What to expect from your private chef experience

When you book a private chef in Liguria, you are inviting the best of the Italian Riviera's culinary tradition into your home. Your chef will contact you in advance to discuss preferences, group size, allergies, and the style of dining you envision — from a relaxed seafood lunch to a multi-course gourmet dinner. On the day, the chef arrives with carefully selected ingredients, often purchased that very morning from local fish markets, herb growers, and olive oil producers along the coast. You will see basil pounded by hand in a marble mortar for an authentic pesto, delicate pasta shapes formed with practiced fingers, and the freshest fish filleted tableside. A typical Ligurian dinner might begin with marinated anchovies and brandacujun on crispy toast, followed by trofie al pesto, then a whole roasted orata with Taggiasca olives, potatoes, and pine nuts, finishing with a slice of pandolce Genovese paired with a glass of Sciacchetrà. Throughout the evening, the chef manages every detail from mise en place to final cleanup. Whether you are perched above Portofino's harbor, nestled in a Cinque Terre vineyard cottage, or aboard a yacht in Sanremo, your private dining experience captures the essence of Ligurian living.

A taste of what your chef might prepare

Antipasto: Marinated white anchovies from Monterosso dressed with lemon and Taggiasca olive oil; brandacujun (whipped salt cod with potatoes and garlic) served on crispy focaccia rounds; a slice of warm farinata straight from the copper pan. Primo: Handmade trofie al pesto Genovese — basil pounded in a marble mortar with pine nuts, Parmigiano, Pecorino Fiore Sardo, and Taggiasca oil — tossed with green beans and diced potatoes in the traditional Ligurian style. Secondo: Whole roasted branzino stuffed with fresh herbs and lemon, accompanied by roasted Taggiasca olives, cherry tomatoes, and a drizzle of Riviera Ligure DOP extra virgin olive oil. Dolce: Pandolce Genovese — the classic Genoese Christmas cake with candied fruit, pine nuts, and orange blossom water — served with a chilled glass of golden Sciacchetrà passito from the Cinque Terre vineyards.

Menus are fully customizable — this is just an example of what's possible.