How it works

Every engagement starts with a real conversation — not a form to fill out, not a checklist. We talk about who's coming, what the occasion is, what you're hoping to feel at the end of the evening. That conversation is where the menu begins.

I ask about dietary restrictions and preferences upfront. I've cooked for guests who are gluten-free, vegan, navigating autoimmune conditions, and everything in between — and I don't treat those as limitations. They're just part of what makes the menu yours.

After we talk, I put together a proposed menu. Not a template with your name at the top — an actual custom private chef menu, built around the occasion, the season, and what we discussed.

You'll see the courses, the sourcing notes, and the general flow. Some things change before the dinner — if something better shows up at the market, or if a local ingredient comes in that makes one dish significantly stronger, I'll adjust. But the logic and the intent stay consistent with what we planned.

I buy the week of, not months in advance. This matters more than it sounds. Produce sourced directly from farms around Ojai, seafood from the Santa Barbara Channel when it's in season, dairy from small California creameries. Everything bought as close to the dinner as possible.

I have relationships with the farms I work with. When something unexpected shows up — first-of-season Pixie tangerines, exceptional mushrooms after rain — I'll work it in. That's when menus get genuinely interesting.

I arrive well before your guests. Setup, mise en place, kitchen organized and ready. By the time your guests arrive, the kitchen smells like something is actually happening and nothing looks chaotic.

Courses come out when they're ready — not rushed, not stalled. I'm in the kitchen, but you won't feel like you're hosting a cooking class. The evening belongs to your guests. I do the work quietly.

After the final course, I clean up fully before I leave. You wake up to a clean kitchen. That's included in the rate, not an add-on.