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, 

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.

Dairy

Eggs

Fish

Shellfish

Nuts

Gluten

Pork

Sesame

Beef

Alliums

Consider these five factors, and you’ll never stress about the last course. 

How to Pick the Perfect Dinner Party Dessert

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

How to Make Paella at Home

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

How to Make Pizza in the Oven

There are plenty of ways to cook a steak, but there’s only one way we swear by for most cuts, and that’s pan-searing. Grill-heads, we hear you, but think of all the drippings lost through fiery grates. Cooking steak in a pan ensures all that jus stays where it needs to be: with the steak. Drippings secured, pan-searing allows the steak’s entire surface to touch direct heat, leading to a fully caramelized (read: delicious) crust on all sides.

To learn the keys directly from a Culinista chef, 

The Equation for Success

Below, you’ll learn all the keys to searing success: which cuts of meat work best, other ingredients needed, internal cooking temperatures, equipment, and step-by-step cooking instructions.

Cuts of Meat

Just about any cut of beef branded “steak” can be pan-seared (stay away from other cuts like chuck roast, beef shanks, or brisket, whose tougher meat requires a long, low braise). That said, if you’re using a steak thicker than two inches, it’ll need a short time in the oven after searing. Cuts thinner than two inches will cook through just fine on the stovetop. Here are some of our favorite steaks:

Ribeye

New York Strip

Filet Mignon

Sirloin

Chef Tip

Internal Temperatures

Steak will continue to cook after it is off the heat, so it's best to remove it from the pan when it’s a few degrees under the desired temperature. We highly recommend using a 

 when cooking steak because it’s the only way to accurately gauge the level of doneness.

Ingredients

Steak

Salt

Essential Ingredients:

Butter

Garlic

Hard Stem Herbs

Type of Pan

Flavor Boosting Ingredients:

Step By Step

Season the steak

Temper the steak

Preheat the oven

Heat the oil

Sear the steak

Add the butter & herbs

Transfer to the oven

Rest the steak

Chef's Tip

Caramelized, juicy, and perfectly tender every time

How to Sear Steak Like a Chef

Gail Simmons

Top Chef

Dana Cowin

Food & Wine

Gwyneth Paltrow

Goop

Tiana Tenet & Jill Donenfeld

Founders

Steak Night

Low Carb

Low Sugar

High Protein

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Low Fat

High Fat

Pork Milanese

Meatballs Marinara

Think & Drink

Paloma

Spicy Cucumber Margarita

Casa Dragones Joven

Negroni Bar

Pears with Currants

Cherry Upside Down Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake ($)

Fall & Winter Sangria Bar

Spring Sangria Bar

Vegetable Aioli

Sweet Corn Succotash

Panna Cotta

Skirt Steak with Arugula Gremolata

Smoked Salmon Carpaccio

Couscous & Apples

Potato Salad

Leafy Greens with Radishes

Roasted Veggies

Tequila Bar

Fall & Winter Garden Risotto

Cauliflower Steaks with Pomegranate

Horseradish Baked Salmon (Special Occasion) ($)

Pomegranate Salmon

Caviar Plate ($)

King Crab Legs with Basil Butter ($)

Caesar Salad

Mac & Cheddar

Brussels & Pancetta

Mashed Potatoes ($)

Oysters on the Half Shell with Classic Mignonette

Potato Gratin

Brisket & Mushrooms  in Red Wine ($)

Brown Butter Pecan Blondies

Savory Carrot Kugel

Cinnamon Apple Kugel ($)

Wild Rice with Mushrooms

Pickled Vegetables & Mustard

Berries & Whip

White Beans & Chorizo

Mini Margherita Pizzettes

Rosewater Apples & Apricots

Grilled Seasonal Veggies

Tuna Tartare ($)

Sole Meunière ($)

Chocolate Lover's Sundae Bar ($)

Fruits & Nuts Sundae Bar ($)

Beet Hummus & Crudités

Hazelnut Cookies

Ricotta & Roasted Fruit

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Sesame Crusted Tuna

Locally Caught Fish with Lemon ($)

Greek Salad Skewers

Breakfast Burritos

Black Bean Dip & Pico de Gallo

Sautéed Greens

Tomato Salad

Cucumber Salad

Calabrian Cauliflower

Parsley Pesto Broc & Beans

Currant & Hazelnut Brussels Sprouts

Crimson Quinoa

Mushroom Grains Bowl

Date Crumble Bar

Balsamic Green Beans

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Cumin Steak with Roasted Tomato Sauce

Seared Tuna with Radish & Avocado Slaw ($)

Healthy Chicken Tenders

Honey Apple Cake with Spiced Whip ($)

Chocolate Fudge Brownies (GF)

Mushroom Bolognese

Pork Tenderloin with Apples

Charcuterie & Cheese Board ($)

Think Pink Salad

Edamame Dip with Radishes

Pineapple & Persimmons

Tarragon Chicken

Black Bass with Roasted Pepper & Fennel ($)

Spicy Shrimp &  Potatoes

Delicata Squash & Farro

Spinach & Cauliflower Salad

Root Vegetable Pilaf

Braised Lamb with Carrots

Chocolate Torte with Ice Cream

Banana Cake

Steak with Onion Date Sauce

Cauliflower & Quinoa

Berry Bowl

Red Snapper Ceviche

Seared Scallops with Hazelnut Gremolata

Spring Pea Bruschetta 

Watercress Potato Flatbread

Delicata Kale Salad

Ginger Almond Cookies

RGC (Roasted Garlic Chicken)

Fennel Chard Salad

Braised Kale Stracciatella

Spicy Wild Rice & Beans

Confetti Shrimp

Squash with Herbs

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Apple Tarte Tatin with Whipped Cream ($)

Spicy Shrimp Cocktail

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Pudding

Berry Crisp

Stinger

Grilled Lobster ($)

Artichoke & Mushroom Salad

Caprese

Burger Bar

Salmon Rillettes

Lamb Chops ($)

Quick Chat

Simmer Down

Big Brood

Hivemind

Fall Gluten Free

To Start

Sweet Potato Hummus & Cruditès

Family Style

Delicata Kale Salad

RGC (Roasted Garlic Chicken)

King Oyster Mushrooms & Spinach

Hasselback Butternut Squash

Dessert

Apple Pear Crisp with Ice Cream

Drinks

Negroni Bar

Scarlet Sangria