Rachael was very prompt with getting back to me when I requested a quote and very knowledgeable…read moreabout everything we might need for the day for my dad's celebration of life. She always got back to me quickly and handled the day amazingly well. Our venue was very much a self-service place and her team just set everything up and made sure all of the dishes were clean at the end and the kitchen was absolutely spotless. We'd highly recommend her for your next event!

Chef Rachel and crew catered our daughter's 40th birthday in this past weekend. We had @ 30…read moreguests so it was a fairly sizable engagement. Not only was the food fantastic, the service was equally exceptional! Beyond that, Rachel was highly responsive throughout the entire process, which gave me comfort that the event would be a great success, which it was. Thank you chef Rachel for the love, care and craftsmanship you put into our daughter's birthday celebration - you made the event that much more memorable for everyone there. Continued success, you deserve it!!!

Great food, professional service up, easy communication…read more Patti prepared the menu and meal for an 11 person bachelorette party at an Airbnb. We had two main course options with sides, veggies, and bread/butter, and Patti accommodated a few tough allergies too. Everything tasted great, good portions (wasn't stuffed, but was definitely satisfied). Patti is a GEM and it was easy and enjoyable planning the menu and executing the evening. Highly recommend!

Patti was incredible! Super responsive, easy to work with and professional. Menu planning was…read moreseamless, communication was great and the dinner was delicious! The day of the our event she brought Brittany to assist, she was also fabulous and fun to work with! They did all of the set up, prep, service and clean up. (They left the kitchen spotless!) We were a group of 6 women in Sonoma for a girls trip. Every one of us left the table stuffed and so satisfied!!! I would absolutely recommend Chef Patti and her team to anyone looking for an exceptional dinner with great, fun service. Thank you Chef Patti and Brittany!

Adam Small and his team were recommended to us by a family member who also used his services for…read moreher wedding. We could not be happier with the recommendation as the appetizers and entrées were absolutely stunning -- both in flavor and aesthetics! Our biggest difficulty was choosing dishes from his diverse catalog of offerings since they all sounded delicious. He was also very accommodating and made various adjustments to account for particular food allergies that some of our guests had (without compromising on flavor at all). For appetizers, we chose: - Pepper-Crusted Seared Ahi Tuna (Seka Hills EVOO, Sicilian Pesto, Herbs) - Ratatouille Tarts (Puff Pastry, Seka Hills EVOO, Parmigiano Reggiano) - Pistachio Flatbread (Onion, Burrata, Honey, and Chili Oil -- this one was a extra-huge hit with all guests) For dinner, we started with a Local Harvest Salad (Farm Vegetables, Fruit, Vinaigrette, Cheese, and Nuts -- plating was particularly beautiful for the salad), and had three entrée options: - Wagyu New York Steak (Imperial American Wagyu, Roasted Vegetables, Marinated Portobello Mushrooms, Potato Galette, and Red Wine Jus) - Signature Duck (Mary's Crusted Duck Breast, Hind-Quarter Confit, Potato Cake, Charred Vegetables, and Duck Jus) - Roasted Butternut Squash with Cannellini Beans (Charred Vegetables, Marinated Portobello Mushrooms, and Saffron-Rosemary Broth) Throughout our entire wedding and afterwards, guests were telling us how impressed they were and that it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding! He and his team arrived right on schedule, set up (including silverware and plates) cooked and served outstanding food, provided extremely attentive service, and then cleaned up, leaving the kitchen absolutely spotless (while also deftly navigating a brief power outage!). We cannot recommend Adam Small Cooks highly enough! His food, attention to detail, and service are truly next level. Thank you again for making our wedding so special!

Chef Adam was amazing!!!…read more We celebrated a friend's birthday with 6 people at an Airbnb in Sonoma. We had a six course menu (see below for details) that was excellent! For the vegetarian in the group (me) he was able to whip up a wonderful dish when everyone else was eating halibut. Every single dish was a stand out and the group was so happy with how everything turned out. This was a wish of the birthday girl - to have a private chef and to spend time with her girlfriends. She was blown away by the experience. The 6 course meal included: Fried Baby Artichokes: lemon aioli, herbs, chili oil Flatbread: preserved truffle, pistachios, onion, burrata, honey, chili oil Ash Roasted Beets: kimchi honey, pistachios, ravigote, feta Charred Zucchini Agnolotti: fried sage, brown butter, lemon, pepper, parmigiana Seared Halibut: fennel-potato salad, herbs, haricot vert, preserved truffle champagne sauce Under-Baked Chocolate Cake: Italian meringue, Luxardo cherries, cocoa nibs Also, our kitchen was left spotless! Thanks again Chef Adam for giving us the perfect first day of our trip!

typically do not leave reviews so when I do it's either absolutely phenomenal or far In comparison…read more Epicurean Escape Catering was by far PHENOMENAL! Matt and Patrick were extremely friendly and the food was to die for! We celebrated our microwedding in Mill Valley and I have always selected new restaurants based on yelps top reviewed restaurants. I figured this would be the best way to go to select a catering option for an area we're not local to or able to try before in person. The reviews did not steer us wrong. We would love to book again after experiencing the food and stellar service. Appetizers: We ordered the heirloom tomato bruschetta which was one of my favorites! The tomatoes were fresh and every bite was memorable! The goat cheese croquettes were to die for and the braised pork shoulder had everyone coming back for more! Dinner: I'm not a huge kale person but we had an amazing kale Caesar salad that had me hoping I could recreate it at home. I honestly don't think there was any left over! It was accompanied by the grilled antipasto platter which complemented the lasagna dinner we had perfectly! The vegetables were cooked and seasoned to perfection! We had the classic bolognese lasagna and red wine braised boneless beef short ribs for our dinner option which were gone in the blink of an eye. Dessert: To top it off, we finished with the mini amaretto panna cotta and blackberry coulis. They were as delicious as they were aesthetically appealing!

Think twice (or more) and don't do it!…read more A group of four couples (hailing from Michigan to New Mexico) were flying into Napa for a long-planned get-together. We rented a home through VRBO and thought it would be a treat to have a catered meal from Epicurean Escape. The price was over $1000 but seemed well worth it and we paid the bill 10 days prior to our arrival. Unfortunately, if not unbelievably, we were alerted by VRBO the very next day that our contract was being cancelled as the rental house had just been purchased by a new owner. Thinking we might have to cancel the trip as VRBO might not have an alternative (they did not), we immediately contacted the caterer that we would have to cancel plans. This was 9 days prior to the planned dinner. The caterer then informed us that this was beyond their normal 10 day cancellation policy and there was nothing they could do other than a (hold your breath) 25% refund!! provide a 'credit' - a great idea for a group of 8 with most of us living thousands of miles away, or assisting us in relocating to a new venue. We eventually located a hotel where we could stay and proceeded with the trip - still very much disappointed with the caterer for not refunding our money with 9 days prior notice (along with forwarding them the note of cancellation from VRBO). With a $150 delivery fee charged by the caterer for delivery to our hotel, and no way for us to warm the food in our rooms, we anticipated the meal would arrive on serving trays with sterno heaters. But of course not.. The server who delivered the food was very nice and accommodating (we tipped them as well even though the paid contract already included an 18% gratuity fee). We began eating immediately, only to find all the food (fish and beef main courses) at room temperature. Perhaps everything would have tasted better had it been heated, but classifying the meal as 'mediocre' would be overly kind. Making matters worse (if that's possible), we have been promised a 'final' contract as three of the planned attendees could not attend, and the caterer agreed to 'adjust', only to never hear back from them almost 2 weeks later. Inflexible policy + less than thrilling meals = at least in my book, an experience worth avoiding at all costs. Caveat emptor.

Chef Tina's classes are wonderful! I took her class on sugar free spreads and came home with…read moreseveral jars of deliciousness. It was fantastic!

From the owner: Tina is a Certified Natural Chef. She is committed to helping people (especially parents) learn to…read morecook delicious, nutritious food with whole, seasonal ingredients. She teaches hands-on, whole foods cooking classes in Sebastopol, CA. Topics include: Family-friendly meals, meal planning, allergy-free cooking, seasonal vegetables and food preservation. Students learn cooking techniques as well as nutritional highlights, and they take home a booklet of recipes and articles. Chef Tina can also be your personal chef. She is specifically trained in therapeutic cooking, and she will customize weekly menus to support her clients' individual health needs.

Chef Alyson recently provided an incredible meal for our family dinner party in celebration of my…read moresister's 50th birthday party. The meal included appetizers, a salad course, an entree, and dessert and the whole thing was truly superb from start to finish. My sister is gluten-free and we have a few food allergies in our household. Alyson worked with us to craft a menu that would fit those dietary restrictions without losing any of the flavors or textures that make a great meal. Chef Alyson was also such a pleasure to have in our home. We were able to enjoy our time together as a family without having to worry about any element of the dinner - and she really made the whole experience fun and relaxing for us. We hope to hire her again for future family celebrations. Highly recommend!!

If you're considering supporting small, independent businesses during COVID, I found a PHENOMENAL…read moreone. Alyson, the brilliant chef behind Nourish, is a gift. She's a talented and gifted cook who creates delectable dishes. Beyond that, she makes you feel truly taken care of. Services begin with a comprehensive interview about food preferences, from favorite cuts of meat to your feelings about pumpkin seeds. She then cooks for your specific dietary needs, whatever they may be - low-carb, vegetarian, high-protein, extra-gluten, etc. She prepares a personalized menu and you get veto-power. (Unless you defer to her choices, which I highly recommend!) On the designated day, she then brings over bags full of AMAZING food, from stews to casseroles to soups and salads. The flavor profiles and creativity are astounding. There's enough to freeze and save for later, depending on how many people you're sharing with. It isn't cheap, but it shouldn't be, and she is worth every penny. If you or your partner need a break from cooking, are tired of eating the same foods, or just want to feel extra-nurtured, Alyson is the Answer. Thank you, Nourish, for the nourishment!!!

Chef Emmanuelle easily gets five starts. The food she prepared was incredible--both unique and…read moredelicious -- the dishes were exquisite to look at as well. Her dessert, a salted caramel chocolate recipe, is to die for. Also, Chef Emmanuelle is a pleasure to have in company. She prepared a dinner of several courses and dessert for our group of 10 over Memorial Day, and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.

From the owner: As a boutique catering company, I have a passion for the success of every event! My specialty is…read moreplanning functions for intimate parties/dinners whether it be a bridal shower, anniversary, birthday or just a celebration of life. I am a chef that is driven by high quality ingredients derived from local farmers whenever possible. Regardless of size or food restrictions, my culinary team and I aim to craft a menu that pleases the palate of our clients.

My husband and I had the chance to experience a dinner by…read more "Cuisines By Lela", Private chef, Linda McCullough, last night. I cannot rave about Linda and her staff enough Her food is exquisite from appetizers to dessert ... absolutely delicious with such attention to detail and presentation. Her stories between courses were engaging and endearing ... talking about the recipes she still uses who were her grandmother's and how she procures herbs and veggies from her own garden..... loved it all !! And the food THE BEST SHORT RIBS I have ever tasted. Every epic bite was so full of rich flavor All the food was THE BEST EVER AND the house was left immaculate, everything cleaned and left better than how she found it I cannot recommend Cuisine by Lela more highly. A dining experience you won't soon forget !!!

We hired Linda to cook a private dinner for my grandmother's 90th birthday, and she was absolutely…read moreoutstanding. From start to finish, the entire experience was seamless and so special. Every single dish Linda and her team prepared was absolutely incredible. The flavors were perfect, the presentation was beautiful, and it was clear that she uses high-quality ingredients. My family is still talking about the meal! Linda was so much fun to work with during the planning process. She nailed the menu right off the bat and the food exceeded all expectations! Her energy added so much to the evening. She is professional, warm, and made the whole night feel effortless for us so we could focus on celebrating with my grandmother. If you are looking for a private chef who is talented, creative, and a joy to have in your home, I cannot recommend Linda highly enough. She made our family dinner truly unforgettable! Thank you, Linda and team!!

This catering service was great! They were right on time and made our event a big hit! The food was…read moreamazing and they were a pleasure to have serve us!

From first contact through the end of the event KT was a joy to work with. Our group was 33. It was…read more100 degrees outside and the AC wasn't working in the pavilion / kitchen where she had to work and set up the buffet - and she never flinched, smiled through it all and made sure everything was just so. Everything was placed out beautifully and tasted as wonderful as it looked. Sorry to say we did not get pics of the dessert, bite size cheesecakes, they were scrumptious and I think disappeared too fast! There may have been some that made it into the fridge after we were done, but they were gone by morning - I'm sure they made some late night conversations even more enjoyable. The place we were at for the retreat was Bishops Ranch in Healdsburg and our group was responsible for the cleanup and had designated volunteers. However, the team walked into the pavilion and kitchen well after dessert and great conversations and everything was not only cleaned up, but leftovers wrapped and put away for people to take home the next day. It was cleaner than when we arrived. That was truly an extra gift she gave us especially given the heat, cramped kitchen and no AC...she was amazing. Would absolutely call on KT again and recommend her highly.

I attended a wine tasting / dinner event at Old World winery and their menu was designed by the…read morefantastic private chef Helena Gustavsson Giesea. Each course was a tasters delight with ingredients which came from local sustainable farms, gardens and (nearby) ocean caught fare. As was her food a delight, her presence after the meal was a treat. She shared passionate experiences, stories and her favorites of food. Helena offers her services as a private chef & mixologist and information can be seen at www.helenaskitchen.com

Helena came to our vacation rental last night and brought a wonderful meal to celebrate my…read morehusband's birthday and our first wedding anniversary. She even made a carrot cake (with banana filling - was awesome!) for my husband's birthday. Working with Helena was a breeze - she made it very easy. The food was delicious and she prepared everything while we chatted and tried not to bother her too much. She was awesome to have around - so friendly and personable, which is what I was looking for. At the end, she sang happy birthday in Swedish. It was such a memorable evening and I recommend Helena to anyone who wants a lovely meal from a gracious chef.