Recently, my Girl Scout troop participated in a baking class with Cynthia. The girls had a…read morewonderful time and learned so much about table manners, the basic principles of baking, and how to set a table properly. Plus, the cake they made was delicious. The event space was lovely too. Cynthia could not have been more accommodating. I highly recommend her to host your next event.

Daughter had her 8th birthday party with Chef Cynthia and it was fantastic. Not only was the party…read moreand the baking fun it was educational. Chef Cynthia and her assistant were great with kids, well mannered and managed the 10 youngsters easily. All the kids and parents loves the unique party idea and are still talking about it! Well worth every penny.

i ordered Christmas dinner for 13 guests a couple of weeks ago…read more Olivia was very easy to work with and accommodated a gluten allergy with no problem. the food was standard traditional Christmas dishes, so nothing super unique or fancy. it was very tasty, but definitely too much butter : ) i would work with Olivia again and recommend her for sure. thumbs up.

Olivia just understood us! From the very beginning, her creativity and professionalism helped my…read morefiance and I sculpt the wedding of our dreams! We called Olivia after speaking with many caterers about about approach, cuisine and budget, and we were honestly getting a bit defeated. My first conversation with Olivia was so incredibly refreshing in that I told her we are trying to decide between tacos or barbeque and she responded with a very effortless, "why choose?". This immediately put me at ease as we started to brainstorm together. All other caterers were now subpar. She crafted a beautiful menu for us that included mini (single-bite) sized tacos as part of the hors d'oeuvres and an upscale barbeque with hometown roots for the entree. Our guests have not stopped RAVING about our food (strong accolades for the BBQ still rolling in from our Texas and Tennessee-native guests, so you know it was great!). We received a truly personalized experience with Olivia. She even stepped in to work with us directly when we had questions and get saleswoman was unavailable! From the first conversation through the tasting and our wedding, Olivia was one of our top vendors. Her saleswoman, Christina, was excellent at offering advice and ideas as well as suggestions from other events they'd catered (either at 501 or otherwise). On staff, Olivia also has a food design team member who created the most instagram-worthy displays! Definitely an added bonus. Would 10/10 use and recommend Olivia!

Everything was fresh and delicious. There pricing are reasonable, they are willing to work with…read moreyour budget also the staff and owners we're very kind and friendly. They have the right company name because everything was PERFECT !! Definitely a returning customer.

From the owner: Craving Flavor? Discover The Perfect Plate NJ! Located in…read moreCentral NJ| Looking for the perfect bite? You've just found it. At The Perfect Plate NJ, we serve up bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and unforgettable dishes that feel like home—only better. What’s on your plate? Mouthwatering Signature Dishes Made-to-Order Freshness Vegan & Gluten-Free Options Catering & Private Events Whether it's your first visit or your fiftieth, you'll always be treated like family. Snap a pic. Leave a review. Your perfect plate deserves the spotlight! Come taste why everyone’s talking about The Perfect Plate NJ on Yelp!

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!

I hosted 40 people at my home for a Sweet 16. Cara and her staff were outstanding! The passed…read morehors d'oevres were both beautiful and delicious. Her menu options were varied enough for me to please both adults and teenagers. Her staff (bartender and 3 servers) were so professional, kind and accommodating. ONe of them attended to my older mother the entire evening. I can't recommend SHK enough. I'm planning a holiday party and will be hiring her again!

My mother and I used SHK for my sister's bridal lunch in May. To this day, people are still talking…read moreabout the food (specifically these amazing scones and homemade butter). Additionally, Cara and her team helped set up and take down things for us all day. The team was wonderful, and I HIGHLY recommend them!

I hired Chef Aless for my husband's birthday on 1/26/21 - as indoor dining was still closed in NYC,…read moreand way too cold for outdoor dining, I opted to have Chef Aless come by so we could have the restaurant experience at home. From the first time I got in touch with her, Chef Aless was always prompt with her responses - as it was my first time ever doing anything like this, she helped curate a menu for my husband and I based on our likes/dislikes. I had also gone back to her to switch up a couple items, which she had no problem with either - really appreciate the flexibility! On the day of, she came by a bit early (which was a non-issue for us considering we were idling by at home), and was very efficient as soon as she stepped in - we were served some delicious hors d'oeuvres (fig and brie crisps were divine!), an appetizer (truffle burrata and arugula, with a delicious pomegranate molasses dressing), second course (crab cakes with mango slaw, always a favorite in my book), main course (a perfectly medium rare Pat LaFrieda steak), some sides (a decadent sauce for the steak, creamed spinach and potatoes lyonnaise; if you coudln't tell, we wanted to replicate the NYC steakhouse experience), and lastly, chocolate mousse for dessert (needless to say, it was amazing). And best of all, she left the kitchen spotless, which was much appreciated. I also want to note that it's important to clarify what you're looking for when hiring a private chef, especially as a first timer (like me) - I thought Chef Aless was going to cook everything from start to finish at our apartment, however she actually came by with everything mostly prepared, and left the finishing touches for last. Granted, not everyone has a fully equipped kitchen so I totally understand her coming pre-prepped, but considering my husband and I both love cooking and have a nearly fully-equipped kitchen, we would've loved to see her in action and use the opportunity to pick up some pro-tips. All in all, Chef Aless was an absolute pleasure to work and speak with, and I'm so happy to have found her. If indoor dining is still closed off in the future, I will definitely be keeping her in mind for more special occasions.

I finally made it out to Chef Aless last night and it did not disappoint. The food, service and…read moreatmosphere were on point and we felt like we were is a cafe in Paris. The food is authentic and you can tell the chef who I believe is also the owner takes so much pride in her food and it shows. Her husband was on the restaurant floor tonight and even took the time to stop by to chat with us. What an amazing experience and the staff made us feel so welcome we even booked our Christmas party there! Amazing hospitality please keep the good work and we will see you again in December!

So firstly, I have used and known Chef Renee since 2015. And before she became a super high profile…read morecelebrity chef! And she is hands down one of the best! Back then and even now! We've used her over the years (when we could get her) for multiple parties large and small, from 8 guest intimate dinners to large 100+ person gatherings. The food is top quality, delicious and she is always consistent no matter the cuisine. I also own an event company I started 3 years ago, and recommend her often to clients who also rave about her food. For a while she got super busy exclusively working for some athletes, but thankfully she's back doing her own events instead of working as a personal chef for just one person! If you're lucky enough to get a booking with her take it. She's worth every penny. I can't say more great things about her.

Chef Renee made the most delicious 4 course meal for my best friend's bridal shower! The tuna…read moretartare had amazing flavor, the crab cake was juicy, and the branzino with mushroom risotto is still making my mouth water. Not to mention the Red velvet beignets!! Need I say more? I highly recommend Chef Renee for any event! She showed incredible professionalism and a very high standard of service! And the food was out of this world.