Private Chef Service Timeline: What to Expect from Booking to Cleanup

Booking a private chef for your 30A vacation is straightforward, but understanding the full timeline—from your first inquiry to the final cleanup—helps set expectations and ensures a seamless experience.

Here's what happens at every stage, and what you need to know along the way.

Step 1: Initial Inquiry (Day 1)

The process begins when you reach out—by phone, email, or through our website.

What We'll Ask

• Event date and location: Where you're staying on 30A and when you'd like the meal

• Guest count: How many people will be dining

• Occasion: Birthday, anniversary, family vacation, wedding event, or just because

• Menu preferences: Are you interested in one of our curated menus, or do you want something custom?

• Dietary restrictions: Any allergies, preferences, or restrictions we should know about

What We'll Share

• Menu options: We'll walk you through our menu offerings and help you choose the right fit

• Pricing: All pricing is transparent and all-inclusive—what you see is what you pay

• Availability: We'll confirm whether your date is available

Timeline

Most inquiries are answered within 24 hours. If you're booking during peak season (March-September) or around a holiday, earlier notice is helpful.

Step 2: Menu Selection and Customization (Days 1-3)

Once we've confirmed availability, the next step is finalizing your menu.

Curated Menus

If you choose one of our curated menus—Signature Private Chef Experience, Chophouse Dinner, Michelin-Style Tasting, etc.—we'll walk through the dishes and make any adjustments based on your preferences.

Want to swap a protein? Adjust a side dish? We can customize within the structure of the menu.

Custom Menus

For fully custom menus, we'll have a more detailed conversation about your vision. What flavors do you enjoy? Are there specific dishes you've been craving? Any ingredients you'd like to highlight?

Custom menus require more planning, so they work best when booked further in advance.

Dietary Accommodations

This is when we lock in all dietary restrictions and preferences. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, shellfish allergies—whatever your group needs, we document it at this stage.

Our food safety protocols are rigid, and we've served 2,500+ events with zero incidents of cross-contamination.

Step 3: Contract and Deposit (Days 3-5)

Once the menu is finalized, we send a contract and invoice.

What's in the Contract

• Event date, time, and location

• Final guest count (can be adjusted later)

• Menu details

• Pricing breakdown

• Cancellation and payment policies

Deposit

A 25% deposit is required to secure your date. The deposit is charged when the contract is signed.

For larger events (weddings, corporate gatherings), the payment schedule may differ:

• 25% deposit at booking

• 50% due 90 days prior

• 100% due 30 days prior

Payment Methods

We accept credit cards, and your card is kept on file. The remaining balance is charged the day following your meal.

If you prefer to pay by cash, check, or Venmo, full payment is required at booking if no card is on file.

Step 4: Final Menu Confirmation (10 Days Before)

Ten days before your event, all menus must be locked in. This gives us time to source ingredients, coordinate staffing, and plan logistics.

What We Need

• Final guest count: Confirm how many people will be dining

• Menu adjustments: Any last changes to dishes or dietary accommodations

• Service timing: What time you'd like the first course served

What Happens Next

We order proteins, source Gulf seafood, and coordinate with our suppliers. Ingredients are selected based on quality and seasonal availability.

If our seafood supplier calls with an exceptional catch that's better than what we planned, we may adjust.

Step 5: Final Guest Count (7 Days Before)

Guest counts can be adjusted up until 7 days before your event.

Why the 7-Day Cutoff

By this point, we've ordered ingredients and scheduled staff based on your count. If you need to reduce the number of guests inside 7 days, we can't refund the difference—product is already ordered and staff are scheduled.

Last-Minute Additions

If your guest count increases inside the 7-day window, we can usually accommodate additions as long as we have notice. The earlier you let us know, the better.

Step 6: Day-Of Preparation (Event Day Morning)

The day of your event, our team is in the commercial kitchen prepping your menu.

What's Happening

• Proteins are trimmed, portioned, and seasoned

• Vegetables are prepped and organized

• Sauces are made from scratch

• Desserts are baked

• Every component is organized and packed for transport

This advance prep is what allows us to execute efficiently in your vacation rental kitchen. Most of the work is done before we ever arrive.

Step 7: Chef Arrival (1 Hour Before Service)

Your event chef arrives approximately one hour before your selected service time.

Setup (First 15 Minutes)

The chef unloads equipment, organizes ingredients, and sets up the workspace. Everything is staged in the order it will be used.

Final Cooking (Next 45 Minutes)

The chef begins final cooking. Proteins are seared, vegetables are finished, sauces are plated. Everything is timed so the first course is ready exactly when you requested.

What You'll See

The chef working calmly and efficiently in your kitchen. No chaos, no stress, no last-minute scrambling. It looks effortless because most of the work happened hours earlier in our facility.

Step 8: Service Begins (Your Requested Time)

The first course is served at the exact time you selected. Not five minutes late. Not ten minutes early. Exactly on time.

Pacing

Courses are spaced to give your group time to enjoy each dish without feeling rushed. We monitor the table and adjust pacing based on how quickly guests are eating and conversing.

For smaller groups (10 or fewer), one chef handles both cooking and service. For larger groups, we bring additional chefs or servers so one person focuses on cooking while another manages plating and service.

Interaction

If your group wants to engage with the chef—ask questions, get cooking tips, hear about the menu—we're happy to interact. If you prefer us to work quietly in the background, we adapt.

Step 9: Cleanup (After Final Course)

Once dessert is served and guests are finishing wine, the chef begins cleanup.

What Gets Cleaned

• All dishes, pots, pans, and utensils (ours and yours)

• Counters, stovetops, and sinks

• Floors (swept and spot-cleaned)

• Trash (bagged and removed)

Final Check

Before leaving, the chef does a walkthrough to make sure nothing is missed. The kitchen should look exactly as it did before we arrived—except cleaner.

Total On-Site Time

From arrival to departure, the chef is on-site for approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. That's it.

Most private chefs spend 3-4 hours on-site because they're starting from scratch in your kitchen. Our advance prep model means shorter on-site time and less disruption to your vacation.

Step 10: Payment and Follow-Up (Day After Event)

The remaining balance is automatically charged to the card on file the day after your meal.

Follow-Up

We'll send a thank-you note and ask for feedback. If you're willing to leave a review, we'd appreciate it—reviews help other guests understand what to expect.

Rebooking

Many of our guests return year after year. If you'd like to rebook for your next 30A trip, we're happy to pencil in a date even before the calendar opens.

What If Something Changes?

Life happens. Here's how we handle changes to your booking.

Rescheduling

If you need to reschedule, reach out as soon as possible. We'll do our best to find a new date that works.

Cancellations

• 30+ days out: 75% refundable

• Less than 30 days: Non-refundable

• Inside 7 days: Full amount charged (no cancellations)

• Major holidays/holiday weekends: Non-refundable at booking

Hurricane Policy

Travel insurance is recommended for bookings during hurricane season. If a hurricane forces you to cancel inside the 7-day window, the event can be rescheduled (no refunds, but we'll work with you on a new date).

The Timeline at a Glance

Day 1: Inquiry and initial consultation

Days 1-3: Menu selection and customization

Days 3-5: Contract signed, deposit paid

Day -10: Final menu confirmation

Day -7: Final guest count (no reductions after this point)

Event Day (Morning): Team preps in commercial kitchen

Event Day (-1 hour): Chef arrives and sets up

Event Day (Service): First course served on time, full meal executed

Event Day (Cleanup): Kitchen cleaned and chef departs

Day +1: Balance charged, follow-up sent

What Makes This Process Different

Most private chefs operate alone, starting prep in your kitchen hours before service. That means a chef occupying your space for 3-4 hours while you're trying to enjoy your vacation.

Our process is built differently:

• Team-based: Your menu involves our full team—pastry chef, executive chef, event chef

• Commercial kitchen prep: Most work happens in our facility, not yours

• Shorter on-site time: 2-2.5 hours total, not 3-4

• Precise timing: First course served exactly when requested

• Transparent process: You know what to expect at every stage

The result is a seamless experience that respects your time and your space while delivering restaurant-quality food in your vacation rental.

Ready to Book?

The process is straightforward, and we'll guide you through every step.

View our menus to see what we offer, or reach out to start the conversation.

We'll handle the rest.