She and the team (who work for her) do An amazing job. From the communication before she's hired to every last detail. The food was truly top notch. It was a real treat to know we'd have real homemade meals on our trip to Puerto Vallarta. All the Mexican meals were amazing. For breakfast, I can't recommend enough her pancakes. They were the best I've ever had. (If you do have her pancakes, know they don't have real maple syrup down there, so they use honey). Would use her again in a heartbeat! read more

Private Chef Carmen - Frittata with zucchini, accompanied by chips and fresh guacamole (for breakfast!) - Personal Chefs Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

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We have Carmen cook for us every March! She is wonderful and the food is amazing. Carmen is very organized and things run smoothly. Very prompt for any questions. read more

Chef Carmen was amazing, she cooked 4 meals for 9 of us including 2 kids (she was responsive to our picky 3 year old by preparing quesadillas). Everyone loved every delicious dish. My 6 year old grandson announced after the 2nd meal, "I think I need to marry you." We also had fun hearing her stories and the sharing of her process and recipes as she cooked. Can't wait to go back! read more

This was the second time I had Carmen as a private chef and she just does not disappoint! She was 15 minutes early with her sister ready with all of the groceries and made the house smell wonderful for hours ahead of meal time. We had the ceviche (highly recommend) her shrimp and her carnitas. She makes a phenomenal green avocado salsa and her guac is top notch! She made 3 rounds of her homemade hibiscus margaritas and was happy to hold dinner until we were all out of the pool! We adore Carmen and hope you get the chance to experience her cooking and stories. read more

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Chef Carmen was absolutely incredible from start to finish. Booking and designing the menu was a breeze she gave great suggestions and she was absolutely right. We started with shrimp, empanadas, and fish ceviche along with chips, guac and fresh salsa. All of these were a phenomenal way to begin the meal. The ceviche was perfectly citrusy and gave you just the right amount of tank and the shrimp empanada were so succulent and flavorful, she also made a special chicken empanada for our bride for the bachelorette party because our bride is allergic to shrimp. That attention to detail, going above and beyond, making sure that everyone got to enjoy every part of the appetizer course set her apart from other private dining experiences that I've had. Moving on to the dinner course we had her Signature Pork Carnitas and Verde Chicken Mole. Both of these were so savory and perfectly cooked, comparable to some award-winning Mexican restaurants where we're from in San Francisco. I cannot recommend Chef Carmen enough she was so kind, wonderful and such a gracious host we had the best time with her. I wish we could've booked her for all of the nights that we stayed for our bachelorette trip. I cannot recommend her enough. I do apologize we were so in love with the food I think we may have forgotten to take pictures of the dinner course but I promise it was amazing. read more

Private Chef Carmen - Fresh salsa - Personal Chefs Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

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I booked Private Chef Carmen for my bachelorette trip I had a couple weeks ago. It was her sister Lupe who was our chef, not Carmen, but nonetheless a FANTASTIC experience. Our Airbnb neighborhood's power AND water were down the day they were suppose to come and cook. They some how made it still work! They used what we had and really really just did a beyond amazing job. They are also the sweetest people! I cannot recommend them enough! Oh and the food.... The best meal we had the whole trip! The shrimp empanadas were out of this world! So so so grateful for everything they did!!!! read more

Carmen is a superior chef. She cooks foods from all over the world. She is very talented and personable. Her mole is world class The Chilaquiles are outstanding. What a great find to make my family vacation unforgettable and she's only cooked a dinner and breakfast. I rate her 20+ on a scale of 5. If you're ever in Puerto Vallarta, San Pancho or Bucarias see if she's has availability and your vacation is set. read more

Private Chef Carmen - Chilaquiles - Personal Chefs Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

Carmen was incredible. She cooked for 4 of us at our house in sayulita on our last night in town. she was responsive, flexible and the food was absolutely stunning. it was truly a unique and magical experience, would HIGHLY recommend. She also made the most delicious guava margaritas i'll never forget. read more

Private Chef Carmen - Personal Chefs Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

Chef Carmen is fantastic! She was very communicative, made us some delicious food, and shared details about cooking and life in Mexico. I highly recommend her for your next trip, if she's not already booked for mine! read more

Chef Carmen and her sister Lupe made 8 of us a feast! Started us off with appetizers and margaritas with home made agave followed by delicious multiple main courses. They left the place spotless and were an absolute pleasure. A truly special experience for our group of girls celebrating a bachelorette! read more

We hired Chef Carmen to cook for our group of friends in Bucerias. Her sister came early to prep and start cooking 4 hours prior to dinner. The food was AMAZING! We couldn't stop talking about the dishes throughout our stay. We ordered ceviche, chicken tacos and pork carnitas. Truly authentic Mexican cuisine. Would recommend Chef Carmen and her sister to anyone! read more

Chef Carmen and her sister were such a joy to be around and made our Mexican Thanksgiving oh so special! They made food for the kiddos, celebrated with us, told us their stories, and delivered a deliciously authentic feast! Even though she had hurt her knee recently, she still came out and made sure our evening was extra special (including flan for our mother's 70th birthday, where she had all the grandkids sing along with her!). Thanks Chef Carmen! read more

So. Delicious. From ceviche to mole to red snapper, the food was authentic, flavorful and fresh, just what we needed after a busy day spent exploring Sayulita! We will definitely book her again! read more

We booked Chef Carmen for a dinner for 9 and it was absolutely amazing from start to finish! Everything is made from scratch. We choose the ceviche, empanadas and carnitas. Everything was flavorful and perfectly cooked. Bar far the best meal we've had so far in our visit to PV. I highly recommend!! read more

My review focuses solely on the taste of the food prepared by Carmen. My family arranged for Carmen to cook for three days during our stay at Vidanta which was influenced by all the 5 star reviews. On the first day, Carmen prepared appetizers, including shrimp and fish ceviche. These were enjoyable; however, the main course of carnitas was not very tasteful. The carnitas lacked flavor entirely, leading me to set them aside and return to the ceviche instead. I understand that some might find my opinion insensitive, but I am sharing my honest experience with Carmen's cooking. On the second day, Carmen did not appear as scheduled. Instead, she sent her sister. I am unsure if her sister is also a chef, but the quality of the food worsened. The fish tacos were ok but the barbacoa lacked flavor and was tasteless. This was disappointing and not what I would expect from a personal chef. In hindsight, I would have preferred dining at one of the resort restaurants to save both money and disappointment. Carmen not showing on the second day was very unprofessional. I unfortunately will not recommend Carmen due to her unprofessionalism and her cooking. I hope everyone can respect my perspective and understand that my experience is unique to me. Others may have had a more positive experience with Carmen. read more

Chef Carmen was incredible! She treated us with care, warmth and delicious meals during our trip to Sayulita. She made options for our dairy, gluten and shellfish intolerant guests as well as our little babies. Cannot recommend her enough! read more

We used Chef Carmen and her sister for a private dinner for 10 people. We had the carnitas and two appetizers. Everything was outstanding and Carmen and her sister were delightful. I couldn't recommend them more! We also had her make homemade margaritas for us which was really fun and delicious. We will definitely hire her the next time we are in Punta Mita! read more

Carmen's cooking is AMAZING!!! If I was ever faced with choosing a last meal, it would be Carmen's carnitas. Everything that she cooks is made with love, attention to detail, and to the highest standard of quality. We had a family reunion for 12 people and Carmen cooked our family one of the best home cooked, authentic meals that we have ever had the privilege of enjoying. The slow-cooked carnitas took 4 hours to make and it was by far the best carnitas i have ever had in my life. The guacamole was fresh and bursting with flavor from locally sourced avocados. The meal included grilled shrimp, carnitas, hand-made tortillas, and the most amazing margaritas we have ever had with home made guava puree. If you're traveling to Punta Mita or Puerto Vallarta and looking for hospitality, authenticity, and the best cooked meal that you will probably have in your life; look no further than Carmen and contact her today. Thank you again Carmen for such a wonderful experience! read more

We absolutely loved Chef Carmen!! We were 4 families with small children staying in the area for two weeks and having Chef and her team take care of many of our meals was an absolute treat! We felt nourished and excited at every single meal. She knows so many recipes and really cares about the quality of ingredients!! She did not disappoint! 10/10 experience! read more

Carmen prepared an absolutely gorgeous dinner feast for 19 - including a few very picky children - on very short notice (1.5 days). It was by far the best meal of our trip, including two dinners prepared by a different local chef. I'm still dreaming about her carnitas and the ceviche, while my husband is stuck on the chile relleno. Carmen is also a delightful person with an amazing life story. She's very easy to coordinate with. I highly recommend her, and I will definitely contact her again the next time I'm in Sayulita. read more

Hired Chef Carmen for a dinner while visiting Punta de Mita with friends. The dinner she and her team prepared was fantastic. Truly authentic Mexican cooking . Everything made from fresh local ingredients . From the sauces to the main dishes - everything was delicious. The margaritas were fantastic! Highly recommend Chef Carmen and her team . Great evening!! read more

Chef Carmen went above and beyond during our recent Sayulita trip. She was such a pleasure to work with in setting up the meal details prior to her visit. We opted for a private chef experience along with learning how to cook the meals with her, and we are so glad we did that! We had so much fun cooking with her, learning her delicious and authentic recipes. It was also such a pleasure to meet Carmen and learn more about her culture. The meal couldn't have been better. The Baja fish taco was perhaps the best I've ever had. The Chile rellenos were incredible. The guacamole and ceviche were delicious. We even added on a special guava margarita that was phenomenal. Do yourself a favor and choose the guava over the traditional margarita...the homemade guava sauce was unforgettable. Thank you Chef Carmen for a wonderful meal and experience! read more

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Four of us came to Sayulita over the Christmas holiday a few years ago and wanted to do something special. Our Airbnb host suggested hiring Carmen to cook Christmas brunch for us; we had no idea what to expect but thought it sounded like a great idea. We connected with Carmen over WhatsApp and planned a menu together. She suggested a few traditional dishes and told us she'd take care of everything, including the grocery shopping, which was a huge relief. On Christmas Day, we sat around the pool while Carmen and her sister spent 4 hours preparing us one of the most delicious homemade meals we've ever had. (Fresh ceviche, aguachiles, beef adobo tacos, chicken tacos with roasted pineapple, and amazingly good guacamole and salsa.) It was so good--and inexpensive--that we hired Carmen to cook for us again a few days later. Since then we have came back to Sayulita many times and every time we hire Carmen. We have built a wonderful friendship with her. She is so thoughtful and remembers details about me and things I like. Her ingredients are quality and quite honestly some of the best food I've had. Her and her sisters cook all day and clean up like they weren't even there. We can't wait to come back. read more

Carmen makes the most incredible carnitas I've ever had and the most divine guava margaritas that exist. You're making a genuine mistake if you do not hire Carmen for your next bachelor or bachelorette party here in Punta Mita. Absolute professional and beyond 5 star food. Thank you Carmen!! read more

Chef Carmen's sisters prepared a meal for us on New Year's' Eve. It was by far the best meal we had our entire time in Nuevo Vallarta. The ingredients were fresh, they prepared the entire meal right in our kitchen, and were just the most delightful, sweet, fabulous people you could hope to meet. Carmen was extremely communicative from start to finish in selecting our menu and coordinating their arrival and meet up at our condo. Her pricing was also very competitive with other chefs, and actually the best of the ones we looked at. Don't think twice about booking Carmen - you will not regret it at all and are most likely to have the best meal of your trip with her. read more

Chef Carmen is the best! Prompt, amazing authentic food. I've now booked her twice. Will continue to book her for many years to come!

Carmen came highly recommended by a friend and she did not disappoint. Her food was amazing. We did breakfast every morning, one lunch, and two dinners. She was always on time, extremely professional, and friendly. Whenever I come back here with my family. I will absolutely hire her again! (We hired her for a forum retreat and everybody was extremely impressed) read more

Private Chef Carmen - Personal Chefs Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

I don't even know where to begin. Carmen is the best private chef I've ever had the pleasure of knowing in my life. Her food is made with such passion, fresh ingredients, and love. I looked forward to every meal and still taste the deliciousness on my mouth. It's a family affair! All of her family has a role in the ingredients and preparation of each meal. The saddest part of leaving Sayulita wasn't the beach, it was Carmen!! I will be returning for her first, and the beach community second. THANK YOU CARMEN!!! Te amo, te extraño read more

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If you are looking for a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience in Sayulita and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, look no further than private chef Carman. Full of good cheer, she and her family source the freshest ingredients from the region to create delicious, authentic recipes. I enjoyed the nearby restaurants, but none compare to Carmen's breakfasts and dinners. She should charge more for her five-star cooking and service. I highly recommend her. read more

Private Chef Carmen - Private chef Carmen Puero Vallarta, Mexico. - Personal Chefs Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

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Chef Carmen was amazing! Best Agua Chili we ever had. Try her green mole chicken was outstanding. Professional and delicious. Can't wait for the next dinner party! read more

Carmen exceeded expectations. She was recommended by a friend who sang her praises, she was not only happy and friendly and a pleasure to have in the house, she made no fuss of working around dietary constraints of our guests. The empanadas de camerones were out of this world!!!! read more

Private Chef Carmen - Personal Chefs Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

Carmen's food preparation is spectacular. She is a wonderful person to work with. I highly recommend for services. read more

We had Carmen cook a dinner for 10 in our home. She was professional, prompt, courteous, and tidy. Her English is excellent as well. The food was outstanding--all of our guests were delighted. We had the ceviche appetizer plus the traditional Mahi Mahi (Dorado) tacos appetizer. Honestly, that probably would have been enough for dinner! For the entrees, we selected the Ensalada Corazon and the Pargo (snapper). Both were fantastic! We had a surfeit of yummy leftovers for an entire dinner the next day. We will most certainly be hiring Carmen again! read more

Some of the best food I've ever had. I will dream of Carmen's carnitas forever. She was a highlight of our trip. If we are lucky enough to come back to Sayulita, I would seek her out again without a second thought! read more

Carmen is amazing!!! Her food is incredible, she is communicative and punctual. Her personality is wonderful and portion sizes are large. oh.... did I mention her food is DELICIOUS. You won't be disappointed. read more

Absolutely beautiful experience. Great food and delicious margaritas. Carmen and her sister are so kind and there was an ease to the whole experience. read more

Carmen is THE BEST! My sister surprised us with an amazing meal by private chef Carmen who came to our rental house, taught us how to cook, and gave us one of the best meals and highlights of the trip! Do it!!! You'll love it. All the food was so fresh and delicious!! Yum! I just wish I could bring Carmen back to our home!! read more

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Carmen was amazing! The fresh-cooked menu was unbelievable. Her homemade sauces perfectly accompanied the empanadas, red snapper, and smashed potatoes. Thoughtfully prepared in our Airbnb kitchen, Carmen was respectful of the place and left the kitchen spotless. We'd book her again! read more

I have so many wonderful things to say about Ms. Carmen and the lovely experience she provided. Her food is truly one of a kind. So beautiful and flavorful. Everything was made from scratch and absolutely delicious. The best food we've ever had in Mexico. She's so professional and pays attention to the details - picks up your plates on the right side, drink refills, plating. On top of that, she has the sweetest smile and is so pleasant to be around. Nothing short of amazing. We will be sure to visit Ms. Carmen every time we are in Sayulita. She made the trip just that more special! read more

Private Chef Carmen - Breakfast during our stay. Very delicious. The mangos were so fresh! She even made us lime water and fresh orange juice for mimosas. - Personal Chefs Near Me - Sayulita, NAY

I grappled for a long time about whether or not to leave this review. I am conflicted and I'll explain in detail why- but the short of it is- regardless how delicious Chef Carmen's food is, and it is delicious, the entire experience left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Since the beginning of searching for a private chef to come and cook dinner for us in Sayulita, I was interested in Chef Carmen, her food looked delicious, she's passionate about her craft, and I was sold- but from the jump, she was an unpleasant communicator, difficult to work with, and high maintenance. Our family took the aforementioned trip to Mexico after a tragic and sudden loss of a member of our family- which has been very difficult. Hiring a private chef was a special event for us. Carmen arrived late, she made excuses about why- blaming where our Airbnb was, that I didn't let her know we wanted margaritas (I had weeks earlier), etc. I rolled with it and tried to maintain a positive experience. She complained about the kitchen in the Airbnb, not enough pots and pans- to me, this felt like her job to make sure she has what she needs to make a meal? Since she's the chef. Anyways, the meal was scrumptious, very tasty and we were pleased. When it came time to pay is when things really turned, Carmen gave me my total (which was hundreds of US dollars over what she quoted me) and demanded cash on the spot. I let her know I did not have that much in cash. She unleashed a tirade about how everyone does this to her, how it impacts her business, and how this is my fault for not reading her information email. I take responsibility as I have gone back and checked that it was in the email. I also believe if this is such a massive issue, she could remind folks, drive the point home, say it more than once not just months earlier when initially booking. Since I had initially paid the deposit on PayPal, I was just prepared to settle up this way. Nope. She was livid and literally sat and gave me a lecture for over 30 minutes. It was a horrible ending to the dinner. I made a plan to take time out of our family vacation to meet her the next day with cash- after giving her what we had on hand. SHE WAS AN HOUR LATE. I stood in the center of Sayulita with a 10 month old for over an hour waiting for her. Again, she gave a myriad of excuses why she was late. I asked her for receipts for the hidden costs of her meal, she provided them- not surprisingly, the math didn't math. She also added a $30USD per way travel charge even though her website clearly states within Sayulita is no charge- our Airbnb has a Sayulita address, another sneaky, manipulative way to milk more cash. Carmen is a hell of a chef- but she is manipulative, unkind, rude, and has narcissistic tendencies. All in all, I regret booking with her and this experience. I could have hired another chef twice for what it ended up costing and I could have avoided the unpleasant experience of having to deal with her attitude problem. I highly do not recommend. read more