What's Included When You Hire a Private Chef?

You're considering hiring a private chef for your 30A vacation, but you're not entirely sure what that includes.

Does the chef bring the food? Do you need to provide plates? What about cleanup? Is there a server, or does the chef handle everything?

Here's exactly what's included when you hire Marrow — and what's not.

What's Included: The Full Experience

When you book a private chef with Marrow, you're not just hiring someone to cook. You're hiring a team to handle every detail of your meal, from setup to cleanup.

Chef Arrives Early

The chef arrives approximately one hour before your selected start time.

This timing is precise. If you've requested a 6:30 p.m. start, the first course will be on your table at exactly 6:30 p.m. We're never late.

That one-hour window gives the chef time to set up the kitchen, organize ingredients, and begin the final cooking process. By the time your first course is served, the chef has already been working for hours — prepping in our commercial kitchen earlier that day, packing and transporting everything, and setting up your rental kitchen for service.

All Food Prepared On-Site

Every dish is cooked in your vacation rental kitchen. The proteins are seared fresh. The sauces are finished at the last moment. The vegetables are cooked to order.

That's what makes private chef service different from catering. You're not eating food that's been sitting in a warmer. You're eating food that's prepared right in front of you, at the moment it's meant to be served.

Courses Plated and Served

The chef plates each course individually and brings it to the table.

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

Pacing Matters

Courses are timed so you have a chance to enjoy each one without feeling rushed. The chef monitors the table, watching for cues that it's time to clear plates and bring out the next course.

You're never waiting for food, but you're also never hurried. The pacing is intentional.

Kitchen Left Spotless

After the last course is served, the chef begins cleanup while guests finish dessert and relax.

What Gets Cleaned

• All dishes washed and put away

• Counters wiped down

• Stove and oven cleaned

• Trash bagged and taken out

• Any equipment we brought is packed up and removed

The goal is simple: leave the kitchen cleaner than we found it. You shouldn't have to deal with a mess after we leave.

By the time the chef walks out, you wouldn't know a multi-course meal was just cooked in that space.

Scratch-Made Quality

Every component of every dish is made from scratch.

That means stocks simmered for hours, sauces built from base ingredients, doughs and batters made by hand. We don't use pre-made bases, packaged components, or shortcuts that save time but cost flavor.

This is non-negotiable. It's slower, more labor-intensive, and more expensive — but it's the only way to achieve the level of quality we're known for.

Fresh Gulf Seafood

When Gulf seafood is on your menu, it's fresh — not frozen, not shipped from a distant distributor.

We source Gulf shrimp, grouper, snapper, and triggerfish through relationships with local suppliers who work directly with the boats. When the catch is good, it shows up on your plate.

That immediacy has a cost, and it requires coordination. But the difference in taste and texture is undeniable.

Appropriate Staffing

Staffing scales with your group size to ensure seamless service.

10 Guests or Fewer

One chef prepares and serves the meal. The chef is in the kitchen during cooking, then transitions to plating and serving each course.

10-20 Guests

Two chefs, or one chef plus a server. One person focuses on cooking while the other handles plating and service. This keeps the pacing smooth and ensures the food doesn't sit.

20+ Guests

Staffing increases as needed. For large groups, we bring in additional chefs, servers, and support staff to execute the menu without compromising quality.

You're not booking a one-person operation. You're booking a team with the depth to deliver consistently, regardless of the size of your event.

What's Not Included

Here's what you'll need to provide or arrange separately:

Tableware

We don't provide plates, silverware, or glassware. Most vacation rentals have these, and guests prefer using what's already in the home rather than having us bring disposable or rental tableware.

If your rental doesn't have enough place settings for your group, just let us know and we’ll make arrangements.

Linens

Tablecloths, linen napkins, and placemats are not included (we bring linen-like napkins).

Beverages

We don't provide wine, beer, cocktails, or other beverages — with one exception: our Michelin-Style Tasting Menu includes wine pairings selected by our sommelier.

Gratuity

Gratuity is not included in the cost of your private chef experience.

It's always appreciated, but absolutely never expected. Our pricing is transparent and all-inclusive (with our service charge built in), so there's no pressure to tip on top of what you've already paid.

That said, if you feel the service exceeded your expectations, gratuity is welcomed and goes directly to the chefs and staff who worked your event.

Optional Add-Ons

Some services aren't included by default but can be added to your booking:

Wine Pairings

For most menus, we can arrange wine pairings selected to complement each course. This is priced separately and tailored to your preferences.

Bar Service

If you want a bartender to handle cocktails, wine service, or a full bar setup, we can coordinate that. Bar service is quoted separately based on the scope of what you need.

Menu Customization

Our Signature menus are fully customizable. You can swap dishes, adjust seasonings, or modify techniques at no additional cost.

Our Select menus are prefixed, but substitutions are possible. Any changes to Select menus may incur additional costs depending on the complexity of the request.

What About Dietary Restrictions?

We accommodate allergies and dietary restrictions with rigid safety protocols.

How We Handle Allergies

• Separate prep areas to avoid cross-contamination

• Dedicated cookware and utensils for allergy-safe dishes

• Clear labeling of all components

• Zero incidents of guests becoming ill in 2,500+ events

Additional Costs

Complex accommodations may require additional sourcing or preparation, which can affect cost. We'll always communicate this upfront so there are no surprises.

The Bottom Line: What You're Paying For

When you hire Marrow, here's what you're actually paying for:

• Time: You don't spend your vacation grocery shopping, cooking, or cleaning up

• Quality: Fresh ingredients, scratch-made components, and refined technique

• Reliability: A team with 2,500+ events and 650+ five-star reviews

• Experience: A seamless evening where every detail is handled

You're not just paying someone to cook. You're paying for the ability to stay fully present with your guests while someone else takes care of everything.

Ready to Book?

View our menus to see what's included with each experience, or reach out to start planning.

We'll handle the rest.