Somebody told me about a company called Chef & Somm about a year ago. The idea was that they would come into your house, cook a fine meal, pair wines with the courses and all you had to do was relax and enjoy a great evening with your friends. My wife always says, it's only a party if I don't have to cook and clean up, so I thought, what a perfect way to celebrate her upcoming 50th birthday. So I bookmarked their website a year ago and then in March, emailed them to find out more. Rebecca (the Somm) emailed me back explaining how all I had to do was confirm how many courses, if I wanted a bottle paired with each course, any allergies, etc. They would take it from there. I asked if they'd like a deposit. She said they prefer to trust their clients. I was obviously surprised and impressed. A little while later, a menu arrived with the Chef's suggestions for the 5 course meal (I was able to choose the number of courses, price range for the bottles of wine, etc). The week and the day before, I emailed to confirm everything was still a go (I'm a little Type A that way) and Rebecca responded right away to say that all was good. The next day, the Chef, ,Somm and their young and professional intern Eric showed up in a mid-size sedan and proceeded to unload several large containers. I don't know how they packed everything into that car but all we needed to provide was a table cloth and napkins. The table was set with silverware, glassware and dishwater. All beautiful and all from Chef & Somm. Before we knew it, and right on schedule, the 6 of us sat down to an amuse bouche (offered free from the chef). Playfully, he asked if we wanted to know what it was before we ate it. We said no. We wanted to go on an adventure. And that's just what we did. The amuse bouche was veal testicle. Not to everyone's taste but it was delicious and beautifully presented. It also got the evening off to a fun-filled start. From there, Rebecca explained what we were being served (all beautifully plated -- with perhaps the highlight being the bison tartar served in a clear christmas ornament with an opening on the side big enough for a small fork to protrude, dangling off of a shirt hanger bent to stand on its own in front of each dinner guest -- delicious, innovative and creative) and how the goal was for the wine to enhance the flavour of the food (from white asparagus to halibut -- chef said the previously agreed-to monk fish wasn't good enough that morning), how she and Chef Liebman collaborate on every menu to ensure that he cooks to complement the wine selection and that visa versa. It's a true partnership, thoughtful and true. It was also explained to us, that our menu was one of a kind, that while certain elements might be repeated, as a whole, the dinner we enjoyed was absolutely bespoke. Not only did we enjoy a spectacular meal in our own home with dear friends, we also learned about wine, food, and how it should be done. I only learned that my wife was one of Chef & Somm's first followers in social media when they showed up at our door to surprise my wife that night. She was thrilled to finally meet them and had her expectations exceeded throughout the evening. We may never have veal testicle again but we can't wait to celebrate another special milestone by inviting Chef & Somm back into our home. I wholeheartedly and sincerely recommend them to anyone looking for a unique, incomparable dining experience. Thank you. read more