Private Dinner Parties
Multi-Course In-Home Dining for Birthdays, Holidays, Date Nights & Celebrations
Imagine hosting a dinner party where you never step foot in the kitchen. No grocery runs, no last-minute stress, no dishes — just an unforgettable evening with the people you love, centered around a multi-course meal crafted by a professional chef in your own home. That's exactly what Chef Matt delivers.
From intimate anniversary dinners for two to celebratory gatherings of 50+, every private dinner party is fully customized. Choose from Chef Matts curated menus — including Steakhouse, Coastal Seafood, Italian American, French Bistro, and more — or collaborate on a completely bespoke menu. Wine pairings, dietary accommodations, and complete kitchen cleanup are all included.
Chef Matt serves private dinners across South Jersey, the Jersey Shore (perfect for vacation rentals), and the Philadelphia Main Line. Want a more interactive experience? Try a private cooking class or pair dinner with our weekly meal prep for ongoing service.
Private Chef Experiences
Each menu is designed as a starting point — fully customized around your guest count, preferences, dietary needs, and the tone of your event.
Pricing
$100/person
$800 minimum
Travel
$75 fee for 25+ miles
outside 08094
Groceries
Usually 35–50% of total
Billed separately, plus tax
Payment
50% deposit to reserve
Balance due day of event
Sample event total: 10 guests = $1,000 service + approximately $350–$500 in groceries, plus applicable sales tax.
Groceries are billed separately from the chef service fee. Premium seafood, filet, and specialty ingredients typically fall on the higher end. All menus can be adapted for dietary needs including gluten-free, vegan, Alpha-Gal, allergies, and more.
Signature Experiences
Chef's Table
$125/personAn intimate, bespoke multi-course private dining experience designed around your tastes, dietary needs, and the atmosphere you want to create.
Ideal for milestone celebrations, intimate dinners, anniversaries
At Home Steakhouse
$100/personPrime cuts, classic steakhouse sides, and a polished restaurant-style dinner in your home.
Ideal for birthdays, date nights, parent celebrations
Coastal Seafood
$100/personA fresh, celebratory seafood experience built around market fish, shellfish, and bright seasonal accompaniments.
Ideal for shore dinners, celebrations, seafood lovers
Private Party Menus
Wood-Fired Pizza Oven
$125/personLive-fire pizza dinner with handcrafted dough and premium toppings, cooked on-site. Gluten-free available.
French Bistro
$100/personA warm, refined menu inspired by classic French dining — rich sauces, rustic elegance, and elegant finishes.
Italian American
$100/personHearty Italian-American classics with house-made pastas, rich sauces, and traditional family-style favorites.
Greek Dinner
$100/personA Mediterranean feast with fresh herbs, olive oil, grilled meats, and traditional Greek preparations.
Spanish & Portuguese Tapas
$100/personBold Iberian flavors with authentic tapas, paella, and a lively shared dining atmosphere.
Mexican American
$100/personVibrant Mexican flavors with fresh salsas, bold spices, and made-from-scratch preparations.
American Backyard BBQ
$100/personSlow-smoked meats, comfort sides, and the laid-back spirit of a classic American cookout.
Plant-Based Dinner
$100/personCreative, satisfying plant-forward cuisine celebrating seasonal vegetables and bold natural flavors.
Harvest Table
$100/personA farm-to-table celebration featuring seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients at their peak.
Premium Add-Ons
Elevate any menu with these luxurious additions. Perfect for special celebrations.
Caviar Experience• +$55/person
Luxurious caviar service with premium accompaniments — add to any menu
Oyster & Crudo Bar• +$55/person
Fresh raw bar selections with oysters and artfully prepared crudo — add to any menu
Ready to create an unforgettable dining experience? Let's discuss your vision and customize the perfect menu for your event.
Book Your ExperienceA private dinner party is the room you set, the people you invited, and a kitchen that runs without you. The host doesn't cook. The host hosts. Chef Matts Culinary Creations runs in-home dinner parties across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina — coursed, family-style, or hybrid formats depending on the home, the guest count, and the occasion.
The structure is consistent: chef arrives ahead of guests, prep is finished on-site, courses run on a pace matched to the room, plates are served, and the kitchen is left clean before the chef leaves. What changes is the menu, the format, and the service staff requirements based on guest count.
Dinner Party Formats
Coursed dinners are the signature format. Five to seven courses, paced through the evening, plated individually. The format suits guest counts from six to about twenty, depending on the dining room and the kitchen capacity. The chef works ahead through prep, then plates each course as the previous course finishes service.
Family-style service runs platters and shared dishes to the table. Better for larger groups (fifteen to thirty), less formal in feel, faster to execute, and easier on a household kitchen. The food is plated for the table rather than for individual guests.
Hybrid format mixes coursed and family-style — a coursed first and second course followed by a family-style main, or shared starters followed by individually plated entrées. Common for groups around twelve to eighteen where the host wants the feel of coursed dining without the kitchen volume.
What's Included
A standard private dinner party booking includes:
- Menu calibration and consultation in advance
- Sourcing — produce, proteins, seafood, dairy, dry goods
- All on-site cooking and prep
- Plating and course service
- Kitchen cleanup before departure
- Service staff for events over ten guests or any event with passed courses (itemized in the quote)
What's not included: alcohol service (sourced by the host), rentals (tables, chairs, linens — only needed for larger events beyond what the home provides), and dinnerware beyond what the host has (rentals available if needed).
Service Staff
Dinners over ten guests typically need at least one service person in addition to the chef. Larger events scale up. The team handles plate service, water and wine pouring, course pacing, and silent kitchen cleanup during the meal.
Sample Dinner Party Menus
- Coursed New American. Crudo to start, hand-cut pasta course, dry-aged beef with seasonal vegetables, dessert course.
- Italian regional. Antipasti board, fresh pasta, slow-braised secondi, panna cotta or tiramisu.
- Coastal coursed. Local oysters, peekytoe crab salad, line-caught fish, citrus tart.
- Hybrid family-style with shared starters. Burrata and grilled vegetables, family-style pasta course, individually plated mains, dessert.
Menu work happens during a short consultation — guest preferences, dietary restrictions, the occasion, the kitchen, and the dining room all factor in. The chef brings menu ideas; the host shapes the final.
Service Areas
Private dinner parties across:
- New Jersey — South Jersey, the Jersey Shore (Avalon, Stone Harbor, Cape May), and surrounding markets. See private chef in NJ and personal chef in NJ.
- Pennsylvania — Philadelphia and the Main Line. See private chef in Philadelphia and personal chef on the Main Line.
- South Carolina — Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand. See private chef in Myrtle Beach.
Ideal For
Anniversaries & Birthdays
Celebrate milestones with a private chef experience your guests will never forget.
Holiday Gatherings
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's — enjoy the holiday without the kitchen stress.
Family Reunions
Bring the family together over an exceptional meal without anyone stuck cooking.
Client Entertaining
Impress clients and colleagues with an exclusive in-home dining experience.
Date Night at Home
A multi-course tasting menu for two — more intimate than any restaurant.
Vacation Rentals
Elevated dining at your Shore house or weekend getaway rental.
How It Works
- 1
Submit Your Inquiry
Fill out our quick availability form with your date, guest count, occasion, and any dietary needs. There's no obligation — just a starting point for your custom experience.
- 2
Design Your Menu
Chef Matt works with you to craft a multi-course menu tailored to your group's tastes, dietary restrictions, and the vibe of your evening — from elegant plated dinners to relaxed family-style feasts.
- 3
Finalize the Details
Once your menu is set, Chef Matt handles everything: grocery sourcing, equipment, timing, and logistics. You'll receive a final confirmation so there are no surprises on the day of.
- 4
Chef Arrives & Cooks
On the evening of your event, Chef Matt arrives early, sets up in your kitchen, and prepares every course fresh. Each dish is plated and served at the table — just like a private restaurant experience.
- 5
Cleanup Included
After the final course, Chef Matt packs up, cleans the kitchen, and leaves everything spotless. You never touch a dish — just enjoy the evening with your guests from start to finish.
What Our Clients Say
"We hired Chef Matt for a birthday dinner party, and the entire experience exceeded every expectation. The menu was absolutely phenomenal - beautifully presented, perfectly seasoned and full of thoughtful touches."
Heather Rehfuss
via Google
"Amazing dinner for ten by Chef Matt in our LBI home. We loved every bite of the meal he prepared for my husband's 60th birthday. There were constant comments from my family 'this is the best I ever had!'"
Gail A.
Long Beach Island, NJ
via Yelp
"Every dish was fresh, perfectly prepared and beautifully presented, especially the pan seared sea scallops and the lemon risotto with asparagus. Chef Matt was professional and easy to work with."
Mary B.
via Yelp
Meet Your Personal Chef
- 18+ years professional kitchen experience
- Executive Chef by age 22
- Academy of Culinary Arts graduate
- USPCA member
- Specialized in dietary-aware cooking
Chef Matt brings restaurant-quality dining directly to your home. Every meal is crafted around your preferences, dietary needs, and lifestyle — sourced with intention and cooked with precision.
Learn More About Chef MattWhere We Serve
Chef Matt brings private dinner party experiences to homes throughout South Jersey — from elegant gatherings in Haddonfield and Cherry Hill to celebrations in Moorestown, Marlton, and Medford.
During summer, our most popular destination is the Jersey Shore. Vacation rental dinners in Avalon, Stone Harbor, Cape May, Ocean City, and LBI are a signature part of what we do. Across the bridge, we serve the Philadelphia Main Line including Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Wayne, and Villanova.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Book Private Dinner Parties With Chef Matts
Bringing a chef into your home should feel calm, considered, and personal — not transactional. Every booking with Chef Matts Culinary Creations starts with a real conversation about your household: how many people you're feeding, the dietary preferences and restrictions involved, the kitchen we'll be working in, and the kind of experience you want to create. From there, Chef Matt builds a custom menu and confirms every detail in writing well before the date.
The service itself is fully turnkey. We handle planning, seasonal sourcing, in-home cooking, plating or portioning, and a complete kitchen cleanup before we leave. With more than eighteen years in professional kitchens — including time as an executive chef by age twenty-two and ongoing membership in the United States Personal Chef Association — Chef Matt brings restaurant-level technique into homes across South Jersey, the Jersey Shore, the Philadelphia Main Line, and South Carolina's Grand Strand.
Ready to Get Started?
Fill out our short availability form — no obligation, no pressure. We'll get back to you within 24 hours.
Check AvailabilityExplore Our Other Services
Weekly Meal Prep
Fresh meals cooked in your home, portioned and stored for the week.
Cooking Classes
Hands-on culinary instruction for groups, dates, and team building.
Special Occasions
Birthdays, anniversaries, proposals, and milestone celebrations.
Cocktail Parties
Passed hors d'oeuvres and small plates for standing-format events.
Bachelorette Parties
Shore house and vacation rental group celebrations.
All Private Chef Services
Browse our complete range of personal chef services.