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

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

This Steakhouse Menu Brings the Sizzle Home 

Apero, happy hour, aperitivo—that sweet spot before dinner time goes by many names, but wherever you are and whatever you call it, it’s Cocktail Hour somewhere. Whether you’re hosting an office party or slipping into a night out with friends, these cocktail party theme ideas give you a reason to gather. And, each comes with a paired menu to set the mood and get your guests mingling over drinks and beloved finger food. Don’t have a full kitchen? Good news: you don’t need one for these. Better news? 

 means that all you have to do is pick your theme and enjoy your party.

Book Club

Breaking down the book of the month calls for a menu like 

. This build-your-own bar shifts with the seasons, harnessing the sweetest, juiciest fruit to complement your wine-based cocktail. We pair your drink with Marinated Olives & Spiced Nuts, Pan con Tomate, and a Tinned Fish Board because salty, savory bites go best with a thirst-quenching bev and a book you can't put down.

Pre-Theater

5 to 7 is a seductive time, which to us looks like sipping fizzy champagne cocktails from our Bubbles Bar, snacking on rich bites of Mushroom Pâté Cracker, and toasting to the evening ahead. Your child’s dance recital is coming up, or maybe it’s that Broadway show you’ve had on the books; either way, let 

 see you and your guests off to the fun. So put on your best and set your bubbles in a frosty bucket of ice.

Cozy Night In

Dim the lights; we’re gearing up for a movie night with our closest friends. A layout of 

 means mugs of spiced, bourbon Apple Toddys accompanied by spoonfuls of Coffee Hazelnut Trifle that taste like comfort and help you stay up to watch the credits.

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Pre-Dinner

Friends are in town, schedules align, and the only reservation you could grab at the new hot spot was the 9pm (sigh)– we’ve been there. Start the party at yours with 

, where the hour to sip and snack is up to you. Our Spritz Bar serves up the classic (Aperol) along with two other aperitif-based spritzes to whet your guests’ appetites. Bites of burrata, prosciutto and melon are just enough to carry you all until the main event.

Game Night

Cards, board games, and charades all pair well with this 

. Sip salt-rimmed margaritas and frothy mezcal sours, then break for bites of lime-marinated Red Snapper Ceviche and Spicy Guacamole with Corn Chips & Crudités. Sip and repeat.

Office Party

For an evening with colleagues, a spread like 

 is the best kind of bonus. Three of our boldest, bite-sized toasts give you something other than the weather to chat about. And, with a classic G & T for sipping, you’ll loosen up without overdoing it.

Commence the sipping, snacking & socializing.

6 Cocktail Party Theme Ideas

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

Those first few weeks with a new baby are a blur, but nutrition need not be a blindspot. Whether you’re recovering from labor or supporting a partner who is, we’ve got dishes that can feed you and the whole family. Nutrient-packed to help heal and rebuild on a cellular level, they’re replete with easily digestible greens, energizing proteins, and healthy fats. Make them ahead and freeze before the baby comes, or let a Culinista chef make them as part of our 

, because everyone benefits from a bit of mothering.

1. Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Carrot Sauce

Turkey and quinoa make these meatballs protein-rich, while dried apricots bring a welcome touch of sweetness. We serve them over a big spoonful of roasted carrot sauce, which is high in Vitamin A, an important vitamin to support the immune system.

Acclimate to your every-three-hours wake-up routine by adding a cozy, ready-to-eat bowl of oatmeal. Rolled oats get simmered in coconut milk for an ultra creamy porridge that becomes aromatic with warm spices of ginger, cardamom, allspice, and sumac. The addition of any fruit works here, but we opt for roasted pears gone jammy and sweet from cooking. The magic happens overnight, as the flavors meld together to sing in the morning. Nourishing, easily digestible, and spiced-just-right, these oats help replenish iron and promote milk production.

Simple and energizing ingredients come together in more ways than one to yield this balanced and protein-rich dish. These quinoa-crusted patties take inspiration from falafel, but are composed of mashed chickpeas and dill. They rest upon a bed of bursting tomatoes, quinoa, and punchy arugula, before getting dressed with a green sauce that uses up the leftover arugula and dill. Employing each ingredient in more than one way is efficient and leaves no space for missed flavor or nourishment, delivering a vegan meal that will satiate and energize.

Soup for the soul doesn’t necessarily need chicken. The broth takes its flavor from a Sustainable Simmer, employing onion skins, collard green trimmings, and toasted spices. You’ll find sweet potatoes swimming in the broth, swirled with wilted collard greens and savory bites of chewy wheatberries for a minestrone-like finish. Eat now or freeze for the future; it will soothe with every spoonful and sip, warming you through and through, whenever you decide to heat it up.

Whoever said chicken nuggets were just for kids didn’t know a Culinista. These quinoa-crusted chicken and sweet potato nuggets include no indecipherable ingredients and get oven-baked, not fried, until golden and crisp. A bright ranch dressing with a base of tart Greek yogurt threaded with dill and lemon zest delivers a nugget without the drive-through stomach ache.

Speaking of childhood favorites, our mac and cheese incorporates tenderly cooked cauliflower into a creamy, cheesy sauce for a hidden veggie that is so soft-spoken you might just miss it. We did that on purpose. This revamped classic will satisfy your most elementary of cravings with a crunchy breadcrumb topping, too.

This cobb-style salad exemplifies the mantra “eat the rainbow.” Neat rows of forkable bites contain roasted sweet potatoes and golden beets, poached salmon, red kale, toasted pepitas, and a tarragon vinaigrette to make it hearty and filling. It’s a full meal for when you need all the elements in one bowl.

 with The Culinistas to try these and more from our culinary library of 600+ dishes.

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postpartum as listicle

7 Postpartum-Friendly Dishes For Your Fourth Trimester

Christmas is at yours this year? We hoped so. When it comes to hosting one of the year’s most anticipated holidays, we assure you, you don’t need years of experience for the night to be a success. If you’re new to running the show (or even if not), we recommend reading up on the hosting essentials 

. As for the food? This menu guarantees a memorable night. We know when to lean on tradition (charcuterie board, we see you) and when to introduce new ones, like our braised main and its decadent veggie side. If you’re feeling intimidated, 

 to help you out. Don’t be surprised when you’re asked to host next year, too.

Charcuterie & Cheese Board

As your guests trickle in, this array of soft and hard cheeses with ribboned meats will welcome them. The key to any board is choosing a variety of cooked and raw ingredients, which can combine into texturally interesting bites. 

, candied walnuts, dried apricots, and concord grapes are some of our favorite additions. Let your meats and cheeses come to room temperature for about an hour before serving to maximize their flavor (this is called tempering).

Big Green Salad

This simple salad lets peak-season lettuces and herbs do all the talking. Bitter leaves of magenta radicchio and wispy frisée get tossed with parsley and dill. Then a zesty shallot vinaigrette mellows the sharp bite, using two techniques: first, the shallot macerates in acidic lemon juice, becoming sweet and juicy; and, second, it follows our 

 below, to deliver max flavor from just a few ingredients.

Braised Lamb with Carrots

A menu has the power to introduce new traditions, and we can’t think of a better way to do so than giving this juicy, balsamic-braised lamb a seat at your table. Braising is a game of low and slow cooking, either stovetop or in the oven. Try not to fuss with it, but check to ensure the liquid stays ¾ up the meat and add water as needed to promote thorough tenderizing. After gently simmering for hours with carrots and shallots, the fork-tender result gets adorned with ruby red pomegranate seeds and sprigs of woodsy rosemary.

Balsamic Green Beans

Create menu harmony by selecting side dishes that share an ingredient with the main. Thanks to balsamic vinegar, these green beans become the ideal sidekick. Simply blanching green beans in salted water preserves their crisp texture and vegetal flavor, priming them to carry a balsamic reduction, made with sweet cipollini onions, currants, and thyme. To avoid burning the sugars, simmer the liquid on low until it reduces by half.

Charred Cabbage Gratin

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You’ve met the potato gratin, but it’s time you tried the cabbage rendition. After slicing cabbage into rounds, it gets deeply caramelized and tightly shingled in a baking dish. The charred, ruffled edges get doused in a creamy gruyère gravy, followed by panko for a surface that goes golden and crisp when baked. It’s every bit as indulgent as the original, and, perhaps most importantly, the kids will love it, too.

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

Save room for more than a bite of this bread pudding, even if your guests show up with cookies or pastries. Chocolate chips and brioche are joined by—and soaked in—a vanilla bean-speckled custard, before getting baked. Try to wait just long enough to serve it warm with vanilla ice cream that will melt into all the crevices. What’s better? It can be assembled the day before and stored in the fridge, so all you have to do is warm it in the oven before serving.

Fall & Winter Sangria Bar

Setting out chopped fruit, herbs, and alcohol for this Sangria Bar frees you from bartending while allowing guests to craft their drinks as they please. If you can’t choose between red or white, we couldn’t either, so this bar has both. Another hands-off route is batching your Sangria: combine winter citrus, apples, and wine with an aromatic rosemary-cranberry simple syrup overnight to meld their flavors.

You deck the halls, we’ll set the table.

A Christmas Dinner Menu to Make the Holidays Bright

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 

Hosting a gathering is one thing, but doing so with ease and confidence is quite another. So how do you become the gracious host you always wanted to be? Don’t worry–whether you’re handling the cooking or 

, hosting at home is not hard; it takes guidance and a plan, which you will have when you finish reading this article!

A few key steps for planning, organizing, and moving through a gathering will help you lead with hospitality, have fun, and guide the flow. With a plan, you won’t ever feel lost at your own party.

Identify the Purpose

A theme—whether culinary-driven, celebratory, or otherwise—lightens the logistical load. We love Priya Parker’s book, 

 and we stand by her suggestion of themes for gatherings of all kinds. If there isn’t an obvious purpose, like a birthday, consider the small occurrences in life that can be beautiful and appreciated when memorialized: seasons shifting, testing a new grill, or a special night to hear about a family member’s vacation and see photos. Rely on this purpose to structure the flow of the night, your menu, the decor, and your party games (Play! Why not?).

A friend from college just moved to your city, and you want to host a gathering to introduce her to your friend group here. You decide on a Mexican-inspired menu, recalling all the amazing Mexican food you both ate in your college town. Because you went to school on the West Coast, you decorate with poppies and bring out the serving bowl you bought on the spring break trip you went on together. After the meal, you play a couple rounds of 

: one of the best games for learning about new people.

Dinner Party Equation

This equation will quickly become your trusted hosting formula. When deciding on a menu, follow this format:

To start, you’ll want something that can come together either easily or beautifully or in advance (or, all three) to keep yourself free to welcome your guests with a hug, a drink, or to take their coats (or, again, all three). Think build-your-own spreads like charcuterie boards, three ingredient canapés, or a dip that will hold up in the fridge.

The four main dishes should encompass a salad, protein, grain or starch, and a veggie side. Variety is key to ensuring there’s enough to go around and that your guests are satiated, but too much variety can be an overwhelming amount of flavor and choice. Guests overeating is not the goal. Keep your menu balanced by tethering it to flavor profiles that complement each other. If it grows together, it goes together. It’s no accident that fall salads headline earthy Brussels sprouts and tart apples, while winter’s feature citrus supremes and bitter radicchio. Eat seasonally, match dishes by region or culture, or support one bold dish with other simpler dishes.

Think of dessert as an extension of the meal, remembering the suggestions above. If your menu employs lemon throughout the cooking, you may want to keep dessert in the family with a lemony tart or zesty cookies. Alternatively, if your main menu is dairy-forward, consider passing on the ice cream and baking a berry galette or spiced cake in its place. Read more about how to pair your dessert with the rest of the meal 


Remember to gather your guests’ dietary restrictions before finalizing your menu. A good rule is to make sure two of your main dishes will be suitable, that a single ingredient snack following your guest’s requirements is on hand (like nuts, pretzels, crudité, etc), and that there’s a little fruit or cheese for dessert, depending on the needs.

We're All Family Here

Your guests may want to help. They likely know the stressors hosting brings and appreciate your hospitality. This starts with, “What can I bring?” Give your guests who ask straightforward, 101 assignments like fresh bread, pistachios, berries, or espresso beans. Single ingredients that you may not have time or have forgotten to get but that will add something special to the menu. Maybe a box of Maldon salt! Guests will feel useful and like an integral part of the night. Creating a hivemind camaraderie can start here. Another way to include your guests before they step through your front door is to ask them to add to a playlist. Your guests will take pride in knowing they helped set the tone, and it’ll make for great interstitial conversation throughout the night.

During your gathering, if anyone wants to help, assign the task of moving people to the snacks or to the dinner table so you can focus on moving the food. Assign someone to fill water pitchers. Guests succeed with tasks that do not require your oversight or for you to answer questions (such as “Where did you say you keep your box grater?”).

Between the meal and dessert, rather than accept help clearing dishes, which often disrupts the night, assign someone to help guide the conversation while you clear. Ask a friend to tell a specific story, ask the group to come up with their favorite movie of the season, or play a game (see 

Prep is Best

Here are the do-ahead tasks we never skip:

Assess your equipment to be sure you have everything you need to execute. If you’re doing the cooking yourself, map out your stovetop and oven use to make sure you won’t end up with a last-minute traffic jam. If you’re working with a Culinista chef, make sure you have everything on our 

Count your plates, flatware, and glasses to serve your guests. Do this a few days before in case you need to borrow (see: “What can I bring?” above). Plan out your serving vessels, too, so that you know where your dishes will be going once prepped.

Batch a cocktail or two a day ahead, slice citrus, and buy sparkling water and tonic.

If you’re handling the food, make anything that can be done in advance like a casserole or large-format dessert the night before or early in the morning. Do any prep work in advance that won’t wilt, discolor, or go bad (e.g. chopping, slicing, blanching, blending sauces).

Mise en Place

On the subject of prep work, the restaurant philosophy of mise en place (everything in its place) is a mantra among Culinista chefs. Once your do-ahead prep is done, set up your equipment and ingredients for day-of cooking. That means washing and chopping produce, making sauces or marinades, and even portioning out ingredients so they’re ready to go. This will save you time when you’re cooking and naturally encourage you to clean as you go, which is what will make you feel in control, calm, and on top of the evening.

Set the Tone and the Zones

Walk through the night in your home. Arrange your space to create the movement and momentum you envision. Three hours at the table can make any guest, and their host, antsy, so when it comes to pacing, consider the 30/60/90 rule: spend 30 minutes enjoying pre-dinner snacks and cocktails, 60 minutes at the table, and 90 minutes for dessert, games, and less structured chatter either at the table with the seating rearranged, in another room, on the patio, or around a coffee table.

Take Time to Toast

Before you dive into the feast, between standing cocktails and seated dinner, remember to toast to your shared purpose for gathering. Tell your guests why they are here, maybe what they will be eating, and perhaps what will be asked of them (reiterating the purpose). Then let yourself be present and pay full attention to your guests. A gathering you can actually be a part of? That’s the greatest party trick of all.

Games

We love games at gatherings because they’re a way for guests to connect and learn about each other in a structured but fun way. Games are especially great for introverts who might not otherwise join the conversation. Different games work for different types of gatherings and personalities. A creative bunch might thrive in a game of 

, while a more intellectual crowd may prefer 

, so think about what will enhance your evening best.

End Scene

This is your gathering, and your guests are relying on you to run it. When it’s time to end the night, you need to be the one to call it. If you’ve followed our guide, the only dishes to do should be the ones from the table, not from prepping the meal, and we suggest doing those after guests leave, not during the meal or with their help afterwards. (

, you won’t be doing any dishes at all.) End the night on a high note, even if it goes late into the evening, which we hope it does.

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

The Culinistas’ Ultimate Guide to Hosting

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

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Test: Fun Foods

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 

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10 Menus for Traveling the Globe Without Leaving Your Kitchen

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

How to Make Paella at Home

, 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

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

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

We all want to be that person—you know the one—who makes pizza at home. With the right equipment, ingredients, and cooking methods (that you can modify to fit your oven), you'll be slinging pies like a pizzaiolo.

To learn the keys to homemade pizza directly from a Culinista chef, 

Equipment

This is not a “winging it” endeavor. You need the right equipment. Some of it is specifically for pizza; some things you probably already have at home. You can absolutely make your own dough, but there’s no shame in using store-bought or pizzeria-bought dough.

Kitchen Scale

Stand Mixer

For the Dough (optional)

Pizza Stone

Baking Sheet

Cook Surface Options

Pizza Peel

Pizza Cutter

Suggested Tools

Ingredients

Pizza Dough

Sauce

Must-have Ingredients:

Cheese

Cornmeal

Toppings

Optional Ingredients:

Step By Step

Preheat the oven

Roll out the dough

Add the sauce, cheese, and toppings

Cook the pizza

Rest the pizza

Step by Step

The beauty of homemade pizza is you can make multiple small pies, learning as you go. It’s also a wonderfully interactive experience: every guest can make a pie with their toppings of choice. And if you’re craving a more in-depth lesson on how to make pizza at home, 

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

How to Make Pizza in the Oven

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Caramelized, juicy, and perfectly tender every time

How to Sear Steak Like a Chef

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

Having an Italian Dinner Party? Here's What to Serve.

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Looking for more menu inspiration?

Falling snow, wood-burning fireplaces, and steaming mugs of whatever warms you most. Welcome winter with feasts that celebrate its bounty. Plunge into our Winter al Mare menu, and taste why now is prime time for seafood. Or tuck into Big Braise II, the strongest antidote we have against the chill. Sleigh winter with these 