Chef Rafael made my husband and I dinner at our home. He was prompt despite the crazy Friday traffic from downtown SD to Carlsbad and immediately got to work making us an incredible 4 course meal to celebrate our long overdue engagement gift. He started with a beautiful charcuterie board with focaccia, various cheeses, sun dried tomato, etc paired with a red blend wine from Chile. The main course was a beet risotto with chorizo on top followed by lemon chicken with a balsamic glaze. Dessert was panna cotta with berries and orange zest on the top. It was our first time trying pana cotta and we absolutely loved it! Everything was amazing. Highly recommend Chef Rafael for events, private dinners, and all of your cooking needs! Thank you Chef! read more

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Our real estate agent gifted us a dinner party for 8 from Chef Olintho earlier this year. Chef Olintho reached out via text a couple of times to remind me to schedule the dinner party, which I finally scheduled for November. A week before the dinner, Rafael circulated a menu and collected info on my guests' dietary restrictions. He was very accommodating, even with two last minute changes to the guest list. A couple of my guests were vegetarians and pescatarians, and one had celiac. Rafael and Aaron arrived at our place a little before 5pm to start prepping and cooking for our 6pm dinner party. They were super friendly and interacted with all the guests. They served: Cheese & charcuterie board Super greens salad with persimmon Seared Wagyu Beef (aged for 55 hours) w/peppercorn sauce & potato gratin Roasted King Salmon for non beef eaters Chocolate hazelnut cake for dessert The food was a total hit! I still dream about the potatoes. Overall, we had a fantastic first dinner party in our new house. I would definitely hire Chef Olintho to come cook for us again. read more

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Chef Olintho We had our wedding reception (for 16) in the penthouse of the Oceanfront Hotel (also reviewed) and selected Chef Olintho to cater it. He was very responsive to our initial inquiries, and we met with him to plan out our event. He has an extensive repertoire, and we eventually narrowed it down to a manageable list of items. What an event ! He and his crew of 2 rolled out small plates all night, all delicious and beautifully served. He topped it off with a paella made on a large, special burner set up on the penthouse deck overlooking the water. His planning, cooking, presentation, and personality made it a memorable evening. Everything he needed came in with him, and when he left it was like he was never there. The best party ever. Highly recommended. read more

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I contacted Chef Olintho to prepare a commemorative dinner for my 33 years of marriage. Dinner was for 6 people only. He suggested a small menu with something I could finish at home so the food wouldn't overcook and change the taste. He made a dried codfish, a typical Portuguese dish with dried cod, potatoes, boiled eggs, bell peppers, anions, olives and olive oil. As a side, white rice cooked with cod broth and green salad with tomatoes, heart of palm and balsamic sauce. Dinner was spectacular, everyone liked it!! Total success! Highly recommend. read more

Wow. Chef Onlintho created a beautiful culinary experience for 8 in La Jolla, California. The 5 course tasting menu with wine pairing dinner was incredible. There were beautiful charcuterie boards, caviar, duck confit, the most delicious mushroom risotto I've ever had, and an amazing chocolate dessert. He is very creative with his dishes, and includes his Brazilian zest into his events. Do not hesitate to book Chef Olintho for your next event. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. #TopChef read more

Had an amazing housewarming that in large part was a result of Rafael and his team. The food was delicious and the composition gorgeous. He and his team came over two hours before to prepare and then cooked everything in my kitchen, which made all of the food super fresh. The whole experience was fantastic and I received a ton of compliments from my guests on the food and his team. read more

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Chef Olintho's food comes from the heart, it is flavorful and beautiful. You eat with your eyes first, then with your tastebuds. They will stand at attention in anticipation of what's to come after your first bite. He's dishes are tasty, and comforting, from Asian to Latin cuisine vegan and vegetarian options for your guests. His staff is professional and are easy to work with. Chef O. will help you with menu planning plus any and all small extra touches that you might not think of. If your guest has special dietary needs he will meet them and make sure those dishes are just as tasty be it savory or sweet #goodfoods read more

I worked with Rafael to book a chef for a private dinner for my friends. He connected me with Chef Chris and we had an absolutely amazing time. Chef Rafael was super easy to coordinate with- very responsive over email. Chef Chris was right on time and super friendly. The dishes were amazing and the service was phenomenal. I will definitely reach out to these gentlemen for future events! read more

Hired Chef Rafa for a bachelorette party with 15 girls. It was the highlight of the weekend and way more fun than going to a restaurant or bar! The tapas style was perfect for a large group and being able to do this at home meant everyone could really enjoy themselves, mingle, eat when they wanted, and watch the cooking process (they even brought their own butane burner to make the paella from scratch outside). The food was delicious, the pacing was perfect, Rafa and his team were delightful. We opted to hire a bartender as well which was a great choice considering that he brought high quality ingredients to make fun drinks like spicy margaritas, an amazing passion fruit/tequila drink, and palomas. Chef Rafa was also super accommodating as we needed dishes that were gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian. I truly felt like him and his team went above and beyond to make sure this was an elevated and wonderful experience. Everyone who attended was seriously raving about this event. Cannot recommend Chef Rafa and his team enough if you're looking to have amazing food and a fun atmosphere!! read more

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We hired Chef Olintho for my best friends 40th birthday and I'm ready to book him for my next party! He is very professional, punctual and an incredible chef. The food was OUTSTANDING!! Highly recommend for any special occasion. Looking forward to my next party with Chef Olintho! read more

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What a treat! Rafael and his sous-chef Enrique were AMAZING! We had a bachelorette party weekend and wanted to feel pampered...boy, did we ever! I met with Rafael to discuss the menu beforehand and he suggested small plates so that we could eat while dancing and playing games and that sort of thing. Brilliant idea. We emailed back and forth a few times and he worked out a perfectly indulgent menu that also suited everyone's dietary restrictions. Rafael showed up at our Airbnb in the morning and set up and cooked while we all went out for the day. When we came back, they had some wonderful cheese plates for us to nibble on while we went to the hot tub. The small plates of food were delicious and spaced out so that we could enjoy the evening and not rush. He also made us some killer drinks and delivered them around as we were playing games. We even got a little dance lesson at the end of the night! We did go slightly over-budget, but Rafael turned all the groceries that remained after the dinner into lunch for us for the following day and the leftovers kept us in lunches for the following week. Super sweet guy, great food, fun experience--highly recommended! read more

Chef Olintho arranged a dinner party for 30 guest in our home. We had an Italian themed plated dinner. They helped with arranging the rentals we needed flatware, dishes etc. This made the process simple. He arranged for servers as well. The dinner was wonderful and the servers were especially efficient and kind to our guest. Communication was easy to set everything up we would use them again. read more

Chef Olintho catered our baby shower of about 25 people and did an outstanding job. The food was amazing and customized to our needs. We wanted lots of finger foods and he made several different types of tapas that were delicious. He did an amazing charcuterie spread as well as a delicious chocolate mouse for dessert. His staff were efficient and friendly too. read more

Chef Rafa cooked for our house warming party this past weekend and did an AMAZING job. We had around 40 people in attendance, and everyone was seriously blown away by the food. It honestly made the event. He was communicative beforehand asking about party size, expectations, menu, etc. He arrived on time the day of. He made a variety of dishes (my favorites were the beef 3 ways, ceviche, and lamb chops, but also that guacamole was MAGICAL). And they even cleaned up after. We were nervous about the event, but having Chef Rafa handle the food made everything go so smoothly, and all our guests were so impressed. Could not be happier with the service. Thanks again, Chef!!! read more

I hired Chef Olintho for my wife's birthday. He was easily able to prepare an amazing meal for 10 people. Everything turned out perfect. He came to our house on time and utilized our tiny stove to make an elegant 3 course meal worthy of a Michelin Star restaurant. Anyone that wants an amazing personal chef and memorable experience should consider Chef Olintho. read more

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Chef Olintho did not only wow me but also all our friends. I had to organize my husband's birthday party in less than a week. I was referred to Chef Olintho, and within two days, we had the menu down and the logistics. It is not only about his delicious food, but his service is Michelin star. His courtesy to deal with all the needs and his big infectious smile makes anyone experience a Fantastic party. I am looking forward to having Chef Olintho in other celebrations. read more

Rafael Olintho is an amazing chef! He prepared the most delicious meal for a very picky group of girls. The dishes were innovative and full of flavor. He is capable of cooking any type of cuisine and can work with any dietary restrictions (there was a Pescatarian, Vegan, and someone with celiac disease in our group). I only wish he had a restaurant so I could eat his food all the time! Highly recommend!! read more

Rafael has recently started cooking for us at home and we couldn't be happier. Extremely professional and versatile chef.

I'm vegan, and Rafael came to my house and cooked a delicious soup and pasta combo with my existing ingredients and some additional ingredients we ordered from Instacart. Both the pasta and the lentil soup were sumptuous and balanced. Rafael was very adaptable, fast, professional, and interesting to talk to as well. read more

I have hired Chef Olintho twice now for two dinner parties and he was fantastic! Rafael even came to our house prior to our first event to see what we needed. On the day of each event, he arrived about 2 hours early to prepare everything in my kitchen. He has been very professional, super easy to work with, always accessible to answer my questions, and accommodating of everyone's dietary restrictions. Both dinner menus he planned were delicious, and all of our guests were very impressed! I highly recommend him! read more

I hired Chef Olintho for thanksgiving lunch for 30 people. I told him I was sensitive to quality and not cost. My wife asked that the turkey be crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. These guys brought in some frozen turkey meat instead of whole turkey (I think they did not know how to cook a whole turkey crispy on the outside and moist on the inside). Also, they would not accept feedback afterwards that the turkey was poor tasting, and some parts were even un edible. They brought in a team of 4 people (chef, su chef and 2 servers). The service was below average. They did not even set up water glasses on the table which they had brought with them. They had to be told in detail what to do. They just left the food on the table and I had to ask them several times to actually serve it. The guys were nice people but did not have the experience to handle a high end and/or large event. In the end the whole experience was a disaster. read more

We hired Chef Olintho for five of us to finally celebrate my mother's 80th birthday. The food quality and service was truly high end, rivaling the best restaurants in San Francisco, but so much nicer being in your own home. Rafael was truly a joy to work with and made it so easy. My family kept giving me a thumbs up and thanking me for finding him. We will be planning many more celebrations with Chef Olintho in our kitchen. read more

OMG! Where to begin... Rafael & his crew arrived at our house around 10a and he immediately took over our tiny kitchen and turned it into his little assembly line. We chose most of our main ingredients (all organic) meat, veggies and sides, he added a couple things and of course a few surprises. It was magical, the word "amazing" does not describe the deliciousness. His attention to detail brought to life even the most simplest of sides. I remember tasting a crouton and it was like warm and melty with a buttery crunch at the same time. We were thinking "let's invite some friends and have some crepes". It became so much more. Rafael would build you a savory crepe dish with a protein of your choosing, a couple mix-ins that were hand-made with the same care as the aforementioned croutons and of course to top it all off, a choice of sauce. The surprise really was the sauce, it was pretty special, like heaven, if heaven was melted down with blue cheese and boiled to to its essence and spooned onto my crepe. You have to try the blue cheese... Anyways, long story short we have had Rafael three times in the past year for crepes. We are about to have him again, but this time...Brazilian BBQ We proudly endorse Rafael Olintho!!! Please give him a try, you won't be disappointed! Jesse & Leila read more

From seafood to Brazilian steaks, Mr. Olintho is an amazing chef! The dishes are delicious, fresh, innovative and beautifully presented. I have known Chef Olintho for almost a year now. Whether a dinner for four or a party for 40 people, he has consistently created an amazing menu that not only pleased everyone, but mesmerize their taste buds. Chef Olintho is also a great bartender. He makes a killer caipirinha. I have the good fortune of being dazzled by Chef Olintho's culinary creations every week. He's a talented, friendly and funny guy to be around, even when he's crafting his dishes! read more

By far the best chef you can find! I have tried foods from many different cuisines and chefs, when I tried Rafael it was clear to me this was at the TOP of the list by far! His food is spectacular, Chef Olintho cooking style will not only make your taste buds happy it will also make your guests and everyone at your party have a good time. His food has the best flavors, the seasoning is on point, and he also brings a great deal of variety to the table that can please everyone. His staff is also spectacular and great people to work with. read more

I have used Chef Olintho for a few of my bosses private events - brunches and dinners at her house! He does not disappoint! He is super easy to work with, responsive by e-mail, easy to coordinate with, and reliable. Best of all - my boss and her guests raved about him, his staff, and his food. His food is truly a work of art! If you are and EA looking for a great personal chef for your bosses events (or maybe even your own) - he's got my stamp of approval!! read more

Rafael Olintho was recommended to me when I was looking for a chef to cook on my husbands birthday and housewarming party. I was impressed with his talent for cooking and how much passion he puts into his work. I was super happy with the quality of his service and all the guests loved it as well. Life goes on after the festivities and I was struggling like always to keep a healthy eating habit and finding time to cook. That's when I decided to hire chef Olintho to cook for my family in a weekly basis. Best decision ever! I've gotten excellent quality food and service, and more time for myself. No more opening the refrigerator and finding nothing to eat or only ingredients to cook. Now I just need to decide what to eat among all that feast! I highly recommend chef's Olintho service and his delicious food! He is an outstanding and seasoned professional, offering a personalized and creative service. read more

Great experience working with chef Rafael! Had a gathering of about 40-50 for spontaneous cocktail party. He created some delicious appetizers and beautiful buffet table for my guests to enjoy. He even gave a quick demo to guests congregating in kitchen! Very easy to work with and his chefs and service team were all top notch and very professional. Look forward to having him back again for a nice dinner party or even a cooking class! Thanks again chef! read more

Chef Olintho prepared an incredible birthday dinner for me and five friends. The food was absolutely delicious, and beautifully presented. This was one of my favorite birthday meals ever! read more

I have used Chef Rafael Olintho twice now and I have another event with him on the books. The first event was a 30th wedding anniversary I hosted for out of town guests. Two of the people had allergies which he had no problem working around. The dinner was delicious! The second event I used him for was a ladies luncheon and everybody (picky eaters!) loved it! Next weekend he is doing my husband's birthday dinner. He is easy to work with, reasonably priced, flexible and, most importantly, the food is amazing! read more

Rafael is an incredible chef and total professional. He is super helpful when it comes to planning a menu for any occasion, big or small, and does it all with a smile. It was a pleasure having him cook for us. Definitely planning to work with him again and you should too, you won't be disappointed :) read more