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

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.

Upcoming

In Season

Favorites

Cocktail Hour

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Pears with Currants

Couscous & Apples

Fall & Winter Garden Risotto

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Beet Hummus & Crudités

Sautéed Greens

Roasted Squash with Pomegranate

Currant & Hazelnut Brussels Sprouts

Date Crumble Bar

Autumn Burrata Bar ($)

Honey Apple Cake with Spiced Whip ($)

Pork Tenderloin with Apples

Honey-Lime Arctic Char

Mushroom Stuffed Shells

Steak with Onion Date Sauce

Delicata Kale Salad

Apple Tarte Tatin with Whipped Cream ($)

Think Pinker Salad

Devils On Horseback

Apple Ricotta Toast

Apple Pear Crisp with Ice Cream

Almond Tahini Cake 

Sea Bass with Leeks & Spinach ($)

Parsnip Kale Quinoa

Pumpkin Rigatoni

Butternut Squash Schnitzel 

Creamed Kale 

Beets & Sweets Gratin

Black Pepper Pork Chop

Roasted Carrots & Turnips

Spinach & Beet Salad

Sweet Potato Hummus & Cruditès

Hasselback Butternut Squash

Brown Butter Fluke & Carrots ($)

Pecan Crusted Chicken & Lettuces ($)

Apple Cider Chicken

Solstice Fruit Salad

Cauliflower & Kale Pasta

Negroni Bar

Fall & Winter Sangria Bar

Simmer Down

Apple Toddy

Scarlet Sangria

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, L.A., the D.C. metro area, Austin, and S.F., 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.

We work with trusted local partners in each of our service areas who will be happy to recommend wines based on your menu and coordinate delivery to your home. Feel free to reach out to the below businesses—let them know we sent you. 

Chamber Street Wines (sam@chambersstwines.com)

Domestique Wine (info@domestiquewine.com).

, 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.

Ageless Favorite 

All great dishes start with an aromatic base to develop flavor

Build A Foundation

Herb or Spice + Sugar + Water, flavor enhancing simple syrups fit for drinks or desserts

Aromatic Simple Syrup 

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

Trifecta

Herbs that thread flavor throughout a recipe and garnish

Infusing Oil

Utilizing floral components for their taste & aroma

Cooking with Flowers 

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

Cooking or pickling fruit changes the complexity of the flavor and enhances the flavor of the dish

Hot Take on Fruit

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

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

Sweet Ingredient + Savory Protein

Ingredient replacements and tool swaps so you can cook with what you have.

Make it Your Own

The Power of Zest

Prior to cooking, toasting grains helps to intensify its flavor

Boost Your Grains

A blend of spices that impart flavor without the heat

Spiced, Not Spicy

Adding a seed, nut or crunchy vegetable to a dish to impart more texture and flavor

The Crunch Factor

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

All the Herbs

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

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

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

Minimal doesn’t necessarily mean simple. The secret is sourcing the highest quality ingredients and knowing how to tenderly treat them. Briny Oysters on the Half Shell go down easy, paving the way for crispy Pork Milanese with a bracing mustard-caper aioli.

Quiet Luxury

Meet us by the hearth for a spread designed to keep out the cold. Our Cassoulet Blanc is a thyme-infused chicken stew that’s both rich and inviting. If that doesn’t make you feel cozy, our Bubbles Bar of timeless champagne cocktails certainly will.

Fireside Chat

Sangria Bar

Seasonal Shabbat

Explore the wide world of Thai cuisine with dishes like Por Pia (Thai spring rolls) and Pad Kee Mao (drunken noodles) that call on aromatic Thai basil and Thai chilies to bring the heat.

One Evening in Bangkok 

Light the menorah and take out your tekhelet table runner. On the menu are Crispy Latkes with Applesauce (non-negotiable), and our new, festive Caviar Plate with a build-your-own-blini set-up. We recommend pairing this one with our Fall & Winter Sangria Bar. 

Chanukah

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

Apero & Apps 

While you can find lemons, oranges, and limes year round, citrus shines in the dead of winter. This menu brims with varieties like kumquats in a Golden Baked Feta dip to plunge crusty baguette, and a Blood Orange Cake that tastes as good as the sun in winter feels.

Super Citrus

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

It’s all about the Indian spices in this menu. Chicken Tikka Masala and Vegetable Biryani do the heavy lifting, while Coconut Chai Cake ends things on a delicate note. 

Indian Rasoi

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.

Brunch & Bubbles 

Break out the champagne flutes and write your toasts. This is a wintry soirée you’ll want to dress up for: Burrata Bar x Bubbles Bar. We bring the best nibbles (figs, bresaola, sliced apples) and peak celebratory cocktails like Kir Royale and French 75. Cin cin!

Holiday Cocktail Party

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

Spritz O'Clock

Nestle into winter with the coziest of menus. Long-simmered braises and slow roasted veggies team up to deliver a hearty and warming spread.

Winter Gluten Free 

Digestif & Desserts

A toast to the year ahead calls for luxurious bites of caviar blinis and Peppercorn Crusted Filet Mignon with Gremolata. Nothing is more classic than this pairing except a kiss at midnight. And we recommend that as well.

New Years Eve

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

A braise is just about the coziest dinner party main. This menu leans on winter veg, starting with Braised Kale Stracciatella with a lemony, basil-accented bite. A red wine-braised Mushroom Bourguignon follows, boasting three types of mushrooms for an umami-forward affair that comes together in half the time of its meat-based counterpart. Did we mention this menu is vegan? (If you’re looking for meat, check out the original Big Braise.)

Big Braise II

Snag the decorative rosehips and leave the rest to us. Our Christmas menu brings cheer in the form of a welcoming Charcuterie & Cheese Board, and leaves you returning to the buffet for seconds of Braised Short Ribs. Need another reason? Read on about our favorite festive dishes here.

Christmas

Plated Classics 

This menu brings tender and succulent dishes to your table that will keep you warm until April. And, if you think hearty meats are the only things getting simmered, just wait for our Braised Kale Stracciatella.

Big Braise

Pizza Party

Early fall’s long-awaited produce needs little more than seasoning and slow cooking, and this spread puts the season’s best front and center.

Fall Gluten Free

If you pictured a molten Fondue Feast upon reading the title, you’re absolutely correct. Whether you’re fresh off the slopes or simply craving the warmth of a cozy cabin, this menu will take your tastebuds to the Alps.

Melting Pot

Autumn Burrata Bar 

To Start 

Pecan Crusted Chicken & Lettuces

Brown Butter Fluke & Carrots 

Sea Bass with Leeks & Spinach

Family Style 

Apple Tarte Tatin with Whipped Cream

Honey Apple Cake with Spiced Whip

Dessert

Drink

Fall Farmstand 

A cozy French meal to tuck into as the nights get cooler. Try our rich Cassoulet Blanc as the centerpiece, accompanied by a panoply of seasonal vegetables.

A Provençal Fall

Majestic King Crab Legs with Basil Butter for dipping are reason enough to invite friends over. Also at its seasonal peak: winter citrus, and our Citrus with Basil bursts with four types. Pomegranate seeds and toasted walnuts add crunch.

Winter al Mare

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

Fresh off the farm come vegetables galore. Don’t think we’re skipping the fruit: our Honey Apple Cake with Spiced Whip is an autumnal dream.

Farm to Plate

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 

This menu creates a festive mood from start (Bagna Cauda & Crudités) to finish (Chocolate Olive Oil Cake), but our Cacio e Pepe will almost certainly steal the show. 

Cacio e Party

A menu with Roman classics and Tuscan favorites that will have you dining like a local; no plane ticket necessary. Buon appetito!

Italian Trattoria 

For some, Christmas Eve is synonymous with an epic night of seafood. We’re starting with snacks like Marinated Anchovy Crostini and Tuna Tapenade to whet our appetites, then diving into bowls of Cod & Clam Cioppino. Dare we say, this one is a catch.

Feast of the 7 Fishes

This menu is like a ticket to Mexico to celebrate the Day of the Dead. Classics like aguachile and tinga will be on the table; we suggest pairing them with a spritzy, refreshing Paloma.

Día de los Muertos

Gin, Tonic & Toasts

If you’ve ever wondered what autumn in Tuscany looks like, look no further. Gorgonzola Grapes start the party, clearing the way for a stunner of a main: caper-studded Veal Piccata. Buon apetito!

Tuscan Table

Hosting made easy with a Culinista chef.

Choose your Menu

Share the Details

Sit Back and Relax

How It Works

Our menus are vibrant, seasonal, and infinitely customizable.

Ready to gather?