, but you don’t know what to cook. Our menus go beyond the classics (though there’s nothing wrong with a roast chicken, and we’ve got a menu for that). Our goal is to make a gathering memorable by making the intangible element of delicious food completely tangible. We choose food by season, region, or culture to create a cohesive menu. We know how to balance flavors as well as the pacing of the night through the dishes we select and the dining format that we suggest. Get adventurous yourself, or 

 one of these lineups. Either way, these spreads are destined to impress and leave you and your guests dreaming of one more bite.

10 Totally Unique Dinner Party Menus

Stop refreshing your reservation app and kickstart your day from the comfort of home with these cozy menus. We’re playing the hits with fluffy ricotta pancakes, veggie-laden frittatas, granola butter for your toast, and a Calabrian egg salad. Round up your sleepy-eyed friends or make it a family affair: we think these spreads will please any crowd. What’s better? Only waking up to a 

. Two hour wait time—we don’t do that anymore.

Set your Alarm for these 8 Brunch Menus 

Pick your next trip or reminisce about your most recent one with these menus. An expanded palate is a way to expand the mind so we collaborated with chefs whose regional expertise guided each dish. Unique ingredients, flavor combinations, and methods make themselves at home when cooked from your own kitchen, either by you or 

This is placeholder DEK copy for a menu listicle hero card.

10 Menus for Traveling the Globe Without Leaving Your Kitchen

No place at the table for gluten? These menus are up for the challenge.

We are tired of gluten-free meals that fall flat. These menus reset the bar, relying on aromatics, spice combos, and creative substitutions so they don’t need gluten to stand on their own. Creamy dips and colorful crudités steal the show; herb-laden dressings take grain bowls to new heights, and desserts use alt flours to enhance textures. Try your hand or 

, but either way, you’re in the clear to invite your pickiest eaters and pasta-loving friends.

10 Gluten Free Menus That Everyone at the Table Will Love

Menu Ideas

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

Peanuts

Shellfish

Nuts

Gluten

Pork

Sesame

Beef

Alliums

You bring the jazzy playlist. We’ll handle the rest.

This Steakhouse Menu Brings the Sizzle Home 

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

How to Pick the Perfect Dinner Party Dessert

Missing a night on the town? No FOMO here.

Every year, the autumn harvest commands our attention with its abundance of apples, squash varieties, and cruciferous veg. Make the most of the bounty and (it’s that time!) break out the Dutch oven again—or 

 do the honors. Whether you’re clinging to the last gasp of summer or commencing braising season, there’s a menu here for you.


10 Fall Dinner Party Menus For Cozy Nights In

7 Postpartum-Friendly Dishes For Your Fourth Trimester

Yes, you should be having fun at your own party.

The Culinistas’ Ultimate Guide to Hosting

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

How to Make Paella at Home

‘Tis the season of frenzied sales and shopping sprees, but don’t let the stress of gifting distract from the real point of the holidays: to gather with, and give thanks for, the ones you love. While we can’t tell you what to give your Nintendo-loving nephew, we’ve got gift ideas for every type of home cook and host: budding ‘Nistas, armchair mixologists, avid kitchen wizards who think they have it all. Everything on our list, from the stovetop espresso maker to our 

, was carefully selected to make cooking and hosting more fun, creative, and delicious for years to come.

Mill Bin

If building a backyard compost system is beyond you, let Mill do the dirty work. This 

 includes a bin to fill with food waste (weeks' worth of it), which then gets dried and churned into food grounds to get picked up to go back to where it came from: the farm. Or, bring it to your local compost drop-off. Reduce kitchen waste while recycling food? The ultimate gift that gives back.

Bialetti Moka

Italy may be known for its pasta and pizza, but its coffee is equally deserving of praise. This humble 

 restores every morning’s coffee to the sacred ritual that it should be, simmering cups of fragrant espresso. A midweek coffee that tastes like a slow Sunday? Who wouldn’t want that? Tell your coffee-loving friend to give the brew a little stir before pouring to even out the strength.

The Culinistas' Cooking Class

For the people in your life who seem to have it all figured out, experiences make for the best gifts. Choose from four 

 (Steak Night, Pizza Party, Paella Night, New Dessert Classics) all held in the home kitchen and designed to teach our Culinista keys. Your recipient is in for an evening of fun education—and you’ll be the one to reap the rewards of what’s learned.

Smithey Grill Pan

For the grill-master dad in hibernation: 

If your dad mourns the end of grill season, we hear you. Those coveted char marks are possible year-round with this 

, fit for indoor and outdoor use. Durable and sturdy, this powerhouse of a cooking vessel promises years of deliciously seared food. Set him up with a ribeye in the fridge and you may win Favorite Child of the Year.

Le Creuset Bread Oven

On every baker’s journey is a graveyard of failed bread attempts, but fewer mistakes are made when you have the right tools. Equip the future pastry chef in your life with this reliable and expertly designed 

. A cast iron build permits even heat distribution to yield a browned, crispy crust, while a domed lid promotes steam circulation for a soft, air pocket-filled interior. She’ll soon be crafting bakery-worthy loaves of sourdough, focaccia, and dinner rolls.

Vermicular Oven Pot

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, and soon the minimalist in your life will, too. Built to last, this heirloom piece is responsible for indulgent stews, fork-tender braises, and one-pot meals. We’re not saying it’s the only vessel a home cook needs, but it’s a contender for most essential. Watch it become a staple in his kitchen, and get ready for the meals to come.

Fazeek Coupes

We’re convinced everything tastes better when sipped–or eaten–from a coupe, a.k.a. the glass that means it’s time to party. Your cocktail-loving friend probably has a few on her bar cart already, but here's why she needs 

: designed with a wide surface and a bowl shaped into playful ripples, it marries elegance and fun. Plus, they come in an array of colors, so you can add to the collection year after year.

Olive Oil Jones & Tart Vinegar

For the friend who refuses to buy store-bought salad dressing: 

We believe in making dressings by hand, and 

 making dressing by hand. Always glad to know others fall into our camp. With this duo, your dear salad connoisseur will have a head start on any delicious dressing. This 

 is early-harvested and gets bottled to order, preserving the peppery bitterness lost in most olive oils. Its partner in crime is a small batch, 

, with a unique variety of flavors to choose from (truly, any). Together, they amplify each other’s virtues and nudge every salad from good to great. You may want to include our 

 on the card: Double Oil + Acid + Pinch of Spice.

La Boîte Spice Set

Speaking of spice: The heady spices in this 

 are potent and equipped to handle any and all seasoning needs. It includes every spice a home cook should have in their arsenal: peppercorn blends, salty salt, smoky paprika, sweet and tangy sumac, and more. Consider it a quick ticket to transportative cuisines.

Goldie Home Placemats

For the friend who's constantly hosting: 

A host’s tablescape is never complete, so layer on these 

. Their vibrant, tie-dye pattern strikes the balance between fun and sophistication, while their gray hues stay in the background to let the food do the talking.

The Culinistas' Weekly Meal Prep

A full fridge is always a blessing, but once the baby comes, a stockpile of ready-to-eat meals will be a true saving grace. Anticipate exactly what your BFF needs for the fourth trimester by gifting a 

 who’ll cook nourishing and delicious meals that your friend can eat throughout the week.

What to get your favorite food lovers this year? Glad you asked.

The Culinistas’ Gift Guide for Every Home Cook & Host on Your List

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

How to Make Pizza in the Oven

Caramelized, juicy, and perfectly tender every time

How to Sear Steak Like a Chef

This Italian dinner party menu will conjure rolling hills lined with cypress trees, terracotta roofs parallel to cobblestone streets, overflowing carafes of table wine (but better, because it’s from your reserve), pizza, pasta and more pasta. 

, it’s brimming with dishes found in local bars, traditional trattorias, and includes some Classics Redone because it’s YOUR dinner after all.

Roman Pizzette

Meet pizzette, the fast-casual snack of Rome that is the ideal kickoff dish at your Italian dinner party because it is flavorful, three ingredients, easy to prep in advance, light enough not to ruin one’s appetite for the meal, but will absorb a G&T. Our pizzettes are 2-3 bites each of tomato-sauced, marinated artichokes on a mini dough round. We use a Single Ingredient Multiple Ways by mixing the seasoned artichoke brine into tomato paste for a quick, perfectly seasoned sauce, and we use the tart hearts as a topping. With flaky dough, it is a Flavor Trifecta. We love sliced mozzarella bocconcini, anchovies, and cubed pancetta as extra toppers if you want to prepare a variety.

Arugula & Pickled Shallots

Our insalata mista is a billowing bowl of crisp greens adorned with jewel-toned shallots that, in between bites of hearty pasta and piccata, cleanses the palate by offering an acidic punch. The shallots are Quick Pickled in red wine vinegar and sweetened with honey and the mista? Peppery arugula and sharp radicchio offset with sweetness. A meal like this needs a salad, so keep it simple with this one.


Veal Piccata

Often found on restaurant menus in Italy as Scaloppine di Vitello, Veal Piccata consists of thinly sliced, pounded, and lightly breaded pieces of veal. These cutlets get gently sautéed in olive oil, rendering a golden-brown finished product with locked-in juices—an unbeatable combination that guarantees a tender cutlet every time. White wine, lemon juice, and capers get added post-sauté, then reduced until thickened and spooned on top of the veal.

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

Bucatini all'Amatriciana is a full-of-flavor Italian classic, both simple and fun to eat. The sauce is tomato-based and made with guanciale, a cured pork cheek, that adds a smoky flavor. Just like the base of many prized Italian dishes, onion and roasted garlic start the dish with an Aromatic Foundation. And while Bucatini all’Amatriciana is finished with freshly grated parmesan, the rind of the cheese is first cut away and simmered in the sauce to impart its super savory flavor profile throughout. No rules on how much cheese to add on top; the limit does not exist!

Cacio e Pepe Broccolini

Cacio e Pepe is a classic dish from the Lazio region of Italy (the same as Bucatini all'Amatriciana); this preparation riffs on the classic. We roast crowns of broccolini until tender and slightly crisped, then toss them with citrus, pecorino, toasted pine nuts, cracked pink peppercorns, and freshly ground black pepper. We make our cacio e pepe sauce green by using broc stems puréed with lemon juice, olive oil, and pecorino.

Coffee Hazelnut Trifle

The finale dish for this ultimate Italian dinner party is a combination of two beloved Italian sweets: Tiramisu and Maritozzi. For this Classics Redone, thick slices of brioche are toasted until golden then combined with an espresso syrup made from sugar, cocoa powder, and espresso. The espresso-soaked brioche is then layered with mocha mascarpone (a combination of mascarpone cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, and more espresso) and a simple whipped cream. The three components are layered in a trifle dish, dusted with cocoa powder, and garnished with deeply toasted hazelnuts.

Ready to throw a dreamy Italian dinner party? Read our 

 for all the tips, tricks, and strategies you'll need. 


When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, mangiamo!