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

Paella Party

Pizza Party

Steak Night

Low Carb

Low Sugar

High Protein

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Low Fat

High Fat

Meatballs Marinara

Leisure Time

Paloma

Spicy Cucumber Margarita

Calamari, Corn & Couscous

Summer Sangria Bar

Roasted Veggies

Tequila Bar

BBQ Ribs ($)

Brown Butter Pecan Blondies

Grilled Seasonal Veggies

Blueberry Galette ($)

Chocolate Lover's Sundae Bar ($)

Fruits & Nuts Sundae Bar ($)

Hummus & Crudités

Tomato Salad

Healthy Chicken Tenders

Mushroom & Potato Skewers with Basil Yogurt Dip

Berry Bowl

Grilled Watermelon Salad

Squash with Herbs

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Berry Crisp

Kale Pesto Penne

BBQ Chicken

Burger Bar

Herb Butter Corn on the Cob

Quick Chat

Charred Peppers

Spicy Guacamole with Corn Chips & Crudités

Brats with Garlic-Parsley Relish

Big Party Lobster Rolls ($)

Mustard Seed Salmon

Buttermilk Romaine Salad

Pumpkin Bran Bread

Lemony Pasta Fagioli

Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake

Roast Chicken with Spring Vegetables

Sweet Pea Hummus & Crudités

Corn & Kale Salad

Burrata Bar ($)

Watermelon & Strawberry Parfait

Grilled Asparagus & Capers

Crab & Corn Dip ($)

California Dip & Crudités 

Grilled Stone Fruit with Sorbet

Sweet Potato & Fennel Soup

Seared Salmon with Summer Squash

Power Green Salad

Sticky Salmon & Broccolini

Zucchini Nuggets

Green Rice

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.

Our cooking classes can accommodate up to 12 people.

Culinista Kitchen® cooking classes start at  $500 (based on guest count) plus groceries, sales tax and a $15 travel reimbursement. We automatically add 20% chef gratuity to all cooking classes.

Weekly service starts at $250. Additional costs include groceries (dependent on size & dish selection), $50 tip, a $15 travel reimbursement for your chef, and tax. Select markets may be priced higher.

Households larger than six people may require more time from a chef, so we price those services on a case by case basis. 

Our three cooking class menus—Paella Party, Steak Night, and Pizza Party—are carefully designed to teach you our Culinista Keys. Whichever menu you choose, you may customize it during the booking process. 

, 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.

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

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.

Our cooking classes are available in the NYC metro area, the Hamptons, LA, and the D.C. metro area.

The standard weekly meal prep service does not include table service. If you'd like a custom service that combines meal prep with table service, please 

Our cooking classes are for all ages, including kids, teens, and adults. They’re designed to help anyone become a better and more confident home cook. We will always adjust our course material based on the participants in class, getting more hands on with a small, adventurous group, or teaching by demonstration if the group is large. We won’t let kids do anything risky, but we will find fun ways to help them participate. Cooking classes are limited to 12 people or fewer. 

, we’ll assign a Culinista chef for your household. we’ll assign a Culinista chef for your household. Each week, you will select the dishes that you’d like to eat from our website. Your Culinista chef will shop for groceries, prep, and cook the dishes in your home, stock your fridge, and leave your kitchen spotless.

We know that everyone eats differently. Our sizes are based on household size, but you should adjust your selection based on household appetites and how many meals per week you desire.

That said, our sizing recommendations are:

If your family is larger than six people, please fill out a 

 and we will provide you with a custom quote.


You can always adjust the size of your service from week to week.

Our cooking classes are designed to help anyone become a better and more confident home cook by focusing on skills that can be applied to many dishes. A Culinista chef will demo the preparation of one full dish, teaching core concepts that we call 

, and cook three additional dishes to enjoy as part of your meal. 

Cooking classes are limited to 12 people or fewer. We will always adjust our course material based on the participants in class, either getting more hands on with a small, adventurous group, or teaching by demonstration if the group is large. We won’t let kids do anything risky, but we will find fun ways to help them participate.

Weekly Meal Prep

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

Beer, sure, but we’re here to feast. This festive menu spotlights Germany’s beloved crispy, crunchy things (potato pancakes, schnitzel) plus all the cabbage.

Oktoberfest

Fall Plated

Sangria Bar

Latke Party

Yom Kippur Break(the)Fast

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

Classic Cocktail Hour

Thanksgiving Sides

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

Getting out of bed is reason enough for a party. This Brunch & Bubbles menu cheers you on with Savory Dutch Babies, Apple Crumble Parfaits, and a glass of something bubbly.

Fall Luncheon

Elegant Holiday Cocktails

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. 

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.