Private chefs in Fort Lauderdale
Private chef in Fort Lauderdale, FL
A private chef in Fort Lauderdale is dinner on the terrace by the dock, with the boats coming home along the canal and snapper on the grill. Indulge cooks in the waterfront neighborhoods off Las Olas, along the Intracoastal and up the beach to Lighthouse Point, through the winter season and for events year round.
Canals, docks and the Intracoastal
Fort Lauderdale is built on water, and so are its dinners. On the Las Olas Isles, in Rio Vista, Harbor Beach, Coral Ridge and Bay Colony, the house faces the canal and the boat is tied up behind it. Dinner is set on the terrace or the dock, with the grill close to the water and every course served at the table. Dominique plans the timing around the sunset and the lighting around the water, so the table glows and the canal stays dark beyond it.
When the boat is part of the evening, we cook in the galley or on the dock for dinner aboard, tied up at home or at a marina.
The boat show and the winter season
The season starts with the boat show at the end of October, when the city fills with owners, captains and brokers: client dinners aboard, hospitality evenings at houses on the water, and late dinners after a long day on the docks. From Thanksgiving to Easter the winter residents are back, and the calendar fills with holiday dinners, New Year's Eve, and long weekends with family down from the north. For families who spend the summer in The Hamptons and the winter here, the same chef can cook in both houses.
What we cook in Fort Lauderdale
Menus follow the water and the season. Stone crab from mid-October into the spring, spiny lobster from August to the end of March, and snapper, grouper, mahi and wahoo from local boats, cooked whole on the grill, sliced as crudo, or cured in citrus for ceviche. Mangoes and avocados come in summer, and Key lime finishes the meal any time of year. Michael keeps the cooking bright for warm evenings and plans desserts that stay composed outside.
We cook for dinner parties, birthdays and anniversaries, engagement dinners, small weddings on the water, and week-long stays with a chef in the house.
How a Fort Lauderdale booking works
Send an inquiry with the date, the address and the number of guests, and say whether dinner is at the house or aboard. Michael writes the menu around the catch and the season, and refines it with you. On the night the team arrives about two hours ahead, sets up the kitchen or the galley, cooks, serves and clears. For stays and boat-show weeks, one chef handles every meal. Please email for pricing and availability.
Questions
Private chefs in Fort Lauderdale, FL: questions
Can a private chef cook dinner on our yacht in Fort Lauderdale?
Yes, while the boat is at the dock, at home or at a marina. Michael plans the menu for the galley you have, and the team finishes dishes on the dock if the galley is small. Tell us the length of the boat, how many guests will be aboard, and where she is berthed.
Do you cook for dinners during the Fort Lauderdale boat show?
Yes. Client dinners aboard, hospitality evenings at a house on the water, and late dinners for owners and guests after the show closes each day. The show runs from the end of October into the first days of November, and that week fills early, so send your dates as soon as you know them.
Which parts of Fort Lauderdale do you serve?
The Las Olas Isles, Rio Vista, Harbor Beach, Coral Ridge, Bay Colony and the rest of Fort Lauderdale, plus Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point and Hillsboro Beach. Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties by arrangement. Send the address, and whether there is a dock, with your inquiry.
When is stone crab season in Fort Lauderdale?
Florida's stone crab season opens on October 15 and closes in the spring, on May 1 under the current rules. The claws come cooked and chilled, cracked at the table with mustard sauce, and they are the natural first course of a winter menu. Florida spiny lobster runs from August to the end of March.
Book a private chef in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Please email for pricing and availability, or send an inquiry with your date, location and number of guests.
Or call 631-949-2941, or send a text