Mattias was integral in making our evening exceptional. From initial email through payment,…read moreMattias was communicative and thoughtful. We had six people for a small birthday get together and everything from the food, decor, timing of courses,etc was spot on. He accommodated our requests including making special items for my youngest daughter. He brings everything - decor, place setting, glassware. We needed nothing as he covered it all. I couldn't recommend him more highly.

10/10, amazing, fantastic!…read more We had gotten an Airbnb at a secluded beach house and booked Mattias to cook our parent's 30th anniversary dinner. Communication went smoothly from start to finish. When he arrived, he took safety precautions and kept his distance and mask on (something that I really appreciated). He brought the dinnerware, table decor, and even printed out a nice menu at our request. Food was amazing and I loved that we were able to mix and match from his Farm Table menus. We had the butter lettuce salad (could eat this everyday!), the sweet corn soup (amazing flavors- sweetness of the corn was complemented with a kick of chili oil), the petit filet, and raspberry torte (with a sparkler to make it celebratory!). Every thing was amazing and perfectly portioned. At the end of dinner, he cleaned up which is such an added plus! Mattias is very personable and made the occasion so special. Will definitely look forward to working with him again :)

I put in an inquiry for a private chef through Santa Barbara Chef Collective and was lucky to have…read morebeen paired with Chef Aspyn. We were a group of 8 friends and 3 babies traveling to Solvang for a weekend getaway, and we wanted to enjoy a quiet, delicious meal once the babies went down for the night. Booking through Santa Barbara Chef Collective was such a breeze--simple, straightforward, and catered to all our needs. Choosing the menu was super fun as we were given so many tasty options for each course. Chef Aspyn and her sous chef Alexis (who was so fun and sweet!) arrived right on time and quickly started preparing our feast. It was so nice how they set the table so we could enjoy an al fresco twilight dinner. Not only was every course delicious, but so, so beautifully plated. They also made us cocktails and mocktails (for the pregnant ladies), and kept our wine glasses full throughout the entire evening. It was clear that these chefs are not only skilled but passionate about their craft. To top it all off, they left our kitchen spotless - even washing baby bibs which we really appreciated. This dining experience was the highlight of our trip, and we couldn't have asked for a better meal. If you're considering a personal chef, I highly recommend Chef Aspyn!

Some of the best, most creative food and baked goods. From salads to appetizers to the absolute…read morebest chocolate chip cookies I've ever had.

Josie has been the personal chef for my clients for the past 3 years and she is PHENOMENAL!!!! Not…read moreonly is she super easy to work with, but her food is so delicious. And she knows how to cook for all types of palates, ages and appetites. My clients have an especially particular set of dietary needs and allergies that must be worked around. We have had a hard time finding a chef that knows how to adjust to those needs while keeping the food selections, fresh, delicious, and diverse, but with Josie, it's just been so easy since Day 1. They also have 2 toddlers and she always suggests healthy and fun selections for them and they LOVE it! She's also a great cooking tutor and is always happy to help and answer any and all questions. And get this...we are in Los Angeles and Josie is in Santa Barbara...but THAT is how valuable she is to us! We get her food brought down to LA from Santa Barbara. Yes. Believe it when I say Chef Josie is one of the best! When it comes to working parties and events that my clients host, once again, she makes it all so easy and her attention to detail is absolutely precise! For example...We hosted a pizza party because the house had a new wood-fired brick pizza oven installed. I discussed this with Josie, and at the time, she had never worked with wood-fired pizza ovens. However, the very next day she sent me all the information she had researched on it, and also took the initiative to find someone to show her how to work with a wood-fired pizza oven. Because of her research and initiative, she was able to show me via texting and Facetime, how to properly cure the oven a week before the party and then when it came to the actual day of the party, Josie & her assistant came down to cook and put the oven and her newfound wood-fired pizza skills to the test...and everyone LOVED it!!! The pizza was honestly some of the most delicious pizza I've had. And it's all because of the prep work Josie had done before and then when the time came, like a master at their craft, she just let her experience do the rest. And clean-up was a BREEZE!!!!! She and her awesome assistant were constantly cleaning as they were working, so by the time they had to leave, everything was already cleaned up and put away. I am SO GRATEFUL for Josie. She makes my clients very happy and that makes me extremely happy and also, my job that much easier! She is truly one of the best people you will ever work with.

Josie has been cheffing for my family for almost a decade. We absolutely LOVE her. We are self…read moreproclaimed foodies, and like healthy delicious and interesting food. She has many wonderful staples like her veggie shrimp rolls (must have)! But she is super open to trying new things. We often collaborate on the menu with Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty being one of our favorite go to books in a pinch. Josie is a wonderful warm person and can be trusted to respect your home, family and guests. She is a real professional.

If we could give more than 5 stars, we would in a heartbeat! We hired Mark for our elopement dinner…read moreand he completely blew us away. From the first conversation, he was kind, funny, professional, and genuinely excited to help make our day special and he delivered on every front. The food? Unreal. Every dish was thoughtful, beautifully plated, and insanely delicious. We're still dreaming about it. He somehow managed to strike that perfect balance between fine dining and pure comfort. You could feel the love and care he puts into his craft. But what really made the experience unforgettable was him. He was warm, easygoing, and brought such a fun, calming energy to the day--it honestly felt like having someone you've known forever cooking for you, who just so happens to be incredibly talented. Our guests haven't stopped talking about it, and neither have we. Couldn't recommend him enough. If you're looking for a private chef for a special occasion (or honestly, any occasion), he's really great!

Mark was absolutely fantastic. We had him do a 7 course pairing and everything was spot on. Every…read moredish was unique, delicious and he would go out of his way to explain his process and shared whatever knowledge you wanted about his process in creating the dishes he served. If you're looking for food that is truly amazing and totally original, look no further. He will deliver. He and Elliot are nothing short of professional and awesome Thank you Mark and Elliot you really made our anniversary special!!

This chef is the nicest, most personable and thoughtful person to hire for your next event. I…read morehired Kim for my 30th birthday dinner with 13 of my closest friends at a house I rented for the weekend. She did all the shopping and came early to greet our group and start cooking. She had prepped some food beforehand and also brought her ingredients to continue the process on site. While she cooked her amazing million dollar chicken and lemon fusilli pasta, she made us bruschetta and honey melted Brie with pistachios and baguette to munch. It was divine! The dinner was one of the best I've ever had and it finished with an amazing dessert. Plus, her presence was welcomed by our group and I felt like we were in her home by how comfortable she made us all feel. My friends still talk about that weekend and that meal! I highly recommend her as a chef for your next event!!!

Kim delivered on the promise with delicious food and perfect service. She is a delightful person as…read morewell and treated us with three lovely evenings that allowed us to focus on the family and let her do all the rest.

The best decision you can make is hiring Chef Chris!…read more My husband and I live on the east coast and decided to have a fourteen person immediate family only wedding in beautiful Santa Barbara. While planning a wedding across the country is no small feat, we also decided to do it on a 4 month timeline. The thing that mattered most to us was creating an intimate, relaxed, and elevated experience. My husband and I are self proclaimed foodies, so that aspect of the day was very important to us. We were so lucky the Craft House Inn referred us to Chef Chris - from our first conversation I knew he was the perfect fit for our special day. We gave him a very high level idea of what we desired but he somehow knew exactly what we wanted and needed. Everything was so fresh and he has such a deep undertanding of flavors and appreciation for quality ingredients. He was able to curate a thoughtful menu that catered to the adults and the children that were there (I've never seen my nephews and niece eat so much! Even the adults were tempted by the fresh made spaghetti and meatballs!). His expertise went beyond the plate as he was able to curate thoughtful wine pairings--another thing he took off my shoulders. Across the entire menu, each bite was spectacular. When mentioning the stress over not having a cake yet, he had the perfect suggestion, his beautiful fiancé who happens to be an incredible local baker. She did not disappoint! When I think back to that day, I really appreciate his calm, professional, and warm presence that perfectly set the tone for the evening. The food was unforgettable. We feel so honored that he took his time and energy to create such a thoughtful experience on the most important day of our lives.

Chef Chris cooked an incredible dinner for my group of friends to celebrate my birthday dinner…read more From the first email he was collaborative and responsive in helping to choose a menu that would work for all my friends tastes and preferences. On the night of the dinner he arrived promptly, was very professional and created an amazing meal that made the evening more special. The menu was seasonal and everything was perfectly prepared. The Lemon olive oil cake with Rosemary Buttercream was unique and delicious. I look forward to having another meal from Chris and would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a great meal and an extra special dining experience!

Coco was fantastic. The food was as good as any 5 star restaurant. She has a wonderful…read morepersonality and worked with our family to adapt to the needs of everyone. I would highly recommend her as a private chef for any event. We created a menu for the week and the experience was fantastic. She came daily, prepared the food and when she left the kitchen was immaculate. Thank God she had left overs because the food was so good. Our week would not have been as great had we not been lucky to have Coco as our chef for all our dinners.

Chef Coco was amazing!! We found her on Yelp and hired her for a family dinner. We loved her so…read moremuch we asked for another night and she was able to accommodate us. She has love, soul and an amazing talent to make everything wonderful and delicious. Very much recommend her and will use again.

Highly recommended!Shoutout to Chef Ray Swanson of Chef 805 Catering for an absolutely incredible…read moreexperience. 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

Chef Ray exceeded our expectations. He was responsive, friendly, and professional. The food was…read moredelicious! 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.

Chef Michael Wood is a creative, innovative, passionate, and charming chef. Aside from his obvious…read moretalent in the kitchen, he is an absolute delight to interact with. I was lucky to get the chance to attend a dinner he did at the Brave & Maiden Estate (photos attached). It was amazing to listen to him describe the inspiration for the different courses. The courses were thought-provoking, artistically-presented, and most importantly delicious. It was a meal I will remember for the rest of my life. He is truly passionate about sourcing the highest-quality seasonal ingredients, and ensuring his guests have a meaningful dining experience. His decades of culinary experience shines through every meal he prepares. I would recommend him to anyone looking for an elevated private chef experience.

Chef Michael was fantastic for my mom's 70th birthday for a private party of 6. Starting with a…read moresmall welcome bite and mom's favorite cocktail (lemon drop martini), every dish was fantastic. In addition to the welcome bite, we had a 4 course dinner complete with salad, fresh pasta, fish, and a killer signature dessert. Every one was raving about the food and we were so impressed with the flavors and presentation. Chef was easy to work with and flexible, which was great as we were planning a surprise event. He did forget the custom printed menus, which was a minor disappointment, but the flavors and presentation more than made up for the minor issue. We are already talking about ways to include him in future events.

Bonnie was a pleasure to work with from the start! She was quick to respond to my initial emails,…read morecame up with a beautiful menu after taking into consideration any dietary restrictions (and my 5 other guests). She set the table simply.. but so beautifully with fresh flowers. All of the courses were served to my specifications with fresh & local ingredients. It was such a relaxing and perfect experience. I highly recommend her!! The price was very reasonable and her and her server cleaned everything up before leaving-- like they were never there!! I will definitely be using her services again.

Bonnie and her skillful team always bring catering experience to the highest level…read more Team is rising up for any challenge and source their food from best local farms, very professional and paying attention to presentation based on the theme of your preference .... As we are very health nutrient oriented with specific requirements, Bonnie comes up with very tailored and personalized service, creative and pleasure to work with on all levels! Her services on top of my list to go for catering from small intimate parties to large scale productions. Yana B