Absolute Deliciousness! Chef Anthony and his team exceeded our expectations! Our guests raved about the appetizers and our dinner buffet and several guests mentioned it was the best food they had ever eaten at a wedding! Chef Anthony hosted an amazing pre-wedding tasting which helped us to plan our menu. He responded to emails promptly, had a warm and vivacious personality and clearly took pride in preparing every dish.. We highly recommend The Prancing Chef! Lori and Doug Webb read more

Anthony and Josh deserve 10 stars! Myself and my family have used The Prancing Chef for various festivities over the last 5 years; from a rehearsal dinner to a surprise 50th birthday bash. Most recently they curated a fantastic family style meal for my birthday dinner. Each dish was so thought out and full of flavor. They did a great job listening to my specific asks, then marrying that with what was in season. Not only is the food spectacular, but both Anthony and Josh are a pleasure to work with. Can't wait for the next event to include The Prancing Chef in! read more

See all

Anthony and Josh gave my friends and I an absolutely magical birthday dinner experience! We hired them for a private five-course dinner, and it became the highlight of our trip. The food was fresh, creative, DELICIOUS, and exactly what we had asked for in regards to our dietary preferences. Communication was excellent leading up to our dinner, and Anthony and Josh were so friendly and personable! Would highly recommend the Prancing Chef and would hire him again in a second! read more

OMG, Chef Anthony is AMAZING!! Not only does he make fantastic food, but he is such a joy to work with! Everything went smoothly, from planning to execution. They even cleaned up at the end & it was like they were never there!! We rented a house with the beautiful kitchen for a birthday weekend in Paso & decided a private chef would be icing on the cake. It was the best decision ever!! He has an extensive menu to choose from, but I simply gave him likes/dislikes & let him run with it. From the first course to the last, everyone raved about the food, and we were sooo stuffed at the end of the meal. The Sambuca prawns, Beef Wellington, and Chateaubriand were by far our favorites, but everything was absolutely delicious. If you're in search of a private chef or a caterer for your event, definitely give the Prancing Chef a call. You will not be disappointed!! read more

See all

As many others have said, we would give Anthony and his team ten stars if we could! He and his team were such a pleasure to work with. They were so helpful in answering every single one of our questions and helping us plan the menu for our wedding. All of the food, from appetizers, to the main course, and finally dessert were all phenomenal. The Roasted Salmon Mi Cuit was hands down the best salmon I've ever had, and we saw so many guests going back to the buffet for seconds of everything. We can not recommend the Prancing Chef enough, and we truly hope we'll have a chance to enjoy his food again in the future! read more

Wish I could give more stars, Anthony and his team go so above and beyond it blows all others out of the competition. After having enjoyed catered events done by Prancing Chef in the past, I am so excited to have booked them for our wedding! Can't wait to share Anthony's love for food and amazing service and presentation with our loved ones read more

I wish I could give more stars, they certainly deserve more. They catered the rehearsal dinner for my Son's wedding. Sarah, Josh, and of course Anthony we all just the best!! The food was spectacular, presentation perfect, in fact everything was perfect. Perfect, what more could you ask. read more

My partner & I got married in October with four of our friends present. We decided to have a catered dinner at our rental house. So glad we did. From the moment we contacted Chef Anthony to the beautifully prepared 5 course meal, was a 5 star experience. Chef Anthony worked with us from the beginning including personal meet up, to develop a personalized menu & service. All at a very reasonable price, especially given outstanding food & service. On day of our dinner Chef Anthony, Josh & one other arrived early to set up. We returned from our ceremony to a beautiful set up of amazing appetizers. They had the table beautifully set & we sat down to a beautifully prepared, very special dinner. Wow! Throughout the evening we were catered to & entertained! They cleaned up & packaged up the leftovers for us. I cannot say enough about how amazing & special Chef Anthony made this evening! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! P.S. The food was amazing! read more

I wish I could give them 10 stars! Anthony was so amazing to work with! He was enthusiastic and passionate. He made us a drool worthy menu. Service was above and beyond. We never wanted them to leave. I booked them for a bachelorette party weekend. They made fresh, clean dishes that were hungover friendly by request. They came in and got right to work and cleaned up completely afterward. I could not recommend them more! Thank you Anthony & Joshua!!!! read more

We hired Anthony for a family reunion at a local ranch. We wanted a 4-course dinner AND an experience. He delivered both! The meal: Two appetizers, salad, dinner and dessert. The experience: For about 2 hours he entertained as he (and his partner Josh) prepared the food. We had a number of our family members that sat in the kitchen and watched while he worked (see photo). Others popped in and out. Anthony answered questions about food prep, seasonings he uses, background information for the recipes and other parts of the meal. He and Josh demonstrated how they cut the vegetables and discussed how (and why) he prepared the meal. He also accommodated the vegetarians in our group that did not want the chicken dish we ordered and prepared a stuffed portabello option. There was plenty of food for all 22 of us. It's hard to tell what the best part of the meal was and it certainly was different for the individual members. One of the biggest problems we had was eating too much of the appetizers because they were so amazing! When we researched the personal chefs in the area we had a number of options. Some were cheaper and had good options for food. But, we ended up going with the Prancing Chef because of the entertainment. He was a willing participant in the experience and was "on" for at least 5 hours. He even took our family photo at the end of the meal for us! We had no complaints. Anthony is worth every penny. If we end up back in the San Luis Obispo area we will definitely use him again. read more

The Prancing Chef - Chef Anthony entertaining while he prepares the meal. Definitely a highlight for many members of our group! - Caterers Near Me - Atascadero, California

Anthony and his fine partner catered a vegetarian yoga and wine tasting weekend retreat I held in Santa Margarita during this past crush season. The last evening, the participants sat around the fireplace discussing "things we were deciding to let go of" before returning to our daily lives after the retreat. One participant said dejectedly: "I'm letting go of Anthony being my personal chef." We all sighed in agreement and then reminisced about delicious almond flour crusted berry crumble, heart-warming vegetarian shepherds pie, luscious zucchini lasagne, etc. etc. etc. Super fresh tasty food, well paired with convivial conversation. And planning with him was EASY. Well organized and prompt in his reply. read more

Wow! That was one of the best dinner experiences I have ever had. For a birthday party at our house we had Anthony and Josh come and do a family style dinner. Anthony made shrimp appetizers, stuffed mushrooms and sweet potato mousse then a great green salad to begin at the table. For dinner we had espresso rubbed short ribs with creamy polenta and green beans. It was an amazing meal! I was really happy how flexible Anthony was with our planning and budget. He made suggestions that allowed us to get what we wanted. What a fun, tasty experience. read more

Anthony and his team catered our daughters wedding last month. Everything was perfect. The planning, tasting, the food and the people were fantastic!! Our guests are still talking about the food at the wedding! Thank you Anthony, Josh, Kelsey and the rest of the team for being a big part of our event! read more

Anthony, Josh, Sarah, and Richie catered our wine club pickup party of 175 guests. They met our budget (came in under a bit, actually) and brought their A-game! We had 80-hour sous vide espresso rubbed brisket, with country mashed potatoes and sweet escabeche vegetables. For dessert we had a farmer's market berry trifle. I saw our wine club members going back for seconds, even thirds. Everyone, literally everyone, who came up to me raved about the food and service. Anthony made a lovely BBQ aioli using our wine, and also incorporated it into the dessert. It was so delicious and the event was flawlessly executed. I 100% recommend The Prancing Chef for any event. They are on-time, prepared, and give the food that little extra "oomph" that makes it really prance. read more

Chef Anthony, aka the Prancing Chef, was an exceptional addition to our girls' weekend near Paso Robles. He took care of all our meal requests and had plenty of options to accommodate our needs - we opted for a plated dinner. From appetizers to dessert each member of our party was completely satisfied. He was quiet and quick while setting up and left the kitchen squeaky clean. Thank you chef! read more

See all

The best experience ever when it comes to a catering business. The food is terrific and Anthony works directly with you to make sure you get exactly what you want. Best food that I have ever had at an event. Everything was ready ahead of the scheduled time. The food was warm and delicious. The staff is friendly and really enjoy their jobs. We are so pleased that we found Anthony and his Team. Enough positive things can't be said about our experience. Thanks Anthony. read more

Anthony and Josh, you are amazing! My family and I thank you so much for making our 50th Anniversary celebration so much fun at the beach house. From the beginning you connected with me in planning the meal and your professional expertise of preparing and mingling of flavors and spices turned out perfect. The opening cocktails/appetizers to the beautifully plated dessert were spectacular. It was a pleasure to have you around and hope our paths cross again in the future. I would highly recommend your company to anyone who is looking for a personal chef/caterer that has a wonderful personality to make the most of your event. We wish you much success in the future, you have a good thing going and make people happy. Thank you so much! read more

Anthony was great to work with on short notice. He cooked the Chicken Marsala and brought it to us piping hot. There was so much food, we were unable to eat it all. Everything was delicious. Definitely would recommend him. read more

Fantastic food, fabulous presentation, and phenomenal service! We've booked Anthony, Josh, and The Prancing Chef team to cater our company holiday dinner party for the last 4 years. The event is always a huge success and our employees rave about it! Working with Anthony is an absolute pleasure, he's professional and entirely capable of putting together an amazing event. He secures everything needed, tables & chairs, linens & table settings, centerpieces, mobile kitchens, whatever is needed, which takes all that work off my plate. He works with the rental places and the event space to be sure everything is well coordinated. Anthony ensures the whole event runs smoothly from start to finish. It's also clear that his staff enjoys what they do! They all put out such a great energy! He and his team set up beautifully and clean up expertly. And the food...OH THE FOOD! The appetizers, salad and sides, the entrées, all are delicious! The chipotle fried chicken was the star this year! Our company holiday party is always such a big hit with our team. They all work so very hard over the year and we want to show them how much we appreciate them and we want our parties to blow them away. The Prancing Chef helps me make that happen without fail each and every year! He's the magic behind the event! I can't recommend him enough! read more

Anthony and Josh are amazing people and know how to make amazing food! Hired them for our wedding for ~120 people, bunch foods, they took care of every thing and people were going back for 2nds and thirds. Definitely would hire them again if the occasion comes up again. read more

Anthony, Liz, and Josh are amazing! They catered my parents' wedding this weekend and blew us all away. The food was absolutely outstanding. I'm vegan and it was a priority for my parents that I have lots of option to feel included. Not only did I have options, but over half the food was vegan and all of it was so inventive! EVERYONE loved it too! We could tell that Anthony and Josh are truly creative and passionate people. They were professional, positive, easy going, and exceedingly competent. They were the highlight of the celebration for us and my family is looking forward to having them over again! My advice to you is to book them quickly because they are often booked solid -- it's no wonder why. read more

I'm unofficially changing the name from The Prancing Chef to The Perfect Chef. Chef Anthony, Liz and Josh created a wonderful dinner and a brunch for our special weekend. The food was outstanding (and healthy) while the preparation and efficiency looked effortless. We know it was anything but. The bonus was their attitudes: always responsive to requests and quietly going about preparing each delicious morsel. We can't say enough good things about Anthony, Josh and Liz. We will definitely have them back for another occasion and look forward to what new dishes they've created. If you can get on their calendar, book them now. read more

Thank you Chef Anthony and Sous Chef Josh. What a spectacular meal you prepared for Roberts birthday. From the table set-up, appetizers, to that-die-for cream brûlée and clean up! Robert (a self-proclaimed chef and foodie ) said best present ever! read more

My first contact with owner, Anthony Allesmith, was in connection with my daughter's upcoming wedding. She had selected The Prancing Chef as the caterer for the rehearsal dinner and was looking for something in the way of a "low-country boil." Anthony was nothing but charming, easy to work with, and, most importantly, creative in coming up with menu suggestions to meet the needs of all our guests. The food was perfect, tasty, and beautifully displayed. Anthony's team leaves nothing undone or to be desired. I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending The Prancing Chef for any catering need. However, this review cannot end here. Much of the food for the dinner above was prepared using the Sous Vide method. Anthony waxed eloquent about the ease, value, and benefit of learning this technique - and he offered to walk me through the initial learning curve if I ever decided to try it. Well, five months later I emailed him with my first question. His excitement and love of the technique came through loud and clear as he answered not only this first email but all the ones after, including multiple text messages! I cannot speak highly enough of him. He is a professional in the very best sense of that word. Use him - every chance you get - and you won't be disappointed. Donna G. read more

We celebrated our girlfriend's bachelorette weekend in Pismo, and our bride had requested a private chef for dinner one of the nights. It didn't take me long to find The Prancing Chef (more like the Perfect Chef)! Through months of emails for menu planning, payment questions, and any general questions, Anthony was a pleasure to work with. When the time came for our event, he was right on time, and such a joy to be around (personality is an understatement)! For appetizers, we had a fabulous cheese board, and summer squash bruschetta (after I told him our bride didn't like tomatoes, he creatively came up with another option). For dinner, a black bean, grilled corn and avocado salad with a cilantro vinaigrette, followed by the main course of "Tri-Day Tri-Tip" which was cooked for 3 days at 135 degrees sous vide. It was like no other tri tip I had ever tasted! The main course was also accompanied by grilled artichokes with a Parmesan cream, and a rice pilaf. When everything was finished, our kitchen was left in better condition than when they arrived. Everyone in our group was completely satisfied! I know our paths will cross again someday, but until then, thank you Chef! read more

See all

The Prancing Chef catered our wedding amidst the craziness of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we cannot recommend him enough for your wedding or any other event, big or small! Our wedding was originally planned as a 150+ person event to take place in Atascadero, but we ended up downsizing the wedding to a 14-person event that took place in Morgan Hill (about 2.5 hours north of Atascadero). Anthony was an absolute dream to work with through it all! He was incredibly flexible and accommodating of our needs during the stressful period while we were changing our wedding plans. Anthony was completely on board with changing the nature of the event from a 150-person buffet to a 14-person prix fixe dinner and enthusiastically (and quickly) came up with a new menu that was perfect for us. He was even willing to work with us and travel to Morgan Hill as we navigated late changes to the wedding ceremony. Through it all, Anthony never failed to maintain his positive attitude and cheerful demeanor. Anthony will do whatever it takes to make your event as perfect as possible, and he will do it all with a big smile on his face! The Prancing Chef helped make our wedding amazing with an incredibly delicious array of food -- we cannot speak highly enough of the Prancing Chef and the quality of the food and service he provides! read more

What a fun experience! I had Anthony cater a dinner for 13 girls during my sister's bachelorette party in Morro Bay and everyone had a blast! The food was amazing, the meatballs and pasta dish we had were absolutely delicious and perfect for a large group after a long day of wine tasting (everyone kept going back for seconds and thirds!). The entire experience with Anthony from the planning to the clean up was easy, professional, and fun. He really goes out of his way to make sure the event is what you want, from getting there early to set up so the appetizers were there and ready when we got back, to setting up a beautiful table and display, it was all just very easy and allowed me to be able to relax and have fun during the party as well, instead of being stuck in the kitchen trying to get everything together. I would definitely recommend The Prancing chef for whatever you need! read more

Chef Anthony catered our wedding dinner this weekend and it was absolutely amazing! Everyone was raving about the food!! Anthony was wonderful to work with and was very generous with his time. We enjoyed the espresso rubbed short ribs and chicken roulade for the mains, but the sides and appetizers were also outstanding. I would highly recommend The Prancing Chef! Thank you Anthony. read more

We used Anthony for a small dinner party (14) at a vacation rental in Morro bay. He did a fabulous job. Everything about working with Anthony is easy from your first email or phone call to when he leaves and your kitchen is perfectly clean. He was so easy to communicate with. He made a custom menu for our dinner based on the theme of our choosing. He put his own twist on Oktoberfest style menu. We were all very impressed with the meal he presented. We had lots of requests and changes along the way and Anthony was extremely flexible and helpful, always replying and delivering a solution. Literally down to the night before he was going to bring us tables if we couldn't get our hands on any. He was super timely with everything & delivered just as he promised and more. We are so grateful we found him for our event. Working with Anthony is like working with a friend and you will be in excellent hands! read more

Look no further for not only an amazing chef but a super-organized, creative, clean and responsible chef who will prepare food that tastes as good as it looks. Chef Anthony and his team are the best of the best. As an event planner for over 25 years, I have hired (and fired) many caterers, both domestically and internationally, and The Prancing Chef is a company that delivers from start to finish. From the moment you start correspondence and conversation with Chef Anthony to the moment his team shakes out your welcome mat as they exit, you will be smiling, relaxed and without worry -- and the food is incredible! Chef Anthony prepared a last minute meal at a vacation rental home for 11 people, ages "Kindergarten to Older than Retirement," that was Gluten Free, Corn Free, Dairy Free, from farm to table and made everyone happy and full. He did all of it on a budget, too! Thank you Chef Anthony (and Pastry Chef who works miracles, Josh) for helping make our vacation so wonderful. We can't wait to taste your next creation and share some cider again! read more