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!!

Chef Sandesha was an amazing addition to our bachelorette weekend. End to end service from prep to…read moreclean up. Brunch was incredible. Highly recommend!

I hired Chef Sandesha for my engagement and she made it a truly wonderful and memorable evening she…read morewas incredibly patient with me as we decided on a menu and was a consummate professional throughout the evening. I needed her to cook a special meal the night I proposed to my girlfriend and she delivered! The food was incredible and she was invested in everything that was going on beyond simply preparing the food. Chef Sandesha was a pleasure to work with, a very talented cook and I would recommend her to anyone who is looking for a private/personal chef. She worked within my budget and in less than a week had a fabulous menu prepared and executed to perfection! Please consider Chef Sandesha for your next occasion!

I hired chef Stephanie to do a pool side lunch for Father's Day/Birthday in the Hamptons and…read moreeveryone was blown away by her food and skills! We even had someone who doesn't eat seafood not only try the fresh scallop appetizer but eat the whole thing! I was able to customize the menu and the whole process was seamless. We will definitely be working with her again and would highly recommend to anyone!

Just tried Chef Stephanie. Amazing food. Legit Michelin star restaurant chef, but available out…read morehere for us. Fun person, easy to work with. I chose a chicken menu, I should have picked something fancier, but holy cow, what a great chicken dish.

If you're looking for catering that doesn't just serve food but creates an unforgettable…read moreexperience, look no further than C'est Si Bon Catering & Events. From the very first bite, you can taste the love, passion, and creativity poured into every dish. The flavors are bold yet refined, the presentation is stunning, and the attention to detail is unmatched. Their team goes above and beyond to make sure every guest feels cared for--from customizing menus to fit your vision, to flawless service that makes you feel like royalty. Whether it's an intimate gathering, a wedding, or a large celebration, they turn every event into something magical. C'est Si Bon isn't just catering--it's an experience that leaves you talking about the food long after the party is over. If you want your event to be remembered for all the right reasons, this is the team to trust. One word: phenomenal.

Kamal and his team catered three breakfasts for us during our rental stay out in the Hamptons. His…read moreteam was kind, professional and easy to work with. Most importantly, the food was amazing and they were able to accommodate a vegan guest as well. We would definitely hire him again!

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.

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 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!

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!!!!

Joy and Al of Montauk Catering company were awesome in making our celebration a stellar event…read more From charcuterie board, servers of fabulous lobster rolls, oysters, sweet potato purée, and delicious duck Hors D'œuvres. Plus magnificent Entrées and dessert buffets. We highly recommend Montauk Catering for your wedding, anniversary, shower, birthday, office event, engagement party or more. Great staff!!!