Chef Lucas prepared not only a wonderful meal but an exciting exhibition of culinary delights. From…read morestart to end, the flavors married each other stately and fit like a glove to the wines that we chose to open. The professionalism was above reproach and descriptions of each dish on point. He was punctual and very accommodating. Extremely easy to work with. I would highly recommend Chef Lucas for any special events. My husband's birthday dinner was fantastic! This was our 6-course dinner: Ode to Exotic Flavor 1999 Salon Blanc de Blancs Champagne, France Dungeness Crab Souffle 1990 Domaine Coche Dury Bourgogne Blanc Burgundy, France Fresh Made Pasta with Black Truffle Sauce 2013 Vincent Dauvissat Chablis 'Vaillons' 1er Cru Chablis, Burgundy, France Duck Breast with 3 Hour Polenta & Roasted Farmers Market Vegetables 1978 Domaine Albert Ponnelle Vosne Romanee En Magnum Vosne Romanee, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France Pesto Butter Crust Rack of Lamb 1982 Chateau Palmer Margaux, Bordeaux Chocolate Souffle Tart with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

I wanted to host a small birthday for my husband and decided to hire Lucas. I'm so happy I did!…read moreEverything was amazing! He made my husband's birthday dinner truly memorable!

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!

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!!

Jillian is an amazing chef and a natural teacher. Love her!read more

In an effort to move my family towards more raw vegan food, I went in search for the best to…read moresatisfy my 3 discerning young boys(2 teenagers and a pre-teen). We are so luck to have found Jillian. You think your kids AND husband wont eat raw? Think again. Raw pizza, raw mushroom, raw soup, raw bread, raw sphagetti, raw almond milk and yummy brownies, and cheesecake etc. The kids asked," When is Jillian coming back?" Well, there you have it. We are having her come weekly to spin out delicious dishes for our family. Jillian is very easy to work with, flexible and just a great joy to have in the kitchen. I wish I can pack her up and take her with me everywhere we go!!

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 Kerlin to cater my aunt's 62nd birthday lunch back in September, and she was extremely…read moreprofessional and easy to work with. She's skilled in a variety of cuisines and offered to curate a full menu, though we chose the dishes ourselves. Kerlin was responsive throughout the planning process and helped us adjust quantities for our guest count. She also handled grocery shopping and provided a detailed menu, which made everything stress-free. On the day of the event, Kerlin arrived several hours early to prepare and cook, and she left the kitchen spotless. The food was delicious, and hiring her saved us money by avoiding restaurant minimums. I highly recommend Kerlin if you're looking for a private chef for your event.

From the owner: I am starting my small business in a private/personal chef career to grow as a person in the food…read moreindustry. My goal is to gain the trust and confidence of my clients through my cooking. I graduated as a chef from Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Napa Valley. I created menus to showcase what I bring to the table. I am proficient in French cuisine, Latin cuisine, and Asian cuisine. I also have the skills to create personalized menus revolving around a client’s individual dietary plan. I am open to catering to your house, whether that is for an event, a party, a family lunch/dinner, etc. I will be glad to go over any questions you may have and provide more details as to what my business will consist of.

Hands down the best traveling chef in the San Francisco bay area!…read more If you are planning a party or just need some darn fine healthy food using local organic food, Pia is an amazing find. In addition to catering, she creates some amazing hot sauces, chutneys and pestos to die for.

From the owner: Seasonal Vegetarian Cuisine, Special Diets, Daily or Weekly, Fresh, Organic, Local. I will work…read morewith your nutritionist to ease transition into dietary changes.

Richard made the most delicious paella in our backyard with professionalism and a thoughtful…read morepresence. He was extremely easy to work with and very generous with his time and attention to detail. I highly recommend him for any special occasion.

Richard is amazing!!! And the paella was just amazing and…read moredelicious! He left us the lobster head and shells which we made delicious lobster miso soup! It was fun to watch how he cooked! Highly recommend him!!

We had the pleasure of experiencing a private dinner prepared by Chef Manny, and it was truly an…read moreexceptional culinary experience from start to finish. Every dish was thoughtfully crafted, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. The meal began with a Mixed Green Salad and Salmon and Shrimp Cakes that were perfect. Each bite was fresh, balanced, and bursting with flavor. The mushrooms were a wonderful surprise--earthy, rich, and elevated by the perfect crunch of the walnuts. The creamy mashed potatoes and fresh green beans provided the perfect accompaniment to the star of the evening: the ribeye. Chef Manny cooked the ribeye to perfection--juicy, tender, and full of incredible flavor. It was clear that every detail, from seasoning to presentation, was handled with care and expertise. What truly made the evening memorable was Chef Manny's passion for his craft and his ability to create not just a meal, but an experience. The quality of the ingredients, the balance of flavors, and the attention to detail were outstanding. If you're looking for a private dining experience, I cannot recommend Chef Manny enough. This was five-star dining in the comfort of our airbnb, and we're hoping we get to experience Chef Manny's cooking again in the future. Thank you, Chef Manny, for an incredible evening and an unforgettable meal!

Chef Manny exceeded every expectation. Hosting a live dinner for 24 guests in our backyard is no…read moresmall feat, yet he made the entire experience feel effortless. From the very beginning, his communication was outstanding. He was responsive, organized, and thoughtful before the event, calm and composed throughout the evening, and followed up afterward with the same level of professionalism. His meticulous attention to detail allowed us to relax and truly enjoy celebrating with our family and friends. His talent and creativity shine through in every dish. The crimini mushrooms were the unanimous crowd favorite, and the mesquite-grilled bone-in ribeye was simply unforgettable...perfectly cooked and so tender it practically melted in your mouth. Beyond the incredible food, Chef Manny brought a warm, confident presence that elevated the entire experience. We received countless compliments from our guests and couldn't have been happier. We'll absolutely be hiring Chef Manny again and would recommend him without hesitation.

We had bid on one of the services here as part of a charity auction and didn't think much of it at…read morethe time. But after having a truly stellar meal with Chef Stephen, I can wholeheartedly recommend Pocket Chefs! Here's how it works: the chefs can make 3 dishes that comprise about 4-6 servings and you provide the recipes and ingredients. Free consultation included (a couple of quick 5-minute phone convos). If you really have no idea what to have made, you can pay to have a more in-depth consultation where they craft custom meal plans for you. Although these services are ideal for meal prep for a busy week, we had Chef Stephen cook for a small dinner party of 4 and it was a hit (we also had a weekend full of leftovers which was perfect). We requested Thai food (pad kee mao aka drunken noodles with chicken, pad kra pao aka Thai basil eggplant with ground pork, and som tam aka papaya salad) and he delivered! The recipes weren't followed 100% but it was all good and the result was for some very tasty food. What was great was that the hot dishes reheated nicely too (my husband thought they even tasted better the second day)! Finally, we appreciated how clean Chef Stephen was and that all used dishes and utensils were placed neatly in the dishwasher. All and all, I would say this is a really great and efficient service, especially for folks with diet restrictions and/or who want to eat more healthily but who also want more control in terms of what they eat (hence my hesitation about subscribing to food delivery services as what if the flavors that week don't match my cravings?!). I think PocketChefs would also make an incredible gift for a new mom as well as if you're hosting a small party and would like some meals prepped!

As a busy mom and having children who are picky eaters, it is difficult for me to cook healthy farm…read moreto table type meals that keep me healthy and fit. I decided to give Pocket Chefs a try with the goal of having them prepare Whole30 style meals that I can freeze. Chef Mike came to my home and was super professional and knowledgable. We came up with three separate entrees that I could portion out and easily eat throughout the busy week. So while my children were consuming their carb focused meals, I didn't have to go hungry or feel guilty for eating their food as I was able to defrost and eat a delicious Whole30 prepared meal. I highly recommend using Pocket Chefs. They are a professional and caring company with a great mission!