Private chef Hamptons: frequently asked questions
The questions East End hosts ask us most before they book.
How much does a private chef cost in the Hamptons?
Most in-home private chef dinners in the Hamptons run $125 to $275 per guest, depending on the menu, the number of courses, and the ingredients, with local lobster and a raw bar sitting at the higher end. A dinner party for around ten typically lands between $1,800 to $3,200. A recurring share-house cook runs roughly $400 to $650 per week. Your quote always covers the chef's time, the shopping, the cooking, the service, and the cleanup.
Browse chefs to compare menus, and see
nearby Long Island chefs if you are west of the canal.
Who books a private chef in the Hamptons?
All kinds of East End hosts. Share houses in Montauk and Amagansett feed a full weekend crew, beach-estate hosts in Southampton and East Hampton entertain friends, and Sag Harbor and Bridgehampton weekenders want a farm-to-table night in. Finance and creative crowds host clients out east, Fourth of July and Labor Day houses run a clambake for a crowd, and couples in Water Mill or Sagaponack book a private sunset dinner. The most popular occasions are beach-house weekend dinners in season, share-house parties and group weekends, Fourth of July and Labor Day clambakes, sunset dinners on the deck for two, rose brunches and long summer lunches, and milestone birthdays and anniversaries out east.
What does the price include?
Menu planning, all the shopping at the farm stands and fish markets, cooking in your rental kitchen, plating and serving each course, and full cleanup so the house is left the way you found it. You provide the space, the plates, and the glassware. There are no hidden fees, and gratuity is at your discretion.
Which Hamptons hamlets do your chefs serve?
Our chefs cover the whole East End, including East Hampton, Southampton, Sag Harbor, Montauk, Bridgehampton, Amagansett, Water Mill, Wainscott, Sagaponack, Quogue, and Shelter Island. They also cook west of the canal on
Long Island and into
New York City off-season.
How far in advance should I book for the summer?
Out east, book early. For a standard summer weekend dinner, aim for one to two weeks ahead, and for Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends, book several weeks out, since those are the two hardest dates of the season and the best chefs are spoken for first. Off-season and shoulder weeks are far easier, and last-minute is sometimes possible midweek.
Can the chef do a clambake or a raw bar?
Yes. Clambakes and raw bars are two of the most-requested formats out east. A chef can run a live-fire clambake in the backyard or on the beach, or set up a full raw bar with local oysters, littlenecks, and chilled lobster. Tell us your headcount and your house, and we will match you with a chef who does exactly that.
Can you cook for a share house all season?
Yes. A
meal-prep chef or a recurring cook can come on a set day through the summer, stock the fridge, or run the weekend dinners for a share house so no one is trapped at the grill. For a full house it usually runs about $400 to $650 per week, and you can
browse chefs who cook out east.
Do your chefs do rosé and wine pairings?
Yes. Rosé season is the whole point out east, and many of our chefs will build a menu around a rosé pairing or work with the wine you already have from the local vineyards. They will not act as a licensed bar, but they will happily plan each course to match what you are pouring.
Is Chefpost available beyond the Hamptons?
Yes. Along with the Hamptons we serve Long Island, New York City, and Brooklyn in New York, plus cities across New Jersey, Florida, Texas, and Georgia. See every
private chef city we cover.
