Mattias was integral in making our evening exceptional. From initial email through payment,…read moreMattias was communicative and thoughtful. We had six people for a small birthday get together and everything from the food, decor, timing of courses,etc was spot on. He accommodated our requests including making special items for my youngest daughter. He brings everything - decor, place setting, glassware. We needed nothing as he covered it all. I couldn't recommend him more highly.

10/10, amazing, fantastic!…read more We had gotten an Airbnb at a secluded beach house and booked Mattias to cook our parent's 30th anniversary dinner. Communication went smoothly from start to finish. When he arrived, he took safety precautions and kept his distance and mask on (something that I really appreciated). He brought the dinnerware, table decor, and even printed out a nice menu at our request. Food was amazing and I loved that we were able to mix and match from his Farm Table menus. We had the butter lettuce salad (could eat this everyday!), the sweet corn soup (amazing flavors- sweetness of the corn was complemented with a kick of chili oil), the petit filet, and raspberry torte (with a sparkler to make it celebratory!). Every thing was amazing and perfectly portioned. At the end of dinner, he cleaned up which is such an added plus! Mattias is very personable and made the occasion so special. Will definitely look forward to working with him again :)

I put in an inquiry for a private chef through Santa Barbara Chef Collective and was lucky to have…read morebeen paired with Chef Aspyn. We were a group of 8 friends and 3 babies traveling to Solvang for a weekend getaway, and we wanted to enjoy a quiet, delicious meal once the babies went down for the night. Booking through Santa Barbara Chef Collective was such a breeze--simple, straightforward, and catered to all our needs. Choosing the menu was super fun as we were given so many tasty options for each course. Chef Aspyn and her sous chef Alexis (who was so fun and sweet!) arrived right on time and quickly started preparing our feast. It was so nice how they set the table so we could enjoy an al fresco twilight dinner. Not only was every course delicious, but so, so beautifully plated. They also made us cocktails and mocktails (for the pregnant ladies), and kept our wine glasses full throughout the entire evening. It was clear that these chefs are not only skilled but passionate about their craft. To top it all off, they left our kitchen spotless - even washing baby bibs which we really appreciated. This dining experience was the highlight of our trip, and we couldn't have asked for a better meal. If you're considering a personal chef, I highly recommend Chef Aspyn!

Some of the best, most creative food and baked goods. From salads to appetizers to the absolute…read morebest chocolate chip cookies I've ever had.

Josie has been cheffing for my family for almost a decade. We absolutely LOVE her. We are self…read moreproclaimed foodies, and like healthy delicious and interesting food. She has many wonderful staples like her veggie shrimp rolls (must have)! But she is super open to trying new things. We often collaborate on the menu with Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty being one of our favorite go to books in a pinch. Josie is a wonderful warm person and can be trusted to respect your home, family and guests. She is a real professional.

Josie has been the personal chef for my clients for the past 3 years and she is PHENOMENAL!!!! Not…read moreonly is she super easy to work with, but her food is so delicious. And she knows how to cook for all types of palates, ages and appetites. My clients have an especially particular set of dietary needs and allergies that must be worked around. We have had a hard time finding a chef that knows how to adjust to those needs while keeping the food selections, fresh, delicious, and diverse, but with Josie, it's just been so easy since Day 1. They also have 2 toddlers and she always suggests healthy and fun selections for them and they LOVE it! She's also a great cooking tutor and is always happy to help and answer any and all questions. And get this...we are in Los Angeles and Josie is in Santa Barbara...but THAT is how valuable she is to us! We get her food brought down to LA from Santa Barbara. Yes. Believe it when I say Chef Josie is one of the best! When it comes to working parties and events that my clients host, once again, she makes it all so easy and her attention to detail is absolutely precise! For example...We hosted a pizza party because the house had a new wood-fired brick pizza oven installed. I discussed this with Josie, and at the time, she had never worked with wood-fired pizza ovens. However, the very next day she sent me all the information she had researched on it, and also took the initiative to find someone to show her how to work with a wood-fired pizza oven. Because of her research and initiative, she was able to show me via texting and Facetime, how to properly cure the oven a week before the party and then when it came to the actual day of the party, Josie & her assistant came down to cook and put the oven and her newfound wood-fired pizza skills to the test...and everyone LOVED it!!! The pizza was honestly some of the most delicious pizza I've had. And it's all because of the prep work Josie had done before and then when the time came, like a master at their craft, she just let her experience do the rest. And clean-up was a BREEZE!!!!! She and her awesome assistant were constantly cleaning as they were working, so by the time they had to leave, everything was already cleaned up and put away. I am SO GRATEFUL for Josie. She makes my clients very happy and that makes me extremely happy and also, my job that much easier! She is truly one of the best people you will ever work with.

We spent a long weekend in Montecito/Santa Barbara with five other couples celebrating my wife's…read more50th birthday, and it was absolutely perfect. One of the highlights of the weekend was the meals prepared by SB Chef Collective. They handled breakfast each morning, lunch one day, and dinner on our final night--and "amazing" would be an understatement. We truly appreciated their professionalism and their flexibility in accommodating our group's wide range of dietary preferences. A special shout-out to our breakfast chef, Kelly, who even whipped up Bloody Mary mixers at the last minute one morning. I would highly recommend SB Chef Collective to anyone planning to spend a few days in the area.

Our recent getaway to Solvang was made even more memorable thanks to the personal chef experience…read morewe had at our Airbnb. After a fun-filled day of ostriches and wine tasting with our group of eight friends and three little ones, we were excited for an al fresco twilight dinner while the babies were tucked in for the night. Booking through Santa Barbara Chef Collective was such a breeze--simple, straightforward, and tailor-made for our needs. Choosing the menu was super fun as we were given so many delicious options for each course. Chef Aspyn and her sous chef Alexis arrived right on time and quickly started preparing our feast and setting the table. Not only was every course delicious, but so, so beautifully plated. They also made us cocktails and mocktails (for the pregnant ladies), and kept our wine glasses full throughout the entire evening. It was clear that these chefs are not only skilled but passionate about their craft. To top it all off, the chefs left our kitchen spotless - even washing baby bibs which we really appreciated. This dining experience was the highlight of our trip, and we couldn't have asked for a better meal. If you're considering a personal chef, I highly recommend Santa Barbara Chef Collective--they will without a doubt exceed your expectations!

I hired Betti to bartend for a small (20 people) wedding reception and she was excellent! She was…read moreable to bring glassware and bar tools which was one less thing for me to worry about. She also provided free lemonade and ice tea which the young folks loved. She came early, set up on her own and stayed after the guests left to clean up. Her communication was great and the price was fair. Would absolutely hire her again.

Unfortunately, I did not have a great experience and would not recommend The Kitchen Door for a…read morelarge wedding or event. Betty has many positive reviews, which is one of the reasons I hired her, so my assumption is that smaller events may be a better fit for her business. However, based on my experience with a wedding of over 100 guests, I would not hire her again. The overall customer experience, communication, staffing, and execution did not meet expectations. Positives: * Betty was very helpful during the initial planning process. I originally reached out looking for bartending services, and she was able to provide catering, dinnerware, linens, and other items that reduced the amount of rentals I needed. * She created a beautiful custom menu and was accommodating when guest counts needed to be updated. * The appetizer presentation looked great and was well received by guests. * The enchilada soup was good. * She provided a cake knife for our cake cutting. * Food service itself was not excessively slow despite the size of the event. Negatives: * The staffing and service provided did not match what was outlined in our contract, and there was never any acknowledgment, explanation, or follow-up regarding those issues. * Our contract included two bartenders, but only one actually showed up. While the bartender who was present had a good attitude, I was told by guests that he arrived approximately an hour and a half late. I did not even realize until afterward that my friends were pouring me drinks, and guests were serving themselves drinks while waiting for bar service. * We ran out of food, despite six guests from my final headcount not attending, 14 of the guests being children, and three people that I know of not eating due to there being no food available. * There were no plates available when appetizers were first being served * We also did not have enough utensils for guests, and plastic utensils had to be used. I would have rented plates and utensils if that's what was needed. But I was told that she had them, which she did but not enough. * Communication became increasingly stressful after booking and I often felt uncomfortable asking questions or making updates. * I was contacted for final payment before the payment date outlined in our contract, which created unnecessary stress as I had intentionally planned my RSVP deadline around the contract timeline. * a little bit before the wedding, concerns regarding the venue change were raised (not kindly). I had previously asked what would be needed at the venue and was told that power was the primary requirement, so that was my understanding going into the event. There appeared to be a miscommunication regarding additional needs, including concerns about water access that had already been discussed prior to the wedding. While a solution was ultimately worked out and water was available on the wedding day, the way these concerns were communicated created unnecessary stress during an already busy and emotional time.

If we could give more than 5 stars, we would in a heartbeat! We hired Mark for our elopement dinner…read moreand he completely blew us away. From the first conversation, he was kind, funny, professional, and genuinely excited to help make our day special and he delivered on every front. The food? Unreal. Every dish was thoughtful, beautifully plated, and insanely delicious. We're still dreaming about it. He somehow managed to strike that perfect balance between fine dining and pure comfort. You could feel the love and care he puts into his craft. But what really made the experience unforgettable was him. He was warm, easygoing, and brought such a fun, calming energy to the day--it honestly felt like having someone you've known forever cooking for you, who just so happens to be incredibly talented. Our guests haven't stopped talking about it, and neither have we. Couldn't recommend him enough. If you're looking for a private chef for a special occasion (or honestly, any occasion), he's really great!

Mark was absolutely fantastic. We had him do a 7 course pairing and everything was spot on. Every…read moredish was unique, delicious and he would go out of his way to explain his process and shared whatever knowledge you wanted about his process in creating the dishes he served. If you're looking for food that is truly amazing and totally original, look no further. He will deliver. He and Elliot are nothing short of professional and awesome Thank you Mark and Elliot you really made our anniversary special!!

What GREAT food and even better service!!! Stacy was great very responsive to all my questions. Day…read moreof the event Stacy made sure everything was perfect

The food that Fire to Fork delivered for our son's graduation party from Cal Poly was in a work…read moreAMAZING. The staff were so sweet and helpful who delivered it, and F2F thought of everything. From the first email until we were shoving the delicious food into our mouth was professional and personal. I always support local whenever I am somewhere, and I found the best in the SLO, Paso Robles area. USE THEM - it's worth it.

At home with Chef Laurence Literally. My wife and I---and…read moreanother lovely couple---spent a morning and afternoon in her home, where she treated us to an east-going culinary adventure. In a handful of hours she shared her years of cooking experience in such a cordial, pleasant manner that even a kitchen novice could be comfortable. The more experienced in the kitchen gained tips and skills. (I can now confidently make a Beurre Blanc sauce, one of the French Master Sauces, to which we added a few strands of saffron and a generous dash of cayenne.). Beyond the food---a soft and tender halibut with the aforementioned Beurre Blanc, a fricassee of vegetables, a fresh garden salad with homemade ricotta sprinkled on it, and a blood orange upside-down cake----we dined on the presence and persona of Chef Laurence herself. Not only is she a chef extraordinaire but she is a wonderful person who shares her life as easily as she shares her home. When you sign up for her session, you get a four-course meal that consists of great food, culinary knowledge, exceptional hospitality, and an experience with a pleasant beautiful person who reminds you of the pleasures life has to offer.

We attended Market Foray's cooking class in January, and it was one of the most enjoyable and…read moreeducational experiences I've had in the kitchen. We started with a trip to the farmer's market, where Laurence pointed out different items and talked through the differences in different types of food (green garlic was new to me!). We later met at her home, and the cooking began. She did a good job of rotating the tasks throughout the group, and explaining the techniques as she went. We got to taste as we went, and after all the chopping was done, wine was served. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the other participants were friendly and engaged, making it a fun, social experience as well. And, of course, the best part was sitting down at the end to enjoy the fruits of our labor. The dishes we prepared were full of flavor and creativity, and I walked away feeling incredibly satisfied and inspired to keep cooking. I highly recommend this class to anyone who loves food and wants to expand their culinary horizons. Whether you're looking to learn new techniques, discover fresh ingredients, or just have a fun day out, Market Forays is a fantastic choice.

Chef Michael Wood is a creative, innovative, passionate, and charming chef. Aside from his obvious…read moretalent in the kitchen, he is an absolute delight to interact with. I was lucky to get the chance to attend a dinner he did at the Brave & Maiden Estate (photos attached). It was amazing to listen to him describe the inspiration for the different courses. The courses were thought-provoking, artistically-presented, and most importantly delicious. It was a meal I will remember for the rest of my life. He is truly passionate about sourcing the highest-quality seasonal ingredients, and ensuring his guests have a meaningful dining experience. His decades of culinary experience shines through every meal he prepares. I would recommend him to anyone looking for an elevated private chef experience.

Chef Michael was fantastic for my mom's 70th birthday for a private party of 6. Starting with a…read moresmall welcome bite and mom's favorite cocktail (lemon drop martini), every dish was fantastic. In addition to the welcome bite, we had a 4 course dinner complete with salad, fresh pasta, fish, and a killer signature dessert. Every one was raving about the food and we were so impressed with the flavors and presentation. Chef was easy to work with and flexible, which was great as we were planning a surprise event. He did forget the custom printed menus, which was a minor disappointment, but the flavors and presentation more than made up for the minor issue. We are already talking about ways to include him in future events.

We hired Ashley as a personal chef while we were in town for a bachelorette party, and she was…read moreabsolutely amazing from start to finish. She was incredibly professional, arrived right on time, came fully prepared with everything she needed, and completely took the stress off our evening. The food was so good (honestly DELICIOUS), and on top of that, she somehow left the kitchen even cleaner than when she arrived! She was attentive, kind, and impressively patient while managing our themed dinner- even after we'd enjoyed a few glasses of wine. The entire experience felt thoughtful and seamless. You will absolutely not regret hiring her!

If I could change one thing about my wedding, it would be hiring Chef Ashley…read more The booking process was stressful from the beginning. Communication was inconsistent, and it was often difficult to get a response. As a bride planning a wedding, you want to feel confident that your vendors are organized, reliable, and prepared. Unfortunately, I never felt that level of confidence throughout the process. After multiple follow-up emails, I reached a point where I considered hiring someone else simply because I was unsure whether my event was confirmed. Payment was requested in full through a QuickBooks invoice, but there was no formal contract or detailed service agreement outlining expectations. I believe implementing a more structured booking process with contracts and automated forms would greatly improve the client experience. On the wedding day, Ashley arrived nearly two hours later than the arrival time she had provided. She arrived while I was getting ready, which added unnecessary stress to an already busy day. As for the food, there were some highlights. The steak was excellent, the prosciutto sandwich appetizer was delicious, the wedge salad was very good, and the chocolate mousse was well received by our guests. However, other dishes missed the mark. The unagi pasta was largely untouched by our guests, and the halibut was bland and lacked seasoning. The steak was served warm, but the mashed potatoes underneath were cold. My biggest disappointment was the level of service. I had expected a fully serviced, plated fine-dining experience, especially for such a small and intimate wedding of only eight guests. Instead, many details felt overlooked. We often had to ask for basic service items, poured our own wine, and even packed some of our own leftovers. Despite specifically requesting that leftovers be saved, a significant portion was discarded. Overall, the experience did not match the level of service I expected for the price paid. While some of the food was very good, the communication issues, late arrival, service shortcomings, and lack of professionalism throughout the planning process overshadowed the positive aspects. I would not hire Chef Ashley again.