Looking to hire a chef or caterer?

Lafayette Gourmet's canapes - salmon ceviche with avocado and edible pansy

Dubai; Of late I have been asked numerous times to suggest a good professional chef or caterer, so as an update to my column earlier this year in Gourmet magazine, here are FooDiva’s recommendations.

Let’s start with your very own chef for hire. Basically book a chef who will take care of everything from the menu creation (set menu, buffet or canapés) and shopping, to cooking and serving the dishes at your dinner party. We have three here I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend – each with very different cooking styles.

• Chef Tomas – even though he’s Czech, his cuisine is very Asian influenced thanks to his experience in Japanese and Chinese restaurants. Click here for FooDiva’s review.
• Maurizio Pelli – calls himself an Italian gourmand rather than a chef, and will pull together a multi-course Italian feast – either fish or meat. Click here for FooDiva’s reviews. M: +971 50 4282289.
• Chef Andy – who loves cooking good British grub, with a knack for incorporating local Arabic ingredients.

We also have a wealth of catering companies that provide a bespoke service – here are FooDiva’s faves:

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  Lafayette Gourmet - foie gras & cranberry canapes

  Lafayette Gourmet – the Dubai Mall franchise of the famed French food emporium (if you’re ever in Paris, a must-see) can cater to anything from a formal dinner party, casual gathering and corporate lunch, to a cocktail reception, sit down wedding dinner and buffet with interactive cooking stations. Just last week, FooDiva sampled some sublime canapes (the morsels of foie gras cocooned in breadcrumbs with a dollop of cranberry were undisputed heaven) – all thanks to a special event hosted for Fooderati Arabia. Click here for a taster of the canapés we were served. My Custard Pie tells the tale vividly. I should add, Lafayette Gourmet makes a superb lunch or supper venue – and to top it all off now has a very extensive and affordable pork section – complete with the deliciously sweet and salty Spanish Jamon Iberico carved right in front of you. T: +971 4 3399933 E: lafayettegourmet.chef@medsdubai.com

• Marta’s Kitchen – helmed by Spanish chef Marta Yanci providing bespoke catering from home-made dishes to innovative gastronomy, whether canapés, tapas or buffet menus.
• Yes Chef – run by ex-hoteliers offering a number of catering options from set menus and canapés to buffets and barbeques.
• Casserole – prepares traditional dishes like beef bourguignon and lasagna and delivers directly to your doorstep – either hot to eat immediately or cold to heat up at your leisure.
• Dish – catering to anything from 20 to 700 guests including canapés, barbeques and sit-down meals.

And before I sign off, just a little FooDiva tip, if you have a favourite restaurant or café in town whose food you adore, do ask as very likely, provided they have a large enough kitchen and a delivery van, should be able to cater for your event. For instance, the likes of Lime Tree café certainly do. And the best part of entertaining at home, is you still get to enjoy a tipple or two without forking out extortionate hotel prices for vino or bubbles.

Any other particularly good caterers I may have missed? Or if you’ve sampled any of the cuisine above, feel free to share your opinion.

Happy entertaining et a bientôt!

FooDiva. x

P.S – where the chef or caterer has a website, click on each name for the link.

Related posts:

A new chef for hire website, plus a round-up of private chefs and caterers in Dubai Dubai has a new chef for hire Dining differently in Dubai…at a chef’s table Are you a chef or serious foodie? Shall I share a secret?