Adam Small and his team were recommended to us by a family member who also used his services for…read moreher wedding. We could not be happier with the recommendation as the appetizers and entrées were absolutely stunning -- both in flavor and aesthetics! Our biggest difficulty was choosing dishes from his diverse catalog of offerings since they all sounded delicious. He was also very accommodating and made various adjustments to account for particular food allergies that some of our guests had (without compromising on flavor at all). For appetizers, we chose: - Pepper-Crusted Seared Ahi Tuna (Seka Hills EVOO, Sicilian Pesto, Herbs) - Ratatouille Tarts (Puff Pastry, Seka Hills EVOO, Parmigiano Reggiano) - Pistachio Flatbread (Onion, Burrata, Honey, and Chili Oil -- this one was a extra-huge hit with all guests) For dinner, we started with a Local Harvest Salad (Farm Vegetables, Fruit, Vinaigrette, Cheese, and Nuts -- plating was particularly beautiful for the salad), and had three entrée options: - Wagyu New York Steak (Imperial American Wagyu, Roasted Vegetables, Marinated Portobello Mushrooms, Potato Galette, and Red Wine Jus) - Signature Duck (Mary's Crusted Duck Breast, Hind-Quarter Confit, Potato Cake, Charred Vegetables, and Duck Jus) - Roasted Butternut Squash with Cannellini Beans (Charred Vegetables, Marinated Portobello Mushrooms, and Saffron-Rosemary Broth) Throughout our entire wedding and afterwards, guests were telling us how impressed they were and that it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding! He and his team arrived right on schedule, set up (including silverware and plates) cooked and served outstanding food, provided extremely attentive service, and then cleaned up, leaving the kitchen absolutely spotless (while also deftly navigating a brief power outage!). We cannot recommend Adam Small Cooks highly enough! His food, attention to detail, and service are truly next level. Thank you again for making our wedding so special!

Chef Adam was amazing!!!…read more We celebrated a friend's birthday with 6 people at an Airbnb in Sonoma. We had a six course menu (see below for details) that was excellent! For the vegetarian in the group (me) he was able to whip up a wonderful dish when everyone else was eating halibut. Every single dish was a stand out and the group was so happy with how everything turned out. This was a wish of the birthday girl - to have a private chef and to spend time with her girlfriends. She was blown away by the experience. The 6 course meal included: Fried Baby Artichokes: lemon aioli, herbs, chili oil Flatbread: preserved truffle, pistachios, onion, burrata, honey, chili oil Ash Roasted Beets: kimchi honey, pistachios, ravigote, feta Charred Zucchini Agnolotti: fried sage, brown butter, lemon, pepper, parmigiana Seared Halibut: fennel-potato salad, herbs, haricot vert, preserved truffle champagne sauce Under-Baked Chocolate Cake: Italian meringue, Luxardo cherries, cocoa nibs Also, our kitchen was left spotless! Thanks again Chef Adam for giving us the perfect first day of our trip!

Excellent food!! Great service too. Highly recommend if you're looking for a caterer or personal…read morechef. We had the pleasure of trying their food at a small 50th wedding anniversary. Everything was delicious! We had Pomes Fruit and Citrus Salad, Housin-Braised Beef Short Ribs, Matcha Crème brûlée. The hosts purchased lechon (a roast pig) which was not part of the catering package, and the caterers offered to cut and serve it. Very cool! I highly recommend this caterer/personal chef. Food was exceptional!

We worked with Chef Ken for our wedding and there are a lot of pros and cons. Chef Ken is very…read morepersonable and is a really cool and relaxed guy. We found him on yelp and loved his reviews and also loved how unique his menu was as it had Korean and Chinese fusion which was so perfect for our wedding. The food is absolutely incredible and we literally got so many compliments from our guests saying the food was the best food they've ever had at any wedding. Chef ken was also very helpful in helping us pick out the dish wear and arranged all of the rental dishware which made the process easy. The only problems we had with Chef Ken was that he can often be non-responsive and difficult to get in touch with through email. He's definitely busy and has multiple private events going on but at times we had to really hunt him down. It was difficult also because his secretary went on vacation around the time of the wedding so I think he was managing everything on his own. Also, I would also get everything written in bullet points for Chef Ken as he's definitely busy and it's easy for him to forget things we agreed on such as quantity of amount of certain dishes, rental numbers, types of food we ordered, deduction of the initial taste testing, etc. Small things but it changes the overall invoice and required a bunch of redoing of the invoices. He also said he would help us come up with a custom drink menu for our wedding which we ended up scrambling at the end to make our own menu. Again, I think there was just too much for Chef Ken to do on his own without extra help. Overall though, the wedding day went extremely smoothly with no issues. The staff he hired was solid and exceptional. The bartenders were awesome and fun. The food including the entrees, dessert and appetizers were amazing and it was unanimous from the guests that the food at our wedding was by far the best from any other wedding they've been to. Highlights was everyone loves the Miso Chilean Sea bass, Korean Street Tacos, Poke Tacos and the Tomahawk steak. My personal favorite was the Garlic Noodles!

We hired Chef Savvy to prep and serve food for our housewarming gathering and she exceeded all…read moreexpectations! The dishes were tailored to accommodate my MANY food allergies (and the various preferences of our community) with ease and grace. She even took one of my favorite recipes and made two versions of it that inspired me to try new combinations! She was gracious and charming with our guests, very clear and transparent about costs, prep, and what we would need to have ready for her. If you are looking for a private chef who can accommodate dietary restrictions with creative and delicious flair, Leslee is your chef!

It was a beautiful brunch…read more I hired Savvy Dining (Leslee) to cater a large gathering: 2 days 40 people each day. She did a fantastic job. The food was tasty and healthy, crudites, a charcuterie board, a cheese board, sweet baked treats, BACON and some other classic breakfast food. All ofit was delicious!!! Working with her was really easy. Leslee led me through a thoughtful process: we talked on _the actual phone_ where she asked great questions to guide me towards budget friendly, yummy options. Our guests raved about the food. The spread was knockout. She prepped before the event, so when guests arrived early (yikes) there was plenty to dig into. I'm still burning off the five star calories. Next time I throw a big to-do, she's first on my list to call.

This was my first experience using a private chef and I am so glad I chose Melissa. She was…read moreextremely responsive via email, but also willing to have a phone call when desired to help talk through planning. It was clear from early on she was knowledgeable in her trade and had great questions and tools to help guide us along. We wanted to do an Italian dinner for my dad's 70th birthday, and Italian showed up as one of Sweet Melissa's specialities when searching on Yelp-score! She provided me a sample menu with many delicious sounding options, but also was willing to customize to my dad's favorites. I host parties a lot and you sometimes don't really get to enjoy the event as you are working to get everything ready for your guests. Hiring Melissa allowed us to just enjoy the celebration. All we had to do was clear some space for her to work and she did the rest. She arrived about an hour and a half before the event to do her prep. She was as lovely as could be as was her assistant. The food courses were nicely timed with our three appetizers of brie and pear crostini, shrimp scampi bites, and caprese skewers ready as guests arrived and socialized. All three were delicious, but glad I listened to her recommendation on the crostini as it was so good. Everyone commented on how amazing the house smelled as they arrived. It was also fun watching her work in your house and getting freshly made food! Next was the big buffet of Caesar salad, pesto and tomato basil sauces pastas, roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta, chicken parmigiana, and Italian sausages in a balsamic reduction. The spread was beautifully presented and tasted amazing. There was plenty of food for all and I got such amazing feedback from our guests on how everything tasted. I would normally not of picked the Italian sausage in onions, roasted grapes, and balsamic wine reduction but Melissa told me it was one of her favorites dishes, and I think it turned out to be mine! So unique, so tasty and well executed. I had never had Italian sausages like that before, but hope to again. I honestly could say amazing things about everything we had. Melissa did not misrepresent herself in saying Italian is her specialty. My dad was SO happy and felt this evening was so special. Goal achieved! After the meal, she cleaned up so well you honestly would of never known she was there. This also included her boxing up any leftovers for us, which was a nice touch. Not having a big clean up to do after hosting the event was also amazing. I wish I could have a private chef everyday! But I highly suggest doing this at least for a special occasion and recommend doing it with Melissa. From looking at her website, she does all kinds of other cuisines that also sound delicious. She helped create the special, personalized, and delicious evening we were looking for!

I can't speak highly enough about Melissa and her personal chef service, but I'm going to give it a…read morego! We wanted to do something special for a milestone birthday party for our dad, and he just absolutely loves Italian food, particularly chicken parmigiana. We shopped around for anything from catering to personal chefs specializing in Italian food, and decided a private dinner made fresh in house was just the ticket. Melissa was very responsive via email, and indicated that Italian is one of her specialties. She worked with us to create a menu Dad would love, blending her own suggestions with a couple of special requests from us. On the day, Melissa and her staff arrived on time and got right to work preparing everything in our kitchen with a little help from her own tools. Throughout the event, she kept the space clean, the food line filled, and even did some bussing at the dinner table. She was exceptionally personable with us and the guests, and when she left, there was absolutely zero work for us to do. She cleaned everything, packed up all leftovers and stocked our fridge, and took out all trash. As far as the taste of the food, absolutely no complaints on this end! We had appetizers of shrimp scampi and caprese skewers while everyone arrived, and then flowed into a buffet style dinner. We opted for a ready-dressed Caesar salad, and her homemade dressing was spot on. For dinner, the highlight for dad was the chicken parm. Everyone had a wonderfully breaded chicken cutlet, adorned with fresh mozzarella and topped with a very tasty marinara. This along with her delicious take on Italian sausage in a reduced wine, grape, and balsamic sauce were amazing proteins. Pasta was plentiful as an accompaniment, both a fusilli pesto and papardelle noodles in marinara. For some veggies, she did a wonderful roast brussel sprouts with pancetta and balsamic. We had cake and ice cream for dessert, but I have no doubt if we'd asked her to do that, it would have been amazing too. All in all, I absolutely recommend using Sweet Melissa's for your personal chef and catering needs, you can rest assured you're making the right decision!

I hired Lucy to help our family because my diet has become so unhealthy from juggling work and…read moreparenting. I've tried several healthy delivery food options out there but always get sick of them after a while because the meals are too healthy or boring. The customization of Lucy's meals perfectly balances health/nutrition with taste. She only uses healthy oils, sugar alternatives, tons of veggies and herbs, and she does all gluten and dairy free per our request. It's also awesome to be able to request my favorite dishes and try new ones. I always throw random ethnic dishes at her, and she somehow nails it every time! I work in mental health, and I'm a strong advocate for parents outsourcing if they can afford it. It creates jobs for others in our community and relieves stress, which helps us to show up better for our children. Totally worth it!

Lucy did meal prep with us once a week for about 6 months. She was professional and reliable, and…read moreshe engaged my kids in the cooking process. The food was also tasty! It was a big help to cross one dinner off my to do list, and she also often helped with food prep for other days of the week. Highly recommend!

I've worked with Johana for almost a year in San Carlos. My partner and I needed help with meal…read moreprep while we worked full time and had a new baby. Having someone to do menu planning and grocery shopping was a huge time saver and ensured that we had home-cooked meals to eat rather than falling back to ordering takeout every night. Johanna provided a wide variety in her meals. Most menus came directly from her, but sometimes I would request certain types of food or specific dishes she had made in the past that were our favorites. Johanna tailored her menus to meet my dietary restrictions (low saturated fat). She always left the kitchen clean with clear instructions for the meals and even some cooking tips along the way! Johanna came every 2 weeks but was flexible around holidays and vacation. Would absolutely recommend her services!

Background: Contacted Chef Johanna about preparing food for…read moremy small wedding in the spring of 2022. My (now) husband is a severe Celiac and so making sure all food is completely Gluten-free was the number one concern. The Chef was quick to respond and so helpful in brainstorming a potential menu for the event (we settled on Mexican). She then got started on putting together the recipes and gathering the proposed ingredient list. This is where the Chef went above and beyond for us-she sent us the full recipes and proposed ingredients(down to the specific brands) so that we could ensure that everything was free from gluten and free from cross-contamination (a shocking amount of spices are processed on the same equipment as wheat). She even was able to find a way to make gluten free Tres Leches and Tiramisu (our favorites). For our wedding cakes! Menu: Crudités with Green Goddess Dip Queso Fundido with Chorizo Pico de Gallo Chopped Salad Chili Verde Stew Slow Cooked Barbocoa Tacos Roasted Zucchini Sweet Bell Pepper Rice Spicy Citrus Black Beans Tres Leches with strawberries Tiramisu Preparation: The chef packaged up all of our food so that my sister could pick it up and transport it (our venue was 4 hours north of the bay). She provided detailed instructions for reheating the food and prepping the cakes. She even made sure we would have any additional utensils that would be necessary. She gave me an accurate and in-depth invoice that broke down the expenses and made it easy to work into our wedding budget. Food: WOW WOW WOW! The best part (obviously) was the food! Everything was fresh and vibrant and so so delicious! The Queso provided the best cheese pull I have ever seen and my husband and I are still drooling over that Tres Leches and my family keeps bringing up how incredible the dinner was! Additionally my husband was able to freely eat everything to his hearts content, confident that he wouldn't become ill on our special day. I cannot recommend Chef Johanna enough!!

I booked Luis on 6/28 for my parent's anniversary. We communicated back and forth for details and a…read moredraft menu between 5/26 -6/8 and it was confirmed. I also booked a harpist to play that day. I texted Luis on 6/28 morning to confirm since I had not heard anything from him before. He texted and told me to call him, and told me he had an emergency surgery and was out for 2 weeks. I'm not sure when the surgery took place either before or after the date but I was NEVER informed prior. Thankfully I did not put in a deposit but I did not anticipate on being left in the dust with zero communication especially since I had to text first...Luis apologized and offered a "zero transportation fee" for a next booking. Now I get things come up, but it was confirmed for that month, and I am unsure how my date was missed. I typically don't write reviews, but this was upsetting. The text messages show I had to cancel a musician right after Luis called me. And the emails shown below are of the confirmations and draft menu.

Excellent presentation, delicious taste! They were courteous, quiet, organized, and the service…read morewas impeccable!!

We've had the pleasure of working with Chef Lela on multiple occasions over the last ten years…read more We've had dinner parties as small as four people and we had a 35 person dinner for my husband's 50th birthday. We live in Texas but always make a point to book Chef Lela anytime we are fortunate enough to make it to CA wine country. The food is always outstanding and we never leave one of her meals even remotely hungry. We love that she incorporates so many fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs from her own garden into our meals. It's also a huge perk that she brings an assistant with her and they do all of the cleaning up at the conclusion of the meal. Absolutely recommend without hesitation!!!

We hired Linda to cook a private dinner for my grandmother's 90th birthday, and she was absolutely…read moreoutstanding. From start to finish, the entire experience was seamless and so special. Every single dish Linda and her team prepared was absolutely incredible. The flavors were perfect, the presentation was beautiful, and it was clear that she uses high-quality ingredients. My family is still talking about the meal! Linda was so much fun to work with during the planning process. She nailed the menu right off the bat and the food exceeded all expectations! Her energy added so much to the evening. She is professional, warm, and made the whole night feel effortless for us so we could focus on celebrating with my grandmother. If you are looking for a private chef who is talented, creative, and a joy to have in your home, I cannot recommend Linda highly enough. She made our family dinner truly unforgettable! Thank you, Linda and team!!

Southern raised girl here. Initially I was like " how southern can he be... from Napa?"…read moreI was pleasantly surprised. Chef David was selected for his southern cuisine. We started with the crab cakes that were amazing. Light and full of crab meat. Then the salad, yummy and filling. The main course, fried chicken with a light crunchy batter, lobster Mac n cheese and asparagus. No lie, I was full after the salad. The main course was so good and then there was bread pudding with pecans. Everyone ate their plates clean. So the next morning, guess what I had for breakfast; leftovers which were better than ever. Chef David was professional in his cooking and serving. He arrived set up, served, cleaned and my kitchen looks nice and clean. He was so nice and the food is so good Great job Chef David

Chef David was incredible! He arrived at the house while our group was out wine tasting and he got…read moresettled and cooking smoothly. Dinner was ready about 30-45min after we arrived back at the house. David set the table, plated and presented each dish, and did all of the dishes! On top of the delicious meal, he made it so easy for all of us. I absolutely recommend the risotto and bread pudding. Thank you Chef David!!

Had an amazing experience with Chef Gita and Gary for my baby shower. Every dish was delicious and…read morepresented in such a beautiful way. Will definitely work with them again for my next event.

The Heirloom Chef was exactly what we were looking for. As 2 working parents with a full family, we…read moreneeded help with healthy foods made at home, so we could shift away from ordering out as much as we were. The weekly program was perfect. Shout out to Chef Will for creating absolutely delicious food and being extremely friendly.