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

Shellfish

Nuts

Gluten

Pork

Sesame

Beef

Alliums

Gail Simmons

Top Chef

Dana Cowin

Food & Wine

Gwyneth Parltrow

Goop

Tiana Tenet & Jill Donenfeld

Founders

Chef Aaron

Culinista chef since 2019

Low Carb

Low Sugar

High Protein

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Low Fat

High Fat

Lemon Chicken & Green Beans

Think & Drink

Seafood Bouillabaisse

Negroni Bar

Flourless Chocolate Cake ($)

Ricotta Pancakes

Spring Sangria Bar

Vegetable Aioli

The Sides ($)

Mustard Pork with Mushrooms

Smoked Salmon Carpaccio

Martini Bar (Special Occasion)

Bubbles Bar (Special Occasion)

Leafy Greens with Radishes

Oysters on the Half Shell with Classic Mignonette

Arranged Crudités

Bread for the Table

Chocolate Covered Fruits & Nuts

Dried Fruits & Toasted Nuts

Marinated Mediterranean Classics

Pickled Vegetables & Mustard

Seasonal Fruit

Selection of Tinned Fish

Selection of Cheese

Selection of Charcuterie

Berries & Whip

Mushroom Grains Bowl

Goddess Salad with Bacon

Lamb Meatballs with Herb Sauce

Mushroom Potato Hash

Charcuterie & Cheese Board ($)

Charred Eggplant Dip & Cucumbers

Mushroom Arugula Frittata

Tarragon Chicken

Arugula & Macadamia Salad

Chocolate Torte with Ice Cream

Arugula & Pea Salad

Cauliflower & Quinoa

Green Beans & Collards

Couscous & Clover

Berry Bowl

Lemon Ricotta Crostini

Spring Pea Bruschetta 

Blueberry Semolina Cake

Steak Tartare

Salmon Rillettes

Quick Chat

Hivemind

Call Her Ginger

Tuna Tapenade

Farm Fresh Lettuces with Herbs

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Concord Torte

Provence Flatbread

White Bean Hummus & Crudités

Blueberry Chamomile Parfait

Cauliflower Steaks with Salsa Verde

French Lentils

Tuna Lyonnaise

Cobb Salad

Peppercorn Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream ($)

Salmon en Papillote

Chicken Paillard with Arugula Salad ($)

Whipped Chèvre Peppadew Peppers

Prosciutto & Melon Skewers

Truffled Mousse & Pear Crostini

Buttered Radishes

Rolled Cucumber & Smoked Salmon ($)

Caviar Chip ($)

Roe on Fingerling Potato

Country Pâté Cracker

Mushroom Pâté Cracker

Chicken Liver Mousse & Jam

Lemony Pasta Fagioli

Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake

Baked Halibut with Radish Pesto ($)

Halloumi, Beets & Citrus

Roast Chicken with Spring Vegetables

Dill Yogurt Dressed Greens

Oysters on the Half Shell

Vignarola

Purple Cauliflower Frittata 

Mini Dutch Babies

Roasted Carrots & Turnips

Work Wife

Sweet Pea Hummus & Crudités

Grilled Asparagus & Capers

Smoked Salmon & Celery Cavatelli

Orzo with Cannellini Beans

Sicily Spritz

Green Juice

Herbed Farro

Matcha Pudding ($)

Seared Chicken with Basil Aioli

Mushroom Bourguignon

Shaved Vegetable Salad with Parmesan & Mint Vinaigrette 

Poached Salmon & Spring Peas ($)

Shaved Celery Salad

Radishes & Rocket

Strawberry Health Bread

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Chermoula Shrimp & Preserved Lemon Aioli ($)

Pistachio & Pine Nut Cookies ($)

Sunday Egg Salad

Vanilla Berry French Toast Bake ($)

Shrimp Saganaki Meatballs

Carrot Cake Oats

Sweet Potato Rosti & Eggs

Power Green Salad

Spring Garden Frittata

Sticky Salmon & Broccolini

Fava Goat Cheese Dip & Crudités 

Herbed Fingerling Potatoes

Rhubarb Raspberry Coconut Crisp ($)

Zucchini Nuggets

Meyer Lemon Tart ($)

Strawberry Rhubarb Clafoutis

Smashed Potatoes with Yogurt Dip

Martini Bar

G & T Bar

Mimosa Bar

Bubbles Bar

Spritz Bar

Grilled Sardines with Fennel & Grapefruit

Yes! We do receive requests for chefs outside of our core service areas, whether for seasonal work, short term travel, or long term, salaried positions.

The Culinistas is committed to offering chefs a flexible work schedule that fits their needs; therefore compensation varies widely and is dependent on the chef’s availability. Some chefs on our platform earn $2,000 a week working for The Culinistas on the side, and others earn $20,000 a month during a busy summer season.

Compensation starts at $175 for meal prep services and $350 for gatherings. Seasonal market and specialty day rates start at $500 per day. Full time roles typically start at $120K per year. All compensation is dependent upon experience, tenure at the company, and household size and needs.


Yes, we encourage Culinista chefs to work in multiple markets. We especially invite chefs across all markets to join us for our busy summer season in the Hamptons.

Gatherings start at $500 (based on guest count) plus groceries, sales tax and a $15 travel reimbursement. We automatically add 20% chef gratuity to all gatherings (i.e. $100 for $500 base rate).

Our chef services are available in the NYC metro area, the Hamptons, LA, and the D.C. metro area, though many Culinista® chefs are happy to travel. For services outside of these areas, 

Yes! Your Culinista chef will plate and serve your meal. If your gathering requires additional waitstaff, we’ll staff a reliable server from our trusted network.

All Culinista cooking services happen in the client’s home. Most chefs prefer to bring their knives–all other tools and appliances will usually be provided.

Our seasonal and long term chef services are available all over the world. Our roster of chefs are largely based in the New York metro area, the D.C. metro area, and Los Angeles, but many are excited to travel. To find a chef in your area, 

Our Culinista chefs have diverse backgrounds, including nutrition certifications and Michelin-starred restaurant experience. Their degrees are from schools like the Culinary Institute of America and Cornell's elite hospitality program.

The Client Services team will present service opportunities to you based on your location and availability. You will always have the option to accept or decline a request based on your schedule and needs. Once matched with a meal prep client, you will automatically be scheduled with them on a weekly basis unless you need a substitute.

We created The Culinistas to make it easier for chefs to do what they love, no matter what stage they are at in their careers. Our HQ team handles the booking, menu planning, billing, and logistics with household clients, so Culinista® chefs can focus on cooking and hospitality. We offer flexibility for those who want it, and stability for those looking for a consistent schedule.

Pricing for these services is determined case by case. Please 

The first step to becoming a Culinista chef is filling out 

. Once we have received your application, we will…

Schedule a 30-minute phone interview to let you know more about the company and and to learn more about you.

For VIP consideration (i.e. summer Hamptons, winter in Aspen, long term placements), ask you to provide up to three references and create sample menus based on different household scenarios.

Complete a 90-minute in person cooking interview. We send you two Culinista recipes the day prior so that you can review and create your prep list. We grocery shop ahead of time, you show up with your knives and other tools you carry in your knife roll. You have 90 minutes to cook, clean and pack up the food (including labeling each dish), emulating a mini meal prep service.

Complete a background check and attend our virtual best practices session.

Yes, we have many seasonal opportunities available. Summer in the Hamptons is our busiest seasonal market.

The most successful chefs on our platform:

Are trained via culinary school and/or restaurant kitchens

Have a combination of fine dining and private chef experience

Have at least 3 years of professional kitchen experience

Are comfortable cooking in high net worth households

Are flexible, adaptable & highly organized

Culinista® chefs are naturally courteous, service-oriented, socially adaptable, organized, flexible and fun.

Our chef services are available in the NYC metro area, the Hamptons, LA, and the D.C. metro area, though we fill requests for chefs outside of these areas (from New Jersey to Nice).

Culinista® chefs are paid a $15 travel reimbursement for every service as a stipend for gas, car service, public transit, etc.

, telling us the details of your gathering and your preferred menu, and we’ll match you with the ideal Culinista chef. Your Culinista chef will arrive with groceries and handle the prep, cooking, serving, and clean up while you enjoy time with your guests.

Yes, we are happy to help chefs find full time work when we receive such requests. If you’re interested in a salaried position on staff with one family, please let us know in your application.

Yes. Clients make selections from menus we design based on over 600 recipes, all of which were developed in house by our culinary team or in collaboration with international consultants. These recipes are designed to ensure that every service is a success.

The Culinistas is a culinary resource that gives everyone the freedom and confidence to connect around a meal.  Through our chef platform, we match vetted private chefs like you with households for in home weekly meal prep, gatherings, and seasonal or long term needs—like full time positions on staff, travel opportunities, and more. As a company built by and for chefs, we aim to take the logistics off Culinista® chefs’ plates so they can provide hospitality and expand their culinary acumen.

If your gathering requires an extra set of hands, we’ll staff a reliable server or bartender from our Culinista network. We do not coordinate rentals or decor but can connect you with vetted vendors if you need additional support.

We offer you a Culinista credit card to use when grocery shopping for your clients. Culinista clients pay the full cost of groceries.

Your work schedule will depend on your preferences and location, and will likely vary by the season, but you can expect to work anywhere from 20 to 40 hours per week.

Certain ingredients in these dishes may make them more costly—and increase your total grocery bill—so we wanted to let you know. 

Culinista chefs are highly skilled but lifelong learners. They are passionate about hospitality, with a knack for creating memorable moments around food.

Many Culinista chefs: