The short version: a private chef dinner at your villa is simpler than most people expect. You plan a menu with Eddie, he shops that morning, cooks in your kitchen, serves the courses at your pace, and leaves the place spotless. Here is the whole evening, step by step, so there are no surprises.
It starts with the menu
Before anything is bought, the menu is built around your group: how many of you, what you love, what you avoid. A gluten allergy, a vegetarian, a six-year-old who only eats pasta, all of it gets planned in rather than negotiated at the table. If you want the tico set of casado and ceviche, or a Thai curry, or a multi-course tasting, you say so and Eddie shapes the night around it. Browse the full menu to see the range.
He shops that morning
Costa Rica's coast eats what came in that day, and Eddie cooks the same way. He shops the local markets the morning of your dinner, fresh mahi mahi or sea bass from the fish market, produce from the stands, so what reaches your table is as fresh as it gets. Nothing about the meal is pulled from a freezer the night before.
Dinner at your place, on your schedule
Eddie arrives with everything, sets up in your villa kitchen, and cooks while you do whatever you came to Costa Rica to do. Courses come out at your pace, not a restaurant's turn-the-table clock, so the starter can wait for the sunset and dessert can wait for the second bottle of wine. He plates each course and tells you what is on it, the way the best restaurants do, except the dining room is your terrace.
A spotless kitchen when it's done
The part people forget to ask about: cleanup is included. When the last plate is cleared, Eddie leaves the kitchen the way he found it, or better. Nobody in your group is scrubbing pans at the end of a long, good night.
What it costs, and what's included
Dinners run $75 to $110 per person, all-inclusive of the planning, shopping, ingredients, cooking, service, and cleanup, with the rate dropping as the group grows and kids under 12 at half price. There are no surprise add-ons. The pricing and payments page lays out the tiers, and if you are comparing it to eating out, private chef versus restaurant runs the real numbers once you add taxis, tax, and tip.
Who it's for
A villa chef dinner fits a big group splitting a house, a honeymoon that wants one unforgettable night, a family that would rather not load everyone into cars, and anyone staying somewhere with no restaurant nearby. It works up and down the coast; a private chef at your Costa Rica villa covers the service in depth, and private chef by town walks through each area Eddie serves.
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Private chef villa dinner questions, answered
What does a private chef villa dinner include?
Everything the meal needs: planning a menu around your group, shopping the local markets that day, the fresh ingredients, cooking in your villa, course-by-course service, and leaving the kitchen spotless. Gratuity is not included and is always appreciated.
Does our villa need a special kitchen?
No. A basic kitchen and a table are enough. Eddie brings the ingredients, the tools, and everything else, so vacation rentals and Airbnbs along the coast work fine.
How does the meal run, and how many courses?
Most dinners are three courses, a starter, a main, and dessert, served at your pace rather than a restaurant clock. The timing bends to your evening, so if the sunset is the moment, the courses wait for it.
How much does a private chef villa dinner cost?
Dinners run $75 to $110 per person all-inclusive, with the per-person rate dropping as the group grows, and children under 12 at half price. The pricing and payments page has the full tiers.
How do we book, and how far ahead?
Send your dates, villa location, and group size. A $150 deposit confirms the booking, refundable if you cancel at least 7 days out, and the menu is settled at least 48 hours ahead. In the December to April high season, book as early as you can.
Ready to picture the night? See where to book by town, browse the menu, or check pricing and payments.
