Services & Pricing
Family-Style Dinner
Four courses brought to the table on platters: relaxed, abundant, made for passing and conversation. Dinner parties, birthdays, casual gatherings.
Plated Dinner
Four individually plated courses, restaurant-style, served one at a time. Dinner parties, anniversaries, and date nights at home.
Weekly Meal Prep
Four to five customized dinners for your household, cooked in your kitchen and packed and labeled in your fridge. Weekly, biweekly, or as needed.
I’m not taking new meal prep clients at the moment. Send a note and I’ll let you know when a spot opens up.
Dinners start at $650 (that covers up to five guests at the plated rate). Listed prices include the service fee only; ingredients are billed separately at cost, so you only pay for what’s on the plate. Travel outside Central MA and Greater Boston adds a travel fee. Holiday dates (Thanksgiving through New Year’s, and Valentine’s Day) are 25% more. Wine, beer, or cocktail pairings can be added to any dinner; please inquire. For worked examples and the full breakdown, read how much a private chef costs in Massachusetts.
Add-ons
- Kids twelve and under: $50 each, for a kid-friendly version of the menu or a smaller plate of the real thing. Under five eat free.
- Wine, beer, or cocktail pairing plan: $100. I’m a Certified Cicerone, so I think about beer with the same care and attention as wine and cocktails. I build the pairing list course by course and tell you exactly what and where to buy.
- A server: $250 for the evening. Required for plated dinners of 13 or more guests and family-style dinners of 17 or more; available for any size.
- Tabletop kit: included at no charge if you’d like it. Warm, natural stoneware for every course, glassware, silverware, a runner and placemats, cloth napkins and rings, and candles.
Every guest eats well
If one of your guests is gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, or allergic to shellfish, they get a dish that was designed for them, not a plate with things taken off it. Tell me about everyone at the table when you inquire and I’ll write the menu so nobody feels like an afterthought.
Every dinner includes
- A custom menu written for your group
- All shopping and sourcing
- Prep and cooking on-site, in your kitchen, with my own professional equipment
- Course-by-course service
- Printed menus for every guest
- Full kitchen cleanup
- Leftovers packed and labeled
- The house touches: welcome pickles, warm bread and seasonal butter, a little something sweet after dessert, and a treat for the next morning
What to expect
Most folks have never hired a personal chef, and it’s normal to wonder how it works. Here’s the whole evening, from your side of the table.
Before the day
We settle the menu by phone or email. We’ll discuss everything from dietary restrictions to timing, so nothing comes as a surprise.
Do I need to clean?
Some fridge space, a clear counter or two, and an empty sink are all I need. I’ll leave the kitchen cleaner than I found it, and I mean that literally.
What if my kitchen is small, or my oven is old?
I’ve cooked four-course dinners in studio apartments and lake cabins with one burner. Tell me what you have on the questionnaire and I’ll design the menu around it. I bring my own knives, pans, induction burner, and anything else I need.
When do you arrive?
About two to three hours before you want to sit down. I’ll bring everything in, set up, and start prep. You can hang out in the kitchen or go do your own thing, whatever suits you.
Drinks
I don’t supply the alcohol, so you buy it and pour it. Once the menu is set I’ll send a bottle-by-bottle list matched to each course, and at the table I’ll walk everyone through each pour alongside its dish. I bring ice. For cocktails or mocktails, I make the base and mixers, rim the glasses and do the garnishes, and you add the spirit. For a full bar, I can bring in a bartender I work with.
Plates, glasses, and the table
Most hosts set their own table with their own china, and that’s my favorite way to do it. For a four-course dinner you’ll want four plates per guest. If you’d rather not think about it, I bring my tabletop kit at no charge: warm, natural stoneware for every course, glassware, silverware, a runner and placemats, cloth napkins and rings, and candles. Or I bring plates, glassware, flatware, linens, and platters for family-style, at no extra charge. We can set the table together, or I’ll set it when I arrive. Printed menus at every seat either way.
Kids at the table
Welcome. Kids twelve and under are $50 each, for a kid-friendly version of the menu or a smaller plate of what the grown-ups are having. Under five eat free.
How does dinner go?
Courses come out one at a time when you’re ready for them, not on a timer. I’ll introduce each dish in a sentence or two, then get out of the way.
Afterward
I pack the leftovers, wash everything I used, and load out quietly. Most nights I’m gone within forty-five minutes of dessert.
Tipping
Never expected, but greatly appreciated. If you were happy, the best thank-you is a Google review or telling a friend.
Cancellations and weather
Your $200 deposit is fully refundable up to 7 days before the dinner. Inside 7 days it isn’t refunded, but it carries over to a new date within six months. If you cancel within 48 hours, groceries I’ve already bought are billed at cost. If a storm makes the roads unsafe, we reschedule at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost?
A four-course plated dinner is $125 per person and family-style is $100 per person, with a $650 minimum that covers up to five guests. A seven-course tasting menu is $175 per person. Groceries are billed separately at cost, typically about $35 to $45 per person, depending on the menu. A plated dinner for 6 is $750 for my service plus about $250 to $300 in groceries, so roughly $1,000 to $1,050 all in. Holiday dates (Thanksgiving through New Year’s, and Valentine’s Day) are 25% more. Worked examples for 2 to 16 guests are on the cost guide.
What’s included, and what do I need to have?
Included: the menu written for your group, all the shopping, cooking in your kitchen, serving each course, printed menus at every seat, a full cleanup, and leftovers packed up. I bring my own equipment, and I’m happy to bring plates, glassware, and table settings for every course at no charge. All you need is a working oven and stove, some counter space, a little room in the fridge, and whatever you’d like to drink.
Are you available on my date, and how far ahead should I book?
Send the date through the inquiry form and I’ll answer within a day. Two to three weeks ahead is ideal for a dinner; holidays and summer weekends go earlier. Date conflicts are the most common reason a dinner doesn’t happen, so if you have a backup date, put it on the form and I’ll check both.
Can I see sample menus, and can I change things?
Yes to both. The sample menus are a starting point. I send a first draft written around your group, you react, and we fine-tune it together. Changes are welcome right up until shopping day.
Who serves, and who cleans up?
I do both. I plate and serve each course, introduce it in a sentence, and get out of the way. Afterward I clean the kitchen and leave it cleaner than I found it. For plated dinners of 13 or more guests and family-style dinners of 17 or more, a server is required ($250 for the evening); a server is available for any size dinner if you’d like one.
How does payment work?
Invoices come by email through Square. A $200 deposit reserves your date and is applied to your total; it’s fully refundable up to 7 days before the dinner, and inside 7 days it carries over to a new date within six months. The balance is due the day after your dinner, adjusted to the actual grocery receipts. Pay by bank transfer or card, through the Square invoice.
What about allergies and dietary needs?
Tell me about everyone at the table when you inquire: allergies, intolerances, and strong dislikes. If anyone is gluten-free, let me know whether it’s celiac or an intolerance. Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, nut allergies, kosher-style, low-FODMAP: each guest gets a dish designed for them, not a plate with things taken off it.
Can we talk on the phone?
Of course. Call or text (978) 709-1736, or say so on the inquiry form and I’ll set up a time.
Kids, travel, and other extras?
Kids twelve and under are $50 each, and under five eat free. There’s no travel fee across Greater Boston, MetroWest, and Worcester County; farther afield, a travel fee is quoted with the dinner. A wine, beer, or cocktail pairing plan is $100. Gratuity isn’t included or expected, but it’s always appreciated.
Is weekly meal prep available?
Not to new clients right now; it is waitlist only. Current clients are unaffected, and you are welcome to join the waitlist. When a spot opens, this is what it is:
Customized menus prepared in your kitchen for the week ahead, built around your household’s tastes, dietary needs, and schedule, so you eat well on weeknights without cooking every day.
- Weekly, biweekly, or whenever you need it
- Four to five dinners for your household, made with fresh, high-quality ingredients
- Everything packed, labeled, and organized in your fridge or freezer
- Optional add-ons: specialty sides, breakfasts, snacks, or desserts
Do you cook at Airbnbs, vacation rentals, and retreat houses?
Yes, often. Rental kitchens are usually fine as long as there’s a working stove or oven and some counter space; I bring my own knives, pans, and an induction burner. I’ve cooked in rental houses in the Berkshires, on the Cape, and on the Connecticut shore, and for retreats in Northampton. Send the listing link with your inquiry and I’ll check the kitchen photos. More on the vacation rental page.
Which towns do you serve?
Regularly: Upton, Worcester, Shrewsbury, Westborough, Grafton, Northborough, Southborough, Sutton, Mendon, Hopedale, Milford, Bolton, Harvard, Hopkinton, Holliston, Medway, Franklin, Framingham, Natick, Sherborn, Dover, Medfield, Westwood, Wellesley, Needham, Wayland, Weston, Sudbury, Newton, Brookline, Boston, Cambridge, Belmont, Lexington, Lincoln, Concord, Carlisle, Acton, Winchester, and the towns around them. With a travel fee: the North Shore, the Berkshires, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, and coastal Connecticut. If your town isn’t listed, ask and I’ll let you know whether the drive works.
What types of events do you cook for?
- Birthday and anniversary dinners
- Date nights at home
- Dinner parties and holiday meals (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and more)
- Backyard weddings, rehearsal dinners, and elopements
- Bachelorette weekends and Galentine’s dinners
- Wellness retreats and corporate retreats
- Family reunions and vacation-rental getaways
- Or whatever else you can dream up
More on weddings, rehearsal dinners, reunions, and retreats and vacation rental dinners.
Do I need to be there while you cook?
Not at all. I’m happy to work independently while you enjoy your guests, but you’re welcome to hang out in the kitchen. I love chatting with my clients.
Do you provide alcohol?
No. You buy the bottles from a list I match to the menu, you pour, and I walk everyone through each one at the table with its course. I’ll happily suggest wine, beer, cocktails, or mocktails course by course. For cocktails or mocktails, I make the base and mixers, rim the glasses and do the garnishes, and you add the spirit. For full bar service, I work with licensed mobile bartenders.
Are you insured and certified?
Yes. I carry liability insurance through the Food Liability Insurance Program (FLIP), I’m a certified ServSafe® Food Protection Manager, and I hold a current Allergen Awareness Certificate.
Do you offer gift certificates?
Yes. A private dinner makes a memorable gift for birthdays, anniversaries, new parents, and holidays. See gift certificates above for amounts and how it works, or get in touch.
What’s the difference between a personal chef and a caterer?
Catering usually means food prepared in bulk off-site and dropped off or set up buffet-style; it’s the right call for big events. A personal chef dinner is smaller, more personal, and more of an experience: I write a menu just for your group, cook it fresh in your kitchen, and serve it course by course. If the food and the evening are the point, that’s what I do.
Still have questions? Send me a note and I’ll get right back to you.
Gift cards
For the person who has everything, or the couple who never gets a night off: a dinner cooked and served in their own home, with the menu written around them. It works for birthdays, new parents, a thank-you, or the holidays, and they pick the date.
Gift cards are sold through Square and arrive by email in minutes, with a note from you. Any amount from $100. They never expire, and the recipient reaches out whenever they’re ready to plan.
Where I cook
Greater Boston, MetroWest, and Worcester County, no travel fee in these towns (more on the MetroWest and Worcester County page):
- Wellesley
- Weston
- Dover
- Newton
- Brookline
- Boston
- Cambridge
- Lexington
- Concord
- Needham
- Sudbury
- Wayland
- Lincoln
- Sherborn
- Belmont
- Winchester
- Carlisle
- Westwood
- Medfield
- Hopkinton
- Southborough
- Harvard
- Bolton
- Acton
- Natick
- Framingham
- Shrewsbury
- Westborough
- Northborough
- Worcester
- Holliston
- Franklin
- Medway
- Grafton
- Sutton
- Upton
- Mendon
- Hopedale
- Milford
Farther afield with a travel fee: the North Shore (Marblehead, Newburyport), the Berkshires (Great Barrington, Lenox, Stockbridge), the Pioneer Valley (Northampton), Cape Cod, Rhode Island (Newport, Providence), and coastal Connecticut (Mystic).