PRIVATE DINING REDEFINED

How It Works

Share your vision

Tell us about the evening you're planning. Guest count, occasion, cuisine preferences, dietary considerations. The details inform everything that follows.

Receive Your Introduction

We introduce you to a chef whose background, technique, and sensibility align with your gathering. Each introduction includes their experience and approach so you can begin the conversation informed.

Shape Your Menu

Collaborate directly with your chef to shape a menu that reflects your vision. This conversation ensures every course supports the evening you're creating.

Host Without Distraction

Your chef arrives prepared and manages every detail from first course to final cleanup. The kitchen returns to order before they leave. You focus entirely on your guests and the evening you've created together.

Curation

No browsing. No filtering. No guessing. You describe your event, and we introduce you to a chef whose expertise fits. The search is ours, the evening is yours.

Expertise

Trained professionally. Vetted thoroughly. Matched intentionally. Every chef in the Plated community brings hospitality experience and instinct that private dining demands.

Attention

Every preference noted. Every detail remembered. Every course considered. Your chef brings the same care to your event that earned their reputation in the first place.

Events

The occasions on your calendar, matched with a chef who treats them accordingly.

You describe the evening ahead. We connect you with a chef whose expertise meets it. The result is a meal that meets the moment.

Intimate Dinner
Your table. Your guests. Considered menus. An evening that unfolds through conversation.
What to Expect
Four to twenty guests
Multi-courses pacing
Chef available for tableside interaction
Milestone Celebrations
The anniversary. The graduation. The engagement. Moments this significant deserve execution to match.
What to Expect
Flexible guest count
Coordination with toasts
Service scaled to your guest list
Culinary Journeys
A cuisine. A region. A point of view. Dinner becomes discovery when your chef guides the way.
What to Expect
Extended menu consultation
Full ingredient sourcing
Courses with narrative
Holiday Gatherings
Traditions honored. Dietary needs met. Timing managed. The annual gathering, at the pace it deserves.
What to Expect
All dietary needs coordinated
Family-style or plated service
Advance booking recommended

Answers

Everything you need to know about working with Plated

How does matching work?

You share details about your event, including preferences and dietary considerations. Our team reviews your submission and identifies a chef whose background and approach align with your needs. We share their credentials and explain why we think they're right for your gathering. Expect an introduction within 72 hours.

What areas do chefs serve?

Chefs in the Plated community serve throughout the New York City five boroughs, northern New Jersey, Westchester, Hudson Valley, Long Island, and the Hamptons. Availability varies by location and season.

How is pricing structured?

Your chef sets their own rates based on your gathering's specifics and invoices you directly. Plated charges a separate, non-refundable service fee per guest for matching and concierge support. All deposits and payments go to your chef. Our concierge handles the introduction and we provide a coordination platform.

How far ahead should I plan?

Three to six weeks allows adequate time for menu development, ingredient sourcing, and coordination. Holiday periods and summer weekends in the Hamptons require earlier planning due to increased demand.

How are dietary needs handled?

Your chef incorporates dietary requirements into menu development from the beginning. Allergies, religious observances, and personal preferences shape the creative direction rather than limiting it. The result is a cohesive menu where accommodations feel intentional, not adjusted.

What does a private chef provide?

our chef handles consultation, grocery shopping, preparation, cooking, plating, service, and complete kitchen cleanup. You provide the space and the guest list. Additional service staff, beverages, and specialized equipment can be arranged through your chef or separately.

What backgrounds do your chefs have?

Chefs bring experience from New York City resturaunts, hotel dining rooms, fine-dining kitchens, private households, and specialized culinary roles. We verify credentials, review portfolios, and speak with references. Every chef demonstrates both technical proficiency and the hospitality sensibility that private dining requires.

What kinds of events work well with a private chef?

Everything from intimate dinners for six to celebrations for large groups. Holiday feasts, anniversary dinners, cuisine-focused explorations, and gatherings with complex dietary requirements.

Who are the chefs in the Plated community?

Every chef is hand-selected. We review applications, verify credentials, and assess fit before extending an invitation to join. Chefs access our matching service free of charge and operate independently. Once accepted, Chefs set their own pricing and invoice clients directly.

What happens to my information?

Your details stay within the Plated community and inform the matching process. Our concierge team reviews everything you share to connect you with the right chef. Technology supports personalization and helps us improve. See our privacy policy for more.