading up to the event. And on the day of, he and his assistant Carlos were incredibly efficient and professional. From the moment they showed up, we knew that the food situation was in great hands, leaving us free to prepare for all the other details of the day. The wedding took place at a farmhouse in Ojai. In theory, Chef Ray and Carlos should have been left alone to do their thing in the kitchen, but more than one person and our small dog managed to "pop in" on them. Several people commented on how nice and patient the Chef was (the dog, having been unsuccessful in begging for scraps, was less impressed.) You'll note I'm three paragraphs in without even mentioning the food but lemme tell ya, that was the best part. Chef Ray invited us to a private sampling a few months before the wedding and that pretty much sealed the deal for us--the food was better than any of the other caterers we tried by a wide margin. The wedding banquet itself was no different: a wide variety of incredible appetizers, entrees, and dessert--all of which took into consideration the dietary restrictions of various guests. The guests raved about his cooking that night and while they ate OUR leftovers the following day. (Seriously though, there were so many leftovers.) If you're the sort of person who decides things based on the feedback of random people on the Internet, then trust me on this: you should hire Chef Ray for your event ASAP. read more

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Chef Ray catered our business lunch yesterday and it was excellent! He handcrafted a wonderful menu of freshly prepared and delicious food. We can't wait to use them for our next event! Thank you Chef!! read more

We used Chef Ray and his staff for my son's rehearsal dinner and it was fantastic! The food was great and Chef Ray is so nice and easy to work with! Definitely recommend for your event! read more

My wife and I wanted a small dinner party for our couple friends. We read about Chef Ray and was impressed. He was easy to contact and plan our menu. We confirmed the date and set the table for 10. Chef Ray and his assistant, Alexis started to set up everything so we can start appetizers and cocktails by 5 with dinner by 6. Our guests loved the food selection. We started with cheese/meat plates and fruit. We had seared Ahi, Bruschetta, shrimp, white fish, great Filet Mignon along with delicious sides of grilled veggies, potatoes, pasta and wonderful Lemon Meringue and chocolate molten cake for desert . Ray is an excellent Chef. They did a great job all night. They left the kitchen and all very clean like their was no party at all. I highly recommend Chef Ray for any catering or dinner parties. read more

Chef Ray did my daughters Bridal Shower. He was amazing! The food was fabulous-my guests loved it! So impressed the appetizers & lunch were prepared right on site at my house. They took care of everything,setting up buffet,drinks & clean up. Chef Ray & his assistant Alexis were professional & also so friendly. I will definitely use Chef 805 for my next event!! read more

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED- Our first time using 805 Chef Ray. He was highly recommended by a Fire Captain friend. We had 10 adults for a birthday party. Chef Ray spent hours preparing our delicious food. He was super friendly and easy going. He handled everything from start to finish. Zero stress for my wife and I. Very reasonably priced too. We had delicious short ribs, salmon, salad, veggies, potatoes, appetizers, and desserts. All of it was delicious and healthy. Favorite appetizer was the ahi tuna! Short ribs melted in your mouth. Salmon very tasty! More food then we could eat. Leftovers were nice to have the next day. Everything went perfect! Service was excellent! Thank you Chef Ray. read more

Chef 805 catering is the best! Had a brunch for my parents 25th wedding anniversary, and the food was absolutely delicious! Chef Ray was so accommodating, and fun to have around. He left the kitchen spotless, and was very clean as well. I highly recommend for any of your events. He does it all!! read more

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Chef Ray was absolutely professional and hospitable to work with from the beginning. With just about a month or so til my wedding, I still did not have a caterer. He responded literally an hour or so after I had contacted him and kept in contact in a timely manner throughout the whole process. I had already made up a set menu and had a list of potential entrees (I was only going to pick 2) and Chef Ray decided to include everything and more with such an awesome price that no other caterer could match. The food was extremely delicious all the way down to the beverages! My family and I had to stop ourselves from eating too many hors d'oeuvres or else we wouldn't have any room left for the rest of the food. Chef Ray and his team were very friendly with my whole family and also interacted with them, which was a plus! Thank you again for all your help! You rock!! read more

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Chef Ray was so kind and did a beautiful job for a Celebration of Life in Oxnard state beach park. Delicious charcuterie, fruit and veggie platters. High recommended! read more

Look no further! Chef Ray catered my future sister-in-law's bridal shower today and his food and professionalism were top notch. From cooking to cleaning, Chef Ray provided an effortless experience and tasty eats! We had brunch and Chef Ray cooked the most amazing eggs benedict, crispiest bacon, chicken and waffles and potatoes! read more

I had Chef Ray cater a birthday party for 30 guests in our backyard and it was great! He prepared everything from scratch in my kitchen and cleaned up after. All of our guests commented on how delicious the food was and the presentation was first class. I highly recommend Chef Ray for your next event! read more

Thank you for helping us celebrate and deliver such a beautiful dinner for my Moms 70th Birthday! We absolutely loved everything you made for us and the menu was filled with yummy apps and dinner options, our favorite was the BLT pizza. Dinner was modified to fit our health, most of us have gluten issues and Chef Ray made sure to change out everything and he didn't miss a beat! He was prompt the day of, and cooked everything right in our home. It was such a treat to have him. Plus, he cleaned up and we even had leftovers. We will for sure be in touch soon for future events! read more

Chef 805 Catering - Yummy dinner - Caterers Near Me

Chef Ray helped us in hosting my friend's 40th birthday party last Friday. He was extremely easy to work with and very accommodating to all our needs and preferences. The food was beyond amazing and every plate was well thought and put together. It was a wonderful experience overall and we so look forward to having him again. read more

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We hired Chef Ray for our parents surprise 40th Anniversary Dinner Party and he did a phenomenal job! Great communication from start to finish. He designed a menu of both my parent's favorite foods. The food was incredible and the service was top notch! We will be hiring Chef Ray again! read more

Chef Ray and his Sous chef were incredible! They catered my Bachelorette party of 20 woman, all of whom had been wine tasting for a few hours, came home ready to grub! He made a heavy horderve menu with about 10 different items, that were all super unique, tasty, hearty, healthy and filling. He made a fun asian noodle salad in a chinese to go box with chopsticks and a goat cheese and beet napoleon, homemade cookies and brownies, an incredible mac and cheese, a beautiful cheese and meat plate, plus more! With all the woman running around, they remained extremely professional, left the kitchen cleaner than when they arrived, and were so kind! I would certainly hire Chef Ray and his team again! Thank you! read more

The owner Ray and his team were amazing for our event/party we had last weekend! Super great food that everyone continued to talk about for days after (especially the Mac n cheese grab n go's)! Very well prepared, professional, and kind team who were not only really easy going but left the whole kitchen SPOTLESS after the job was done at 2AM!! Highly recommend:) read more

Chef 805 Catering - Sliders n fries, noodle grab n gos, Mac n cheese grab n gos - Caterers Near Me

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Chef Ray and his staff catered our 150 person wedding this weekend and did an amazing job!!! From the first conversation with Chef Ray he put us at ease. He was extremely easy to work with, very responsive, and he answered every question we had. He was willing to help with whatever we needed, which for us included getting bartenders and acquiring linens and glassware. He was always willing to help or offer suggestions if we weren't sure abt what was needed. He was extremely affordable and did everything he could to keep the cost down for us. Most importantly, the food was fantastic!! By far the best wedding food I've ever had! We did a BBQ buffet and everything was delicious but we especially loved the chicken, the Mac n cheese and the cornbread!! We will definitely use 805 Catering again if we have any other events. Thank you Chef Ray for making our day so special and delicious!!! read more

It's the day after (our 50th Birthday Celebration) and Chef Ray absolutely killed it. We had a relatively small group of 30 and wanted the event catered so we could focus on enjoying our time with guests, rather than stressing about preparing food. We chose 5-6 different, unique appetizers that were served by Chef Ray's assistant, and there was a beautifully presented table of cheeses, crackers, vegetables, olives, etc. - Communication leading up to the event was prompt and easy. - Menu options were plentiful and Chef Ray was completely willing to make any changes and accommodate any/all of our requests. - Chef Ray arrived 5 hours prior to the event to prepare for the evening. - Chef's personality was friendly and easy going, and he constantly checked in with us to make sure we were good, or to see if we needed anything. - The food was delicious, and our guests raved about the quality. - Chef cleaned up thoroughly before departing. - It's never cheap to have a quality catered event, but Chef's pricing was fair and we definitely received a high quality experience for the money we paid. We couldn't be happier with how the event went off, and Chef Ray was a HUGE part of that success. I have no doubt Chef is capable of handling ANY event, big or small, backyard party or corporate. We highly recommend his services to anybody who's looking and we will definitely use again for future events. read more

Chef Ray and his team catered my husbands 50th birthday/ NYE party and were absolutely amazing. We did heavy appetizers all of which were delicious, just about everyone of our 75+ guests commented on how fantastic the food was. His team also included the best bartender ever! All around professional and delightful! Highly recommend! We will definitely be using Chef 805 for our next party! read more

My husband and I had to change our reception with a 3 weeks notice and had to find a caterer with 5 star quality food! I found Ray very last minute and he was SO eager to help us out and make our wedding reception really something to remember. He worked out every detail with us, even being in a financially tight spot he did everything in his power to work with us and reassure us that everything will be handled and go great! My family was absolutely baffled and how incredible the food was. Ray is one on the sweetest most genuine guys we have ever worked with! It honestly could not have been more perfect. I'd give infinite stars if I could! We'll be using him for all of our future catering events. He's become a great family friend! read more

Chef 805 Catering (Ray) just catered our Holiday Party. It was tremendous! Ray is extremely easy to work with and stayed in contact with me to assure every detail was covered. The food was presented beautifully and everyone raved about how good it was. Top Notch catering! Thanks Ray! read more

We've had Chef Ray cater our events. Love him and his food is delicious!! Just had his cornbread with our lunch - that is the best cornbread I've ever eaten- sweet and spicy and so YUMMY!!! Can't wait until our next catered lunch. And so reasonably priced read more

We hired Chef Ray for our 21-person Thanksgiving gathering this year. OMG, was he good. I didn't realize our small kitchen could produce so much good food (although he was in there cooking most of the day). Every single one of our guests was impressed (as were we). Delicious appetizers, amazing traditional Thanksgiving meal, and delicious desserts to finish it off. This was our first time using Chef Ray and we will be a repeat customer. And have already recommended him to our friends. Extremely happy we entrusted our special family event to such a pro. And he's a super nice guy, too. read more

Requested several quotes from different businesses via Yelp for a personal chef for brunch in December for a small family. This business was the first one to reply back and requested a phone interview. When we spoke the gentleman was professional, motivated and excited based on my wants and needs. He mentioned he would put a menu together and send it to me within 24 hours. Well, my request simply fell short after, as I had to message him via Yelp requesting a follow-up with regards to the menus he had promised. He never replied and never heard back from them whatsoever. Did he not want my business? Was my request not profitable enough to follow through with? Were they to busy? Who knows but leaving a customer up in the air without at least saying "hey, got your message been busy, be with you soon" would have sufficed. The lack of response killed the professionalism. Not to mention the complete waste of time I took out my day to speak with him. Either way, found another great Personal Chef for what I needed and was booked and paid for in full. read more