Great things are big reasons to celebrate! Birthdays, a 200th review and becoming an Elite All…read moreStar!! So, in honor of all these accomplishments, I'm dedicating my 200th review to Chef Lance, who helped make my birthday on Jan 27th perfect, very special and exactly what I had hoped for on many levels! From my first conversation with Chef Lance, I knew I found a wonderful Chef, and person! He replied to my initial contact within an hour of messenging him. Through our many emails and texts, together we created a menu that well exceeded 5 stars!! My birthday dinner was prepared in my home for my family, 6 people total! Dinner was called for at 7:30 and Chef Lance arrived at my home around 4:00 to set up and begin preparations. He was so cordial, knowledgeable and his stories of becoming a chef and all his experiences through the years fascinated me! Now for the good stuff, my menu.... Coconut Shrimp appetizer, Penne alla Vodka, Salad, Chicken Francaise and Honey Glazed Carrots. The entire night felt like we were eating in a very cozy restaurant! Chef Lance plated every dish and we enjoyed it all tremendously! Everything was just delicious! I have to point out certain things that stood out to me: the chicken was purchased from a butcher, jumbo shrimp were used and so incredibly fresh and succulent! The coconut was toasted beforehand and the homemade dipping sauce was nothing like anything I have ever had before. It was fruit based with an Asian twist, just fantastic! Because Penne alla Vodka is a favorite in my family, an extra batch was made so everyone could take some home to enjoy again! After dinner, my kitchen was completely cleaned and all dishes, pots, etc were washed. My daughters BF bought a cheescake for dessert so at that point it was time for Chef Lance to leave. From start to finish, he was in my home for almost 5 hours! I can't rave enough what an experience having a chef prepare an intimate dinner was like! If you are looking for someone who will exceed every expectation you may have, Chef Lance is who you should contact. There's no doubt I will be seeing him in my home again! Chef Lance, thank you for a birthday dinner experience I will never forget!!

Chef Lance did a fabulous job cooking a dinner party for 6 people celebrating some milestone…read morebirthdays. We did have some food/allergy issues with the group and Lance worked with us to create a menu that would work for everyone. It was truly a magical evening and I highly recommend him!!

Another amazing cooking class. I attended with a friend this time and we got through the entire…read moreclass without burning anything! We had a blast. I will say that the pace was a bit quicker than my last class, as there was much more to get done, but we kept up, giggles and all. The environment was comfortable, and the staff's attention to detail created a relaxing and enjoyable evening. We didn't have to overthink anything; we could just go with the flow. Everything was prepared for us from start to finish. After cooking, we sat, ate, and were pleasantly surprised to find that, after guessing the right amount of seasoning for our produce and meat, we ended up seasoning everything perfectly to our taste. We look forward to taking more classes and inviting a few more friends to join us.

What a fun and wonderful experience cooking in an authentic working Chefs kitchen ! There are two…read morekitchens both so beautiful .The dining area as well is upscale and lovely . The shop itself is amazing with so many cooking and kitchen items that you can purchase. I've taken several classes here and as an amateur cook and baker each class was interesting and a learning experience . My first class was making Cavatelli pasta , something I have never made before , what a great class and it came out so yummy ! When you arrive you go into the dining area and before you begin cooking there are complimentary appetizers and wine served! It was so nice ! For my next class I wanted to take something easy and fun so I did the mozzarella and pizza class. That particular class had about 40 people attending .All the chefs were great and kept everyone engage! Recently I attended the class .. Scarpinocc pasta with brown butter and sage sauce and lemon Panacotta but after arriving we learned the initial menu slightly changed . Instead we made ravioli with impastata cheese and fresh chopped tomatoes and basil , also Vanilla honey Panacotta. It all turned out wonderful. When first arriving we had complimentary mimosas and appetizers of riceballs and chicken. This being my first time making ravioli I was very excited ! It was an amazing time and everything we made came out delicious! Along with our meal we were also served a delicious ,freshly made salad with feta cheese ! I'm now looking on their calendar to see what else peaks my interest. Will definitely be taking another class soon ! Thank you to all the wonderful and talented chefs ! Everyone was so friendly , patient and knowledgeable !

I've had the pleasure of taking three of Chef Raquel's cooking classes. Two were in a large group…read moresetting and one was a small private class. Chef Raquel makes everyone feel comfortable and confident in the kitchen. She's instantly likable, fun and knowledgeable...all while managing to keep everyone engaged. Her recipes are delicious! I've made some of my favorites again at home. I'd highly recommend booking a cooking class with her and her team. You will have a blast, learn something new and have a delicious meal!

Chef Raquel is amazing! She catered my 40th birthday celebration and 3 weeks later my guests are…read morestill raving about the food! Seriously EVERYTHING was absolutely delicious! I'm still waiting on that herb baby potatoes recipe. Thank you again!

Chef Maureen is amazing! I am a travel basketball mom of 3 boys and work full time so needless to…read moresay we were eating on the road, very unhealthy. I knew I didn't have the time to prepare healthy meals every night so I started to explore some options when I was referred to Chef Maureen. She was easily reachable and super friendly. She was very receptive to my needs and immediately started to create a menu. Her food is delicious and top of the line and she is very flexible with making any alterations to the menu. She prepares meals for my whole family for the week, we just come home at heat it up. It really took the thinking and stress out of our weekly dinners. Now I know my kids are heating healthy home cooked meals. Highly recommended!!!

My husband and I have been using Chef Maureen's Weekly Meal service for several months now due to…read moreour busy work schedules. Chef Maureen is a lifesaver! The meals are delicious and she prepares a variety of familiar and new dishes. We appreciate that Chef Maureen has taken the time to listen our feedback and has learned to anticipate our preferences. Thanks, Chef!

Cancelled on me 7 days before the event because he clearly got a better offer. Really awful way to…read moretreat people

Michael cooked for 10 people at our home. Everything was delicious, pacing was good, and Michael…read moreand his team were friendly and easy to work with.

We hired Chef Chris LaVecchia as a birthday/thank you present for our parents. The food, taste, and…read morepresentation was amazing! Chef Chris is also very personable and we had great conversation. He handles everything you can think of. We did a 6 course dinner for 4, but he can do small intimate meals or larger events as well with multiple chefs and wait staff. We were very happy with everything and are looking forward to booking him again!

Chef Chris has done 2 events for us - both small - and everything was perfect. Great…read morecommunication, wide selection, Michelin star level preparation and presentation, perfect execution and impeccable cleanup. Would recommend highly for occasions big and small.

I finally made it out to Chef Aless last night and it did not disappoint. The food, service and…read moreatmosphere were on point and we felt like we were is a cafe in Paris. The food is authentic and you can tell the chef who I believe is also the owner takes so much pride in her food and it shows. Her husband was on the restaurant floor tonight and even took the time to stop by to chat with us. What an amazing experience and the staff made us feel so welcome we even booked our Christmas party there! Amazing hospitality please keep the good work and we will see you again in December!

I hired Chef Aless for my husband's birthday on 1/26/21 - as indoor dining was still closed in NYC,…read moreand way too cold for outdoor dining, I opted to have Chef Aless come by so we could have the restaurant experience at home. From the first time I got in touch with her, Chef Aless was always prompt with her responses - as it was my first time ever doing anything like this, she helped curate a menu for my husband and I based on our likes/dislikes. I had also gone back to her to switch up a couple items, which she had no problem with either - really appreciate the flexibility! On the day of, she came by a bit early (which was a non-issue for us considering we were idling by at home), and was very efficient as soon as she stepped in - we were served some delicious hors d'oeuvres (fig and brie crisps were divine!), an appetizer (truffle burrata and arugula, with a delicious pomegranate molasses dressing), second course (crab cakes with mango slaw, always a favorite in my book), main course (a perfectly medium rare Pat LaFrieda steak), some sides (a decadent sauce for the steak, creamed spinach and potatoes lyonnaise; if you coudln't tell, we wanted to replicate the NYC steakhouse experience), and lastly, chocolate mousse for dessert (needless to say, it was amazing). And best of all, she left the kitchen spotless, which was much appreciated. I also want to note that it's important to clarify what you're looking for when hiring a private chef, especially as a first timer (like me) - I thought Chef Aless was going to cook everything from start to finish at our apartment, however she actually came by with everything mostly prepared, and left the finishing touches for last. Granted, not everyone has a fully equipped kitchen so I totally understand her coming pre-prepped, but considering my husband and I both love cooking and have a nearly fully-equipped kitchen, we would've loved to see her in action and use the opportunity to pick up some pro-tips. All in all, Chef Aless was an absolute pleasure to work and speak with, and I'm so happy to have found her. If indoor dining is still closed off in the future, I will definitely be keeping her in mind for more special occasions.

Chef, Just wanted to drop a little note saying thank you…read morefor doing such a wonderful job at my husband's 50th birthday party. When I told people I found you on the internet and never spoke to you other than emailing, they were a bit skeptical. I'm happy to report that those skeptics were the same to give the highest compliments on your professionalism, display, organization, cleanup, and of course the delicious food. For me, that fact that you answered all my emailed questions, arrived on time, and did everything you said you would, provided me the opportunity to relax and enjoy my guests and really participate in my husband's special day. I wanted to also let you know that your assistants were friendly, courteous, and did a fantastic job too! I would certainly recommend your services to anyone. Thank you again! Betty

We love Chef Antoinette !! We have enjoyed five gatherings at our home with her service and were…read morehappy with each and every one. We first met her for a romantic dinner for two. She created a warm and special evening with nice little touches of creativity in the use of flowers, framed menus and of course many tasty delights. We have since had her prepare and cater two sit down dinners of approx 8-10 guests. The food choices were excellent and delicious. She then successfully executed two larger parties of approx 20-30 guests. She offered an array of wonderful served and table placed appetizers and also buffet choices. She stays calm, professional and personally engaging throughout the whole event. She even accommodated some vegan and gluten free choices.We look forward to future celebrations with Chef Antoinette.

Chef Amenta was fabulous! I hired him to make light bites for a surprise engagement party. He…read moreaccommodated my every wish. He was very easy to work with. We had limited time constraints and he performed flawlessly. His food was delicious!!! I highly recommend him.

Chef Amenta cooked us a fantastic Italian dinner at our apartment for my fiancé's 30th birthday -…read morewe worked together to curate the menu and every dish was incredible. Highly recommend using Chef Amenta!

i ordered Christmas dinner for 13 guests a couple of weeks ago…read more Olivia was very easy to work with and accommodated a gluten allergy with no problem. the food was standard traditional Christmas dishes, so nothing super unique or fancy. it was very tasty, but definitely too much butter : ) i would work with Olivia again and recommend her for sure. thumbs up.

Olivia just understood us! From the very beginning, her creativity and professionalism helped my…read morefiance and I sculpt the wedding of our dreams! We called Olivia after speaking with many caterers about about approach, cuisine and budget, and we were honestly getting a bit defeated. My first conversation with Olivia was so incredibly refreshing in that I told her we are trying to decide between tacos or barbeque and she responded with a very effortless, "why choose?". This immediately put me at ease as we started to brainstorm together. All other caterers were now subpar. She crafted a beautiful menu for us that included mini (single-bite) sized tacos as part of the hors d'oeuvres and an upscale barbeque with hometown roots for the entree. Our guests have not stopped RAVING about our food (strong accolades for the BBQ still rolling in from our Texas and Tennessee-native guests, so you know it was great!). We received a truly personalized experience with Olivia. She even stepped in to work with us directly when we had questions and get saleswoman was unavailable! From the first conversation through the tasting and our wedding, Olivia was one of our top vendors. Her saleswoman, Christina, was excellent at offering advice and ideas as well as suggestions from other events they'd catered (either at 501 or otherwise). On staff, Olivia also has a food design team member who created the most instagram-worthy displays! Definitely an added bonus. Would 10/10 use and recommend Olivia!