An anniversary dinner at home for two
A menu written around the two of you, served in your own dining room.
Dinner for two is the smallest thing I do and one of my favorites. No table to give back, no one at the next table. The two of you, four courses, and a cook in the kitchen who leaves after dessert.
The evening, hour by hour
4:00
I arrive with the groceries and my own knives, pans, and induction burner. If you want the table set, I set it: my stoneware, glassware, linens, and candles are included. Printed menus at both places, with your names and the date if you like.
4:30 to 6:30
Prep and cooking in your kitchen while you get ready. You are welcome to wander in; most couples pour a glass and do.
7:00
First course when you are ready for it, not on a timer. I say a sentence about each dish and each pour, then get out of the way.
9:00
Dessert. I pack what is left, wash everything I used, and leave quietly. The rest of the night is yours.
Writing the menu for two
With two people the menu can be personal in a way a dinner party cannot. I ask about the restaurant from your first date, the trip you keep talking about, the dish one of you always orders and the one the other refuses. Four courses come out of that. This time of year it might be:
- Grilled pear and prosciutto salad with arugula, gorgonzola, and honey
- Ricotta gnudi with sage brown butter, black pepper, and parmesan
- Steak au poivre with green peppercorn, cognac cream, and pommes purée
- Pear and almond cake with frangipane, poached pear, and crème fraîche
Or a seven-course tasting menu with a pairing for each course, which suits two people better than any other number. More on the sample menus page.
Wine, and the proposal question
I don’t supply the alcohol, so you buy it and pour it, and I walk you through each one. Once the menu is set I send a bottle list matched to each course, with where to find it. If it is a proposal, tell me; I will build the evening around the moment and be out of sight when it comes.
The price
Dinners start at $650 in chef fees, which is the same whether there are two of you or five. Add groceries at cost, usually $80 to $110 for two, and an anniversary dinner is around $730 to $760. That is more than a nice restaurant for two. What you are paying for is a menu written for the two of you, cooked to order, in your own home, with no time limit. Valentine’s Day is priced 25% above my regular rates and books early. The cost guide has the full breakdown.
Questions people ask
How much does a private chef cost for two people?
Dinners start at $650 in chef fees, plus groceries at cost (about $80 to $110 for two), so around $730 to $760 for the evening. That is the minimum, and it covers up to five guests.
Do you bring the wine?
No, I don't supply the alcohol. I send a list of bottles matched to each course once the menu is set; you buy and pour them, and I walk you through each one at the table.
Can you help with a proposal?
Yes. Tell me the plan and I will build the evening around it and stay out of the way at the right moment.