Private chef FAQ

Every booking is quoted individually, based on menu, group size and location, and groceries are always included. There are no fixed packages to squeeze into. Send your dates, where you’re staying and how many guests through the quote form, and Julián will reply by email with a menu idea and a clear quote.

In four steps. Send a quote request with your dates, villa location, group size and dietary needs (WhatsApp and email work too). Julián replies personally by email with a menu proposal and a quote. Confirm your booking with a deposit. On the day, the chef shops, cooks in your kitchen, serves and leaves every space he used spotless.

About 15 days’ notice is ideal, especially December to April and around holidays, when dates fill quickly. Last-minute requests are welcome whenever possible, and a last-minute fee may apply.

Yes, always. Julián does all the shopping himself and picks the best local ingredients: never-frozen proteins, ocean-fresh seafood and organic local produce.

A non-refundable deposit secures your date, and the balance is split before and after your service; the exact terms are in your quote. You can pay by SINPE Móvil, international bank transfer, PayPal (a small processing fee may apply) or cash.

Costa Rican, international and avant-garde cooking with Caribbean influences, served as a true gastronomic experience. Julián’s signatures are ceviche, live-fire cooking (ribeye, pork and beef cuts and seafood, grilled, over charcoal or smoked) and homemade corn tortillas. Every menu is designed for you.

Ceviche. For Julián, it’s the dish that tells his story: fresh, simple ingredients turned into something full of flavor, and a taste of his childhood. Expect fresh fish and seafood with lime, red onion, cilantro and chile.

Yes. Plant-based, gluten-free, kids’ menus and specific diets are all welcome; Julián has real experience with them from The Retreat, a diet-focused hotel. Kosher isn’t available, as it requires certification. Because he cooks in your rental’s own kitchen, a completely allergen-free environment can’t be guaranteed.

Yes. Kids’ menus are welcome, and dinner can be timed around bedtime. Let us know ages and preferences when you book.

No. Julián checks your villa kitchen beforehand, from the listing link or a few photos, and brings his own equipment when something is missing, such as a blender.

Always. Every space he uses is left spotless: the kitchen, the oven and the trash included. Your evening ends at the table, not at the sink.

Yes, on request: wine pairing, cocktails, mocktails and fresh natural juices. Tell us what you’d like when you book and we’ll add it to your quote.

Yes. Birthdays, anniversaries, proposals, family reunions and retreat dinners are all a pleasure to cook for. Private dinners are for 2 to 12 guests; larger celebrations are quoted as events.

We cook in villas and vacation rentals in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva, Manzanillo (Limón, Costa Rica) and Cahuita. Staying just outside these areas? Ask, and we’ll tell you honestly whether we can reach you.

A Costa Rican breakfast cooked at your villa from a rotating buffet, with dishes such as gallo pinto, huevos rancheros, tortillas with cheese and shakshuka, plus seasonal fruit, fresh juices and quality Costa Rican coffee. Book one morning or a multi-day package, and add a specialty-coffee class if you like.

Share your host’s or villa manager’s contact and Julián arranges everything else; it’s a small town, and he knows many of the hosts. You arrive to a stocked fridge with fruit, juices, snacks and whatever you asked for. About 15 days’ notice is ideal, and one week is often possible. Extra essentials are available on request, charged at cost.

Yes. Combine breakfasts, lunches, dinners and pantry stocking into one multi-day package, planned and quoted together. For example: four lunches and a dinner for seven guests, with the fridge stocked on arrival.

Private dinners are for 2 to 12 guests. Larger parties are welcome too and are quoted as events. Give us plenty of notice for big groups: a very large group at short notice is the one thing we can’t take on.

Yes. Julián speaks Spanish, his native language, and English, so you can plan your menu and chat at the table in either.