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

Chef Aaron

Culinista chef since 2019

Low Carb

Low Sugar

High Protein

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Low Fat

High Fat

Negroni Bar

The Big Green Salad

Flourless Chocolate Cake ($)

Spring Sangria Bar

Vegetable Aioli

Mustard Pork with Mushrooms

Fall & Winter Sangria Bar (Special Occasion)

Tequila Bar

Arranged Crudités

Bread for the Table

Chocolate Covered Fruits & Nuts

Dried Fruits & Toasted Nuts

Seasonal Fruit

Selection of Cheese

Berries & Whip

Hazelnut Cookies

Cucumber Salad

Mushroom Grains Bowl

Roasted Carrots & Dates

Tomato Ricotta Pizza

Tarragon Chicken

Arugula & Pea Salad

Potato Kale Salad (Special Occasion)

Couscous & Clover

Berry Bowl

Spring Pea Bruschetta 

Eggplant Caponata

Confetti Shrimp

Olio Santo Eggs

Green Lasagna

Chocolate Pudding

Berry Crisp

Stinger

Artichoke & Mushroom Salad

Fungi Flatbread

Pesto Pizza

Offsite

Simmer Down

Melon, Prosciutto & Parmesan

Farm Fresh Lettuces with Herbs

Essential Spice

Apple Toddy

Coffee Hazelnut Trifle ($)

White Wine Steamed Clams

Seared Polenta & Mushrooms 

Peppercorn Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream ($)

Chicken Paillard with Arugula Salad ($)

Pears with Prosciutto & Bleu Cheese

Buttered Radishes

Mushroom Pâté Cracker

Gorgonzola Grapes

Lemony Pasta Fagioli

Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake

So-Cal Citrus

Baked Halibut with Radish Pesto ($)

Roast Chicken with Spring Vegetables

Dill Yogurt Dressed Greens

Vignarola

Antipasto Salad Pizza

Shaved Vegetable Pizza

Lobster & Snap Pea Paella ($)

Sweet Pea Hummus & Crudités

Burrata Bar ($)

Grilled Asparagus & Capers

Sicily Spritz

Green Juice

Crispy Baked Artichoke Hearts

Charred Cabbage Gratin

California Dip & Crudités 

Roasted Mushrooms

Bagna Cauda & Crudités 

Poached Salmon & Spring Peas ($)

Chermoula Shrimp & Preserved Lemon Aioli ($)

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding ($)

Vanilla Berry French Toast Bake ($)

Tahini Ranch Spring Salad

Scallops with Carrot & Asparagus

Grapes & Almonds

Power Green Salad

Sticky Salmon & Broccolini

Fava Goat Cheese Dip & Crudités 

Herbed Fingerling Potatoes

Rhubarb Raspberry Coconut Crisp ($)

Zucchini Nuggets

Meatballs with White Beans & Pesto

Strawberry Rhubarb Clafoutis

Broccolini & Burrata

Martini Bar

G & T 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.

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.

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. 

Become a Chef

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.


Winter Digestif & Desserts

Bites

Selection of Cheese

Gorgonzola Grapes

Coffee Hazelnut Trifle

So-Cal Citrus

Seasonal Fruit

Chocolate Covered Fruits & Nuts

Drinks

Apple Toddy

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.