Private chefs in New Jersey
Private chef in New Jersey
A private chef in New Jersey is a shore-house dinner with the bay turning pink behind the table, or a long autumn lunch in Somerset Hills horse country. Indulge cooks in Rumson and along the Shore from Deal to Cape May, in Bernardsville, Far Hills and Princeton, and in the Bergen County towns a bridge away from Manhattan.
The Jersey Shore
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, much of New Jersey lives at the shore. Rumson sits between the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers; Deal, Spring Lake and Bay Head have the big shore houses; Long Beach Island has houses on both the bay and the ocean; and Cape May keeps its Victorian porches at the southern tip. Shore weeks mean full houses, and a chef in the house means breakfast, lunch and dinner are handled while everyone stays on the beach.
Dinners happen on decks and porches, timed to sunset over the bay or the river. Menus follow the Jersey summer: tomatoes and sweet corn from July, blueberries and peaches, scallops from Barnegat Light and Cape May oysters.
Somerset Hills, Princeton and Bergen County
Inland, Bernardsville, Far Hills, Peapack-Gladstone and Mendham are estate and horse country, and the Far Hills Race Meeting in October is one of the social weekends of the autumn: tailgates at the course, then dinner at home. Princeton brings reunion weekends, commencement dinners and visiting families. In Bergen County, Alpine, Saddle River and Englewood are close enough to Manhattan for weeknight dinner parties at home.
These are large houses with large kitchens, and the evenings range from a dozen at the dining table to cocktails on the lawn.
The occasions we cook for in New Jersey
Shore weeks and long weekends with a chef in the house. Birthday and anniversary dinners, Fourth of July and Labor Day parties. Race-day picnics and after-race dinners in October. Engagement dinners, rehearsal dinners and small weddings at home or on the water. Holiday dinners for families who would rather stay in. Client dinners in the towns closest to the city.
How a New Jersey booking works
Send an inquiry with the dates, the address and the number of guests, and whether it is one dinner or a shore week. Michael writes the menu around what New Jersey farms and boats are bringing in that week, and refines it with you. On the night the team arrives about two hours before guests, cooks, serves each course and leaves the kitchen clean; for stays, one chef plans and cooks every meal. Please email for pricing and availability.
Places to host
Venues in New Jersey that welcome your own chef
Most of our dinners are at home or at a rental. For a bigger party, these New Jersey venues let you bring in an outside chef or caterer.
- Watermark
- Brook Hollow Winery
- Barrow Mansion
- Montclair Art Museum
- Morven Museum & Garden
Caterers apply to the venue's list
Every venue sets its own rules for kitchens, rentals and insurance, and they change. Tell us the venue when you send your inquiry and we will check with them before you book.
Questions
Private chefs in New Jersey: questions
Can a private chef cook for a week at our Jersey Shore house?
Yes. A chef for the whole week plans breakfast, lunch and dinner around beach days, boat days and guests, with a bigger dinner when friends come down. Tell us the dates, the town and how many are staying, and whether you would like every meal or just dinners.
Which parts of the Jersey Shore do you serve?
Rumson, Fair Haven, Little Silver, Deal, Spring Lake, Sea Girt, Bay Head, Mantoloking, Long Beach Island, Avalon, Stone Harbor and Cape May, and the rest of the coast by arrangement. Send the address with your inquiry.
Do you cook for Far Hills race weekend?
Yes. Race-day picnics packed for the tailgate, and dinners at home afterwards in Far Hills, Bernardsville, Peapack-Gladstone and Mendham. The race is held in October and that weekend fills early, so send your date as soon as your plans are set.
Do you serve Princeton and northern New Jersey?
Yes. Princeton, the Somerset Hills and Bergen County, including Alpine, Saddle River and Englewood, for dinner parties, holiday dinners and client dinners at home. Other parts of the state by arrangement.
Book a private chef in New Jersey
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