On Friday, I’ll be attending a dinner party at my friend Shannan’s house in the suburbs of Chicago. I was impressed when the menu for our evening was sent over. Take a look:
Looks pretty yummy right? I know that I love a good pork roast – especially one that I don’t have to cook! Guess what? Shannan’s not cooking either!!
She’s using this great service called KitchenSurfing.com where private chefs come to your house with all of these amazing fresh ingredients, cook a beautiful meal for your and your friends or family, and then CLEAN UP.
Someone heard my family whimpering in fear when they were invited to my house to eat my cooking. Clearly this is why I was invited. The last time I cooked a turkey, it turned into something that resembled cottage cheese. But that’s a story for another day …
Upon wandering around the KitchenSurfing.com website, there are fantastic options for just about any kind of adult party you can think of. And dietary type. Want to hold a vegan-only holiday party? They can do that. Interested in a Kosher dinner party? They can do that.
The most interesting thing I saw on the website was that there are already themed evenings with menus that are planned out. So if you are interested in throwing a birthday party for a friend, and she is in love with all things Paris, KitchenSurfing.com already has a menu planned around “A Trip To Paris.” How fun is that?
So here’s how KitchenSurfing.com works and some of the most frequently asked questions (from the KitchenSurfing.com website):
Why does a personal chef only costs $50 per person?
Because you’re paying the chef and supplying your own liquor and wine, KitchenSurfing eliminates the cost of operating a restaurant. And by standardizing the price of the menu and requiring a minimum party size of six, Chefs know their budgets up front, allowing them to focus on the creative aspects of designing unique, delicious menus.
What is included in the cost of my meal? Do I have to tip?
The cost of your meal includes the chef’s labor, ingredients cost, clean up and gratuity. There will also be a three percent service fee when we process your credit card for payment. Our chefs will clean everything they’ve used to cook, as well as their work space. In order to let you relax and enjoy hosting, chefs will leave any utensils, dishes, and glassware you are still using up to you.
Gratuity is included in the cost of your meal, so there is no need to worry about tip.
Who are the chefs? How do you pick them?
We fully screen our chefs so you can be sure to trust them. They all get background checks and are taste-tested by KitchenSurfing staff before they go live, and receive ongoing training from us to ensure you get the highest quality service.
When does the chef arrive and what happens next?
Our chef will arrive 1-2 hours before the time you specified that you’d like to eat. Then, our chef will quickly get oriented in your kitchen, prepare, cook, and serve your meal, introducing and explaining each dish as it comes to the table. If you have any questions for them while they are cooking, or if you’d just like to chat, feel free to do so. Having a KitchenSurfing Chef in your kitchen is a unique experience, so please do take advantage of it!
I can’t wait until Friday night to experience a fun dinner party with amazing food. Given my cooking skills, you can bet I’ll be using KitchenSurfing.com the next time I want to have a get together a my new house!!
Coincidentally, Shannan lives DOWN THE STREET from my old house so it will be nice to visit the old neighborhood now that I’ve been gone for so long *ahem – 5 months*
*This post was sponsored by KitchenSurfing.com. Writer was compensated. Opinions are her own.
