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

Yes, you should be having fun at your own party.

The Culinistas’ Ultimate Guide to Hosting

Don’t be intimidated: this Spanish classic can be conquered at home, even without a paella pan.

How to Make Paella at Home

We all want to be that person—you know the one—who makes pizza at home. With the right equipment, ingredients, and cooking methods (that you can modify to fit your oven), you'll be slinging pies like a pizzaiolo.

To learn the keys to homemade pizza directly from a Culinista chef, 

Equipment

This is not a “winging it” endeavor. You need the right equipment. Some of it is specifically for pizza; some things you probably already have at home. You can absolutely make your own dough, but there’s no shame in using store-bought or pizzeria-bought dough.

Kitchen Scale

Stand Mixer

For the Dough (optional)

Pizza Stone

Baking Sheet

Cook Surface Options

Pizza Peel

Pizza Cutter

Suggested Tools

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

Sauce

Must-have Ingredients:

Cheese

Cornmeal

Toppings

Optional Ingredients:

Step By Step

Preheat the oven

Roll out the dough

Add the sauce, cheese, and toppings

Cook the pizza

Rest the pizza

Step by Step

The beauty of homemade pizza is you can make multiple small pies, learning as you go. It’s also a wonderfully interactive experience: every guest can make a pie with their toppings of choice. And if you’re craving a more in-depth lesson on how to make pizza at home, 

You’ll be slinging pies like a pizzaiolo in no time.

How to Make Pizza in the Oven

Caramelized, juicy, and perfectly tender every time

How to Sear Steak Like a Chef

Gail Simmons

Top Chef

Dana Cowin

Food & Wine

Gwyneth Parltrow

Goop

Pizza Party

Low Carb

Low Sugar

High Protein

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Low Fat

High Fat

Leisure Time

Paloma

Spicy Cucumber Margarita

Strawberries & Peaches

Calamari, Corn & Couscous

Sea Bass with Charred Cucumber ($)

Summer Sangria Bar

Chimichurri Chicken

Roasted Eggplant with Pine Nut & Raisins

Summer Garden Risotto

Tequila Bar

Lentils & Quinoa

BBQ Ribs ($)

Brown Butter Pecan Blondies

Grilled Seasonal Veggies

Blueberry Galette ($)

Chocolate Lover's Sundae Bar ($)

Fruits & Nuts Sundae Bar ($)

Bloody Mary Bar

Ricotta & Summer Fruit

Hummus & Crudités

Tomato Salad

Calabrian Cauliflower

Parsley Pesto Broc & Beans

Crab Salad on Endive

Mushroom & Potato Skewers with Basil Yogurt Dip

Charred Eggplant Dip & Cucumbers

Green Chili Steak

Berry Bowl

Grilled Watermelon Salad

Squash with Herbs

Spicy Shrimp Cocktail

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Pudding

Berry Crisp

Kale Pesto Penne

BBQ Chicken

Burger Bar

Herb Butter Corn on the Cob

Lamb Chops ($)

Quick Chat

Offsite

Charred Peppers

Farm Fresh Lettuces with Herbs

Spicy Guacamole with Corn Chips & Crudités

Brats with Garlic-Parsley Relish

Big Party Lobster Rolls ($)

Buttermilk Romaine Salad

Fig Pochette

Caprese Skewer

Peach & Nectarine Crisp

Lemony Pasta Fagioli

Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake

Fig Frozen Yogurt with Baklava Brittle ($)

Roast Chicken with Spring Vegetables

Romaine & Avocado Salad

Arugula & Pickled Shallots

Sweet Pea Hummus & Crudités

Corn & Kale Salad

Burrata Bar ($)

Watermelon & Strawberry Parfait

Romesco Rice

Grilled Asparagus & Capers

Crab & Corn Dip ($)

Bluegrass Black Tea

Seared Chicken with Basil Aioli

California Dip & Crudités 

Grilled Stone Fruit with Sorbet

Seared Salmon with Summer Squash

Cod with Ratatouille 

Power Green Salad

Sticky Salmon & Broccolini

Fava Goat Cheese Dip & Crudités 

Sautéed Shrimp with Tomatoes & Spinach

Herbed Fingerling Potatoes

Rhubarb Raspberry Coconut Crisp ($)

Zucchini Nuggets

Green Beans with Sesame Herb Dressing

G & T Bar

Spritz Bar

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.

, 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.

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.

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

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

Backyard BBQ

To Start

Spicy Guacamole with Corn Chips & Crudités

Family Style

Buttermilk Romaine Salad

Brats with Garlic-Parsley Relish

Squash with Herbs

Mushroom & Potato Skewers with Basil Yogurt Dip

Dessert

Berry Crisp

Drinks

Summer Sangria Bar

Spritz Bar

Hosting made easy with a Culinista chef.

Choose your Menu

Share the Details

Sit Back and Relax

Culinista chefs hail from top restaurants around the country. They help celebrate our culinary methods and approach to hospitality.

Party Like a Culinista

Our services also include chefs for weekly meal prep, cooking classes, and seasonal & long term needs.