what is a private chef?
It’s a question we are asked a lot. It sounds very exclusive, but the services of a private chef are available to anyone. Put simply, we come and do the cooking for you. This could be for an occasion at home, like a dinner party, lunch gathering, birthday event, or it could be for your family holiday in the UK or abroad. You could hire us for a work event, like an office lunch party or film shoot catering.
Whatever it is, we will do the sourcing and buying of ingredients, the cooking, serving, cleaning and washing up, leaving you with nothing to do but relax and enjoy your time.
why hire a private chef?
We can help to make your next occasion truly special by providing delicious, unforgettable food. By leaving all the stressful parts of entertaining to us, hosting your next gathering is easy. With all the food and serving taken care of, you’re free to look after and enjoy the company of friends and family.
Sometimes a crowded restaurant just isn’t special enough. Having a private chef means you can savour restaurant quality food in your own home, or rented property, and it can often work out no more expensive than going out, by the time you take into account the cost of wine and travel. We can also take individual payments, allowing the cost to be shared between a group.
It can make great sense for parents of young children, as you don’t need to find baby-sitters or be bound by the need to get home by a certain time. And for wine connoisseurs, savour your cherished vintages with a menu designed around the characteristics of your favourite bottles, without the added expense of corkage.
We can also cook for you on your holidays, something we have done both in Europe and the USA, catering for up to 3 meals a day, for up to 20 people. With every meal taken care of, this leaves you with plenty of time to make the most of your vacation.
what we cook
Henry has over 2 decades of experience working as a chef in a variety of different restaurants and as a development chef for the Belazu Ingredient Company. He was head chef at London’s celebrated restaurants Moro and Morito, working for Sam and Sam Clarke, cooking Moorish inspired Spanish food. This led to a love of all the styles of foods that are connected by the Mediterranean, from Spanish to Italian, Moroccan, Turkish and Lebanese, and we like to think our food mixes the best of all of these, with big and bold flavours presented in a relaxed and rustic style.
Henry also worked in Sydney at the renowned Bather’s Pavillion and for Claude Bosi at his 2 Michelin starred restaurant Hibiscus (now moved to Bibendum), so we are also able to create more refined dining experiences.
All our menus use the best of what is in season and we source our ingredients from trusted, restaurant-grade suppliers and smaller producers from local farmer’s markets.
Catering for dietary requirements is not a problem as it’s something we frequently encounter. We are still able to create food that is just as delicious and appealing. Equally, kitchen size is not an issue, as long as we have a stove and an oven. We can adapt to produce fantastic food in all spaces.
If you’re not sure what you want, then get in touch and we can discuss what menu suits you best. We have a wide variety of experience and will be happy to suggest ideas and menus based on your requirements.
how it works
Get in touch with us, via email or the website, to see if we can help with your plans.
We will create a menu tailored to your needs and requirements and provide a quotation.
If you decide to go ahead, we will take a deposit.
On the day of your event, we will come to you ahead of your guests arrival to set up, then cook, serve, wash up and clear everything away, leaving the space as if we had never been there. We can also set and decorate the table, if you need.
sample Menus
3 COURSES INDIVIDUALLY PLATED
SPRING
Hazelnut ajo blanco, asparagus, confit lemon, salted almonds
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Flattened chicken, stuffed artichokes, braised white beans, pea and mint pesto
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Fig leaf and raspberry panna cotta, hazelnut cookies
SUMMER
Tomato and watermelon salad, almond cream, purslane, smoked olive oil
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Spiced Chalk Stream trout, grilled lettuce, kumquats, fried garlic and sherry vinegar dressing
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Ricotta and polenta cake, moscatel and bay leaf poached peaches
AUTUMN
Roasted pumpkin and beetroot, goat’s cheese, walnut dukkah, chipotle vinegar
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Roast cod, olive oil potatoes, grilled leeks and smoked chilli bisque, crab alioli
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Fig and cardamom tiramisu
WINTER
Mushroom and chestnut veloute with sage burnt butter and chorizo toast
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Braised beef short rib, kataifi pastry wrapped potato terrine, grilled red onions, cavolo nero and walnuts
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Dark chocolate and olive oil mousse, sea salt and buckwheat tuiles
PARTY & EVENT MENUS
BRUNCH IDEAS
PLATED/BOWL FOOD/CANAPÉS
Honey and fennel seed granola, strawberry compote with rosewater, seasonal fruits, toasted nuts
Mixed grain porridge, kefir yoghurt, poached apricots, almond butter, toasted seeds
Sourdough, herb and chilli avocado smash, goat’s curd, cashew dukkah, jammy boiled egg
Spanish tortilla made with wilted greens and sweet onions
Baked eggs, tomato, whipped yoghurt, burnt chilli butter, zaatar and flatbread
Courgette fritters, smoked salmon, herb creme fraiche, salmon caviar
Crispy bacon flatbread, spiced date butter, tamarind ketchup
Beef short rib with preserved lemon and tarragon hollandaise, crispy onions
Pistachio and cardamom morning buns
Banana bread, salted butter, maple syrup, toasted walnuts
Brown butter cakes with cinnamon roasted apples
Ricotta, olive oil, orange and polenta cake
Orange blossom and pine nut custard filo tarts
SHARING PLATTERS
BUFFET STYLE
Olive and za’atar focaccia
Hummus, confit lemon and green chilli
Asparagus and grilled green bean salad, capers and pink pickled onions
Tomato and watermelon panzanella with basil and mozzarella
Potato, olive and egg salad with dukkah
Leek, potato, chard and dill borek
Poached chicken, tahini, spring onions, grilled cucumber
Grilled salmon skewers with chermoula and labneh
Roasted ham with spiced honey
DESSERT
Pistachio and rosewater cake, whipped mascarpone, roasted peaches, sour cherry molasses and rose petals
Marmalade sponge cake with creme Catalana custard
Roasted pears with balsamic vinegar and bay leaf, mascarpone, maple walnuts
Brown butter and thyme cakes, roast apples, creme fraiche
Brown sugar and pecan pavolva, poached rhubarb, vanilla creme fraiche
Pistachio tiramisu
CANAPÉ IDEAS
COLD
Toasted focaccia, stracciatella, pistachio pesto
Black rice crackers, smoked aubergine, quail eggs, cumin salt
Burrata ciccheti, fried lemons, black chilli
Grilled artichokes, preserved lemon, dill and pine nuts
Blue cheese tarts with honey, radicchio and pumpkin seeds
Crisp chicken skin, herbed ricotta
Pan con tomate with jamon Iberico
Miso devilled eggs with n’duja
Gildas - ricotta stuffed olives, anchovy and pickled pepper skewer
Crispy tacos, sea bass ceviche, salsa maya, pickle cabbage
Citrus sugar cured trout, fried capers, dill, beetroot, creme fraiche
WARM
Saffron and mozzarella arancini
Brik pastry cigars, filled with dates, manouri cheese and walnuts
Gruyere gougeres stuffed with pumpkin and truffle
Polenta and parmesan croquettes
Whipped goat’s cheese tarts, sweet onion and rosemary
Smoked haddock brandade with gremolata
Crab croquettes
Brik pastry cigars, filled with dates, manouri cheese and walnuts
Mini Moroccan spiced duck pastillas
Testimonials
My husband and I entreated Henry to come to us in Connecticut 8 years ago to cook for a party of 100 guests. His depth of knowledge regarding the use of interesting and sometimes unexpected combinations of ingredients comes together to produce sublimely delicious and artfully arranged food. Since then, Laura and Henry have come to us every summer in Rhode Island to cook for us and our guests during family holidays. We have had them join us in the UK during holdays with a dozen or so friends where they cook for us and provide such a sense of kinship and joy. Their sense of time management is spot on and their passion for the quality of the foods they source as well as their economical use of ingredients is emblematic of their approach to cooking. The two of them have an enormous fan base among our friends here in the states and throughout the UK and Europe. These two never disappoint.
- Dale Goffigon (Connecticut, US)
Laura and Henry have catered my most special life celebrations, tailoring their menus to create unforgettable events. Each time they have privileged local ingredients and spent countless hours creating original recipes that have elevated every gathering. The dishes they served at my intimate wedding was superb in every aspect- it brought my family together around the most beautiful and delicious table I have experienced.
- Sofia (London, England)
I have been happy to enjoy many meals catered by Henry and Laura over the years. Always conjoured up using the best of ingredients to prepare delicious food, alongside lovingly matched drinks, their aim is always the tastiest food served with care and enthusiasm to make their diners have the best of times, such a skill.
- Fiona (Glasgow, Scotland)