How to Choose the Right Menu for Your Private Chef Experience

You've decided to book a private chef for your 30A vacation. The kitchen is confirmed, the date is set, and now comes the question: Which menu?

With options ranging from a nine-course Michelin-style tasting to a casual Tex Mex taco bar, the choice can feel overwhelming. But the right menu is intuitive once you know what to consider.

Here's how to choose a menu that fits your group, your occasion, and your vision for the evening.

Start with the Occasion

The formality of your event should guide your menu choice.

Special Occasions and Celebrations

Birthdays, anniversaries, milestone celebrations—these call for something refined. Our Signature Private Chef Experience is the most popular choice for special occasions. Four plated courses showcasing seasonal dishes, each presented with care.

It feels celebratory without being overly formal. The kind of meal that marks the occasion but keeps the tone warm and approachable.

Elevated but Relaxed Gatherings

For groups who want something elevated but not fussy, the Chophouse Dinner hits the right note. Prime beef, Gulf seafood, and Southern sides served family-style.

It's approachable, generous, and designed for conversation. Guests pass platters, refill each other's plates, and settle in for the evening.

Casual, Interactive Meals

If your group prefers a laid-back vibe, our Tex Mex Taco Party offers a build-your-own taco bar with tomatillo chicken, Gulf shrimp, and scratch-made salsas.

It's fun, interactive, and easy for guests to customize to their preferences. The format invites participation—guests build their plates and move at their own pace.

Once-in-a-Lifetime Events

For the most important meals—proposals, landmark anniversaries, intimate weddings—the Michelin-Style Tasting Menu is our most elevated offering. Nine courses, wine pairings by a sommelier, served directly by the executive chef.

It's the experience you choose when the evening itself is the event.

Consider Your Group's Preferences

Are They Adventurous Eaters or Traditionalists?

The Signature Private Chef Experience and Michelin-Style Tasting Menu showcase seasonally featured dishes and modern techniques—lemon crystal foam on oysters, collard green pot likker gel, red bean ice cream. These menus appeal to guests who enjoy culinary exploration.

The Chophouse Dinner, Italian Dinner, and Southern Supper lean into familiar, well-executed classics. These menus work well for groups with varied tastes or guests who prefer straightforward, recognizable dishes.

Do They Prefer Lighter or Heartier Food?

Gulf seafood-forward menus tend to feel lighter and more refined. Beef-focused menus (like the Chophouse) are heartier and more substantial.

If your group spent the day at the beach and wants something satisfying but not heavy, a custom Gulf seafood menu is ideal. If they're looking for a rich, indulgent meal, the Chophouse delivers.

Are There Dietary Restrictions?

Most of our menus can be adapted for allergies and dietary preferences. The Signature menus (Signature Private Chef Experience, Chophouse, Michelin-Style Tasting) are fully customizable—we can swap dishes, adjust techniques, and accommodate restrictions.

The Select menus (Tex Mex, Italian, Southern Supper) are prefixed, meaning substitutions may incur additional costs. For groups with complex dietary needs, a custom menu is often the best path.

We have rigid food safety protocols—2,500+ events with zero incidents of cross-contamination.

Match the Menu to the Service Style

Plated Service: Refined and Elegant

Plated service means each course is prepared individually and served to guests at the table. This is the default for the Signature Private Chef Experience and Michelin-Style Tasting Menu.

It feels polished and intentional—the kind of service you'd expect at a fine dining restaurant.

Best for: Groups of 8-16, special occasions, guests who appreciate presentation and pacing.

Family-Style: Communal and Relaxed

Family-style service means platters and bowls are placed on the table, and guests serve themselves. The Chophouse Dinner is designed for this format.

It encourages interaction, invites seconds, and feels less formal. The focus shifts from individual plates to the shared experience.

Best for: Larger groups (16-30+), casual gatherings, families who prefer a communal meal.

Interactive: Hands-On and Fun

Interactive service means guests build their own plates. The Tex Mex Taco Party is our primary interactive menu.

It's the least formal option and works well for groups who want flexibility and participation.

Best for: Casual gatherings, large groups with varied tastes, events where guests prefer to control their own portions.

Think About Timing and Pacing

Do You Want a Leisurely, Multi-Course Experience?

Four-course dinners (Signature Private Chef Experience) typically run 2-2.5 hours from first course to dessert. The pacing is deliberate—time for conversation between courses, space to savor each dish.

This works well for groups who want the meal to be the centerpiece of the evening.

Do You Want Something Quicker and More Casual?

Family-style and interactive menus move faster. Guests control the pace, and the meal can be as quick or as leisurely as the group prefers.

If your group plans to spend the evening on the beach, at a bonfire, or exploring the town after dinner, a family-style or interactive menu gives you more flexibility.

Factor in Group Size

Small Groups (2-8 Guests)

All of our menus work for small groups, but plated service feels especially appropriate. The Signature Private Chef Experience is our most popular choice for intimate gatherings.

For couples or very small groups, the Michelin-Style Tasting Menu offers the most elevated experience. It's limited to 12 guests maximum, which keeps the experience intimate and personalized.

Medium Groups (8-20 Guests)

This is the sweet spot for private chef service. Both plated and family-style service work well.

The Signature Private Chef Experience (plated) and Chophouse Dinner (family-style) are the most popular choices for this size group.

Large Groups (20-50+ Guests)

For larger groups, family-style or interactive service is more practical. The Chophouse Dinner and Tex Mex Taco Party scale well.

Custom menus are also an option for large groups—especially weddings, corporate events, and multi-day celebrations.

Custom Menus: When to Go Bespoke

Sometimes a curated menu doesn't quite fit. That's when a custom menu makes sense.

When to Consider a Custom Menu

• Your group has specific dietary restrictions that require more than minor adjustments

• You want a menu built around a specific theme or cuisine (Mediterranean, New Orleans-inspired, vegetarian tasting, etc.)

• You're hosting a wedding or large event with multiple meal components (cocktail hour, dinner, late-night snacks)

• You have strong preferences about specific dishes or ingredients

• You want a fully Gulf seafood-focused menu

Custom menus require a consultation to dial in the details, but they allow us to build something tailored specifically to your vision.

Minimum for custom menus: 25 guests, $2,000 spend.

Brunch: The Overlooked Option

If your group is staying multiple days, consider adding a Private Chef Brunch.

Brunch lets your group sleep in, skip the crowded breakfast spots, and start the day with a memorable meal. Skirt steak hash, limoncello chicken and waffles, fresh pastries—it's elevated but approachable.

Brunch also works well as a post-wedding meal or farewell breakfast at the end of a long vacation.

How to Decide When You're Still Unsure

Talk to Us

We've prepared over 2,500 events. If you're unsure which menu fits your group, we can guide you based on the size of your party, the formality of the occasion, and your guests' preferences.

Reach out when you book, and we'll walk through the options with you.

Start with the Most Popular

When in doubt, the Signature Private Chef Experience is our most frequently booked menu for a reason. It's refined but not overly formal, customizable, and designed to work for a wide range of groups and occasions.

It's the safe choice that never disappoints.

Consider What Your Group Will Remember

The best menu is the one that fits the moment. A Michelin-style tasting for a proposal. A family-style Chophouse dinner for a reunion. A casual taco bar for a bachelorette party.

Choose the menu that matches the tone of the evening you're trying to create.

The Bottom Line

The right menu is the one that fits your group, your occasion, and your vision for the evening.

If you want refined and celebratory, choose the Signature Private Chef Experience. If you want communal and hearty, choose the Chophouse Dinner. If you want interactive and casual, choose the Tex Mex Taco Party. If you want the most elevated experience we offer, choose the Michelin-Style Tasting Menu.

And if none of those feel quite right, we'll build a custom menu around what you envision.

View all of our menus or reach out to start planning.