I have to qualify this review first by saying I have worked as a professional cook and have owned a catering business. So I have an eye for and know what works and what doesn't, what can be prepped beforehand without sacrificing quality, and what can be done on sight and off-site with the aim of making sure everything is properly expedited and comes out on time. When I arrived the table was set up nicely set up and decorated. However, we had previously informed Chef that we were going to be 13 and we would like two tables, as some people are uncomfortable with sitting at a table of 13 people. So we had to ask Chef to please separate the two tables. When Bridgette came the day before, my wife mentioned she wanted a table of 6 and one of 7, not two tables pushed together to make 13. There were also no cloth napkins, but paper napkins. I guess assuming that a request for "linens" did not include cloth napkins, only tablecloths. Even though this was done in our home where we are well equipped, I still expect anyone coming to prepare food to come fully equipped to meet their needs without having to use the home equipment. This was not the case, as Chef used our Kitchenaid, tongs, and other items. As well, they did not have a serving platter for one of the hors'd'oeuvres. Furthermore, they had to use some of our silverware because they did not bring everything needed (spoons, forks). There were steak knives on the table when we were eating fish, and no other knives. Finally, they used all my kitchen towels-easy enough to bring your own hand towels. As well, because we used the plates on the table for hors'd'ouevres, they had to wash and prepare again for salad plates, as they had expected the hors'd'oeuvres to simply be finger food. Nonetheless, the hors'd'oeuvres-asparagus with prosciutto and chicken bites, or whatever they might have been-still require plates. This delayed serving. Personally, I would have brought the salad all prepped. Because it wasn't prepped, it meant a longer serving delay. The server didn't know the difference between wine and water glasses-some basic protocol needed. The food was excellent, served hot and fresh like it should be. We had a delicious shaved fennel salad with parmesan, and a main course of Blackened Sea Bass with a succotash and roasted potatoes. That is the beauty of preparing on-site. I say this with the caveat, as mentioned earlier, that a few things could have been prepped beforehand without sacrificing quality. This would have allowed the service to flow more quickly and not have such long delays between dishes. As Chef prepared the chocolate mousse on site, some people had to leave before dessert since it took well over 45 minutes between our main course and dessert. If I had done this lunch, I would have brought the mousse pre-made. They used up my whole bag of ice too-I would have brought ice. Finally, food left over was taken away and not left with us. I asked the server I f she was going to leave the food to me as she was walking out and she laughed uncomfortably and said no. My assumption is that the client paid for the food, they should get any leftovers. I give Kudos to the Chef for excellent food, but the service was uncomfortably slow and everyone noticed. Finally, the server was inexperienced. Overall, organization and attention to details were lacking. To end on a positive note, they did an excellent job leaving the kitchen just as the found it and were friendly and professional despite the hiccups mentioned. I didn't have to worry about anything. If you are looking for good food, Chef Mumsie does a great job. But please ask that they send you experienced servers, and make sure to point out every possible detail that you can think of, because in my experience, they did not have a checklist or form to check off what you do or don't need for an event. read more

Chef Mumsie and her team went above and beyond to make our Annual JQ Awards Brunch a success. After posting the opportunity on Thumbtack, I had reached out to a few caterers who gave me wild estimates or plain menus that didn't satisfy our needs. Then luckily, Chef Mumsie messaged me, we had a lovely conversation over the phone, and the wheels started turning. Within 2 days, Chef Mumsie put together an entire menu, featuring 4 different unique flights of food, along with the quote and contract agreement that really blew us out of the water. She listened to our budget needs, while still providing delicious and decadent food that our guests loved! On top of that, she assisted with our event in other capacities out of the goodness of her heart. We will definitely reach out to Chef Mumsie again next year! read more

I am disappointed to put a review like that because originally the service we got from them was good. But unfortunately, we have had a big financial problem with them. We paid for a certain amount of people ahead of time in October 2018. We had a certain amount of time to revise our count. Based on the revision of # of people attending the event, they would reimburse us for the difference. As long as we were within that time limit. Which was the case. It has now been 10 months and we are still waiting to get that money back. At first, we communicated with them and gave them the option to even pay us in smaller increments ($150 at a time). They owe us: $860. We are not talking about a lot of money. They have not been able to reimburse us that amount even though we offered for them to pay us in smaller increments. Which they agreed to do. Now nothing, not even a response. Be aware. They were so pushy to get the payment from us ON TIME, but they are unable to pay us back for what they owed us. Sad to say, beware. read more

I was a guest at a party catered by the Chef Mumsie team. From what I witnessed, everything was well done and well-handled by the Chef Mumsie team. We were welcomed with glasses of champagne by the charming Gerald, who directed us to the party. The appetizers were in abundance, and they were all very good, too! The deviled eggs and crab crostini were really good, as was the cheese and charcuterie selection. The vegetable crudités were presented in little individual shot glasses with a cayenne ranch dressing. The buffet table was decorated with an ice sculpture. There was an abundance of lunch options, and I didn't get a chance to sample every single item because they went like hot cakes...the lumpia, pancit, and a couple of other items disappeared before I got to the buffet...and there was plenty of it. I did try the Filipino beef stew and that was great. The guests really enjoyed the Filipino offerings. The chicken salad tea sandwiches and lavosh wraps were very good, and the Greek salad was nice and crisp. The spam masubi was on point and I loved how the platter was decorated with beautiful orchids. The kids loved the pesto penne pasta, and the herb-roasted fingerling potatoes were good. Dessert was a marble sheet cake with a light champagne buttercream that was just the right amount of sweet and boozy without being cloying. I was impressed with the team as the buffet station was frequently refreshed and plates/glasses were cleared away. They were so welcoming and friendly. I got to sneak into the kitchen to chat with Chef Renee for a few minutes in between courses to find that she went to culinary school locally before traveling the world to get a better understanding of cultures and flavors. The team made sure to leave the venue kitchen as pristine as they found it, and packaged up all any leftovers for our host to enjoy at home. Our host was pleased with the Chef Mumsie team, and so were the guests. To be fair, I was a guest and not privy to all the planning and details, so the highest rating I can give is 4 stars. Only the host can give this great team the max 5 stars. read more

I was not sure what to expect when Chef Mumsie was set to cater a small meal for our family. All I knew about her was her prestigious reputation for creating unique and delicious meals. As soon as I took my first bite, I was already in love! Everything melted in my mouth from start to finish. The food was fresh and highest quality. Her salmon really tasted the way a salmon should taste and had no idea till now what I'd been missing out on! Her German chocolate cake was hands down the best part of the meal--so moist and so decadent. All the courses, including her tasty, refreshing Ginger Lemon tea, made me feel like I was being treated to 5 star, gourmet restaurant meal for a celebrity or royal, but at the same time, had a warm, nostalgic quality that reminded me of food prepared from home, like Grandma would make. Would definitely order from her again to try everything else on her menu I missed, if not just to have her German Chocolate cake again! Five starts! read more

Chef Mumsie and her staff are wonderful! The 5 course dinner was exceptional and flavorful. To our guests delight, Chef Renee went into the dining room, introduced each course, and explained how it was prepared. Good caterers are hard to find, my husband and I would highly recommend Chef Mumsie to anyone! read more

Chef Mumsie catered our wedding in Santa Barbara. My husband and I loved the food and service! During the whole process of wedding planning, Ashley was very responsive and made sure that our special day would go above and beyond what we had planned. I highly recommend! My grandma plans on using them in the future if she has any parties or events. :) read more

I enjoyed a nice Sunday Private Culinary experience with Chef Mumsey and her team! The dinner was absolutely exquisite and uniquely made. One of the sides was corn on the cob grilled with a special season, I honestly didn't expect to enjoy it, however I was blown away at the taste!! The meal prep was created in a timely and organized fashion and I even assisted! If you're looking for an eloquent fine, uniquely homemade dining experience contact Chef Mumsey! You will not be disappointed yet amazed and delighted!!! Timely, Clean, Professional, Private, Neat, Well Organized, Healthy, Flavorful, Delicious! read more

If I could give this caterer 0 stars, I would. I attended a women's retreat this past weekend where Chef Mumsie was the caterer. She was VERY unprofessional. The ladies who were serving during lunch already had their assignments, but the caterer decided to change things to how she wanted them done. She had sweetened tea and lemonade, but no unsweetened drinks. She ran out of lunches for the ladies. There were 250 women in attendance and about 50-75 women weren't served. The church wound up spending more money to order pizza and Chik-Fil-A. Dinner was almost just as bad. They ran out of vegetable and potatoes for the plates. 1 1/2 hours into dinner service, about 30 ladies were still waiting to be served. Most of the ladies in service to the church didn't eat. I'm not a caterer, but I have held events where catering was needed, and I have worked closely with those caterers. If you know the head count is 250 guests, no matter how far your company is from the event, shouldn't you plan accordingly? I know when I've hired catering companies, they have done 10-15 EXTRA portions, just in case something happens. I found this whole situation upsetting, not just for me and the other attendees, but more so for the ladies who planned and put the retreat together. I think 'Mumsie' needs to go back to business school. read more

I highly recommend Chef Mumsie for a wedding that needs catering or for any event that involves food and service. It is hard to describe the quality of good food other than to say that it was delicious and all the guests were raving about it. Appetizers included incredible onion pastry puffs that were the talk of more than one conversation I had that night. Salad was also a big hit, not something one usually expects to say about salad. The entree was talked, posted, and blogged about. Beautiful flatware and table settings were used, and the service was light-footed, courteous, and professional. We felt we were in a 5-star hotel, not our own backyard (which is where we actually were). Aside from all this, I want to mention how impressed we were with the hard work that was so evident. Chef Mumsie's staff was present from 2pm on toward 11pm and never stopped moving for a second. We were promised that we would not have to worry about a single event during the day and that was exactly what happened. Without even realizing that we had left so much in the hands of our caterers, we passed the night catching up with old friends, connecting people, taking photos, and meeting each other's friends from far off -- never once did we have to stop to check up on any details of any kind. Chef Mumsie seemed to be in eight places at once at any moment, and everything took care of itself as if by magic. There were no hidden charges, unexpected twists, or demands for attention. We are very impressed and grateful for their efforts in feeding and satisfying 80+ people in a somewhat confined space -- done with grace, speed, and invisibility. .. and deliciousness! read more

What an outstanding caterer! Not only does she have a real personal touch that rings from every interaction you have with her, but she works hard to make sure you don't need to worry about anything to do with food -- not just the prep, but making sure it's presented to guests in a convenient and accessible way. Her food is delicious and she works with you to customize it to your needs and desires. Highly recommended and truly a sweet and kind person, as was everyone she works with. read more

we did a cleaning job for them in san diego back on Feb 18th 2017 at the mall for an event they hosted. We never got paid despite many attemps to collect. I would not do business with them till they understand the value of paying their contacted work. the contract is on file if needed. read more

I had Chef Mumsie cater my husband's 50th birthday party and it was certainly a night to remember. They worked with me on coming up with an excellent Creole menu and everyone loved the food and the presentation. They handled everything for me, even gave me cocktail ideas as rounded out a great menu with some unexpected extras. I highly recommend them and will look to them for providing catering for my next event. read more

We enjoyed our catering experience with Chef Mumsie! They were extremely attentive and created a menu perfect for the occasion that are guests enjoyed. read more

It was a delight to work with Chef Mumsie. She provided us with a beautiful meal for our October farm-to-table dinner event (25 guests). We hosted the dinner on an actual farm and she worked with the venue to incorporate their organic, locally grown vegetables into a delicious meal that perfectly fit the fall season. Serving portions on the flights were generous. Aside from the food, the best part of working with Chef Mumsie was her infectious energy. From our very first phone call, her enthusiasm for the event was obvious. She was intent on making this a wonderful experience for us and our guests, and she definitely delivered! read more

I highly recommend Chef Mumsie. She Catered a wine and food event in San Juan Capistrano at Hamilton Oaks Winery. All I can say is wow! She's definitely on fire! She's beyond dynamic and her energy translates soulfully into her food. She's a visionary with cooking, making it fun yet extremely appetizing. I especially loved the endive shooters however everything was delicious and made with attentive detail. Her staff is top notch, all of her team represents consummate hospitality at high degree. Her timing and flow is precision perfect with delectable flavors that linger on the palate especially with a fine glass of wine. I enjoyed watching Chef Mumsie cook in stiletto's with an awesome Chef hat on running the show with her team like a pro! I can't wait to have her for my next big event, I absolutely enjoyed working with Chef Mumsie and I highly recommend her for all your catering needs. This Chef is a mover and a shaker and is going places, I say pay attention and get on board the Chef Mumsie train for your next big venue... read more

Chef Mumsie and Chef Renee are stellar professionals and I appreciated the opportunity to feature them at my event as the exclusive culinary partner. read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Chef Mumsie! I stumbled upon her catering company on Thumbtack in a last minute scramble to find a food vendor for a festival I was throwing. Chef Mumsie and her team drove a long distance and took a chance on our small, first festival. They were so pleasant to be around and their food was incredibly delicious and nutritious! Not sure what else anyone could ask for. Everything was absolutely perfect! They really saved the day! Thanks so much Chef Mumsie and team. Looking forward to working together again in the future :) read more

Chef Mumsie is personable and professional. I have been part of two events where we had her services. At one event, the food was divine with wonderful reviews for weeks and months afterwards. The other event, the veggie and meat selections were too salty and we ran out too early, however, the salad and dessert were in abundance and pleasant for our party participants. We will definitely have Chef Mumsie again and hope the food is balanced with less salt next time. read more

Chef Mumsie catered an event at one of other properties and the food was so delicious, I hired her to cater our Christmas Party at our building (Bayside Terrace). She and her staff were very helpful, courteous and attentive to our needs. They were only scheduled to drop off the food due to another event occurring the same day, however, they not only dropped off the food, but stayed and assisted with setting up the warmers, provided other utensils we did not have and ensured that we were okay and ready to serve before they left. Overall, the food was delicious and the service was great! I would recommend her services to anyone who is looking for a quality catering company to service your event! read more

Chef Mumsie catered my sister's wedding brunch at my parent's home and it was amazing. Her grilled salmon with Chef Mumsie's special spice rub was perfectly flavorful and a real treat. She and her assistants were extremely accommodating with guests arriving late and ordering complicated variations on the menu. They worked really hard, with a charming and polite attitude, and did their best to be organized despite having to juggle our large group of adults and children. I was particularly impressed by how dedicated they were to making sure everyone was fed and taken care of for drinks, despite the chaos of the large group. Everyone enjoyed it very much, and the food was exceptional. read more

I had the chef cater thanksgiving for 13 people. The contract stated she would bring 4 people. Only 3 people showed up to work and they were in a constant state of hurry which was obvious to all. The food was pretty good but the aftermath was terrible. They scratched my outdoor granite countertop, they left food, gravy and dirt in the garage and throughout the kitchen, they used my pots and pans and put them back filthy and dirty, I am missing silverware and a couple wine glasses, they put open containers of food and Gravy loose in my garbage pales, the refrigerator was dirty and needed cleaning, the floor in the kitchen where they cooked was coated with sticky grease on the floor and need a full mop session. The best part is that the chef said she would reimburse me for all the issues several times but yet no check has been received. Be careful, the experience was definely not worth the money. read more