Seasonal
Joelle FerentinosNewThe Culinary Roster
Hire a Private Chef Worthy of the Occasion
Hire a private chef through HELM and the evening arranges itself around your table. Our roster is curated and vetted—Michelin-trained chefs and professionals drawn from James Beard-recognized dining rooms, who shop, cook, serve, and leave the kitchen as they found it. Browse named profiles, compare pedigree and style, and commission the right chef for a dinner party, a milestone, or a weekend away.
The Roster
A Named Roster, Not a Lead Form
Every chef appears by name, with a background and sample work you can weigh before making contact. Compare pedigree and style at your leisure, then begin a request when one feels right for your table.
Joelle FerentinosNew
Farm-to-Table
Bobby ArroyaNew
Fine Dining
Rosemary WadeNew
Japanese
Eunice KeeveNew
Farm-to-Table
Michael GilettoNew
Pastry
Jalen WhippleNew
Mexican
Brian CohanNew
Farm-to-Table
Terkel ScholarNew
Live Culinary Entertainment
Ralphy NunezNew
Private Dining
Chastity HopkinsNew
Pescatarian
Kevin TorresNewVerifiable Pedigree
Vetted before the booking
HELM reviews training, professional history, and references, and publishes what it confirms—nothing more.
Built Around the Occasion
One table at a time
Share the date, guest count, location, and dietary needs so the menu and engagement can be composed specifically for your table.
The Process
How Commissioning a Chef Works
Commissioning a chef is deliberately simple, and the timeline is friendlier than most hosts expect. Seven to ten days of notice is comfortable for most dinner parties; allow three to four weeks around the holidays and peak summer weekends. As for budget, most multi-course dinners in the New York area run roughly $150 to $300 per person—our guide to what a private chef costs breaks down every variable. The engagement itself follows four movements:
Browse and compare
Review named profiles, backgrounds, and sample menus across the roster.
Request your date
Share the occasion, guest count, and any dietary notes.
Approve your menu
Your chef proposes courses composed specifically for your table.
Host
On the day, your chef shops, prepares, cooks, serves, and resets the kitchen before leaving.
Beyond the Kitchen
Complete the Table
A memorable dinner rarely ends at the kitchen. Through the same standard of vetting, you can hire a bartender to run bar service for the evening or engage a mixologist to compose a cocktail program—two distinct crafts, each with its own directory. Add a sommelier to pair the cellar to the menu, or professional servers so each course arrives without you leaving your seat. And when you would rather not hold the details yourself, hire a luxury concierge to carry the evening end to end—arrivals and valet service, the timing between courses, the last car home. One request, one standard, one seamless evening.
Booking for a Client
For Planners, Estate Managers, and Corporate Hosts
Many chef requests arrive from professionals booking for a client—event planners, production companies, caterers short a station, estate and household managers, corporate hosts entertaining clients. The brief we need is the one you already write: date, address, guest count, service style, the kitchen and equipment on site, dietary notes, and call times. Send it as a single request and we return named chefs who fit, not a queue of quotes. Every chef has cleared the same vetting, so what you learn about one holds across the roster. If the evening also needs bar service and floor staff, one request staffs all of it under a single point of coordination.
Questions
Hiring a private chef
How much does it cost to hire a private chef for one night?
For a multi-course dinner in the New York area, most private chefs charge roughly $150 to $300 per person, with menu complexity, guest count, and the chef's pedigree moving the figure in either direction. Groceries are typically included in the quote. Our private chef cost guide breaks down pricing in detail.
How far in advance should you book a private chef for a dinner party?
Seven to ten days is comfortable for most dinner parties, giving your chef time to design the menu and source ingredients. For holidays, peak summer weekends, and dates in the Hamptons season, reserve three to four weeks ahead. Shorter notice is sometimes possible—submit a request and we will confirm availability.
How do I hire a private chef through HELM?
Browse named profiles, compare each chef's background, cuisine, and sample work, then submit a request with your date, location, guest count, and the occasion you are planning. The chef you select reviews availability, and the two of you shape the menu and timing through the booking conversation before anything is confirmed.
What does a private chef handle?
The exact service depends on the chef and the booking, but a private-chef engagement commonly covers menu planning, ingredient sourcing, cooking in your kitchen, service at the table, and resetting the space afterward. Each profile and proposal describes what that chef includes, so read both and confirm anything unusual before you book.
Can I book for dietary restrictions?
Yes. Include allergies and dietary preferences in your request, and repeat anything that changes before the event. The chef can then confirm whether they are able to serve the full table safely and propose a menu that suits it. Discuss cross-contact concerns directly with the chef before the booking is finalized.