A Lively Chef catering services were excellent from start to finish. They catered our son's wedding at the Boise Depot last Saturday. The appetizers, especially the chorizo stuffed mushrooms, were amazing! The buffet styled food was delicious and featured generous servings. We are so glad we chose salmon as one of the options because most of the guests were from out of state. It was cooked to perfection! Lizzy and the staff communicated promptly and were professional throughout the whole process. I will definitely use their services again! Thank you! read more

A Lively Chef catered a surprise birthday party event that we just held. It was amazing! I loved the bacon-wrapped dates and the sliders, but everything was excellent. Thanks so much! read more

I hired A Lively Chef Catering for my mom's post-funeral reception and they did an incredible job. I was planning this Boise event from my home in Arizona, and they made things so easy for me to organize via email. Communication was perfect, and the food was exceptional. I had several guests commenting about the turkey sandwiches. Although they seemed simple, they had tremendous flavor. The charcuterie platter and fruit skewers were beautiful, all the food was fresh and delicious. I'm very impressed and appreciative, and will definitely work with them again if I ever have an event in the Boise area in the future. read more

It was our first time using a caterer and are so glad we chose A Lively Chef! Our daughter was graduating college and we wanted to throw her a party that was fun, memorable and stress free. Stacy, at A Lively Chef, made the whole process from beginning to end easy and informative. They have so many menu options and she worked with us to come up with exactly what we wanted with a budget in mind. The day of the party went smoothly. A Lively Chef arrived on time and set up quickly and everything looked great! Our guests loved the food and several asked who we used for catering. We would definitely use A Lively Chef Catering again and will recommend to friends and family. read more

A Lively Chef catered our 25th wedding celebration and we were extremely impressed from start to finish. Lizzy, the initial contact person was friendly, organized and responsive to all of our requests. The initial tasting was impressive and well presented. In trying to finalize our menu choices we asked to try a few appetizers we had not selected for the first tasting. They went above and beyond with this ask and we felt confident we had chosen the perfect caterer. The onsite visit that we requested they do only served to confirm we were in good hands. The day of the event went flawlessly. Maria, the point person and her husband worked tirelessly prepping and passing the appetizers and the stationary appetizer table was beautiful and bountiful. Special kudos to the chef who is an amazing talent and everything was delicious. Our guests were absolutely blown away and could not stop talking about how wonderful the food was. We will not hesitate to have them cater any future event. As a side note, I used to be in the catering business so I have very high standards and am not generally so impressed! Thank you to all at The Lively Chef who made our event a success. read more

Great experience working with this business. They were professional and the food was delicious. They took care of all the details and asked tons of questions. Highly recommend calling them. read more

DELICIOUS!! I attending a wedding in Nampa on 6/28/13 that was catered by A Lively Chef and have to give their food and staff 5 stars. The staff was very professional, kind, and attentive to the needs of the guests on a scorching 104 degree day. Plus, the food was OUTSTANDING! We were given the choice of Homemade Lasagna or Parmesan Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breast with Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce alongside Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Almondine, Salad, and Bread. I had the chicken, which I thought was AMAZING because I LOVE cheese and artichoke, so I was in Heaven. The mashed potatoes were delicious and the green beans had a nice crisp to them. Those who had the lasagna said it was delicious as well. Everything was excellent. I have never discussed the food at a wedding with fellow guests the next day, but we were all raving about how fantastic it was. I've already recommended A Lively Chef to someone else planning a wedding for next year. YUM YUM YUM! read more

The staff here is just wonderful! They catered our wedding at Still Water Hollow and we cold not have had a better experience with a plated dinner. The food was downright amazing. The employees consistently brought out food, filled drinks and we're on top of every moment of the night. Highly highly recommend! read more

The Lively Chef catered our family gathering at Thanksgiving. Celeste was so helpful as I set up everything by email from California, so we were all set in Idaho when we got there. Matt and all who helped with the delivery could not have been nicer and was always on time. Then the FOOD!!! It was so delicious, great variety and desserts were amazing. We could not be happier and they truly made our week extra special. Thank you to all of you!! read more

A Lively Chef was so great to work with! I ordered an assortment of appetizers for a small gathering and everything was perfect! The food was absolutely delicious, and even how they set the table up was really amazing! I highly recommend! read more

We had a wonderful experience booking A Lively Chef Catering for our June outdoor wedding. They were extremely responsive and informative throughout the entire process and even made some vegan dishes for our guests! The service was incredible and I couldn't believe how personable and kind the staff were--it felt more like they were serving dear friends than guests they didn't know at a wedding. Last, the food was incredible. The chicken marsala in particular was a knockout--it was very moist and delicious. My husband and I would recommend A Lively Chef Catering for any wedding or event you need delicious food for! read more

We host a holiday ornament exchange every year and I usually do all the cooking. This year we wanted to simplify and hire a caterer. Being relatively new to the area, I don't have experience with any caterers and asked for referrals from friends. I had looked around online and wasn't super impressed with any holiday menus I came across. A lovely chef catering was referred to me and with only 10 days to our event at a busy time of year, I reached out with hopes to get something scheduled. Celeste was responsive and friendly from my first interaction. Their holiday menu had many delicious sounding options and the pricing, although not the least expensive, was reasonable and worthy of the price. They were able to secure our date and finalize our menu very quickly. Due to added guests, I had to increase the headcount for food the day before and they were very accommodating. The day of our event, Dana and Trisha (I believe) arrived right on time. They were friendly, fast and did a beautiful job setting up the space provided to them. They had simple yet elegant decorations to add to their setup that were a lovely touch and made the presentation even better! We ordered the artichoke stuffed chicken, three cheese scalloped potatoes, seasonal mixed veggies, artisan rolls and the Gorgonzola pear salad. Our guests raves about how wonderful the food was and I was so pleased! Absolutely wonderful! They returned to clean up and, as our event was still in progress, they went virtually unnoticed, being quiet and discrete while clearing everything. I will DEFINITELY use them for any future catering needs. Well done A Lovely Chef Catering! read more

We have used this delightful catering company on two different occasions. Five star on every level. The staff, the food, the presentation and the catering manager exceeded my expectations . read more

A Lively Chef Catering is the best. They did my wedding catering and all I heard from guests was compliments about how tasty their food was. Their food presentation and table settings is elegant . On your big day it is terrifying but it is always good to have a catering service that won't disappoint you. The staff is very helpful and honest, especially Celeste and Mark. Thank you guys for your amazing service. I highly recommend them! read more

See all

Can't begin to explain how pleased I am with A Lively Chef for the work they did at our May wedding at the Boise Train Depot. The food and presentation was amazing! The owners investment in their client's experience was reassuring. Gary was at our wedding slicing the prime rib! Shari was very accommodating, especially with last minute changes. They orders, set-up, and tore-down all the rentals. I honestly forgot the team was there because everything ran so smooth. Our wedding was more than was I envisioned. Would defiantly choose A Lively Chef for future events. read more

Book with A Lively Chef Catering. I'm serious. It was the easiest part about the entire wedding. They didn't need any direction or "vendor babysitting" like some services do. Planning a wedding is about as fun as getting lemon juice in a paper cut but we didn't have to worry about the food AT ALL. They helped us find a menu that fit our meager budget and didn't pressure us into something we couldn't afford. Better still, the food was delicious and so well presented. I've been to a few other events where A Lively Chef was booked and the high level of quality was the same for the bbq style lunch buffet and the waiter served prime rib dinner. That's why we chose them. We were pleasantly surprised that they were so easy to work with in every aspect. They really did want us to enjoy our wedding and have a great reception. Book with A Lively Chef Catering. The food is beyond great, the presentation is professional and the pricing is competitive. read more

We recently used A Lively Chef Catering for a company event and heard nothing but rave reviews from our clients that attended! Sheri was responsive and helpful through the booking process, the staff that set up/served were friendly, and the food was amazing! We had some last-minute changes and an awkward/small space to work with, but the entire team was nothing but polite and helpful. I highly recommend them for your next event - big or small! read more

Gary, Dee, Shari and Celeste provided an amazing wedding feast and provided helpful guidance in the planning! They were so responsive and a joy to work with through the process planning the wedding at Tamarack. Their many years of experience, particularly at this venue, were helpful in planning a wedding from halfway across the country. I highly recommend them for their delicious food, attentiveness to their clients and long experience in the catering business! read more

We could not have been happier with our experience with A Lively Chef! We had a small, intimate, fundraiser dinner in our home and A Lively Chef catered a most delicious and beautiful meal for us. From the first contact I Had with Shari, to the moment they came and licked everything up, I was so pleased with the incredible service we received. Shari was a great communicator and promptly answered all my emails. They were flexible with their menus and allowed me to make changes. They were in time for set up and set a beautiful buffet. And the food was delicious! All 20 of our guests RAVED about the food and no one left hungry or disappointed. They will definitely be our first call next time we have catering needs! read more

See all

The communication with them before hand was really difficult. Had they performed like the operated before the event, it would have been a disaster. BUT they did pull it together the day of and the food was good. read more

I used A Lively Chef to cater a corporate event at the C.W. Moore Plaza Penthouse. The food was outstanding and the service was prompt, professional, and efficient. They were even able to accommodate some last minute changes. Shari was very professional and extremely helpful in planning the event, recommending menu selection (that were awesome), coordinating other vendors (Jo's Traveling Bar, who also did a great job) and equipment, and just generally making our event come off without a hitch, I highly recommend A Lively Chef. read more

We hired Gary and his team to cater our wedding and they were absolutely AMAZING.We contacted ALC (A Lively Chef) about four weeks before our wedding and they were extremely helpful providing industry knowledge of our venue to help facilitate the best possible set up and execution for our wedding. They provided us with an exquisite menu that included allergen friendly decadent items that were delicious for all guests. Prior to the event the team at ALC exhibited stellar communication skills to ensure success. The night of the event the team integrated well with the guests and ran a seamless show. They were the second star to our wedding, and I couldn't be more happy to recommend their services. They've earned by business and my recommendation for life. Thanks A Lively Chef!!! Signed, A Very Grateful Bride read more

We had an incredible experience with A Lively Chef from START to FINISH. Every one of the staff members that we worked with was professional, responsive, and so easy and fun to work with. I would recommend them for any event - big or small. They go out of their way to ensure that everything is covered and made sure to follow up if something goes unanswered. We received numerous rave reviews about the food, the way it tasted and the presentation. We are so happy with the way everything turned out and would use them again in a heartbeat! Shari, Dee and Gary were all fabulous! read more

This catering company is absolutely amazing. They did our food food my reception at the Boise Train Depot and every one on their team was tremendously professional and flexible. The food was delicious and we have had so many incredible compliments about every single item served. They eased my worries about the food, presentation and took control of things I needed help with. I am so incredibly satisfied and happy with the way everything turned out and I will forever recommend them to every person I know looking for catering in the Boise Area. They are a top notch team. read more

We used this company for my daughters wedding last week. Although the food was good, the service was terrible. They were rushing to get it together. The presentation was nothing like they stated. Basically, two tables with food. We were told it would be set up like advertised. They forgot to leave the cake cutting utensils so pictures were done with fingers. I heard them tell guests to only pick one meat and not try both. Very embarrassing as parents. I tried to call them after with no return call. I guess once they get your money they are done with you. Will never use this company again. read more

A Lively Chef catering catered my wedding and I am still hearing about how AMAZING the food was. The staff was also so incredibly professional and amazing. I cannot say enough about how much I love this company! You will not regret having them cater your event! read more

Lively Chef catered my wedding at The Bishops House and it was perfect! Communication was great, the food was delicious, we had so many people exclaiming how great it was and the wait staff made sure my husband and I were able to have appetizers too. The price was fantastic and we are incredibly happy we chose Lively Chef! read more

A Lively Chef catered a party in our home. They worked with me on how to best organize the event and gave me a range of budget and service options. When the day arrived, the set up was efficient and went beyond my expectations in terms of presentation. They took care of everything, including equipment rental and providing for a full bar. Our guests had high compliments for both the food and the service. Our party was for over 40 guests and involved a musical performance. Having staff who could work around those requirements was greatly appreciated. read more