When my husband and I first decided to find a personal chef we thought "maybe this will help, we can't keep eating out, it's killing us." Neither of us really knew what a personal chef service looked like. We love cooking but we didn't/don't have time during the week to cook. We hoped we'd get more vegetables into our diet at a minimum. That not eating out would mean less of the white devils (sugar, salt). I reached out to The Skinny Beet in a frenetic and desperate state last December. Since they've entered our lives the sun is shining, the clouds have parted and Mondays are happy (re: they are miracle workers). We have been a weekly client with The Skinny Beet for almost 3 months now. At the end of 1 month we reached out to them and shared a list of each positive benefit directly or indirectly related to hiring them as personal chefs. I would like to share this list with you (reader of my review): 1. My husband and I spend more time together. 2. We portion control better. 3. We work out more (have time to work out). 4. We feel better: less groggy, less irritable, more energy. 5. The food they make tastes flavorful, wholesome and satisfying. We get to eat our favorite cuisines with less of the sugar/salt and more grain/vegetable variety than what we know how to cook. 6. We waste less. 7. The brain space we wasted thinking about what to eat, what to cook, when to go pick things up, crap-I-forgot-an-ingredient --- Poof! Gone. Which, working full time while part time grad school, any and all brain space I can allocate to my work is priceless for me. From Week One: Flexibility with schedule and menu planning was made easy for us - We come home and our kitchen tools and pans lovingly (and somewhat expensively) acquired over time are clean - There are delicious dishes made with quality ingredients ready for devouring in the fridge. We are so grateful for the difference The Skinny Beet has made in our quality of life. Seriously, I wasn't kidding: Miracle Workers. read more

I hired Richard and Katie to come to my apt to give me an private cooking lesson. I didn't really know what to expect, and when they asked me what I wanted to learn I told them I wanted to learn "some of the basics". Well in just a couple hours we were able to cover SO much ground. From making a delicious salsa and homemade chips, to a steak and a chicken, even farro with caramelized onions. Not only did I learn tons of REALLY helpful skills that I've already been implementing, but I had delicious food that lasted me for a handful of meals THAT I HELPED MAKE! They brought all their own ingredients and left my kitchen completely spotless (possibly cleaner than how they found it) I am so thankful to these two and I look forward to our next lessons. read more

The Skinny Beet - Product of a successful home cooking lesson! - Caterers Near Me

My wife first had Richard give us a grilling lesson for my birthday a few years ago. The lesson was fun, informative -- and most importantly -- the food was delicious. We have since used Richard for weekly private meal preparation. My wife has a number of dietary restrictions that Richard has no issue accommodating without sacrificing any flavor or creativity in the meals. We are always excited to see what Richard has planned for the week and often find ourselves fighting over our favorites. The meals are healthy and well-portioned. As an added bonus, his dishes are easily frozen for future meals. We highly recommend Richard for private chef services, special events and cooking lessons. You will not be disappointed. read more

We are a family that desperately needed help to have access to good healthy cooking. At the end of 2015, we reached out to the Skinny Beet duo to help us ... to come once a week and make some dinners for us to reheat as needed. They have done this for nearly a year now and it truly has changed our lives! First, the food is amazing... Lots of options. Lots of accommodation of our various needs (a daughter that loves all things carb and parents that are gluten-free)... On the latter, soups and stuffed veggies (peppers and mushrooms) are truly outstanding. Creative... Tasty ... Always. Second, the communication is stellar. Weekly, we get clear and inspired menus. We are given all the tools to plan our week... And are always greeted by flexibility! Third, after the cooking, it's like a ninja team came through our kitchen... Never an item out of place or an unwashed dish to speak of. I can't more highly recommend Skinny Beet!! They have been a real gift. And are lovely people on top of being life saving food geniuses! read more

I hired The Skinny Beet to give my wife and I some cooking lessons for my wife's birthday. My wife and I are both vegan and I thought that might make these chefs, (on of which writes Boston Burger Blog) cringe but they were so excited! Not only did we learn some great recipes for appetizers and entrees but it also gave me and my wife some much needed kitchen confidence. Richard and Katie are personable, knowledgeable and above all can cook the heck out of some tofu steaks! I was so happy with the lesson that I have recommended them to friends and family. Thanks to Richard and Katie, my wife and I now have a couple of recipes in our repertoire and I now know what "muhammara" is, but not necessarily how to spell it :) read more

I purchased an in-home cooking demonstration and was not disappointed! They were professional, cheerful and talented chefs. We (like many other reviewers) started with homemade pita chips and black bean dip (YUM!), followed by asparagus risotto and roasted chicken thighs. The food was delicious. One of our guest follows a gluten-free diet, and this was not a problem for Richard and Katie. The dessert they made, a pineapple strudel (gluten-free) was good, but it needed to cook for an extra 30 minutes because the fruit chunks were so big. I would have preferred something chocolaty, but I did not give them any direction with regards to dessert, so it's my own fault. Next time, I'll request a chocolate mousse... It was a lovely evening with amazing food. Will definitely hire The Skinny Beet again! read more

This power couple make mean meals, cater parties of all kinds, host a podcast (called The Skinny Beet, which is about all things food, drink and funny stories), they occasionally go on burger crawls and now offer up the public a sneak peak into their kitchen with TWO DAMN GOOD COOKBOOKS!! I call them over achievers (but good ones!) Check out: SUPERFOOD SANDWICHES by Katie Chudy & AMERICAN BURGER REVIVAL by Richard Chudy & Samuel Monsour read more

Richard did a private cooking class for my wife and I based on her favorite dishes/ingredients, and we loved it! He was friendly, easygoing, and made the experience fun, helping us learn techniques, and get ideas and practice. He and Katie also worked with me by email beforehand to finalize an exciting and delicious menu. Even I was able to get involved in cooking, and I'm usually a terrible cook! The meals were delicious, and we made so much we had food for 3 days. read more

We've been enjoying Richard and Katie's personal chef services for several months now and it's been great! In the beginning, they took a quick survey of our food preferences and allergies. Then each week we get an email with the proposed menu of dinners for the next week. Most of the time, the selection is perfect as is, especially now that they've gotten to know us better; but if not, Richard and Katie always have other options on hand to accommodate our requests. They're really friendly so it's easy to change things up. Then once a week, they'll go grocery shopping, come to our kitchen, and do their magic. Food gets stored in labeled tupperware, and they leave the kitchen cleaner than when they arrived. They've been very flexible with working around our schedules, always arriving at whatever time we've arranged, and finishing up within a few hours. Most importantly, the food's been absolutely delicious so far. They've gotten us to expand our palates and try new things while still cooking some of our favorites. Price per meal is equivalent to going out to a nice meal for two, and it's worth it. We're eating a lot healthier now, and we've got a lot more free time to spend as a family. Plus, the portions are generous enough that we our toddler can eat some, and we still have leftovers for lunch sometimes. If you're looking for a personal chef, you should definitely give Skinny Beet a try. read more

I'd like to send some love to The Skinny Beet, who gave us an in-home cooking demo. Chefs Richard and Katie are relaxed and funny, and they really know their stuff. Richard (the Skinny) immediately went to work whipping up some toasted pita chips with a black bean dip, while Katie (the Beet) showed us how to make pasta by hand from scratch. We discovered some new ingredients (ground sumac) and techniques (sauteing garlic with the skin on). They were happy to chat with our guests and us about their techniques, backgrounds, and favorite local restaurants and Food Network shows. And of course the resulting meal (which included a chicken dish) was fabulous. Thanks for a great evening! read more

We hired Richard and Katie for a private cooking class in our home and were absolutely thrilled with the result. Richard worked with us before the class to plan what the dishes would be and was very receptive to ideas on ingredients and what we wanted to get from the class in terms of learning new techniques. We were so happy with the experience, and the pair was so personable, that we attended a special burger night they did at a local restaurant and subsequently have taken their pierogi class at the BCAE. Richard and Katie work together as a great team and compliment each other very well in the kitchen. We are definitely looking forward to learning more from them! read more

I had searched the 'net high and low for just the right chef for a surprise private cooking lesson / engagement dinner when I finally came across the team at the Skinny Beet. Asking a couple of total strangers to play an integral part in one of the most important nights of your life requires a bit of a leap of faith, but choosing to follow this hunch turned out to be a great decision. Not only was our food amazing, but working alongside Chef Richard and Chef Katie felt like sharing our kitchen with friends. We had a blast, picked up some great tips for making the most of our undersized kitchen -- and were engaged by the end of the evening! read more

Richard has been preparing meals for us for quite a while now and we have loved it. He comes once a week and makes several healthy meals with great options for adults and kids. We are eating healthier and have much more control over what we are eating versus eating out or doing take out. He also helped with preparing our Thanksgiving meal this year and it was one of the best ever. Couldn't recommend them more! read more

My husband and I hired Richard and Katie to do the food for our intimate wedding of 30 in September 2010. They were amazing, very personable and willing to take over all the details for us. We made some mistakes, like not ordering enough wine glasses, and they remained cheerful and upbeat as they washed some out for us. They also had to deal with a backed-up sink, which meant having to lug a whole bunch of dishes upstairs to the bathtub (!) to wash them up there. Even then, they kept smiles on their faces and left the kitchen beautiful. Most important, the food was spectacular. We would use them again in a heartbeat. read more

I thought that the food was OK, nothing I would expect from actual trained chefs, though. I was surprised that the chefs left a huge mess in our kitchen after I had cleaned it for the mini dinner party to with our 2 friends. I also think it may be of importance to ask if the counter is clean prior to pouring ingredients on it to make home made pasta, I was confused by this. Since I had just cleaned the counter I wasn't sure to be happy it was a clean surface or scared that I was ingesting cleaning products when eating the pasta. I am a vegetarian so I had no protein option which was a huge disappointment, because they prepared chicken... ah well. read more

We started working with Skinny Beet/Richard after our baby was born and we realized how much money we were spending on food delivery. For almost the same cost, Richard provides are family with wholesome, delicious, and always varied food - meals we would never think (or be able to) make ourselves. He comes once a week and prepares three different dishes for us to re-heat throughout the week. He is a talented chef and has been very easy to work with and so accommodating to our changing schedules. And - an unexpected bonus - our kitchen is spotless after he's done. It has taken the stress out of balancing work and parenting and feeding ourselves and our child. read more

I hired Katie & Richard for a private cooking lesson as a Christmas gift for my girlfriend. After setting up the lesson, I let Katie & Richard know that I was going to propose to my girlfriend after the meal. Katie & Richard were great about getting their job done, cleaning up after themselves, and getting out of the apartment quickly and discretely before we began our meal - and before I ultimately popped the question. I worked with them before the lesson to come up with the menu, which was homemade tortillas, grilled steak tacos, pickled onions, and a delightful salsa. They brought all of the ingredients, some essential tools, and a great attitude. They were patient and made sure we understood each step to the lesson, and provided us with detailed recipes for each of the menu items. The meal and the whole night was unforgettable, and I am forever grateful to them for helping make that night happen! read more

We had Richard by for a an evening of "sauces" and good learning. He is a very easy guy to do business with. A lesson is really easy to set up and he handles things soups to nuts. Very skilled chef and is a solid teacher. We did 3 different sauces on a pork loin. It was cool because some of us were cooking beginners (could barely use a knife),and others more advanced and he was able to adjust and work with us all. It makes for a great night with your friends. Try it... read more

I recently had The Skinny Beet cater a hoedown I had. Richard and Katy offered the most delicious and bountiful menu within my price range. They worked with me to be sure my menu satisfied both my palate and my pocketbook. The delivery of the food was prompt as promised. It was hot and ready to serve. I would use The Skinny Beet again and recommend them to you. My menu: Pulled Pork with Homemade Smoked Apple BBQ Sauce, Grilled Sweet Potato and Zucchini Salad with Chipotle/Honey Dressing, Southwestern Caesar Salad with Black Beans, Grilled Corn and a Roasted Garlic-Lime Vinaigrette. Delicious!! read more

We received a Xmas gift of a private dinner prepared in our home by Chef Katie and Chef Richard. Our dinner was last night and was really exceptional. Katie and Richard brought all of the ingredients to the house and cooked and served a gourmet meal. The dinner began with arugula salad with pomegranate, goat cheese, and spiced pumpkin seeds. Yum! The next course was an espresso-rub skirt steak, served on a bed of quinoa risotto with grape tomatoes. Incredible! Dinner ended with a pear tartlet with caramel sauce. Delicious! Katie and Richard are talented chefs, very personable, and left us a spotless kitchen. I highly recommend them for your next event. read more

Richard and Katie rock! They were very responsive, accommodating, and most importantly, know how to prepare a great meal. I hired them to prepare dinner for our family as a gift to my parents. I went back and forth with them via email regarding a few general menu ideas and dietary preferences, but ultimately put my trust in them to surprise us with whatever they whipped up that evening. We were not disappointed. We can be a bit of a tough group to feed given several dietary preferences/restrictions, but Richard and Katie easily worked around these preferences, such as subbing in oyster mushrooms (so good) in place of steak for the vegetarians. No body went hungry. In fact, one of the vegetarians ended up devouring an entire plate of steak....it was that tasty. If turning a 10+ year vegetarian into a carnivore in one night, doesn't say enough, I don't know how else to convey that they deliver a fabulous meal and a laid back, great dining experience! read more

My daughter surprised my wife and me with a present of a home-cooked dinner prepared by chefs Richard and Katie. Richard started working on a black bean dip with home made toasted pita chips, sauteed cherry tomatoes and chicken breasts while Katie worked on fresh hand made pasta. They carried on conversations about their background, their passion for cooking and their methodologies throughout the preparation process, answering the multitude of questions that we had for them. The highlight of the evening was the pasta making, all done by hand with just a few basic ingredients. Katie made a "bowl" of flour on the counter, added eggs, olive oil and spices, then slowly mixed in small amounts at a time with a fork to form the pasta dough. Next, she hand kneaded the dough, rolled it out and cut it into strips, separating each strip to prevent it from sticking together. The end product from her 30+ minute efforts were amazing ! Watching her work her magic was delightful and entertaining, a real treat from both a culinary and an educational standpoint. Richard and Katie's passion for their craft show through in their food and presentation. They are personable and professional. Give them a try for that special in home dinner party. You'll be quite impressed ! read more