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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

Gail Simmons

Top Chef

Dana Cowin

Food & Wine

Gwyneth Parltrow

Goop

Serving Platters & Bowls, corresponding to number of dishes and accompaniments.

Remember small dishes for sauces, dips, and spreads.

Serving Utensils, corresponding to number of dishes.

Remember small utensils for sauces, dips, and spreads.

Tablewares (Tablecloth, Placemats, Napkins)

Dishware (Salad Plates, Dinner Plates, Dessert Plates), corresponding to number of guests and courses.

Flatware, corresponding to number of guests and courses.

Grain-based salads are best if eaten at room temperature, but are also wonderful hot or cold

Meat dishes are prepared medium-rare, poultry dishes are fully cooked through, with sauce on the side

Oven: Transfer meat/poultry/fish and sauce in a covered oven-safe containers or wrapped in aluminum foil @ 375°F for 5-15 minutes depending on desired temperature and doneness

Stove: Reheat sauce over low heat, stirring every 30 seconds until heated to your desired temperature; pour over room temperature meat/poultry/fish

Pasta dishes are prepared al dente and soften in their sauces over time

Pasta dishes are best at room temperature or cold

Stove: Heat in pan over medium heat, adding water as needed so the sauce doesn’t reduce

Microwave: Partially cover the vessel and stir every 30 seconds

Cleaned base greens and salad accoutrements will be packaged separately; toss together in a medium to large bowl and add dressing to taste

Allow sauces, dressings, and vinaigrettes to come to room temperature so they can loosen

Cookies, brownies, bars & scones best eaten at room temperature

Muffins & load breads are best eaten at room temperature or reheated slightly

Slice, spread with butter or coconut oil, and toast butter side down on skillet over medium heat until golden brown

Fruit salads best eaten cold or at room temperature

Glassware (Wine, Cocktail, Rocks, Flutes, etc.)

Hearty vegetable salads are best if eaten at room temperature, but are also wonderful hot or cold

Oven: Transfer into a heatproof vessel @ 350°F until warmed through (5-10 minutes)

Our favorite full set of baking sheets & pans: 

All-Clad Pro-Release Nonstick Bakeware Set

 OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Plastic Cutting Board Set

OXO Good Grips 15-Piece Everyday Kitchen Utensil Set

Make sure the size you order fits in your oven!

All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware Set

Stove Top: Reheat over low heat, stirring every 30 seconds until heated to your desired temperature (4-8 minutes)

Reheating Guide

Equipment

Before your service, please read these helpful tips:

Empty the dishwasher and clear out the sink before the chef arrives.

Make sure you have olive oil, salt, pepper, tin foil & parchment paper for cooking. Plus, soaps, dish rags, trash bags, and a broom for clean up.

Double check our equipment list below, and make sure your kitchen is stocked.

Confirm that stove burners, oven, broiler, and dishwasher work; if something doesn't work, please let us know in advance.

Make sure someone is home to let in the chef at their scheduled time of arrival or that kitchen is accessible without guidance.

Familiarize your chef with the home (shoe policy, smoke alarms, pets, trash, recycling, wash rooms, etc.)

Leave fridge space for groceries, dishes and/or leftovers.

Communicate with your chef about children and furry friends' kitchen rules.

If your service was exceptional and you'd like to tip above the included 20% gratuity, please do so in cash.

Friendly Reminder for Weekly Meal Prep: Your chef(s) are there to cook for you, not set the table or serve you. 

Best Practices

Low Carb

Low Sugar

High Protein

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Low Fat

High Fat

Panna Cotta

Leafy Greens with Radishes

Mashed Potatoes ($)

Oysters on the Half Shell with Classic Mignonette

Berries & Whip

Fruits & Nuts Sundae Bar ($)

Sautéed Greens

Balsamic Green Beans

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Arugula & Macadamia Salad

Berry Bowl

Confetti Shrimp

Scallop Toast ($)

Spicy Shrimp Cocktail

Stinger

Grilled Lobster ($)

Big Brood

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Coffee Cake

Stone Crab Claws with Aioli ($)

Sea Bass with Leeks & Spinach ($)

Mustard Seed Salmon

New York Strip with Spinach & Broccolini

French Onion Soup

Buttermilk Romaine Salad

Creamed Kale 

Salmon with Sherry-Tomato Compote

Caviar Chip ($)

Country Pâté Cracker

Lemony Pasta Fagioli

Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake

Roast Chicken with Spring Vegetables

Olive Oil Poached Halibut ($)

Sweet Pea Hummus & Crudités

Pesto Roasted Potatoes  ($)

Purely Shirley

Burnt Basque Cheesecake ($)

Crispy Baked Artichoke Hearts

Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka

Garlic Confit Red Potatoes

Chicken Scarpariello

Roasted Mushrooms

Sweet Potato & Fennel Soup

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding ($)

Sirloin with Roasted Garlic Sauce

Dry Rubbed Hanger with Steak Sauce

Power Green Salad

Sticky Salmon & Broccolini

Sautéed Shrimp with Tomatoes & Spinach

Zucchini Nuggets

Charred Cabbage Caesar

Spinach & Artichoke Dip with Crudités & Sourdough

Martini Bar

G & T Bar

Bubbles 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

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.