Mendocino Chef
What to Expect — Sample Private Chef Proposals
Two sample proposals, built the way we build every one — see exactly what you get when you book Mendocino Chef.
Booking · How We Work
Wondering what actually happens after you fill out the form? Below are two sample proposals built exactly the way we build real ones — same structure, same level of detail, priced at our current rates. This is how we work: a warm reply, a menu built around your people, and transparent pricing with no surprises.
All events have a $1,400 minimum. Guide rates are per person by meal — brunch from $95, lunch from $125, dinner from $175, the wedding itself from $250, rehearsal and welcome dinners from $215, tasting and open-fire farm dinners from $275. The proposals below sit inside those ranges. See the pricing guide.
How it flows
Date, guest count, location, occasion — a few sentences is plenty.
Within about two business days: availability, a menu written for your group, and clear pricing.
Allergies, favorites, a dish that’s special to your family — the menu bends around your table.
A 50% deposit reserves your date. If it’s more than 90 days away, it’s 25% now and another 25% at the 90-day mark. The balance is due the day before a dinner, or 10 days before a wedding or larger event.
Sample Proposal No. 1
A girls’ weekend on the coast
The ask: 8–9 friends at a house on the coast, one celebratory Saturday dinner in late summer, two vegetarians in the group.
What we proposed: a relaxed, family-style, vegetable-forward menu built around late summer’s peak produce — designed so the vegetarians eat from the same gorgeous table as everyone else, never a “special plate,” with easy add-the-protein options for those who want them.
“Coast & Vine”
Grazing board of local cheeses, marinated olives, fresh figs, seasonal crudité, warm rosemary focaccia
Heirloom tomato & summer peach salad, burrata, torn basil, estate olive oil, saba
Handmade corn & chanterelle pasta, brown butter, sage, Parmesan (vegetarian)
Roasted delicata squash & wild mushroom galette with herbed ricotta · charred summer vegetables · little-gem & herb salad · crushed roasted potatoes
Optional: herb-roasted local halibut or free-range chicken
Late-summer stone-fruit galette with crème fraîche · dark chocolate pots de crème
Sample investment: $195 per person, family-style multi-course dinner for 8–9.
Sample Proposal No. 2
A milestone birthday, three ways
The ask: a milestone birthday dinner for about 20, at a house where the family was staying for the week.
What we proposed: three complete menu directions to choose from — because a proposal should give you real options, not a take-it-or-leave-it. Each one four courses, served family-style or plated, with the celebration dessert presented candlelit for the guest of honor and personalized menu cards at every place setting, included at no charge.
Option 1
The Coastal Table
Local oysters, Meyer lemon mignonette · heirloom tomato & burrata · chilled sweet-corn velouté with smoked trout · pan-seared wild king salmon, summer succotash · olive oil & almond cake with late-summer stone fruit, candlelit
Option 2
Ranch & Vine
Fresh fig & prosciutto with burrata · wild mushroom & sweet-corn risotto · grass-fed beef tenderloin, potato gratin, red-wine jus · chocolate–hazelnut torte with salted caramel, candlelit
Option 3
Garden & Sea
Heirloom tomato & stone-fruit salad · handmade corn & chanterelle pasta · duo of herb-roasted chicken and market-vegetable garden plate (halibut swap available) · lavender-honey panna cotta, candlelit
Making a week of it
Because the family was staying several days, the proposal also offered optional additions — this is where having a chef and an event producer pays off:
- Arrival welcome dinner ($195/person) — relaxed and generous: wood-grilled mains, big seasonal salads, warm bread
- Farmhouse brunch ($125/person) — frittatas, market fruit, house pastries, smoked salmon
- Grazing spread (add-on, quoted with your proposal) — abundant cheese, charcuterie & produce board for an afternoon or cocktail hour
- Additional dinner nights ($195/person) — any evening, menu built to match
Sample investment: $195 per person for the four-course celebration dinner for about 20.
Every proposal includes
Menu planning & consultation · all ingredient sourcing and shopping · on-site cooking and plating · attentive service through the meal · full kitchen cleanup. Not included: the wine and drinks (you buy them, we’re glad to suggest Anderson Valley pairings, and our servers pour), specialty rentals, and gratuity (optional, always appreciated).
Sample pricing at our current rates; it varies with season, menu, and group size — see our pricing guide for typical ranges. Your quote will be exact and all-in.
Your table could be next
Tell us your date and occasion — you’ll get a proposal like these, written for your people.