They catered our annual fundraiser for 200 people on April 4th. They did a great job! They helped us consider possibilities for the event and were able to help us plan for a few things we hasn't considered. The food was great and I heard nothing but positive reviews from everyone in attendance. We will be calling them for our next event. read more

Katie Merkle at Chef By Request acted more like a wedding planner than simply our caterer point person. She went above and beyond to make sure everything was right! The food was amazing and we got tons of compliments. The service during apps, dinner, and late night food was awesome. They also worked closely with the other vendors to make sure all pieces ran together smoothly. They even took care of issues and parts of the wedding that weren't their responsibility! Kristin read more

I have used Chef By Request not only for my wedding but also for my annual wine party. The food is absolutely amazing. My friends raved about it. The servers were top notch. Amanda, who helped me with the menu selections was outstanding. I will be using this team for many years to come. read more

We were considering Chef by Request as our wedding caterer for our wedding in June. We attended a tasting and were told we would receive an updated proposal with our menu choices. After approximately a month of waiting and a follow-up e-mail on my part, I received a response. We reached back out on several occasions over the next month, in an attempt to finalize the contact, but we never heard back from Katie. It is now over 7 months later, and I still never received a response. Obviously, we went with a different caterer, but I wanted to write this as a warning to others. If efficient communication (or any at all, honestly) is something you expect from a caterer, I would suggest a different company. read more

I worked with Amanda and she was prompt and professional. I was pleased with her suggestions and patience. The baby shower we gave was small but I was treated wonderfully. The salad bar was great. The server, Jackie, was calm, collected and confident throughout the event. I liked her and she made me calmer! They did a great job for me and I highly recommend them. read more

I attended a wedding in May that was catered by CBR and was very impressed with the menu and quality of the food, so when I got engaged, I reached out to CBR for a proposal for my wedding. I emailed back and forth with Katie Merkle multiple times regarding various details and options. I emailed her after not hearing back almost a month regarding a proposal she was planning for me and my fiance, and she responded right away that she would get a proposal prepared. That was almost two months ago. I was very seriously considering using CBR for my wedding of 200+, but I do not think I should have to keep reminding their wedding coordinator to prepare a proposal. read more

I send a big THANK YOU to Chef by Request, and to Amanda Ingle in particular, for making our wedding reception a huge success! We had a smaller wedding (around 62), and some of the catering companies don't like to work with small groups or even charge extra money if the group is under 100 people. But Chef by Request was happy to cater our wedding reception. From the first phone call, to the tasting, to the planning, and to the actual event, Amanda made everything easy and fun! She was always accessible and promptly returned my phone calls. Amanda is very professional, in a relaxed way. I especially appreciated her expertise and her willingness to make suggestions when we didn't know what to do. She was patient in answering all of our questions and was never pushy. Everything went like clockwork and was PERFECT on the day of the wedding! We especially appreciated how the Chef by Request team was very attentive to me (the bride) and to the groom on the day of our wedding. During the cocktail hour, they made a point to find us when we were having photos taken, and they brought us a plate of appetizers so that we wouldn't miss out on them. They even surprised us with a special plate of desserts on our sweetheart table! The food was OUTSTANDING!!! We got many compliments from our guests, who said that the food tasted like it came from a gourmet restaurant. All of the food was cooked on-site. It wasn't pre-cooked and then just warmed up. So it tasted like it just came out of the oven because it did! When we first started planning our wedding, I checked out quite a number of caterers, and Chef by Request outshined them all in professional, friendly service coupled with delicious food at very reasonable prices. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Chef by Request, and I will happily use them again in the future! read more

Katie Merkle is a DREAM!! We had a hard time finding a caterer that would be a good fit for our less than traditional, oversized wedding. Chef by Request was everything we wanted and more. Their food was incredible, we did Chicago-themed served family style for our 270 person outdoor wedding. While the food was delicious, the service staff and professionalism of CBR was what really blew us away. Like I said, Katie is one of my favorite people on earth. Amazing energy and ready to take on any challenge. And our wedding was definitely a challenge. Our reception was in a tent located probably 30 feet away from a lodge that had the kitchen for the CBR staff. And right about dinner time it decided to monsoon, meaning the staff had to run back and forth through INSANE rain, trying to get the food out to all of our guests in a timely manner, while at the same time, keeping it covered so the rain wouldn't destroy it. They were INCREDIBLE!! And the servers were all amazingly attentive and very kind! Honestly, they were the best choice we could have made and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a STELLAR caterer for any event! Thank you Katie and the CBR team! read more

Chef By Request catered our wedding in September, and we couldn't have been happier with them. Katie was so incredibly helpful and responsive throughout the process. It felt like making our special day perfect was her top priority. Despite having chosen a somewhat exotic buffet menu, CBR had no trouble accommodating various special requests (vegetarian plates, chicken-only plates) and all of our guests had wonderful things to say about the food. More importantly, CBR flawlessly took care of all of the setup and organization the day of the wedding, coordinating with the venue and other vendors so that we didn't have to do a thing. The wait staff and bartenders were cheerful and attentive. We couldn't have asked for a better experience! read more

We love CBR! We've used them so many times for different things; graduation parties, birthdays, anniversary parties, and even one Christmas when we just had way too many people coming over to cook. Always fantastic, but they really outdid themselves for my wedding! I had a multitude of guests tell me it was the best wedding food they ever had. The Sicilian chicken and garlic smashed potatoes were the favorites among guests and the duck quesadilla they served during our cocktail hour was fabulous. Always a great choice to go with CBR! read more

My husband and I used Chef by Request for our wedding at Danada House in March. We were so happy with everything from start to finish. We were working on a relatively tight budget and found that we had trouble finding a caterer that could both work with our budget while also providing the type of event we wanted with a menu we could actually be excited about serving our guests. Although I had initially ruled out Chef By Request (I can't even remember why), Katie was persistent in seeking out our business and made it clear that they wanted to work with us for our event. We were able to come up with a menu that my husband and I could be excited about while also keeping it within our budget. They were flexible as we made numerous changes leading up to the event, and were so accommodating when it came to schedule tastings during afternoons and on weekends. Really, Katie was a pleasure to work with. On the day of the event, everything was handled great. We received so many compliments on the food, and Katie and her team were professional and added to the enjoyment of the guests in many small and large ways (even running out for a last minute missing pocket scarf for the best man literally 15 minutes before the ceremony was about to begin!) If I were planning a second wedding (which I certainly hope I never will :) ) I would definitely work with Chef By Request again. read more

I run a venue in the city and I was introduced to Chef by Request by one of my clients who was having a party in my venue. Since they were not on my preferred list I was prepared not to like them but to my surprise I LOVED THEM. The food was incredible and the staff was a delight. What a great find. The owner Chef David was so accommadating and very easy to work with. It is a pleasure to reccomend them to my clients. read more

Just got home from my son's wedding this evening at Gillson Park Beach in Wilmette. We used CBR Catering and could not have been happier. Katie was easy to work with and set our wedding up and then had to leave for another event. She left us in extremely capable hands with the servers. The entire event was flawless and i can find nothing bad to say at all. The food was terrific and i heard from at least a dozen people that while not the usual "wedding food," which we did not want, it was by far the "best wedding food" they had even eaten. People were so impressed with the quality, the presentation, at attentiveness of the servers and it made it possible for me to relax and enjoy the evening. I would not hesitate to use them again or to recommend them to anyone, regardless of how demanding or picky they are because I am certain they would be as happy as we were with Chef By Request. read more

We cannot say enough fantastic things about Katie & the whole team at Chef By Request! From the beginning stages of helping us put together a menu to fit our vision, to executing a wedding that was more perfect than we could have dreamed CBR was on it the whole way!! Katie made us feel like old friends from day 1. Her attention to detail and excellent communication made sure our day went beautifully & seamlessly. Many of our guests said ours was the best food they've ever had at a wedding. Not only did everything taste excellent, but everything from the hors d'oeuvres to the sweets table was visually stunning. Everyone was so easy to work with & truly did provide first class service, and always with a smile! We can't thank you enough!! read more

Lisa and I used Chef By Request for our wedding rehearsal dinner. The food was beyond excellent. Kathy Sikora was fantastic from start to finish. She worked with us on everything, including our budget. Many of our guest repeatedly asked us for name of the caterer. Great job!!! read more

I recently used Chef by Request for a sit down dinner party for 30. I was not impressed. The food was good but there was no flow to the service provided. I had a chef and one server at my home for the party. Salad was served and them the dinner was not ready for one hour after the salads had been removed. My guests had lost interest in the dinner by that point. If you use this company ask many questions about the dinner service before you book them. The food was good but that did not compensate for the poor execution. read more

Being in the event planning and catering business, I have worked with many off premise caterers. Chef by Request is one of the best! Katie was accommodating and attentive. The chefs were very pleasant and helpful. Everyone was very professional. The food was fabulous! This is a top rate operation! I will continue to recommend CbR to friends and clients. read more

I agree with Julia Y my experience with Chef By Request has been "Bad". I contacted Chef By Request and received an email back from Danielle Guzman and we set up an appointment to meet. After rearranging my schedule and making all the necessary plans to schedule this appointment between myself (and I am not in that area) my fiancée- Danielle sends me an email the day before to tell me she has to be at a wedding. I was not happy as my thought would be 'did you not know you had a wedding scheduled'. Anyway, after several emails and finally getting a date she could make it - a date is set. Well the date is today, and since the beginning of the week I have sent her 3 separate emails as the address is not listed on the website plus the location of the meeting could be different and as a common practice this appointment should be confirmed it has been weeks since this appointment was set up. NO response - if she can't respond to an email, confirm an appointment, is that a wedding coordinator I want to deal with - NO. I have contacted three other caterers that were recommended by Danada House and they all respond back very quickly and in a timely manner. Customer Service is a big part of a wedding and especially a wedding coordinator/event coordinator and caterer. If this company is so extremely busy they need to hire adequate personnel - it is hard for me to believe with all the caterers to choice from that this is the fact. Buyer Beware read more

5 stars for sure!! I recently went to an event that catered from chef by request and not only was the food fantastic but the staff was exceptional!!! Katie was AMAZING! She made sure everything ran smoothly and went above and beyond to make sure the event was a success!!! I would definitely recommend them in the future!! read more

My husband and I got married in June 2016 and chose Chef By Request to cater our meal at the Danada House. They were amazing! We loved Katie's energy and enthusiasm. She catered to our every need and made the wedding of our dreams come to life. The staff was also so friendly and accommodating to everyone. Our friends and family even commented on not only how delicious the food was, but how timely everything flowed and how kind the staff was. Even with last minute guest changes, Katie put me at ease with her professionalism. Everything was super wonderful! I couldn't be happier! So glad we chose Chef By Request. 5 stars! read more

Chef By Request catered for a wedding I attended back in December and i can't even begin to tell you what an awful job they did!!! While we sat at the table waiting for our food the person i am assuming was the Maitre D, was barking orders at the other staff in a very unprofessional way. One of those orders was to open a door in the dining hall that lead straight to the outside. Now mind you this was in the middle of December on the coldest day we had to that point and it was raining! I was seated at the table closest to the door, which I guess wouldn't have been a big deal, except I didn't figure I would need my coat at dinner so it was in the coat room. When we asked one of the waiters to shut the door , this same Maitre D flashed the entire table a dirty look and made some sort of snide remark to the waiter. Finally the food was ready and when people started eating the chicken was RAW!!! How can you serve raw chicken to a room full of people?! The entire dining experience was a fiasco...How can you claim to be professionals and act like this? Thank God the Bride and Groom stayed calm about the whole situation, because something like this could have turned the entire day sour for them. Oh, btw...the reimbursement that was promised to the happy couple was reneged upon as well. Absolutely poor showing from this company, incapable and untrustworthy!!!!! read more

My recent experience with Chef by Request Catering was a nightmare. The first server arrived one hour late and had no idea about whether the food was coming or not. The second server arrived half an hour later, bringing he food finally , when the event had been underway for almost forty-five minutes. Once at the venue, the servers did well their jobs, and the food was well prepared. read more

I got married and Danada House so Chef by Request was already a recommended vendor which made my decision really easy. I was choosing between 2 caterers and I chose CBR because the food was fantastic and Katie, the sales manager, was attentive, but not pushy. The process was incredibly easy for us. Katie was easy to work with and completely on top of everything. She worked with Danada house and our Band on everything so I only really needed to work with her instead of 4 different people. The day of the wedding the wait staff was very nice and attentive and Katie was there and on top of things. They were extremely accommodating. The 3.5 year old ring bearer really loved macaroni and cheese, but also wanted the beef entree the adults were getting so they put together a combination plate for him which he loved. My fiancee and I loved all 3 entrees and had a hard time choosing so they brought all 3 for us, while only charging for 2. They also brought out extra meals for our photographer when my fiancee found out he didn't enjoy the vendor meal all that much and wanted to make sure he had a good meal since he had been so amazing to us all day. I have no complaints about Chef by Request and highly recommend them to anyone with the amazing food and the amazing service from Katie. read more

If I could give more than 5 stars I would. Katie and her staff are simply put...amazing. My wife and I decided to have our wedding at the Willis Tower on the 99th floor. With that venue our catering selection process was interesting. Being such a high profile building and landmark in Chicago each vendor had to go through basically airport security. Having every single thing scanned and x-rayed. That lead us to some caterers that either ignored our request or simply said no that they were not up for the challenge. And right before we thought we ran out of options we saw Chef by Request set up at a wedding show in Downers Grove. Our first question was, have you ever catered at the Willis Tower before? And as they say, the rest was history. We set up our catering tasting, chose our meals, and worked with Katie throughout the entire process. Communication was very important to me and she never dropped the ball. She is very down to earth and helped in any way her or her staff could have. For example, my mom was our florist as that is her profession, and normally the florist would have a good amount of time to set things up however today time was tight being she was the mother of the groom. Katie volunteered to step in and help with things such as setting out the table arrangements, putting on chair covers (which was also from a family company). Our wedding was about 160 people and not a single complaint was heard about the food, service, or bar. Katie's attention to detail and customer service stood out even more when she noticed the wedding party get to the venue earlier than expected because of rain. She quickly visited us and asked right away if we would like drinks or food. And had a few plates of hors d'oeuvres brought in with our drinks. And just throughout the night would check in with us with perfect timing. If anyone is looking for a caterer in the Chicago area I will never hesitate to recommend Chef by Request. read more

We used Chef by Request for our wedding because our venue did not have an onsite caterer. When compared with other caterers in the area, they where the cheapest out of five other choices, and everything we picked out and tried at the tasting was wonderful. We got to meet the chef at the tasting and the presentation was flawless. The major downside was after we signed the contract was we were working with their wedding coordinator. She was very difficult to get a hold of. We would go weeks without hearing from her and on the day of the wedding I noticed many mistakes that they made. The plates were not the ones I chose, they did not bring in the ceremony flowers into the reception room, they did a poor job of coordinating the toast (after I had given them a written timeline), they didn't cut the rest cake after we ceremonially cut it (I had to tell them to do it about 5 min after we finished), they passed out the getaway glow sticks too early and the wedding coordinator even left part of the way through the reception when she specifically told us she would be there the whole time. On the plus side, we got many compliments on the taste of the food, they had stunning presentation for the food, the linens were beautiful, and they even brought things over to the venue for me like programs, giveaways, and framed pictures. They also had much experience working at my venue and with a heavy hors' dourve style wedding. Overall, my guests were very happy and I guess that's all that matters. read more