Please enjoy $100 off gatherings of 12 people or more. Discount automatically applied. 

Gatherings

Meal Prep

A Season or Long Term

Cooking Classes

Chef Services Overview

Our booking policy is flexible, so don't worry if these details change. Our chef services are available in 

, though many Culinista® chefs are happy to travel. For services outside of these areas, 

The Culinistas is a resource that gives everyone the freedom and confidence to connect around a meal.

Our optional drinks service includes up to 2 drinks plus waitstaff who will arrive 1 hour before guests and provide 4 hours of service. Additional time will be billed at $60/hour. The Culinistas will provide ice and non-alcoholic ingredients. The host is responsible for providing alcohol.

Dairy

Eggs

Fish

Nuts

Gluten

Pork

Sesame

Beef

Alliums

Gail Simmons

Top Chef

Dana Cowin

Food & Wine

Gwyneth Parltrow

Goop

Low Carb

Low Sugar

High Protein

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Low Fat

High Fat

Pears with Currants

Flourless Chocolate Cake ($)

Couscous & Apples

Horseradish Baked Salmon (Special Occasion) ($)

Pomegranate Salmon

Brisket & Mushrooms  in Red Wine ($)

Savory Carrot Kugel

Cinnamon Apple Kugel ($)

Rosewater Apples & Apricots

Beet Hummus & Crudités

Sautéed Greens

Currant & Hazelnut Brussels Sprouts

Date Crumble Bar

Honey Apple Cake with Spiced Whip ($)

Delicata Squash & Farro

Braised Lamb with Carrots

Berry Bowl

Salmon Rillettes

Sea Bass with Leeks & Spinach ($)

Pistachio Roasted Carrots

Whole Roast Chicken

Latkes & Applesauce

Matzo Ball Soup

Green Matzo Ball Soup

Roe on Fingerling Potato

Chicken Liver Mousse & Jam

Esalen Kale

Lemony Pasta Fagioli

Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake

Roast Chicken with Spring Vegetables

Dill Yogurt Dressed Greens

Arugula & Pickled Shallots

Sweet Pea Hummus & Crudités

Mediterranean Whitefish Spread

Power Green Salad

Sticky Salmon & Broccolini

Zucchini Nuggets

Roasted Broccoli & Dates

Prior to cooking, toasting grains helps to intensify its flavor

Boost Your Grains

All cooked in one vessel, efficient with minimal clean up

One Pot Wonder

Nut + herb + citrus + olive oil, all you need for a perfect pesto

Pesto Equation

All great dishes start with an aromatic base to develop flavor

Build A Foundation

A dish that alchemizes three bold and distinct flavors to hit sweet, sour, savory, salty, and bitter notes

Trifecta

Creating delicious flavor combinations using both cooked and fresh ingredients

Pizza Topping Equation

Herbs that thread flavor throughout a recipe and garnish

Infusing Oil

Browning your protein (crisping the exterior while softening the interior) will help to intensify its flavor

Char Goes Far

Using a sharp ingredient to cut the richness from heavier ingredients

Balancing Act

Large format & straightforward recipes that are ideal for crowds

Party Meal

Layering different types of the same fruit or vegetable to your dish for an extra level of complexity

Tomayto Tomahto

Using natural sweeteners in place of processed and refined sugar

Sweetness Substitute

The unexpected pairing of something sweet to a protein complements the dish

Sweet Ingredient + Savory Protein

Marinate for Flavor

Classics Redone

Creative use of soaked nuts, puréed veggies or dried fruit as your thickener to develop the right consistency

Alternative Thickeners

Use leftover herbs or vegetable scraps to strengthen the flavor in a dish and reduce food waste

Infused Broth

Using onion powder to enhance the onion flavor helps to save cooking time

Onion Powder Power

Using a multitude of soft stem herbs helps to brighten your dressings & marinades

All the Herbs

You’re here to cook, not do math. But knowing a few simple equations—like the 1:1:1 meatball ratio and the fruit salad formula—is the secret to kitchen freedom, and there’s no final exam.


Formula

Flavor keys include techniques from across the culinary spectrum (think: infusing, searing, marinating, pickling) but they all share the same goal: to maximize every ingredient’s flavor, every time you cook. 

Flavor

We’ll help you be efficient in the kitchen by strategizing prep, cook, and rest times, as well as cleaning along the way. 

Timing

A good meal is a feast for all the senses. Consider how you pair colors, textures, shapes, and sizes, and your guests will be impressed even before they take a bite.

Style

Our goal is that healthy cooking and consistent gathering around the table is a sustainable part of your life. That means supporting sustainable food systems and creating recipes that eliminate waste in your kitchen.

Sustainability

A generous attitude is the secret ingredient in any gathering. These keys ensure the mood is right, everyone feels comfortable, and the gathering is seamless. 

Hosting

Health starts with pure, unprocessed ingredients: fresh vegetables, whole grains, wild and grass-fed proteins.  We incorporate clean ingredients where you'd expect and also where you wouldn't expect, like using oats or nuts to create flours and blending veggies into sauces.

Health

Cleaning won’t feel like a chore if your recipes are structured efficiently (ours are), you clean as you cook, and you send your guests home with leftovers.

Less Mess

Sangria Bar

East Coast Seafood Specials

A French-ish spread featuring forkable and finger-friendly bites. Pairs perfectly with our Negroni Bar.

Classic Cocktail Hour

Bring home the warming flavors and aromas of Moroccan cuisine with this robust menu of favorites, like Spiced Lamb with Couscous and Eggplant & Cauliflower Tagine. 

Moroccan Feast

Gazpacho is one of the world’s most refreshing foods. This menu pairs it with satisfying sides like Romesco Toast and Chimichurri Chicken. 

The Lunch Set

Cancel that reservation; the steak, and its beloved sides, are getting cooked up in-house.

Steakhouse Classics

Greece’s most popular dishes, made in your kitchen. Crispy-topped Spanakopita is always a hit, and Fig Frozen Yogurt with Baklava Brittle is nothing short of decadence. 

Opa! Taverna

Dive into this Mediterranean-inspired menu featuring an array of dip-able, swoop-able small plates like our Fattoush Bar and not one but Three Feta Dips.  

Mediterranean Grill

Jewish Classics

Spritz O'Clock

Sandwich Stand 

Winter Digestif & Desserts

Backyard BBQ

Inspired by Chinese-American favorites, this menu is an umami-rich feast with some ‘nista twists. Think Beef & Broccolini and Spinach & Garlic Cauli Rice.

Dynasty Dinner 

Paella is the ultimate dish to gather around, and this menu lets it shine. When it comes to drinks, we simply can’t recommend our Scarlet Sangria enough. 

Paella Night

Peak Summer Specials

Endless Summer 

Get ready for verdant, crisp lettuces and green beans in our Dill Yogurt Dressed Greens, and first-of-the-season berries in a jammy Berry Crisp. 

Spring Gluten Free 

Seaside Ceviche 

Amalfi Al Fresco

Calling all tomatoes and peak season herbs (hello, basil); it’s your time to shine. This menu is bound to help you cool off and satisfy your hunger at the same time.

Summer Gluten Free

To Start

Sea Bass with Leeks & Spinach

Horseradish Baked Salmon

Brisket & Mushrooms in Red Wine

Cinnamon Apple Kugel

Family

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Honey Apple Cake with Spiced Whip

Dessert

Rosh Hashanah

Plated Classics

Pizza Party

Picnic Prep

Raw Bar

This client-favorite menu is nothing but the hits: Bagels & Lox and Mushroom Potato Hash for those who skew savory, and Banana French Toast and Fruit Salad for the sweeties. 

Big Brunch

Tequila Bar

The Grand Aioli

Cinq à Sept

Ice Cream Social

Have a night at the cantina, with dishes like Chicken Tortilla Soup and Esquites, and your choice of tacos: we like carnitas, fish, or both. 

Taqueria en Casa 

Quintessential Culinista Summer

Summer Brunch & Bubbles 

First Signs of Summer 

Italian Trattoria 

Gin, Tonic & Toasts

Take Out at Home 

Never stress about dinner again.

The Culinistas is a resource that gives everyone the freedom and confidence to connect around a meal. Our vetted private chefs are available for in-home:

Brunch, cocktail hour, dinner party, or barbecue? We’re here to help. 

Give us your kitchen for a couple hours, and we’ll leave you with meals for the week.

Weekly Meal Prep

Need a chef for the summer, a short trip, or a forever position? We’ll get you staffed.

Seasonal & Long Term Services

The Culinistas is a resource that gives everyone the freedom and confidence to connect around a meal. We connect you with vetted private chefs for in-home meal prep, gatherings, and seasonal and long term needs. Explore our services. 

No matter the season, there’s a reason to host. We have hundreds of menus for intimate parties and gatherings. Explore a few of our favorites.

Explore our library of seasonal, international, and year-round favorites. 

Homepage menus

Menus for Gathering

Curbed

Bloomberg

Forbes

Marquee

Let a Culinista chef handle the cooking this week. We’ll come to your home with groceries and leave your fridge stocked with vibrant meals—and your kitchen spotless.