What you need to know: Chef Chip's food is AMAZING! Seriously, this was definitely an unbelievably delicious meal - I highly recommend the herb-crusted rack of lamb and apple mesclun salad. His prices are actually reasonable for his high quality. He's very accommodating and flexible if you have allergies or wish to put a twist on his signature menu items. He's very adaptable to the environment (we had an older smaller oven that he made work) and just a very kind human being!
I wanted to plan a special night for a friend of mine who wasn't able to celebrate her birthday properly due to the pandemic we're all in currently (gotta love 2020). I saw a few friends had been using private chef services and decided to do my research, which is when I came across Chef Chip's listings and saw how highly rated he is.
Chef Chip: I absolutely cannot say enough great things about Chef Chip. From the moment I reached out to him with my ideas, he was very helpful, kind, and willing to work with me to create the perfect experience. Since it was just the two of us for dinner and the kitchen/dining room are virtually the same room, Chef Chip was very engaging with us, making us laugh and sparking interesting conversation throughout the night.
Food:
Appetizer course - Calamari Fritti. The Calamari was tender and not chewy at all, perfectly crisp, and the vodka sauce on the side was a perfect citrusy and tomatoey compliment to the dish.
Salad - Apple Mesclun salad. Probably one of the best salads I've ever eaten in my life. The gorgonzola, shaved apples, and that lemon honey vinaigrette combination was so flavorful and a perfect light dish in between the appetizer and main course. I will say the highlight of this salad was actually the spiced walnuts which gave a unique texture and flavor to the salad - didn't surprise me at all to learn that the "spice" used on these walnuts was actually made by the Chef himself! Once again putting his own special twist on an already amazing dish.
Main Courses - I wanted to try something different, so by my request, Chef Chip prepared an exquisite lobster tail on top of a delectable risotto with a steak medallion. I opted for his tried and true herb-crusted rack of lamb with the red wine jus, and risotto cake. For my friends course, she LOVED it. The lobster tail was cooked perfectly, the risotto underneath the tail had bits of lobster meat from the rest of the lobster in it and was so tasty! Her steak medallion was done just how she likes it and the veggies were a nice compliment to such a rich dish. My herb-crusted rack of lamb was a whole experience. Before cooking it, the Chef let me taste his homemade pesto that would encrust the lamb and by itself the pesto was phenomenal! When I finally got to taste it on the lamb, I was just in heaven. The lamb was perfectly cooked to what I like (medium-rare) and was so juicy. The risotto cake was something I’ve never had before, and as a fan of fried things, this was just stunning. I mean it’s fried on the outside and creamy on the inside, what’s not to like? The red wine jus that accompanied this dish just took it to the next level - I seriously would bathe in that jus because it was just so damn good!
Dessert - Finally to end the night, we went with the Chef's Molten Chocolate Soufflé which was an amazing end. The soufflé was cooked to perfection, molten center, fluffy outer, and the vanilla ice cream made the dish that much more delicious.
Price: I ended up paying about $260 in total for the dinner (which included food costs). Considering the convenience of having Chef Chip come to us, and the quality level of the food, as well as his overall demeanor, I'd say this was a great price point as you wouldn't get everything he offers spending the same amount at a restaurant around town.
All-in-all, I'll definitely be securing Chef Chip's services again in the near future and wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone seeking an upscale dinner from a fun and engaging chef in the comfort of...
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