Porras Solutions delivered an incredible experience all around. The food was truly exceptional - including the most delicious French Onion soup (pictured here). The team was highly professional and personable. Plus Carlos is wonderful with kids. Strongly recommend Porras Solutions! read more

Porras Solutions - Chef Carlos - French Onion soup - exquisite! - Personal Chefs Near Me

I booked Carlos for my boyfriend's 30th birthday. We rented an Airbnb and decided we wanted to have a private chef for our family dinner of 9 guests. I had never booked a private chef before so this was very exciting for us. Carlos was very kind and I appreciated the little things he did to make the dinner special for my boyfriend and family. It was awesome to be served as if we were at a restaurant. Attached are photos of the beef Wellington bites (picture does not do it justice at all) and the main course Tri-tip, penne pesto pasta & candied brussels. My family all loved it! Not pictured was the salad, crème brûlée and tiramisu we were also served. Overall a great experience and we will definitely be booking again in the future! read more

Porras Solutions - Chef Carlos - Personal Chefs Near Me

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From the first moment to the last, Chef Carlos and Team were on point. Plated appetizers served to each guest. (Guests dietary restrictions respected) Stuffed Baby Bellas, Bacon Wrapped Dates, Crostini with Tapenade. Main course, Filet Mignon, Asparagus and Potatoes Confit. Desert was the bomb. Crème Brûlée, Orange Soufflé and a Mini Red Velvet Cake. All the pieces of the dinner played well together, like a symphony. Chef Carlos brought everything, and I mean everything. This was a Private Chef Dinner for 8 in a private home. Every aspect exceeded expectations. I highly recommend. I highly recommend. read more

Chef Carlos and his wife, Donna, made my big birthday celebration an awesome gourmet dinner for four, and a memory we will always cherish! Our menu consisted of Amuse Bouche - avocado mousse feta cups with shrimp which we could have made a meal on just them! Bruschetta, butternut squash soup and the entree was individual beef wellington, galette potatoes and roasted rainbow carrots and to top it off was chocolate soufflé with creme anglaise! This was a prize that I had won at a Lyon Real Estate MarTech event! How lucky was I! Chef Carlos and Donna were such a lovely warm and friendly couple....hassle free and no clean up! I highly recommend them for any occasion! Toodles and Gary Hauf read more

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I had the pleasure of having Chef Carlos cater my wedding at a winery this year. From the first call I had with Carlos and Donna, I knew that not only that I was in incredibly talented hands but that we would have a lot of fun planning this event together! Carlos worked with me to create a unique and custom menu that incorporated my desire to celebrate fresh ingredients and farm to table cuisine that also provided options for me as a vegetarian. In addition, my venue had a wood fired pizza oven, which Carlos used to not only cook the entire meal but also serve delicious flat breads and empanadas (plus homemade chimichurri and jalapeño jelly!) for cocktail hour utilizing the oven. One of the things that really stood out to me when talking to Carlos was how many options he was able to provide to my guests. My guests had a choice of salad, entrée, and sides! My guests loved this attention to detail and many remarked that it was almost hard to choose because there were so many amazing options. And in a final level of fine dining detail, Carlos cooked all of the filets to each of my guests specific preference. All of my guests remarked at how delicious and beautifully presented all of the food was and how much they enjoyed everything. In addition to how amazing all of the food prepared by Carlos was, Donna worked tirelessly to make sure all other aspects of my wedding went perfectly. She and I instantly bonded over our mutual love of organization and planning. Donna and I exchanged many calls, emails, and photos going over all of the details, both large and small, of my event to make sure everything aligned with my vision. Donna made me feel completely at ease which allowed me to just relax and enjoy the day. I honestly cannot say enough about how wonderful it is to work with Carlos and Donna. If I could give more than 5 stars I would! I highly recommend Chef Carlos to anyone looking for a caterer for their wedding or other event. You will not be disappointed! read more

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I see a lot of positive reviews for Porras Solutions and after having read them it seems a lot of those reviews are for small groups of 2-10 people. We hired Porras Solutions for our wedding of 60 people and had Chef Carlos come meet us near our home very early on in the process. I can without a doubt confirm that Chef Carlos is top tier, can cook amazing food and improvise an amazing meal no matter the tools he's given. He's also extremely polite, thoughtful, professional and it was always a pleasure to talk to him. With that being said, his team is severally lacking and while that may get smoothed out by Carlos's expertise in a smaller group setting, It definitely showed during a disappointing food experience for our wedding. Dona is difficult to deal with, unresponsive, and was clearly in an unpleasant mood the day of. In the lead to the wedding, we had issues with a lot of what had perviously already been agreed to and the lack of responsiveness created unnecessary stress. Meanwhile all of our other vendors were very responsive despite having their own busy schedules. Dona and Carlos's support staff are nice, but are not professionals and lack motivation and attention to detail, which makes the team look disorganized and stressed. And while my now wife and I are very reasonable and would have been willing to overlook this, we could not overlook the following: 1) One of our main courses completely ran out before our immediate family even had a chance to get food from the buffet. The second course had a sweet potato puree that was delicious and also ran out after only about half of our guests had served themselves. This is despite Dona telling us they like to pack a little extra to make sure things never run out. This means our immediate family basically had to settle for pasta only. 2) The bartender service was lack luster. We elected to have only a his and her drink (plus a mocktail option). Our process for selecting the drinks was long and thoughtful and we prepped fresh ingredients (squeezed dozens of lemons, homemade blueberry and blackberry puree) and made a large font bold recipe for the bartenders to follow. It was clear they did not pay attention to this recipe judging by the amount of ingredients left unopened, the garnishes requested were not on the drinks, and the drinks tasted nothing like what we were used to (and we made several of these in preparation for the event to refine the recipe. 3) Cleanup was lacking. Porras left linens that had been rented on our behalf behind, left all of the alcohol bottles open and by the way opened a bunch of the same bottle and threw the tops away for some reason. It's really a shame that our wedding that was incredibly fun and amazing in the moment had to be soured by all the things we heard from our parents, friends, and other family once we returned. Catering was the thing we checked off the list because it was most important for us and while the DJ, photographer, florist, and venue were all amazing and we had high hopes for Porras Solution, having them cater for our wedding was ultimately our only regret. read more

Chef Carlos is AMAZING! We've hired him three times now and all the dishes he made were phenomenal. We've had his help with everything from a formal birthday dinner to weekly meal planning. He can do it all! Working with him and his wife, Donna, is always such a seamless experience and they make the process so fun. Whether you have your own ideas for what should be cooked or you need some creative inspiration, they are great at brainstorming and organizing meals for any occasion. And to top it all off, Chef Carlos always uses the freshest ingredients and chooses organic whenever it's available. I feel so lucky I came across his page. I cannot recommend him enough! read more

Porras Solutions - Chef Carlos - Freekah salad from our meal prep delivery - Personal Chefs Near Me

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I have used Carlos and his wife Donna for three parties over the past three plus years. Each time the quality and service has gone down hill. If you decide to hire them, ask for a detailed proposal and taste and approve everything before your event. Get all details in writing! To recap: They were late for my husbands' 75th birthday party of 55 guests with no apologies. Yes, there is traffic and accidents on freeways, but true professionals compensate for those unfortunate issues by leaving early and being prepared. The food was far from superior. The promised welcome drink and appetizer were not available as guests arrived because they were still setting up. (Embarrassing) The Beef Wellington appetizer consisted of 2 pieces of cold tough meat with a portion of bread attached. The buffet style food was barely warm with no heating devices available. We ran out of the fish entree and the vegetable. The second filet entree ranged from raw to overdone. When Carlos asked me how everything was (I told him the truth) , he disappeared in a huff with any promised leftovers. He asked for shots of tequila three times over the course of the food preparation. (Awkward!) I wish them well, but customer beware. The catering cost was close to $4,000, and although we thoroughly enjoyed the celebration with our friends and family, and a terrific band, (grateful) the catering was a disaster. And, of course, they will tell you I'm a difficult client, but I'm not. I really don't want anyone else to stress before a special event due to their lack of responsibility and attention to detail. We wish them well, but will never use them again. On a positive note, the pear bites appetizer, the salad, potato side dish, and the Mac and cheese (for the little ones) were good. read more

Chef Porras did an amazing job with our anniversary dinner this weekend. I can tell you that this was one of the best meals I have had. The precision on food prep, personalized stories was pure 5 star service. They took care of every detail including table set up, flowers, candles and an a amazing 7 course menu. Chef Porras worked with my Pinterest board and created a custom menu with our vegetarian choices. Everything was meticulously prepared and served with ultimate care and Michelin touch. Our dinner started with Chef Porras explaining his experience with Michael Mina and his cooking style. He started us with Amuse Bouche and champagne for first course. He then meticulously plated four more amazing courses. The Herbed Feta Pelladew peppers, Burrata, smoked eggplant, crispy tofu were amazing. We were so blown away with Pan fried Gnocchi and Dessert. He even made his amazing drinks. We had high expectations and were absolutely blown away by the food and service. We will be hiring Chef Porras again. Highly recommend!! read more

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Chef Carlos does a great job. The food was great and there was a good variety and plenty of food. This is the third time I have hired Chef Carlos. read more

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We found Chef Carols by chance and decided to try something new-- hiring a personal chef for our anniversary. I must say, our expectations were blown out of the water! Chef Carlos provided exceptional service, incredible food, and both he and his wife, Donna, were delightfully personable. What was supposed to be a special treat has now become something we are planning to treat ourselves to more often! Chef Carlos worked with our dietary restrictions (I'm currently pregnant which limits things like raw eggs and rare meats) but surprisingly flavor was not sacrificed one bit. I highly recommend you invite Chef Carlos to cook for you and your loved one; it'll make for an incredibly romantic evening. We requested a Peruvian menu and were not disappointed. Our four course meal was to die for. Plus we got to keep some leftovers! See a few of my photos for how beautifully everything was presented and plated. read more

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Chef Carlos and Donna are the most incredible people you will ever meet. They are extremely kind, professional, and down to earth! Donna is amazing at communicating and making sure your vision comes true. Carlos and his team curated the most delicious menu for my bridal shower and wedding. My fiancé and I are still getting compliments about the food we had at our wedding. Look no further because you are in great hands with Carlos and Donna! read more

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I don't even know where to start with this amazing couple! They made my first dinner party a success. They are very sweet and affordable! I was so thankful I found them! They were very adaptable to changes I had and just went with the flow of the night! Definently 10/10! I will for sure hire them again! Thank you so much read more

Porras Solutions - Chef Carlos - Also the eatable flowers were the best touch! - Personal Chefs Near Me

Chef Carlos and his wife made our holiday event tasty, memorable and hassle free. Chef Carlos worked with me along the way to make sure the menu that was curated suited the budget, dietary restrictions and tastes for all 18 of my guests. From menu creation, table service, and clean up the chef and his team made sure there was nothing for me to do but sit down relax and prepare for a culinary overload. If you want a memorable event, with delicious meals from a chef that communicates and includes you in every step of the way look no further than Porras solutions. read more

FABULOUS, FABULOUS event with Porras Solutions! the Food was AMAZINGLY delicious - everyone raved about it! The display of the food enhanced the elegance of the event! In addition to the SCRUMPTIOUS catering, we also hired Porras Solutions to handle all of the tables, chairs, linens, centerpieces, plates, glasses, napkins, flatwhere, set up and layout, take down- truly everything to make our event a raging success! Their staff was so professional and did a fabulous job serving, pouring drinks, cutting cake, ensuring that every need was met throughout our wedding event. I appreciated the communication and clear alignment of expectations leading up to the event - Porras Solutions took a huge weight off my shoulders in the planning process as well as in the execution. If you have an event you want to succeed, I'd hire Carlos and Donna in a split second - you will not regret it!! read more

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My fiancé and I can honestly say hiring Chef Carlos is one of the best decisions we've made in regards to our wedding, if not THE best decision for so many reasons. When we hopped on a call to discuss the menu for our wedding, Chef Carlos came up with an elaborate and incredible menu ON THE SPOT even incorporating vegan substitutes for my fiancé and I. My biggest concern was feeling as if I was burdening a vendor with having to make a separate meal for my fiancé and I as we are the only vegans in the family-- but Chef Carlos and Donna reminded us that it was our day, to not worry, and they would be more than happy to accommodate us. Even in the midst of the busy wedding season last year (and now), they were quick to respond to emails and hop on calls if needed. They are so nice, humble, and have the best personalities! They truly care about their customers, and you genuinely FEEL that (this comment was made by multiple family members who met them during our tasting). Their presentation of food was beautiful. Every single thing we had was just amazing! Our non-vegan families even said how amazing the vegan food was! We had our food tasting over the weekend and already have another dinner booked next week-- seriously some of the best food we've ever had. Thank you Chef Carlos and Donna for going above and beyond. We are so excited to have more yummy food from you, and to treat our families on the biggest day of our lives! :) read more

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Carlos provided a wonderful meal for my family. He was incredibly flexible, utilizing wild game I provided and incoporating it into his meal plan. Very fun evening. Would definetly hire Carlos and his team again! read more

We had the pleasure of being guests at a dinner that was prepared by Chef Carlos and his lovely wife, Donna. The presentation and explanation of each course, appetizer through dessert, was outstanding! And the food was delicious! Carlos is accommodating to your special requests, like food allergies, and he makes you feel a part of the experience as if you were at his home! I highly recommend him as a personal chef for a small group and as a caterer for large events! Bon Apetit read more

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Everything was amazing, from the planning to the execution. From the moment that I reached out to Carlos I could tell we were going to be in good hands. Porras Solutions is so well organized, and that, to me, is extremely important. Professionalism is a rarity, and Chef Carlos embodies what it means to be professional. The event was for my wife and her friends. It was a small dinner party at our home. Everyone was so impressed with the food, presentation, timing, and discussion. Carlos guided the guests through their experience and created a positive, fun atmosphere that everyone enjoyed. I would definitely hire Porras Solutions again. Thank you Carlos. read more

Chef Carlos and his staff were incredible! We hosted a 40th 'Gatsby-inspired' birthday dinner party and the food was outstanding! Chef Carlos and his team started with passed hors d'oeuvres, then our seated dinner began with a final gnocchi appetizer that was out-of-this-world amazing, followed by a Manchego + spring greens salad, then our final entree of either halibut or sous vide filet. The final course was a heated-spoon broiled creme brûlée with hibiscus sugar crystals. My kitchen was spotless when they were finished. My guests were stuffed. The service was top-notch! I highly recommend Chef Carlos and Porras Solutions! read more

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Love Chef Carlos and his family.. Amazing people and Amazing food. We had them for our sister 30th birthday and it was the most memorable experience ever. All meals were personalized to our spice level and taste and keeping in mind that some of us were vegetarian. Lots of great conversations and interaction. Very affordable and they left out kitchen sparking clean. In the times of Pandemic it was very difficult choice to have someone in our kitchen for the safety issues but the fact is there team was following all the safety measures, wearing masks and gloves. Definitely would recommend 100% for five star dinner experience at home. Thank you chef read more

Wonderful experience...From the menu planning, accommodating food allergies, and the attention to detail in all four courses. Exciting food with beautiful presentation! The perfect way to celebrate my husband and sons birthdays. Chef Carlos and his wife Donna made our evening a night to remember. I would highly recommend this amazing business. We will definitely be using them again for our next event. read more

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If you are looking for a personal chef to surprise your significant other or for a special occasion, you cannot make a better choice than Chef Carlos. A month ago, I was referred to Carlos through a coworker to plan a birthday/anniversary dinner for my wonderful wife. Every step of the way, Carlos was wonderful. He was responsive. He created the perfect menu for Indian/Mexican fusion cuisine (while limiting carbohydrates due to health issues). His meal was beyond perfection. He pays attention to every detail - fresh ingredients, the presentation, and the clean up afterwards. With Covid-19, he took extra precautions - he and his wife kept their distance, wore a mask, and sanitized everything. He and his wife were incredibly professional and respectful. In short, I cannot recommend enough. read more

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Just had the best experience ever! I never had such a fancy get together before and to say it was amazing is such an understatement. IT WAS FANTASTIC. Carlos and his wife have a great set up and tear down. They take care of everything. Prices were great. Honestly I just can't say enough on how perfect it was. Try it out for yourself you won't regret it! read more

We had an amazingly delicious dinner. We were able to customize it and select from a comprehensive menu. Chef Carlos was professional and gave us details about each dish and the ingredients. Service was excellent with a table beautifully set and wife Donna taking care of all the details. My friend who attended is planning to hire Carlos for her bachelorette party. read more

Chef Carlos is simply the best. If you're reading this, it's an easy decision - hire him now. He was extremely flexible, entertaining, and the food was some of the best I've ever had in my life. He's super easy to work with, and the price was very reasonable. I'll be hiring him for any and all events I host in the future. read more

Chef Carlos prepared a private dinner for me and my husband. We both thoroughly enjoyed his creations and food so much. We highly recommend him for private and special dinners! He was also more than willing to accommodate my dietary restrictions. Make sure to get his signature Chocolate Mousse cake! You will not be disappointed. Extremely professional, clean, and excellent food. read more

We've hired Chef Carlos twice and bought my brother a dinner for two as well. On all occasions, Chef Carlos and his lovely wife Donna did not disappoint. You can tell he is very passionate about providing a great experience. We will be hiring them again and sharing him with all of our friends and family. read more

At a winery event that they catered. Gumbo, salad and cornbread all of which were minimal in flavor ( gumbo had a gravy and little seasoning, cornbread could have been cake and salad was with nothing but greens) and portions were extremely small. Would not attend again if they are catering read more

What a wonderful experience!!! We hired Chef for my husband's birthday for a romantic dinner and we had the greatest time. Each course of the meal was phenomenal. Chef provides the food, utensils, table cloths, and a fun experience. The food was so fresh and had such flavor. The fruits and vegetables were freshly prepared and were paired so well with our meals. He also was such an entertainer and it was a pleasure to converse and enjoy our meal. He made us our favorite: soufflé!!! Loved it all so much. Very satisfied read more

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I contacted the chef just two days before a dinner party I was throwing. Donna emailed me back within minutes then she and Carlos called me and took care of everything. They assured me they would make the party extra special and they did!!! They arrived promptly made delicious appetizers and everyone loved the entrees. The dessert was great and tasted even better. They catered to the birthday girls every desire. Donna decorated, They plated the food the served each guest the chef even took the napkin out the ring and placed on my lap. The chef gave everyone an explanation of what he was serving and they were one of the nicest families ever. I added a guest just hours before the party and still everything I asked was a fast yes no problem. I'm playing another small gathering soon and I already plan on hiring them again. I could go on and on but I'll stop by just saying this was the best in home dining experience I have ever had. Thank you so much chef and team. read more

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Although I'm not someone who typically posts reviews, Carlos and his family are an exception. From the moment we connected, I felt comfortable choosing them to cater our wedding. It was a small affair, 35 people, at my sister's home in Woodside. Carlos and Donna made great food recommendations as well as preparing something special for my daughter-in-law who has severe food allergies. We had not tasted their food ahead of time....simply trusted that it would be perfect...and it was. They came on site, were on time, prepared and professional (without being stuffy). Their energy was great, service was fantastic, and food was absolutely delicious. Everyone raved about the entire experience. We will absolutely hire them again. Thank you so much Porras family for taking such great care of us. You all are truly appreciated! read more

We were lucky enough to find and book Chef Carlos and his team to do a wedding during the holidays, and they were an enormous part of making the event a huge success. Chef Carlos worked out a fantastic custom menu with us, provided all of the necessary plates, flatware and stemware, and set everything up beautifully at the location so that when we arrived everything was ready and seamless. The food was exceptional, his team professional and charming, and everything was perfectly taken care of. Carlos was even generous enough to leave us the stemware that was still being used at the end of the night and to come back on a different day, after another event, to pick it up. You couldn't ask for a more professional, talented, accommodating, and considerate chef and team. We will absolutely use Porras Solutions again and we eagerly look forward to it. If you are thinking about having an event or gathering catered, big or small, do yourself an enormous favor and reach out to Porras Solutions. Thank you for everything, Chef! read more

This experience is one that my husband and I will always remember! Carlos and his wife went above and beyond to make a surprise for my husband's birthday go seamlessly. They were very responsive and made accommodations for this day to make me feel as comfortable as possible. I booked Porras Solutions months before I was due to have my baby, for a few weeks after the due date and they were willing to work with me on the date if something unplanned were to happen. And with my newborn present, they were happy to share that they were fully vaxxed and respectfully wore their masks the entire time they were in my home. I would 100% recommend Porras Solutions to anyone looking for great food, huge portions and a wonderful experience with a professional chef! We plan to book them again very soon! Oh and ask for some of his habanero jelly, it works on everything and is now my number one jelly, but Carlos is the creator, so it's one of a kind! read more

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FIVE STARS! Chef Carlos and his lovely assistant Donna, were such an amazing find. I hired them to do a private birthday Dinner for my Mother's birthday. They explained up front their Covid-19 certification and steps they take to keep everyone safe. Chef Carlos provided me with menu options, and I selected 2 unique menus for each of my parents, so they could try as many dishes as possible. The menus were printed out for them to savor in anticipation. On the night of the birthday, they arrived on time, prepare the meal, chatted with my folks, provided beautiful service with joyful warmth and personality. My parents raved about each and every beautiful dish. The table was set with white linens, fresh flowers, and even a birthday candle for my mom. I am beyond impressed, I am grateful that Chef Carlos and Donna helped our family make a very special memory during the tough times of the pandemic. read more

Porras Solutions - Chef Carlos - Personal Chefs Near Me

Carlos and Donna knocked it out of the park on our wedding day with the food. Guests were raving about the food - they said it was the best food they've ever had at a wedding! The are the perfect team. They were extremely organized and on top of everything throughout planning and the food was DELICIOUS. They were so accommodating to our budget and menu requests, and throughout planning offered helpful advice and guidance. They were enjoyable to work with and we are so happy we booked with them for our wedding day. read more

Carlos and his wife are amazing. Professional, great food and good people. We are looking forward a lot more not only for special occasion but in weekly basis. Highly recommend. Reasonable price with great food!!!! read more

Wow! What a fantastic evening... Chef Carlos and his crew created wonderful culinary delights for us from beginning to end. Great service that was fun and interactive. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole process from planning to the final presentation. Without a doubt, we look forward to our next event where we will call on his talented crew to feed us well again! read more

Chef Carlos and Donna provide us with great 3 course gourmet meal . Very clean , sophisticated menu . Great style and COVID ethics . Highly recommended . read more

Carlos is fantastic! We hired Carlos to cook a birthday dinner; it was our first time hiring a chef to come to the house. It was so wonderful to be able to enjoy fine dining at home without worrying about any of the cooking! With every course, he gave us the rundown of what we were eating, how it was made. It was such a fun experience! We will definitely use him again! Prior to the event, he was easy to get ahold of (text, phone call, email), he arrived exactly on time, each course was on time. The food was delicious and the presentation was excellent! read more