Private chef · Melbourne
Your home, my kitchen, for the night.
A head chef with 18 years in professional kitchens cooks a seasonal menu at your table, for 2 to 30 guests and more for events.
Check availabilityHow it works
From first message to clean kitchen
Tell me the occasion
Date, guest numbers, suburb and anything your guests can’t or won’t eat.
We write the menu
I send a proposed menu and quote, and we adjust it until it’s right.
I shop and prep
Produce is bought from Melbourne suppliers and markets, and the slow work is done before I arrive.
Dinner, then clean-up
I cook and plate in your kitchen, serve each course and leave the kitchen as I found it.
Menus & pricing
Choose a starting point
Long lunch, share-style
from $110 per guest
Relaxed and generous. Bread, antipasti and a big shared main brought to the table family-style, followed by dessert. Ideal for birthdays and Sunday lunches.
Three-course dinner
from $140 per guest
A plated entrée, main and dessert, served course by course. The classic dinner party, written around the season and your guests.
Chef's tasting menu
from $185 per guest
Six courses showing what the season does best, with canapés on arrival. For anniversaries, special occasions and food-obsessed friends.
Prices are a guide per guest and include menu planning, all produce, cooking, service and clean-up. Very small groups, travel beyond metropolitan Melbourne, wait staff, equipment hire and wine matching are quoted separately.
Sample menus
What a night could look like
Menus change with the season. Every menu is written for your table.
Where I cook
Melbourne and surrounds
I regularly cook across inner Melbourne, including the bayside, inner-north, inner-east and south-eastern suburbs. The Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges, Geelong and the Bellarine are available on request, with a travel fee.
What’s included
- Menu design and a planning call before the event
- All produce shopping and preparation
- Cooking, plating and serving each course
- Kitchen clean-up before I leave
- Wait staff and wine matching can be arranged for larger groups
Private chef FAQs
How much does a private chef cost in Melbourne?
Thomas’s menus start from around $110 per guest for a share-style long lunch, $140 per guest for a three-course plated dinner and $185 per guest for a six-course tasting menu. That covers menu design, all produce, cooking, service and clean-up. Very small groups, regional travel, wait staff and wine are quoted separately.
How many guests can you cook for?
From 2 to 30 guests as standard. Larger events can usually be arranged with enough notice, extra staff and equipment hire.
Which areas of Melbourne do you cover?
All of metropolitan Melbourne. The Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges, Geelong, the Bellarine and other regional Victorian locations are available on request, and a travel fee may apply.
How far in advance should I book?
Two to four weeks is ideal, and further ahead for Friday and Saturday nights, December and larger events. Short-notice requests are fine to ask about.
Can you cater for allergies and dietary requirements?
Yes. Coeliac, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian and allergy-specific menus are planned from the first conversation, not adapted on the night. Let me know about any requirements when you enquire.
What do I need to provide?
A working oven and stovetop, some bench space, and plates and cutlery for your guests. Tableware, glassware and extra equipment can be hired for larger events.
Do you provide wine or drinks?
You’re welcome to supply your own wine and I can suggest pairings for the menu. For larger events, drinks service and wine matching can be arranged.
What style of food do you cook?
Seasonal, produce-led cooking with an Italian accent: handmade pasta, slow braises, simply cooked seafood and classic desserts like tiramisu and bonet. Every menu is written for the occasion.
Enquire
Book Thomas for your event
Prefer to talk? Call or text 0402 671 253 or email tptownsend13@gmail.com.