Private Chef - Redefining American Cuisine

33 reviews

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steak with mushroom demi glace and parsnip puree

starting at

$ 129 Per person

All inclusive: 3-course meal, ingredients, cooking, service & clean up.

This private chef experience does not have any dates.

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What You’ll Do

Discover modern versions of classic American dishes with Chef Nicholas.

In this private chef experience, Chef Nicholas has a bold culinary proposal: To modernize traditional American flavors. Begin with a grilled seasonal fruit, arugula and goat cheese salad. Then, enjoy juicy steak cooked in a cast iron pan with maple bourbon and mushrooms, and paired with a creamy roasted parsnip potato purée and crispy Brussels sprouts. Dessert features an apple and sharp cheddar puff pastry with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of local honey.

Guests are welcome to provide wine and beer to accompany the menu, and may request pairing recommendations from the chef upon booking.

Your Menu

Grilled Seasonal Fruit Salad

With arugula, goat cheese and toasted walnut date vinaigrette

Cast Iron Flank Steak

With a maple bourbon and mushroom demi-glace

Roasted Parsnip Potato Purée

With butter, garlic and fresh herbs

Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

With bacon, shallots, golden raisins and creamy apple cider vinaigrette

Apple and Sharp Cheddar Puff Pastry

With vanilla ice cream and local honey

Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated if noted prior to the event. Please mention this in the message field when you submit your booking request as adjustments cannot be made during the event.

Details

Minimum Guests 2
Maximum Guests 12
Meal Courses 3
Event Duration 4 hours
Chef Arrival Time 2 hours prior to the selected serving time

What's included

The ingredients

The cooking

The service

The washing up

Meet your chef

Chef Nicholas

Food safety certified

33 reviews

Chef Nicholas began his kitchen adventures as a child, learning how to cook with his grandmother, and went on to graduate from Johnson & Wales. A private chef for an A-list client, his weekly meal prep and dinner party planning allow him to add imagination to new creations, imbuing simple recipes with a sense of elegance and style. Even more than culinary artistry, Chef Nicholas loves the interpersonal connections that well-made food provides.

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Cancellation Policy

Flexible booking: Cancel or reschedule this event's reservation for free up to 48 hours before the event.

Chef Nicholas will travel to guests within San Diego for this experience.

What You’ll Do

Discover modern versions of classic American dishes with Chef Nicholas.

Your Menu

Grilled Seasonal Fruit Salad

With arugula, goat cheese and toasted walnut date vinaigrette

Cast Iron Flank Steak

With a maple bourbon and mushroom demi-glace

Roasted Parsnip Potato Purée

With butter, garlic and fresh herbs

Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

With bacon, shallots, golden raisins and creamy apple cider vinaigrette

Apple and Sharp Cheddar Puff Pastry

With vanilla ice cream and local honey

Details

Minimum Guests 2
Maximum Guests 12
Meal Courses 3
Event Duration 4 hours
Chef Arrival Time 2 hours prior to the selected serving time

What's included

The ingredients

The cooking

The service

The washing up

Reviews

Reviews guests left for other experiences with Chef Nicholas

Tad

09 Jul 2024

Chef Nicholas was a great instructor and fun to be around for our cooking experience. He took the time to explain what he was doing and how, and made sure we were learning along the way. The food itself was incredible and will definitely be looking forward to cooking with him again.

Krina

06 May 2024

This dining experience with Chef Nick was exceptional! Our group was pleasantly surprised at how delicious and amazing the food that Chef Nick prepared for us. He was very informative of what ingredients he used and had great recommendations on pairings, but also allowed us to customize our own meal! We were extremely satisfied with this experience!

Erin

30 Mar 2024

My fiance and I had a great experience with Chef Nick! He was very well prepared for the class and taught us so many helpful tips and skills that will improve our cooking across the board, in addition to learning the great recipes included in this class. We look forward to taking more classes with him!

Kevin

29 Feb 2024

Nicholas' food was excellent, and we really enjoyed the class!

Rebecca

18 Feb 2024

We had such a fun time with Chef Nicholas! The food was delicious and we'll definitely come back to the recipes again and again. He also taught us so many helpful tips in the kitchen that we can apply to daily cooking. Would highly recommend!

Amanda

21 Dec 2023

We loved working with Chef Nicholas for our elopement dinner. We requested buffet-style instead of plated dishes for the taco dinner, but could not have been happier with the assortment of food (and leftovers)! Everything was delicious, prepared perfectly and had SO much flavor. Chef Nicholas was easy to work with, punctual and highly professional. We would recommend him and this meal for any family gathering. Thanks, Chef!

Carrie

29 Nov 2023

Chef Nicolas was great. Dinner was superb! Enjoyed his description of each course. The fish and vegetables were amazing. Cooked to perfection! To finish the dinner with incredible Flan was a delectable ending to a wonderful experience and fabulous memory!!

Elizabeta

23 Nov 2023

Chef Nicholas was amazing, The food he prepared for us was delicious, made with love and there was plenty of it. The Chef left the kitchen spotless and we enjoyed the experience. Thank you!

Elizabeta

23 Nov 2023

Chef Nicholas was amazing, he was friendly and the food was delicious. Thank you for making our dinner event special.

Cassie

06 Nov 2023

This was so fun! I bought this for my husband for our anniversary. Chef Nick was great and taught us so much in our kitchen that we'll be able to use daily. We'd definitely have him back and it's perfect for parents with kids – put the kids down and do something fun in your house without paying for a babysitter.

Valeska

27 Aug 2023

Chef Nichols was so great. The food was wonderful, he was so nice, and he left the place cleaner than it was when he got there. I can’t recommend him more! We had such a great time!

Miriam

25 Aug 2023

Chef Nicholas made our evening so special for my father-in-law’s 80th birthday. He cooked him a special addition to his meal, came prepared with additional Ingredients, was so kind and professional and the food was DELICIOUS. It was an absolutely perfect evening! If we are ever visiting the area again we will absolutely be asking Chef Nicholas back.

Jennifer

13 Aug 2023

Chef Nik just left our house and we are so full and keep talking about what a wonderful experience that was. He is a fabulous instructor. My husband and 20-year-old twins all loved the entire experience and we all learned something. He really took the time to teach each of us where we are. He exceeded our expectations. We are looking forward to making this meal again (and again) and implementing all that we have learned.

Salli

06 Jul 2023

Chef Nik came to our house yesterday evening and worked with my husband, 11-year old son, and me to cook a great Mediterranean meal. We each had our own favorite courses: I loved the Greek Maroulosalata, my son liked the Chicken Provencal - even the olives!, and my husband was a huge fan of the Patatas Bravas. We all appreciated the Cannoli Crepes! We cook regularly but still learned new knife skills, when to not measure spices and herbs, how to "shimmy" roasting tomatoes, and so on. Nik also gave us new ideas for products we can buy to address some of the challenges we've run into while cooking. He was great about including our son in every part of the process too. We highly recommend a lesson with Chef Nik and will be looking for other lessons we can take with him!

Amanda

12 Jun 2023

Great class, great food!! Chef Nick was a great teacher and we learned a lot of helpful tips. All of the dishes were fantastic!

Anisha

11 Jun 2023

Chef Nick provided us with a fantastic experience and amazing food! He was highly responsive and able to adjust his menu based on our dietary restrictions and preferences. During service, Nick was friendly and professional and he created a truly memorable dinner for our group. Would highly recommend for anyone looking to hire a private chef!

Brian

26 May 2023

This was our first experience with Cozymeal or any similar service. We had 4 people in celebration of Mother's Day and it was amazing. Loved our time with Chef Nick. He is well versed in his craft and kind, communicative, patient and fun too. It was a joy to work with him and I would definitely 10/10 recommend this experience in your home.

Oren

26 May 2023

Absolute 5 star experience. Was looking for a fun activity to share with my daughter. We enjoy cooking together so this seemed like a good fit. Chef Nicholas was fantastic. We enjoyed his professionalism and found his tips really useful. To top it off the Mediterranean menu was great and the food was delicious. Chef Nicholas took his time to teach us proper set up “mise en place”, efficient ways to cut and cooking techniques. Chef Nicholas did the clean up so we could enjoy the wonderful meal. He joined us for dessert and we shared several laughs. Would definitely book again!

Gayane

21 Apr 2023

Chef Nicolas was amazing! Food was to die for and communication was great!

Ben

15 Apr 2023

Amazing experience. Food was top notch and Nicholas was very friendly and professional. Plus he left my kitchen cleaner then when we got there!!

Heather

05 Apr 2023

We had a delicious dinner. Chef Nick was a pleasure to have over and easy to communicate with leading up to our dinner. Highly recommend!

Nicole

22 Feb 2023

We had an amazing time! Having a chef come into your home has normally been a comfort reserved for the ultra wealthy, and Cozy Meal has made this experience accessible for everyone! Chef Nicolas was very knowledgeable, brought his own flare and style to the dishes, and he even cleaned the entire kitchen after we finished, leaving it looking brand new. We can’t wait to remake the recipes we created that night, and want to thank Chef Nicolas and Cozy Meals for making our night such a special experience!

Amit

12 Feb 2023

Chef Nick was awesome! He came over for a Valentine’s Day cooking class for my girlfriend and me. He was super accommodating for dietary restrictions and substituted delicious vegetarian options. He’s personable, friendly, had a great sense of humor, and was a great/patient teacher. Every dish was amazing. Would definitely recommend if you’re interested in a class or personal chef services!

Reviews Chef Nicholas received outside of Cozymeal

Jack

27 Jan 2023

One of the funnest date nights I have ever had and the food was amazing!

Celeste

27 Jan 2023

Hired Chef Nick for a ladies night and we had so much fun! We learned so much and the food was sooooo tasty. Can't wait to do it again!

Matt

27 Jan 2023

Nicholas has been providing private dining and meal prep in my home for almost Ten years. His passion for cooking really shows and continues to grow. His ability of quickly getting familiar my family's individual palates, and dietary restrictions was super helpful. He continues to deliver fresh new weekly menus that we all love. After years of service we consider him a part of our family and we highly recommend his services.

Greg

27 Jan 2023

Hired for a date night cooking class. He was such a great host, we learned so much, and had so much fun! I can't wait to cook these dishes again!

Nicole

27 Jan 2023

A+ all around! Will definitely be hiring Chef Nicholas again!

Lori

27 Jan 2023

I highly recommend Chef Nicholas. When it came to detail he hit every mark. His timing, preparation, and presentation was perfect. 10/10

James

27 Jan 2023

Chef Nicholas hosted a team building cooking class experience for my colleagues and I. As a new startup I requested that the overall experience to really focus on the breaking the ice, getting everyone engaged, and working together hands on. His creativity really shined when it came to putting together a menu that did exactly so. I highly recommend him for any business seeking a fun, successful team building activity, or anyone seeking private cooking lessons.

Amanda

27 Jan 2023

I recently hired Chef Nicholas to cook brunch for my girlfriends and I for my bachelorette weekend. I expressed that it was very important for the food and the overall experience to be fun, playful, and cute given the occasion. He absolutely delivered with the most delicious, beautifully presented, brunch spread accompanied by some of the best brunch cocktails I have ever tasted! His hosting and ability to cater to the energy of the occasion, while being very professional was also a huge plus. My fiance and I intend to hire Chef Nicholas for our upcoming engagement dinner. I recommend him for any special occasion!

Nate

27 Jan 2023

My fiance and I hired Chef Nicholas for our engagement dinner. His attention to detail, communication, and dedication to making our experience special was something we will never forget. He went above and beyond what was required of him, and you can tell he truly loves what he does. The food and overall experience was just perfect. Chef Nicholas is a true professional and an absolute pleasure to work with!

Ali

27 Jan 2023

I hired Chef Nicholas to do weekly meal prep and private dining for my A-List clients estate about 4 years ago. He has been preparing delicious, nutritious, meals for the whole family and their guests on a weekly basis. His cooking skills, quality or service, dedication, and communication have always been more than satisfactory. His attention to detail making sure every individuals needs are met are why I have had no need to turn elsewhere for private chef services. I highly recommend him for your next dining experience!