My first year as a Private Chef in Scotland has been one big adventure and i’m thrilled at how well things have gone. Hiring a private chef for a celebration or your weekend break in a holiday home seems to become a growing trend and I am delighted that Italba Dining has generated much interest in the first year of business.

I enjoy meeting new people and I get a lot of pleasure out of planning the right menu for the occasion. I’ve provided a range of private catering services across the country - in beautiful estates in Scotland, holiday homes in England and even spent the week cooking for a large family reunion at a castle in the North East of Scotland. I’ve cooked for families wanting to surprise a loved one with a birthday dinner, tourists holidaying on Loch Lomond, large groups hunting grouse in the highlands, dinner parties in Edinburgh and young lovers enjoying a weekend break in one of Perthshire’s beautiful holiday homes.

I use the best local ingredients to create seasonal dishes to my client’s taste. I’m fortunate to have some great local suppliers on my doorstep and have a great choice of locally grown produce – keeping food miles and my carbon footprint low. Most of my clients have been happy for me to recommend dishes that are seasonal and suit the occasion and it’s been great to get such positive feedback.

Home made parpardelle, Scottish beef cheeks, Tomnah’a vegetables

Being a private / personal chef provides me with an opportunity to get to know my clients. I’ve spent most of my career confined to a hotel or restaurant kitchen and I’m enjoying the experience of having contact with my clients; from the initial email enquiry and menu planning to meeting them in person, sharing food tips and answering any questions about my cooking methods and sometimes even enjoying a glass of wine together at the end of the evening.

I’m excited about the next few months and the year ahead. October was an extremely busy month with lots of new clients as well as a return to Comrie Croft to cook at Tomnah’s second Autumn Feast | Blasda. Italba, together with local caterers Beetroot and Chocolate. Delicious platters of Tomnaha’ vegetables prepared in a number of different way were served with seared duck from a local estate followed by a lemon verbena panna cotta.

Christmas is around the corner and I’ve been busy preparing festive menus for my clients. If you suddenly realise that you haven't booked the restaurant for your annual family or work Christmas party or If you can’t get a table in your favourite restaurant, try Italba dining: a first-class restaurant experience in the comfort of your own home. Using the finest local and seasonal produce I'll work with you to create a menu which suits your taste and budget.

At Italba Dining, I offer a bespoke dining service and can cater to most tastes and budgets. 25 years of experience at working in some great hotel and restaurants across the UK and Europe has equipped me with the expertise and knowledge to create interesting and dynamic menus for every occasion, using the best seasonal produce.

Please get in touch here if you would like more information about hiring a private chef | private dining | Pop Ups etc. I’m prepared to travel all-over Scotland and beyond.

Contact: Nelson at info@italba-dining.com

Hire a Private Chef in December