Hire a private chef in Nashville without the awkward parts.
Hiring a private chef should be the easy part of throwing a dinner — not another stressful planning project. The whole point is that you sit down with your people. That's what I do, and that's how I've built every part of the way I work.
When you book a private chef dinner with me, we start with a short conversation: the occasion, who's coming, what they love, what they can't eat, the room, the time of year. From there I design a menu, send you a clear per-person quote, lock the date, and take everything from menu to plate off your list.
The Southern Menu — the signature four-course dinner
Most nights start here. The Southern Menu is the original four-course in-home dinner that started this whole thing — elevated Southern cooking, smoke and fire, $125 per guest. You can book it as written, swap a few dishes to fit your table, or use it as a jumping-off point for a fully custom menu. Anything beyond that, we build together.
What's included in every private chef dinner
- Custom menu design. Built around your guests, the season, and what's coming off Tennessee farms that week — or straight off The Southern Menu.
- Sourcing & shopping. I pick up the beef from Bear Creek Farms, poultry from Joyce Farms, heirloom produce from RC Farms, greens from Ferrell Family Farm, rice from Tennemo, honey from Queen Bee. You don't shop a thing.
- On-site cooking. I bring my own tools and cook in your kitchen. If the equipment isn't right, I bring what's missing.
- Plating & service. Plated to the table or family-style on the table — your call. For larger parties I bring service support.
- Full cleanup. Your kitchen is left cleaner than I found it. Plates done, counters wiped, trash out. You wake up to a kitchen, not a crime scene.
Occasions I cook for in Nashville
Most of the private chef dinners I cook in Nashville fall into one of these — though the menu and feel changes every time:
- Anniversaries and milestone dinners. Tasting-menu pacing for two to eight, candlelit, intentional.
- Birthdays and milestone celebrations. Family-style for ten to twenty, built for conversation and a glass that doesn't stay empty.
- Bachelorette and bachelor weekends. Big-flavor menus designed to fit the energy of a Nashville Airbnb weekend.
- Corporate and client dinners. Quietly impressive, on time, on brand, and easy to host.
- Holiday and seasonal dinners. Easter, Mother's Day, Christmas, New Year's — anytime you'd rather host than cook.
How private chef pricing works in Nashville
The Southern Menu is a flat $125 per guest for four courses. Fully custom private chef dinners in Nashville generally land between $95 and $165+ per guest, depending on the menu, the number of courses, party size, and how premium the proteins run. A four-course tasting menu for eight prices differently than a six-course wine-paired dinner for sixteen — and both are different from a plated holiday dinner for twenty-eight. I send a clear written quote before anything is locked. No gotchas.
The quote covers menu development, sourcing and shopping, cooking, plating, service, cleanup, travel within the metro, and any rentals or equipment I need to bring. Beverages and gratuity are separate.
Service area
I cook private chef dinners across Nashville and Middle Tennessee — Belle Meade, Green Hills, Forest Hills, West End, 12 South, East Nashville, Germantown, The Nations, Brentwood, Franklin, Nolensville, Murfreesboro, and surrounding neighborhoods. If you're a little further out, ask — I usually find a way.
What happens after you inquire
Within a day I respond personally, set up a quick call if it's helpful, and start the menu conversation. The fastest way to start is to send a short inquiry with your date, guest count, and any direction you already have, or to book a 30-minute consultation and we'll figure it out together.