We had a great birthday dinner with Chef Tim. He was very easy to work with and extremely accommodating for guests 7-75. Highly recommended for any special occasions! Did I mention he did a great job cleaning up after the big meal? it doesn't get any better than that! read more

Let's start with dessert. A molten lava cake with vanilla bean ice cream. It had birthday candles on it. Ok back to the front of the meal. My kids hired Chef Tim to prepare a fantastic dinner for my 70th year on earth. Seared ahi, mochi rice crab cake, mini laulau were progressive appetizers that eased the flow of wine and conversation into just the right pace. A cold soup made from fresh green herbs served as a palate cleanser for the entree: a luscious chunk of opah (moon fish) drizzled with a white sauce along with jasmine rice and zucchini cubes. The fish melted like buttah in your mouth. Just when you thought there was no room for more, Chef Tim presented dessert. It was so good my son went back for seconds. Mahalo Chef Tim and his assistant April for preparing and serving a fabulous meal! read more

See all

On December 22, Chef Tim and Victoria came to our rental home in Mauna Lani to prepare a fabulous five course meal for nine. Each course was paired by Alex at Westside wine in Kona. Chef Tim is very personable and interacted with the family as he described each course. The appetizers, salad, main course and dessert was excellent and the whole group enjoyed the food and ambiance as we are all foodies. Tim was so helpful in response to many emails and questions we had. We sensed his genuine passion for cooking as he prepared the meal and our expectations were fully met from start to finish. A highlight of our vacation. read more

What an amazing experience. Chef Timothy prepared some of the most delicious food we've had since coming to the islands! Him And his assistant, Victoria, were such a pleasure to spend the evening with! The food was amazing, easily some of the best fish I've ever had in my life, and the presentation was beautiful! They came to our rental house and prepared a five course meal for our family of 10 and took care of everything from start to finish, including set up and clean up. When we come back to Kona we will definitely be booking again! read more

Excellent meal, creative dishes with a nice personality. Chef Tim was flexible for our dairy free and gluten free guests and created dishes for them which were as tasty as the rest. His assistant, Victoria, used floral to enhance the presentation of each of the dishes. They both helped create a very memorable evening for my family. read more

Tim and an assistant were a delight. He knows exactly how and when to interact with the group providing just the right information about the meal and himself. The menu was a collaboration and he was terrific about responding to special requests. The fish he brought was absolutely gorgeous and beautifully prepared. They set a charming table with both the rental house stuff and their own tropical flora. They truly appreciate that a memorial meal is beautiful as well as delicious. You can't go wrong! read more

Chef Timothy and crew prepared New Years dinner for our family. The food was outstanding, timing of courses impeccable and service outstanding. He provided food for ages 9-68, fish, steak, vegan and kids meals. His assistance with a sommelier from West Side wines and entertainment was just what I was looking for. The evening turned out wonderfully and exceeded my expectations. Thanks again for the memories made that I get to share with my entire family. read more

Chef Tim and his assistant made us the best Christmas Eve breakfast/brunch we have ever had! Crab Benedict, waffles/pancakes, and this very amazing ahi tun wrap (very healthy and yummy)! If you are going to hire a private chef, Tim is the way to go. Great energy and great people to be around! Would do this again in a heartbeat! read more

See all

Mmmmm yummy. Tim and team were so wonderful. They created the most beautiful courses in presentation and flavor. The food was beyond incredible and they added to our celebration as they created the most wonderful atmosphere. Thank you Tim for sharing your awesome talent with us. read more

See all

We had Chef Tim come to our rental house in Ninole (outside of Hilo) and prepare a 5 course dinner for 18 of us. We contacted Chef Tim with only about 2 weeks notice and he was very quick to respond and able to work us into his schedule and recommend a menu that would work with some of our group's dietary restrictions and allergies. One course was better than the next and we all had different favorites. The portions were very generous as well, especially for the main course. We all finished the night being uncomfortably full, but it was so worth it! Chef Tim was very professional and personable. He didn't mind taking group photos and didn't get flustered at all with our large (and loud!) group! We couldn't have asked for a better private dining experience! I would highly recommend Chef Tim! read more

Family trip to Hawaii and hired Chef Tim to create a fantastic dinner experience. We ended up having the perfect meal to go with a perfect evening!! The food was phenomenal and it was a tremendous experience having a private chef put together a five star meal at a house. Highly recommended for events, parties, and get togethers!! read more

See all

We had Chef Timothy cater my wife's special birthday event at our vacation rental home in Kona on May 20 and it was totally awesome! He and his assistant April made the event the best ever for all 10 of us that came to the Big Island for her. Every course was most creative and an absolute burst of flavor! I'd recommend Chef Timothy to anyone that wants to have a most memorable event. Garrett in Las Vegas read more

Creating a wonderful dining experience is what Chef Tim and his assistant April are known for. Chef Tim was such a pleasure to work with and create a set menu that was personalized from beginning to end. Attention to detail and service was exceptional. Expect the experience of restaurant quality service and food in the privacy of your own vacation home. From set up to clean up, everything was gracefully paced. We enjoyed being served appetizers and drinks poolside to ending the evening with sparkle candles on our celebration cake. The cake by the way was life changing....a mascarpone chantilly coconut cake with lilikoi filling. Get ready to be spoiled and bring your vacation celebration up a notch. read more

Chef Tim prepared a 5 course meal for my husband's birthday while we were in Kona on vacation. It was unbelievable! I wanted to surprise my husband, so Chef Tim worked with me to create the perfect menu. The food was beyond perfect. I'll be dreaming of his tropical guacamole and crusted ahi for years. His assistant April set a gorgeous table and kept the wine flowing! What a memorable experience - we would highly recommend Chef Tim! read more

First of all, an apology to Chef Tim! This review is long overdue and the meal prepared by Chef Timothy James for our family celebration a while back was out of this world fantastic! I had a few calls with other local chefs and then, finally, with chef Tim. He was responsive, professional and friendly and shared a lot of great ideas on the first call. We knew we found the right match for our group. From the onset he helped us prepare a custom detailed menu and followed through presenting us with an absolutely lovely meal and timed each dish perfectly. Both he and his helper (his awesome wife Elfriede) were so pleasant just to have around that it added to the evening. The food was impeccably fresh and well prepared and very reasonable for the level of service and high quality. Chef Tim was also very careful to make sure there was something for everybody (so we all got a fave on the custom menu). Here are a few things from our menu: Appetizers: Warm Brie Cheese w/ Spicy Mango Chutney, Served with Crackers and/or Pita Chips Appetizer 2: King Prawn Cocktail - 4 Large Prawns served over chopped local lettuce, green onions, cherry tomatoes, lime juice in a cocktail glass with side of classic cocktail sauce. Salad: Roasted Pecan & Local Greens Salad - Served Over Locally Grown Crisp Garden Greens, Dried Cranberries, Roasted Pecans and Chef's own Pepper-Lilikoi Dressing. Main #1: Pineapple Glazed Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb w/ Cherry Tomato Confit, served w/ Garlic & Maui Onion Mashed Potatoes. Main #2: Sweet and Sour Lilikoi Chicken Breasts, served with Garlic and Maui Onion Mashed Potatoes. Birthday Dessert: Lemon Curd Filled White Cake with Buttercream Frosting & Coconut Sprinkles All I can say is YUM and we all loved it! This was not just a meal but an experience. Thank you Chef Tim and Elfriede - I cannot say enough and am truly sorry I did not get to this sooner! If you need a chef look no further - all the rest of these reviews are spot on. You found your 5 star personal chef. Aloha! read more

Chef Tim and April prepared a dinner for our family on Valentine's Day 2018 that was incredible! We emailed several times beforehand, and Tim provided sample menus for us to choose from. We have meat-eaters and vegetarians, and he happily accommodated all our special needs. Each course was beautifully plated and presented with floral/fauna garnishes and was delicious! The stuffed mushrooms were out of this world (and I don't like mushrooms!). Our family sat out on the lanai while Tim and April took care of everything. Tim is great to work with and you will not be disappointed! Thank you Tim and April! read more

Chef Timothy prepared a unique and memorable dining experience for my family at our private rental vacation home on the Kohala coast in Hawaii in August of 2016. Chef Timothy provided excellent service, was very accommodating on the menu requests, and delivered an exceptional dinner beyond expectations. Chef Tim worked with me both over the phone and in emails and came up with a menu perfectly fit for my family (there were some food sensitivities that he addressed wonderfully!). He arrived early to prepare for the dinner and brought everything. When the dinner service started, his presentation was accompanied by his description of each dish which elevated the dinner experience even more. Our evening began poolside for sunset. Cocktails and an assortment of appetizers were served by his lovely assistant, Ina. There were platters of crab Rangoon with sweet and sour thai dipping sauce, a tropical guacamole with pineapple and mango, served with organic corn tortilla chips, and veggie summer rolls with spicy macadamia-peanut dipping sauce. They were ALL delicious!! The dinner consisted of a warm crusted goat cheese salad followed by a fish entrée of Mahi Mahi topped with a lilikoi beurre blanc, and served over sautéed garlic spinach and a curried sweet potato side. Everything prepared was creatively done, flavorful and were delicious combinations. The dessert was a frozen pie that was creamy and decadent. The pie consisted of layers chocolate-coconut-cream, raspberry-grand Marnier, and banana-Madagascar vanilla-coconut cream. The crust consisted of a mixture of pecans, macadamia nuts, shredded coconut, a touch of sea salt, and was bound with Medjool dates. It was a fantastic balance of flavors!!! Chef's Tim's attention to detail was above par and he and his assistant Ina are wonderful people to work with. His passion for food really shows in his dishes. Absolutely an experience to repeat again and again. Thank you Chef Timothy! Abby K Suffern, NY read more

Chef James and his staff were absolutely wonderful. They came to our private residence and prepared an outstanding five course meal. The food and presentation was beyond our expectations. You will not be disappointed! read more

Chef Tim prepared a post-Thanksgiving Birthday dinner for our family last night, and it exceeded all of our expectations! He and his assistant April arrived ready to get to work. From the appetizers (tropical guacamole and chips, and his own take on crab cakes), to the salad (greens with warm goat cheese and his own dressing), main course (tenderloin, opah fish, mashed potatoes and zucchini), and dessert (yummy chocolate birthday cake) it was all amazing!! Thanks so much Tim for making the evening so memorable! read more

Chef Timothy prepared a 5 course meal of curated locally inspired dishes for a group of 8 of us. He was wonderful to work with from the planning to the night of! He was extremely accommodating of our vegetarian friend and did not disappoint making sure we were taken care of when we added an additional person the night of the dinner. His food was extremely tasty. Highly recommend!! read more

During our family trip to Hawaii, we celebrated my husband's birthday. I wanted to make the day special so after reading reviews, I emailed Chef Tim. From the first contact, I felt he went above and beyond to find out details so he could make the evening memorable. He gave me a great contact for Hawaiian dancers. In preparation, Chef Tim and I corresponded many times. The evening could not have been more perfect. The meal was incredible, and my husband still talks about that night being his favorite from the 3 week trip. When you book something from another state, you never know what to expect, but I feel like I was so lucky and fortunate since Chef Tim was a perfect choice. I would strongly recommend Chef Tim, if you enjoy and appreciate great food! read more

Chef Tim and his team catered three dinners for my family of 15 in Hawaii for the holidays. He completely exceeded our expectations with amazing food and exceptional service. We did a casual buffet style dinner and two sit down dinners ... all with passed appetizers. The food was creative and very tasty. He was able to accommodate all our special needs with ages ranging from 9-87, food allergies and non-meat eaters. He also helped us prestock our kitchens with groceries and pre-prepared foods, which was a huge win for us! Fingers crossed we can come back to the island soon to sample more of Chef Tim's wonderful food ... read more

During our stay on the South Kona Coast, we had the delight of having a private dining experience prepared by local chefs extraordinaire, Tim and Elfriede. They are both gourmet chefs and we had a most delicious dinner made with mostly local and organic ingredients. We had fresh homemade guacamole, macadamia nut crusted mahi-mahi with homemade mango chutney, coconut scented wild rice and sauteed fresh veggies. I've eaten mahi-mahi for decades; this was the most delicious I've ever eaten! And also, you must try Chef Tim's epic "off the charts delicious" desserts! read more

Chef Timothy and his wife are simply the best. We did six courses on Super Bowl Sunday to celebrate my mom and dad's 30th anniversary. The meal was impeccable! Only the freshest fish and vegetables. Also have to mention the banana chocolate raspberry pie for dessert. So unique and delicious! Not to mention they're the sweetest, warmest people. I'd give them 10 starts if I could! read more

Chefs Tim and Ina prepared us a great meal for my in-laws 40th wedding anniversary party. Our group had several conflicting dietary needs and Chef Tim handled each of them with creativity and grace. The food was delicious from the appetizers to the dessert, their service impeccable, and truly having everything taken care of made the party so special. Chef Tim also recommended a wonderful guitarist also. It was a magical evening, thank you to the chefs for their dedication and aloha. read more