I used Need a Chef for a private dinner for my friend's Bachelorette party in the Hamptons. Peter…read morewas so helpful and accommodating, and great to work with in setting us up with Chef Tyler for our party. We had a great dinner - fresh veggies, grilled chicken and an awesome desert. It was a great experience, and I'd totally use them again!

This was the GREATEST EXPERIENCE I COULD HAVE EVER ASKED FOR. Peter and Rosie arrived at our house…read moreand took care of EVERYTHING!!! We are a group of 14 girls and they led a brunch cooking class for us in Southampton. From the planning of the menu to the actual execution, they were perfection. The food was delectable!!!! I will absolutely be hiring Peter again in the future!!!!

I wasn't going to write a negative review initially (because I am a supporter of small businesses…read moreand I don't like bashing anyone's livelihood), but since Chef Karl won't respond to the email I sent (and a follow up email) where I politely expressed our dissatisfaction with the expensive 'Hamptons style' dinner experience he provided, I'm going to share our recent experience. We contracted with Chef Karl for my wife's surprise surf & turf dinner celebration for 14 people. Chef Karl was to arrive between 4:00 and 4:30 to do all that was necessary to prepare the meal for a 7:30 start. He arrived at 6:45 citing traffic issues yet his server, who was coming from the same Hamptons location, arrived on time. The stress he was under to get the meal out was evident and it cast a backdrop of stress or tension over the experience. The appetizer he served was not what we contracted for - he must have forgotten to bring the correct food ingredients. We believe he scrambled and decided to use part of the steak that was meant for the turf portion of the main entree as the appetizer. We believe this because two of the guests who could not eat lobster (the chef knew this well in advance) only received four small and thin slices of steak as their main entree (we expected them to receive their own steak given that everyone else had close to two pound lobsters plus a similar amount of steak). Other guests gave their portions of steak to those two guests so that they could have a reasonably sized meal. The salad he served was also not what was contracted for. The meal was to be served with a potato mash and an au jus. Because he was late, the potato mash was served a third of the way into the meal - and dry. No au jus. The server made her way around the table plopping a spoonful of mashed potatoes on each guest's plate. Had he arrived reasonably on time, the potatoes could have been plated along with the main entree - and with the au jus. He ran out of the vanilla ice cream topping for the chocolate cake and two or three of the guests received their dessert plate with a melted ice cream drizzle poured from the bottom of the ice cream container. I've hired a few chefs in the past for private dinner celebrations and I have attended dinner parties of the same arranged by friends and business colleagues. Each time, the chef engaged with the guests, told stories, described what he/she was serving, etc. We had almost none of this with Chef Karl and the only time during the meal that he engaged with us was when I reached out and asked him about one of his celebrity clients. Mistakes are totally understandable - I have no issues with that - but he should have owned his mistakes and offered to make it all right. Instead, he offered not a syllable of an explanation about any of the menu changes nor serving issues and he seemingly expected that he could smooth it all through unnoticed. Not cool. Oh, and he charges, in advance, a minimum gratuity of 20%.

I can not say enough good things about Karl and Hamptons by Design. We used him for a bachelorette…read moredinner. He was so easy to work with and helped me create a menu that appealed to a group of 10+ girls. To say the food was extraordinary would be an understatement. The salad course was so light and a great start to the meal. The pasta was phenomenal and the steak was hands down the best steak I've had in my life. I wish I took a picture of the chocolate lava cake but I was too eager to jump in and eat. There wasn't a clean plate in the house. We splurged and added on wait staff that Karl provides. She was so attentive and fun. She made sure the wine was flowing (it was a bachelorette party after all!) and was quick to clear plates without interrupting the party. We all plan to use them again in the future. It was the highlight of our weekend and the best home chef experience I have had.

Great things are big reasons to celebrate! Birthdays, a 200th review and becoming an Elite All…read moreStar!! So, in honor of all these accomplishments, I'm dedicating my 200th review to Chef Lance, who helped make my birthday on Jan 27th perfect, very special and exactly what I had hoped for on many levels! From my first conversation with Chef Lance, I knew I found a wonderful Chef, and person! He replied to my initial contact within an hour of messenging him. Through our many emails and texts, together we created a menu that well exceeded 5 stars!! My birthday dinner was prepared in my home for my family, 6 people total! Dinner was called for at 7:30 and Chef Lance arrived at my home around 4:00 to set up and begin preparations. He was so cordial, knowledgeable and his stories of becoming a chef and all his experiences through the years fascinated me! Now for the good stuff, my menu.... Coconut Shrimp appetizer, Penne alla Vodka, Salad, Chicken Francaise and Honey Glazed Carrots. The entire night felt like we were eating in a very cozy restaurant! Chef Lance plated every dish and we enjoyed it all tremendously! Everything was just delicious! I have to point out certain things that stood out to me: the chicken was purchased from a butcher, jumbo shrimp were used and so incredibly fresh and succulent! The coconut was toasted beforehand and the homemade dipping sauce was nothing like anything I have ever had before. It was fruit based with an Asian twist, just fantastic! Because Penne alla Vodka is a favorite in my family, an extra batch was made so everyone could take some home to enjoy again! After dinner, my kitchen was completely cleaned and all dishes, pots, etc were washed. My daughters BF bought a cheescake for dessert so at that point it was time for Chef Lance to leave. From start to finish, he was in my home for almost 5 hours! I can't rave enough what an experience having a chef prepare an intimate dinner was like! If you are looking for someone who will exceed every expectation you may have, Chef Lance is who you should contact. There's no doubt I will be seeing him in my home again! Chef Lance, thank you for a birthday dinner experience I will never forget!!

Chef Lance did a fabulous job cooking a dinner party for 6 people celebrating some milestone…read morebirthdays. We did have some food/allergy issues with the group and Lance worked with us to create a menu that would work for everyone. It was truly a magical evening and I highly recommend him!!

Just received a very rude reply to my enquiry. He told me he was the "wrong chef" and I needed to…read morelook for someone else for my "easy event". Wow. What an ego! Can't speak about his skills but he needs to learn some basic customer service.

We hired "Chef" Paul Robbins this summer. He was arrogant, obviously came to the house in a…read moreterrible mood and shared this mood among all of our guests. We were appalled to say the least. The food prepared and served was average at best and meat cooked OVERDONE by and large. Paul was generally very rude to us his customers AND to his 2 helpers/employees. We felt bad for these two helpers as we could see the negative impact Paul had on them. Paul was simply awful and we wish we had NEVER hired him. Finally, at the end of the night he "surprised" us with an unexplained "mandatory" Tip he said we had to pay. This was never discussed during the discussions leading up to hiring him. Based on how he treated us, he is obviously a Crook too.

Chef Sebastian was amazing! He really outdid himself with each and every dish. The hors d'oeuvres…read morewere a party favorite. I can't wait until I have another party/event so we can have him back!!

I'll start off this way, I'm probably the only person whose favorite meal this week in 90° July…read moreweather included half a quart of warm, Smoky Red Pepper Soup with Basil Croutons ($10). I'll admit, a small part of the reason is because I keep my apartment very cold and really love soups. The primary reason though is that I found an executive chef who is a culinary genius that will cater and deliver phenomenal gourmet food directly to my door at very reasonable prices. This was one of the best original soups that I've tasted in a very long while. A great thick, creamy texture, good heat (without being too spicy), and you could taste the flavor of the ingredients, not just get overwhelmed by the red pepper. The taste and texture worked in perfect concert together, just like the cream and the red pepper. I've been paying ten bucks a quart for deli-quality soups during this quarantine. This was certainly in a much different class of quality, for the same exact price. Once people catch on to this amazing value, I'll likely end up paying far more for the same caliber of cuisine. However, supporting a well-deserving and hardworking small business with an honest and positive is more important to me than saving a little money. By the way, in addition to his well-honed, epicurean chops, Chef Sebastian is also a real sweetheart of a guy. I know a lot of great chefs and they're not all...oh, what's a good euphemism to use here? As good at dealing with people as they are with knives. Well, Chef Sebastian is wonderful with both. A true professional and a good person. Alright, now let me review some more of his food. In the late 1990s, I lived in New Orleans. So, I definitely know a thing or two about great-tasting cornbread. Chef Sebastian makes excellent cornbread. Not too crumbly, but also not sticky. There's nice pieces of whole corn and little pieces of jalapenos inside. Remember, I'm not a big fan of spicy, but this cornbread was perfect. Not too spicy and it was pre-cut into small squares for me and filled an entire sizeable container. I've eaten a few pieces with 4 meals already and I still have leftovers. His portions are immense. That goes double for the Slow Smoked Beer Marinated Local Shortrib ($27 with corn and cornbread). I've never been given that much shortrib in a single portion intended for one person. I LOVE his homemade BBQ sauce so much that I used it abundantly, put the shortribs in potato roll buns and served them up similar to pulled pork sandwiches, only these were far better because they were beer marinated shortribs. There was enough for 4.5 overstuffed sandwiches. My executive chef friend ate one, along with a piece of cornbread, and was extremely impressed with both as well. The Smoked Whole Trout ($14) was actually a bit overwhelming. Even with my big appetite, I certainly couldn't finish it. It's an entire large cooked trout. For $14 and hand delivered to your door by the chef himself? Where else will you get that type of value? Nowhere! Certainly not near Port Washington, where I live. I ate half of the fish the first day that the food arrived because obviously it's seafood. Although, I did decide to sneak Chef S's New Jersey grilled corn on the cob into this meal, even though it really came to compliment another dish. I didn't want to wait though. The fish was cooked nicely and traveled very well. A nice thickness, easy to cut the meat away, and just a nice smokey flavor throughout. However, I avoided the recommended horseradish sauce that came with it because I was in the mood for more of a fish flavor. I wasn't disappointed. The corn was tasty too. The 24 Hour Slow Smoked BBQ Pork Shoulder ($21 with corn and cornbread) was another massive creation. Once again, I had leftovers. You can taste the time it took to cook this. Completely fall off-the-bone type of dish and so savory. Extremely tender and also beautifully complimented by Chef's homeade BBQ sauce. Honestly, that stuff could go with anything. It's delicious. Local Jersey Peach Crisp with Homemade Whipped Cream ($7). My favorite dessert from anywhere this month. It's a giant piece made for 2 people, as long as one of them isn't me. LOL. I devoured about 3/4 of it because it was so incredible. Thin fresh peach slices with a deliciously sugary crust. This dessert could start an addiction. Just before writing this paragraph I polished off the remaining 1/4 piece left in my fridge. By the way, his food and containers keep very well. The food is delicious, but the portions are huge! Pickle Spears ($8). These are smaller sized pickle spears. However, there's enough of them to fill the jar and they're obviously pickled that way to provide much more surface area and access to the flavors of Chef's special blend of peppers and seasonings. They're very good. If you like pickles, you'll totally like these. Lots of flavors: garlic, peppers, mustard seeds, and some others. Be careful though, these bite back. Everything is PERFECT!

We loved working with Fork In The Woods! Greg was able to source a brilliant chef for a Private…read moreDinner that I planned in the Poconos. Everything from communication, planning, pricing, our wonderful private chef and the unbelievable food was perfect from beginning to end! Chef Clara was so fun to work with and her food was out of this world - this was a surprise for my family who has never experienced this before and it is a memory that my parents and family will have forever. Thanks to Greg and Chef Clara!

Greg was such a great asset to having our events run smoothly. He was incredibly prompt in helping…read moreto menu plan and able to talk us through multiple options and variables that best suited our diverse group of diners. When a few of our logistics and number of guests changed, Greg was able to re-calibrate and provide a beautifully served meal that was on time and elegantly plated. In addition to his wonderful culinary skills, we found Greg to be incredibly personable, professional and incredibly knowledge on his craft. I would highly recommend Greg's services. We already have it planned to book him again for a friends Bridal Shower in the Fall. Thanks Greg!

If you are looking for a world class catering experience you can do no better than Chef Charles. I…read morehired him for cocktail party for my birthday and service was first class from the start - from working with me to prepare the perfect menu, providing excellent staff, and execution that exceeded all expectations while staying under my budget. AND I HAVEN'T EVEN YET TOLD YOU ABOUT THE FOOD! The party started with Charles' veggie samosas... guests couldn't get enough of them and even asked me about them the next day! Lobster rolls presented along with the lobster shell (see photo)... and bacon-wrapped shrimp served bursting from a pineapple with jalapeño mango dipping sauce. The curry coconut chicken satay was my personal favorite but that was only until I tried his wasabi tuna tartar and black hand-pulled pasta with pork and shrimp (which Charles threw in for me for FREE because he knew I liked them and had a budget I needed to stay under). If there is heaven for a palate leave it to Chef Charles to find it - THIS COOKING IS NO JOKE. Dinner ended with savory chocolate spring rolls and after dinner was over Charles and his staff helped bartend and cleaned everything up spotless. I can't wait to throw another dinner party with Chef Charles!

I had a pleasure of having my birthday party catered by Chef Charles and his staff! What an amazing…read moreexperience! The food was fantastic, everything was done and prepared in a timely fashion, clean up was easy and effortless! I am dreaming up other party just to have these guys preparing food for my get togethers! I highly recommend this amazing team for your next food adventure!!!

Chef Jhonathan Catered our family gathering Two years ago in the celebration of our baptism of our…read morefirst son. We had the party at home With our family and everyone raved about the food! It was so yummy and we had lots of leftovers And even a dry rub that we kept on using again and again and again. And one month after the birth of our first son My husband Hired chef Jhonathan to come to our house for a cooking class For two in Manhattan. It was so good and we had so much fun learning knife skills I would hire Truffle and basil again in a heartbeat And would recommend his cooking classes And catering to anyone And everyone!

Chef Jonathan, owner of Truffle and Basil, delivers!…read more I recently hosted a 15-person bridal shower dinner in my NYC apartment. Truffle and Basil did an amazing job. The menu included: Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Slow-Roasted Tomato Crostini with Balsamic Glaze Mixed Seasonal Greens Oven Roasted Pork Loin with Israeli Couscous and Haricot Vert The food received rave reviews including one person who said, "The pork was the best she had ever had." Truffle and Basil made the party really special and the best part was it was stress-free for me. The owner came to my apartment the week before to see what cooking supplies he needed to bring to supplement my kitchen and plan the menu. The day of: Two chefs arrived at 1:00 to prepare for the 7pm dinner and stayed until 10pm to help clean up. They not only left my kitchen spotless but left it better than they found it. I can't say enough about Chef Jonathan, Chef Jennifer and Truffle and Basil. They took such pride in their jobs. The food was superb, the owner is incredibly thoughtful and diligent, and the chefs could not have been nicer. I highly recommend them and will use them again for future events.

They catered our wedding and it was done to absolute perfection. The cocktail hour food was…read moreeverything we were hoping for. The cocktails were perfect all night! The dinner came out hot, incredibly delicious, and in record time for all guests (200+ person wedding) we can't say enough good things about grace & grit + staff! Amazing food. Amazing drinks. Amazing staff. They take it seriously and they know what they're doing! They truly helped make our wedding day everything we could've imagined and more.

I was planning a simple barbecue for about 60 guests to celebrate my wife's birthday…read more Then I met Jennilee, Stefanie, and Kim. Their creative ideas blew me away. Being the realist I am, I never thought they could meet the expectations they created. These talented women and their support staff far surpassed the wonderful picture they described. You would have thought this was a wedding. The lobster sliders were delicious as were the fish tacos and the many other passed dishes during the first few hours of casual cocktails and tapas. Guests were coming up for seconds and thirds of the assorted main dishes. The night was topped off with freshly ground and brewed coffees as well as espresso and a assortment of fragrant teas They left the kitchen spotless Grace and Grit is far and away one of the best catering teams I've every experienced. I can't wait to do it again