5 Things to Add to Your Menu with a Private Chef in Costa Rica
When hiring a private chef in Costa Rica for vacation, you think about the standard breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, some guests don’t realize that there are more private catering options that can truly take your vacation experience to the next level.
Our team’s go-to for private chef services, Chef Marlon of WOW Chef Service, shared his team’s favorite unique ways to use private chef services in Costa Rica and answered a few FAQs.
Their goal is to help create a luxurious and stress-free gastronomic journey during your Costa Rican villa vacation. It goes beyond just serving a simple meal!
Sunset Bocas
Sometimes lovingly referred to as Tico tapas, bocas are a Costa Rican version of small plates. While you can find them on traditional lunch and dinner menus throughout the country, the food prepared by a private chef in Costa Rica for a sunset happy hour is exceptional. In our opinion, anyway!
When you stay at Villa Punto de Vista, talk to Chef Marlon, and his team can help you plan a bocas menu including fresh dishes like mahi-mahi (dorado) ceviche or tuna tartare, traditional Costa Rican chifrijo, or whatever your heart desires.
It’s always incredible to have it set on the rooftop while you watch the sun set over the Pacific. We recommend having a glass of bubbly or a tropical cocktail in hand, too. Every moment in Costa Rica is an occasion worth celebrating, right?
Post-Fishing Trip Meal
One of our guest’s favorite excursions is a sport fishing trip in the waters of Costa Rica’s central Pacific. Since the area, just 12 minutes from the villa, boasts some of the richest nearshore and deep-sea fishing, we’ve seen them pull in marlin, yellowfin tuna sailfish, dorado, wahoo, and more. When you reel in a catch on the boat, they’ll put it on ice for you to take back to the villa. But most people either don’t want to spend their vacation fileting a fish or simply don’t know how.
That’s where the chef team comes in.
Since you’ll be out on the water most of the day (tours are four or seven hours), it’s a great time to plan for a private chef dinner anyway. The group will be exhausted from a day of hard work, sunshine, and sipping on Imperial. The amazing meals prepared by Chef Marlon and his team will make your post-fishing trip dining experience truly unforgettable.
Chef Marlon and his team can have a fresh catch of the day ready, in case you don’t have a fruitful adventure or need to supplement. But most of the time, you’ll come back with a delicious fish ready to be enjoyed. Chef and his team will prep the fish with the simplest, freshest ingredients from the local area so you can get a taste of your adventure! The goal is always to let the organic flavors of the fish shine through.
This incredible experience can be a fine dining experience or a casual, laid-back evening in your vacation home with cozy clothes. Regardless of what you choose, it’ll be an unforgettable family experience.
Beach BBQ
Our goal at Villa Punto de Vista is to give an experience reminiscent of a private yacht experience. If you’ve experienced events like this for yourself or are a fan of the popular Bravo television show Below Deck, you’ve seen that a private chef-catered meal on the beach isn’t your average beach picnic.
The concierge and your staff will set up the most magical location in a quiet corner of one of our local beaches complete with tables, chairs, chilled beverages, and beach games.
Then, Chef Marlon and his team can come in and whip up a spread that everyone will enjoy. Whether you want a standard burger bar, traditional casados, or just small bocas or snacks, your personal chef team can come up with a menu to cultivate the absolute best beach picnic imaginable.
Dietary Restriction Planning
For those traveling with allergies or dietary restrictions, traveling around the world can be stressful – especially if you don’t speak the language. While our villa staff will always take care of your allergies and restrictions, the hired private chef service we recommend will, too. If you saw something on a local menu that you wanted to try but couldn’t, we can always make it without the ingredients you’re concerned about at the villa. Similarly, if dining out simply isn’t an option due to your dietary restrictions, we can take menus from local spots you were intrigued by and safely re-create the experience at the villa for you.
Chef Marlon has also shared that a lot of the items on their menu are very easily made vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and grain-free, just due to the nature of Costa Rican cuisine. It’s all whole foods, grown locally, without additives.
Tasting Dinners
For a truly unforgettable experience, your personal chef team will work on cultivating a one-of-a-kind dining experience with our in-house sommelier. They’ll cultivate a menu that will surprise and delight with high-quality wine and ingredients bursting with flavor.
These types of dinners always blow guest expectations out of the water and are a favorite for anniversary or birthday celebrations. The wines can be catered to your preferences as well. If you’d like all whites, no problem. All red? Your choice! Most guests choose a combination that allows the local ingredients to shine.
Another thing to note for clients bringing little ones along is that they can even make a special course for the kids before bed if you’d like.
Private Chef Service FAQs
How flexible are the menus you create?
The menus are incredibly flexible – every night the guest has the choice! The only thing to remember is that due to our tropical location, some ingredients may not be available. But Chef and his team will always recommend delicious alternatives if there’s something they can’t offer.
That’s one of the perks of using private chefs, for sure!
When do you need to know what we want for meals?
The sooner the better, but as long as it’s a few days in advance so they can source the ingredients, you’ll be good to go!
Does group size matter?
Nope! They can do meals for 2 or 200. Doesn’t matter!
What’s the difference between dining out and hiring a private chef?
The main thing is that it’s all about you, the guest, not the 50 other diners in the restaurant. Every menu is designed to your liking.
The one thing to remember, though, is that ordering does need to be done in advance, and everyone will enjoy the same 1-2 entrées. It’s not like ordering off a restaurant menu where everyone can eat something different. It’s essentially a cross between dining out and catering for parties in the comfort of your own villa.
Do we have to clean up afterward?
Absolutely not! You shouldn’t spend time cleaning during your vacation. When you hire a chef, all the setup and clean-up are included.
What do we need to know about private chef services in Costa Rica?
The Villa Punto de Vista team has put together a whole guide dedicated to private chef services here with a breakdown of what you need to know. After working with top chefs in the Manuel Antonio area for many years we know what you need to be prepared for a tasty gastronomy experience – stress-free. Check it out!
Lean on Your Private Chefs for Recommendations
Chef Marlon shared that his team’s expertise when providing chef services for groups and weddings is looking at the client’s itinerary and providing suggestions for quality meals.
Guests sometimes think that hiring a private chef will actually be more work because you need to manage the menu – but that’s far from true. Your professional private chef will be as hands-on or hands-off as you desire.
If you give a list of dietary restrictions and preferences, you can hand over the reins to Chef Marlon and his team and they’ll create an experience your group won’t soon forget with as few or as many meals as you’d like. This is the perk of hiring a private chef in Costa Rica to host your next villa vacation.
If you’re ready to join us at Villa Punto de Vista with top chefs to elevate your travel experience and take care of all the details, check availability, contact us, and send us a message.
We’re ready to welcome you!
