I hired a Chef Martin to create a special dinner for my husband's 80th birthday celebration, and the experience exceeded every expectation. From the very beginning, the communication was thoughtful, organized, and tailored to our preferences and dietary needs. The evening itself was truly unforgettable. The chef designed and executed an incredible 8-course tasting menu that felt like a five-star restaurant experience in the comfort of our home. Each course was beautifully presented, perfectly timed, and full of flavor--creative without being overwhelming, and clearly crafted with care What made the night even more meaningful were the personalized surprise touches woven throughout the evening. These thoughtful details made the celebration feel incredibly special and unique to the guest of honor, and truly elevated the entire experience. Beyond the food, what really stood out was the professionalism and warmth. The chef created a relaxed, elegant atmosphere that allowed us to fully enjoy the celebration without worrying about a single detail. Every guest commented on how special the evening felt. It was the perfect way to honor such a meaningful milestone, and we would absolutely recommend this experience to anyone looking to create a memorable, elevated event at home. read more

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Very professional and elevated experience, exquisite detail and dedication to every course, and the service was outstanding! We had a dinner for 24 people, and everything was seamlessly organized and the chef was attentive and fun with all our guests! If you want an elegant and unique artisan food experience, Chef Martin and Capitola Garden Feast are the perfect choice. read more

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Chef Martin prepared the most exquisite meal for our leadership retreat! There was so much thought, time, energy, and love put into every detail and every dish! Additionally, the service was that of a Michelin star restaurant with Vanessa and Sky by his side! If you want a dining experience like none other you've ever experienced, Chef Martin is your man!!! read more

Capitola Garden Feast - Chef Martin - Personal Chefs Near Me

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This was more than just a catered event, we decorated plates interacted, so much fun then filled with a fabulous meal all seemlessly done and enjoyed. A very special time for our group, can't wait to have another chance to do more! read more

One of the highlights of our year was hosting a party with Capitola Garden Feast in our home! What a blast! What nice people! Zero disappointment! We had a small group of foodies (including a chef!) to our house for dinner and Capitola Garden Feast did a spectacular job delivering to us and our guests a memorable evening with delicious food and lots of laughter! Everyone was impressed! The best part of the occasion was the way Chef Martin and his staff made us as hosts completely at ease -- and even proud! -- with zero stress. There were times we forgot we were hosting and entered into the joy of fellowship and food with our guests without a care in the world. Capitola Garden Feast made themselves at home in a gracious way that signaled that they knew that they were in our home and they considered little details that made us as hosts look good to our guests! The food was spectacular! Chef and his staff were not overbearing in explaining things to us; their table-side manners were so warm and professional. As opportunity affords, we will definitely take advantage of this amazing business again! Thank you, Chef! read more

Capitola Garden Feast - Personal Chefs Near Me

We hired Martin to create the food for my birthday party. He and his team (Skye and Jenn) created an unforgettable experience for 18 of us. The food was unique, creative, beautiful and delicious! The team provided incredible service - the pacing of the evening was perfect and they took such lovely care of our guests. For each course Chef Martin would explain the dish, its ingredients, and where he sourced them (mostly from his own garden!) It made the evening feel so special. Our guests were blown away by the dinner - many of them said it was the best meal they'd eaten in years and one of my friends said she felt like we'd had dinner at the French Laundry. It was such a special evening and there's not one thing I'd wish was different. If you have an occasion to hire Martin, do it...you'll be glad you did! read more

Capitola Garden Feast - Personal Chefs Near Me

To say Chef Martin exceeds expectations is an understatement. I was introduced to this fabulous and world renowned chef during the height of the pandemic. We had a board meeting at Hotel Paradox, and since they could not provide food services at that time they recommended Capitola Garden Feast. Chef Martin was so professional, the service was impeccable and the food was so good it made it very hard to concentrate on the meeting agenda! Last month, we had a girls weekend and Chef Martin developed not only a wonderful and delicious menu, but fun entertainment with a full blown hands on cooking class to begin the evening. It was then followed by an amazing 7 course meal. We have already booked him for another event in April. He works with your budget and tastes, and hit it out of the park for my guests. Highly recommend! And then last night, we had another amazing event with Chef Martin and his son Sky. From the moment they arrived, 100% of their attention was on the children, teaching them dining and cooking etiquette and preparing a feast for 17 people. The food was amazing, and the kids had so much fun, and was so proud to have made the pasta themselves from scratch. Thank you so much! Can't wait for the next event... read more

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We hired Capitola Garden Feast for a work party involving 20 people. Chef Martin, Jennifer and their team delivered an experience like no other. Chef Martin created a personalized Ukrainian-style that blew our minds away. The decor and all the little details from the Ukrainian-flag-colored cocktails to dishes that were true to the Ukrainian culture and yet incorporated the various dietary needs of guests was spot-on and absolutely unmatched. We felt like we were kings and queens. Please go ahead and book them for your special high-end event. You will not be disappointed!! read more

We gave Martin creative freedom to cater a private 40th birthday dinner. To say he blew our minds is the ultimate understatement. It's hard to even describe a culinary journey or experience where the food and preparation and presentation are an event and adventure unto themselves. Martin is an artist his food is exquisite and thoughtful and most importantly delicious. He served us nine unique dishes each building upon the last. If there were a mic drop equivalent in culinary art he should do so now. We have done 3-4 events with Martin and he will always be our first choice. 5 stars? How many more you got? 20? There aren't enough stars... what a gift. read more

Capitola Garden Feast - Personal Chefs Near Me

Chef Martin, Jennifer, and Skylar prepared and served us a wonderful meal in Santa Cruz, this past weekend. The food was truly delicious, but even better was their company and conversation both before, during, and after our meal. I'm glad I came to the table, hungry, because they served me more food than I could possibly eat. From the Dim Sum and Pork Tenderloin appetizers to the Pistachio, Raspberry Pannacotta dessert, one of the best meals I have ever had. The main course was a beautiful freshly made Capellini, followed by an amazing Beef Tenderloin. We will definitely be calling them again!! read more

Martin and the Capitola Garden Feast team were so fantastic to work with! Hired them recently for my wife's birthday party at home. They were so professional throughout the experience. Martin was great to collaborate with on the menu and was really easy to work with as they took care of pretty much everything! We did heavy passed hors d'oeuvres and they also helped us with a bartender. Overall a great experience from food quality to ongoing communication to clean-up. Everything went great! Thanks, Martin and the whole team! read more

Martin is a magician and a consummate professional! I told him the menu I envisioned for my husband's 50th birthday and he brought it to life. He and Jennifer gave us a wonderful special evening to remember. All the food and drinks were flawlessly prepared and he was so wonderful with my 5 year old daughter. She initially refused to cook with him but he is so great with children after a few minutes she was fully absorbed in his magical ways. I would highly recommend Martin and team for your next special event! read more

Capitola Garden Feast - Martin cooking with my daughter. - Personal Chefs Near Me

We had such a fun team-building in Chef Martin's home, making our own pasta, sauces, and other treats. Chef Martin is not only a brilliant chef and instructor, but he's also an incredible personality who regaled us with stories of his rich and varied career. A shout out also to his son Sky, who was on hand to assist, as well as helping us keep everything tidy! If you live in the area or just visiting, this is highly recommended! read more

I booked Martin to for a private dinner for a family of 20. Prior to booking, he was extremely responsive and willing to work with the planning and meal choices. On the night of the event he brought his son, Skyler who was beyond wonderful. Both of them were super engaging and willing to explain all of the food, ingredients, and beverages with an obvious passion. Once the food came out, everybody was in utter amazement of the quality and exceptional taste. We had four courses as well as dessert which included two cakes In addition, chose to have a wine pairing which was absolutely out of this world. By the time the night was over, Martin and Skyler had cleaned the whole kitchen and packed up all of the dishes they brought. Each and every one of our guests were completely blown away. Martin and his son truly created a night we will all remember forever! Thank you thank you thank you!!! read more

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Martin was engaging and entertaining! While we were working out the details, he was very flexible and had good suggestions on what to do for a small motley crew of guys. On the night of the dinner, he had prepared a delicious dinner of almost all local ingredients. I was impressed with the home made cheese he served, and knowledge of the ingredients he was using. There were also some really interesting touches and flavor combinations I hadn't experienced before. The service was definitely presented like an upscale restaurant as well; all courses were served at a perfect pace, and with his assistant, was almost all set on the table at the same time for each course. He also made a lot of small talk with the group which made the evening that much more fun. I think this was the first time this group had experienced a personal chef, and I'm happy it was a great first experience for them! My only regret was that I didn't take any pictures of the food. It was too good looking, I forgot to stop and take a picture of any of it. read more

How on earth can you get a Michelin star chef to cater your event? Look no further! Perfect for a wedding or an event when you want the absolute best. Each item is as beautifully prepared and presented. All items were unique and mouth watering. They cure their own meats and use home grown organic vegetables in many items. If that's not enough they have a pastry chef who makes the most delectable dessert items ever. Everything was boxed up perfectly and ready exactly on time. They also do in home gourmet dinner parties, weddings and showers. They are local , family run and very kind warm people. The best! read more

Chef Martin was the absolute best! Martin was very helpful in planning a 60th birthday party for my Mom on Thanksgiving. Great suggestions and put together a fantastic menu. The menu included Shrimp and chicken coconut skewers with mango, champagne cured and cold smoked day boat scallops with baby greens and red beets, lobster ravioli with pea shoots and saffron sauce, grass-fed sirloin steak with potato gratin, bacon & green bean bundle, & bordeaux sauce, lava chocolate cake with raspberry sorbet & macadamia nuts. For the kids, they had freshly made fettuccine with carbonara and marinara sauces and garlic bread. Chef Martin also included his FAMOUS lasagna which melted in your mouth! Martin brought his two sons Sky & Blaise that helped prepare the food as well as serve just like a five-star restaurant. He also provided some chef hats for the kids and made the entire dinner very entertaining. We are already finding excuses to book Martin again soon! Highly recommend and can't wait for the next delicious meal. read more

I was looking for a very special one-of-a-kind experience for my wife's 50th birthday celebration at our home in Aptos, and Chef Martin and his team delivered beyond my expectations. My wife is currently not eating gluten or dairy and he created an amazing menu with all of her favorite things. The meal was a tour through France and Italy and included so many creative and delicious dishes that we will never forget. Chef Martin is a warm and genuine person who clearly loves what he does. It was our absolute pleasure to work with Capitola Garden Feast and I look forward to the next event. My only regret was that I was so busy enjoying the party, that I didn't take the time to save more of the food when the party ended. I couldn't have asked for a better result, and the team at Capitola Garden Feast made it a flawless evening for everyone involved. It was truly a night we will never forget. read more

Martin has catered many of my favorite events. His food is thoughtful, delightful and sourced from the best and freshest ingredients. The service and attention to detail it unmatched! I will continue to patronize his business for all the special events in our life! read more

Martin and his assistant prepared a fabulous meal and served it flawlessly to a group of five friends at my home. We were able to enjoy wine while he got everything in place. We were bowled over by his creativity with food, attention to detail and enthusiasm for his craft. read more

Martin is THE guy! Does everything exceptionally well. Totally a one man show. Martin is quick with responses and so kind to accommodate with our allergies and preferences. He welcomed and walked my guests to where the party was being held, offered champagne, took photos. He was so charming and funny. Presented an AMAZING wine paired 5 course dinner. Uber generous pours of wine. Food was delicious. A successful and wonderful evening with no mess to clean. oh yea. To top it off, Martin took a covid test before the event, wore a mask the entire evening, and used gloves in the prep. Everything went smoothly and utterly stress free for me, I'm hiring Martin again for sure! Photos attached courtesy of one of my guests. read more

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For our birthdays we decided to have a party with some friends at our home. As new parents we did not want to deal with the stress of hosting and cooking and cleaning so we decided to hire a caterer. We found Chef Martin on yelp and are so grateful we did!! He was absolutely amazing! I have a background in event planning and was nervous to hire someone prior to a tasting, but I didn't need to be worried at all. Not only did we have plenty of food (always a worry for me), but Chef Martin really engaged our guests and everyone loved learning from him! The young kids that were there had a BLAST. Chef Martin was so patient and engaging with them. I loved that the food was so fresh and thoughtfully done. Every bite was delicious! Chef Martin thought of everything - he brought plates, glassware, silverware, florals from his garden for decor, chef hats and aprons, everything was so well thought out. When Chef Martin left, our kitchen was spotless!! He cleaned everything up so well it was cleaner when he left than before he arrived. It was the least amount of clean up we ever had to do after a party (read: none). Further, we had quite a few serious allergies to take into consideration (shellfish, nuts, dairy, soy, gluten) and Chef Martin was a complete professional. Every single item was fantastic and only one item was not allergen friendly (the birthday cake!) which no one minded especially since he made wonderful lava cakes that were allergen friendly. Our guests can't wait to have Chef Martin at their own dinner parties and we can't wait to have Chef Martin back! Thank you Chef Martin for such a wonderful evening! read more

If you're looking for a memorable dining experience that you will talk about for years to come, you have found the right person. I have never met anyone in all of my travels and dining adventures who deeply enjoys curating and creating culinary experiences as much as Martin does. It may sound cliche but you will feel the love when you taste each dish he sets before you. Last night was my 40th birthday and we hired Martin and his team to cook for our dinner party. We were blown away. The attention to detail, flavor, aesthetics, and even portion was evident in each course. Martin made sure to keep every guests needs in mind and customized the entire evening, leaving all of us ooo-ing and awing until the very end. It was a perfect evening and I'm so incredibly grateful for the delicious experience and life long memories. Thank you, Martin! read more

Capitola Garden Feast - One of my favorite unique little dishes :) - Personal Chefs Near Me

Martin is Exceptional! If you a looking for a hands on cooking , mixology class ... look no more ! This is THE guy! Everything from the quality of the ingredients to event management was great. He is also a good photographer covered the whole event with such grace . Thank you Martin for making my birthday so special. read more

After 54 years on this planet I can honestly say that out of the 54 Thanksgiving dinners I've had the pleasure to eat, Chef Martin's was the best. Technically it was the day after Thanksgiving on Friday but it still counts! Yes if I ever happen to find myself on death row I'll demand that my last meal be prepared by Chef Martin. I wont care what it'll be, I just want him to surprise me! Thank you Chef Martin! read more

Martin is a great chef and so much more. I wanted a casual backyard party; Martin created a great experience! I called many caterers for the event. I chose Martin because he created a vision for an event around food, group participation and entertainment. The food was amazing, he makes everything from scratch, and it was delicious. He made the butter, the mustard, the cheese, pretzel rolls, cupcakes and more. He walked around and talked to the guests to be sure they were happy and that any diet preferences were taken care of. He put chef hats on the kids and had them help make pasta and pizza. I recommend Martin, Skye, and Jennifer wholeheartedly. The next time I have a party Martin will be the first person I call! read more

Martin is MAGIC!!! This guy is a one-man show with amazing cooking skills and MIXOLOGY!!! We had him over at our venue and he brought all the amazing ingredients to make my gf birthday a full-on success. We love him and we highlllyyyyyyyy recommend Martin to your amazing event, he is a funny charmer and you will be learning a lot from him. read more

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Wonderful, gracious chef; delicious, fresh organic food, most of which grown by Chef Martin himself. He even brews his own beer! Beautiful garden atmosphere. Fun, interesting guests. Highly recommend his events! read more

Every meal that I've ever had from Martin has been mind blowing. I've done a few garden feasts, and the food has always been amazing, inventive, and inspiring. Every meal has had many courses along a theme, each delicious and paired with beverages. Additionally, the garden lends itself to meeting new and interesting people, since the meals I have been to have been seated at large tables, next to new people. Every one has had fascinating conversations and food. I can't recommend this experience enough, you won't find anything else like it. read more

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We had such an amazing experience with Chef Martin and his son Skylar, and made memories that will last a lifetime! They came to our Airbnb and cooked up the most delicious and creative five-course meal, which included fresh caught seafood, homemade cheese and truffle dressing, fresh veggies from his garden, and out of this world Creme Brûlée!! He showed us how to make our own pasta from scratch, took pictures, and cleaned up before we could even finish our food! It was truly such a fun experience with food on par with a five star restaurant but so much more intimate. I can not wait to find an excuse to book with them again! read more

Spectacular catered brunch for family event. Chef Martin had designed a beautiful menu complete with homemade cheeses, breads, and pastries. The food was healthy and out of this world. My favorite was the crepe bar for dessert, complete with lavender honeycomb. Even better Chef Martin is so so genuine, happy to share his love of food with the community. read more

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We had a small COVID wedding at my parent's house, and Martin and his team did an exceptional job. He cooked an amazing 7(!!!) course meal (honestly, probably too much food, but since it was a small wedding I wanted to go all out). He was incredibly responsive and followed up several times leading up the wedding to make sure we had everything we needed, and made some great suggestions to not just the menu but things like decor and schedule, such as having a cocktail hour. The day of, his team not only prepped and served a delicious and gorgeous feast, they also helped with the clean up and just managing the overall flow of the day, making my day stress free. read more

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We did a team cooking class with Chef Martin and it was incredible. Despite our not-at-the-world-class-level chefdom, we still made EPIC food with Martin's help. It was a lot of fun and would definitely consider coming back in the future for more. read more

If I could give 20 stars, I would. This was the most amazing experience from start to finish. All ingredients were fresh and a lot of the beautiful edible details and cheese were from his own garden and property. Our dinner party was able to visit and freely converse while chef and his helper worked swiftly and quietly in the kitchen. Their appearance was totally professional and their personalities pleasant. Chef is such a nice guy! They will cater to your needs and are prepared for any style of dinner. We are going to hire him again for a sushi night. What an amazing experience! read more

Had the pleasure of dining in Chef Martin's lovely backyard in a small group setting. Absolutely enjoyed the 7 course brunch along with the alcohol pairing. Everything was delicious and enjoyed the fact that Martin took the time to explain every dish and drink and was very accommodating to any allergies or preferences (I had none, but still nice to have that option). Highly recommend him for any events. Would dine again given the chance. read more

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Hands down 5 start event!! So much fun cooking with Chef Martin! My company had a work meeting a couple weeks ago that started with Capitola Garden Feast and it was so fun laughing and cooking with them. He creates the perfect environment for laughter and learning. Delicious Dinner and dessert!! A get together with Chef Martin and his team is a must!! read more

Martin is very passionate, caring, and give it all. I needed to be in zero/low histamine diet when I hired him to cook fir me to help me stay kn track with this diet. He was very eager to learn about the diet, to get on a phone call with my nutritionist, and even researching himself to find right farms to get me the meats that are safe to use for my diet. On top of all, he made cooking such a fun experience and the first thing he focused was to prepare me ice cream and desserts to really keep me on diet. I highly recommend him and I feel fortunate to find him. read more

Really lovely private dinner for five in my home - martin and his son served us the most amazing 8 (?) course tasting menu. Started with oyster shooters, then on to fish soup, risotto with truffles - you get the pic. Wonderful, fresh, yummy. Martin was wonderful and discrete. Thanks! read more

OMG! Martin is the best! My wife and I hired him to cook us a special meal for our 2nd wedding anniversary and he went above and beyond. First of all, his cooking is second to none. Every dish he prepared was literally one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. He has a true gift. On top of cooking amazing food, his ability to serve and create an ambiance was outstanding. I can't say enough good things about him. If you're looking to hire the best - Martin is your guy. read more

We were lucky to be invited to a birthday dinner and experience Martin's food. The whole experience was wonderful, and Martin is a joy to be around and listen to. His explanations of the dishes and drink pairings were as enjoyable is the cuisine itself. In a town without restaurant tasting menu experiences, we're grateful to know about Martin and his team. I will definitely be hiring him and recommending him in the future!! read more