This next one might be a little controversial. I know some local businesses offer and promote these experiences, and I get asked about them all the time. But when a client asks, it only takes about two minutes to explain why it’s not such a great idea.
Everyone, even me, loves the idea of doing dinner on the beach with a nice little tent setup, a fire pit, and a circle of beach chairs. Sitting around just after sunset, biting into a taco, a perfectly cooked steak, or pulling the head off a crawfish from that low-country boil, friends sitting around laughing and tossing another log on the fire, kids going up and down the shoreline with flashlights to see if they can spot the crabs coming out for their evening meal. It all sounds great... then reality sets in. The wind picks up and carries the napkins away along with the disposable plates, and it’s also carrying all the heat out of your food. The kids come running up and knock over the tray of carne asada, or sand drops off their arms into the corn. Then you realize you can’t bring down that nice bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner because glass isn’t allowed on the beach. Plus, you start to realize that even wading out into the water was a bad idea because your hands and legs are sticky from the saltwater drying on you. In the end, it’s kind of like a picnic in the park—the idea is super appealing, but once you apply the reality of it, that appeal goes away really quickly. Most folks don’t want to pay for what’s supposed to be a delightful experience only to end up battling the elements and wildlife for cold food.
Now that we’ve talked about the client side of the experience, I’ll tell you about the chef side. We head down to the beach with our pop-up tables, a few gas-powered burners, our pots and pans, and other supplies. With an in-home chef experience, everything is made in your kitchen: we cut the vegetables right there, sear your steaks, and whisk oils and vinegars together to make the dressing that’s perfect for the bib lettuce salad we have in mind for your dinner. Don’t get me wrong—we still do all that for your beachside dinner as well; we just do it ahead of time. By the time we finish setting everything up for your dinner service, the food has already been cooked because we don’t have the space or equipment needed to actually cook it on the beach—we’re just putting on a show to heat it up for you.
In the end, I work as a private chef, so my job is to make each dinner exactly what you, my client, want it to be. If you want dinner on the beach, we are going to make that happen. I’m also a person who loves food, and I always try to be upfront and honest with my clients. Dinner on the beach is a great idea and makes for some amazing pictures. However, when I’m paying for a meal, it’s about the quality and the preparation. Then, as a chef, it’s about the dedication I have to the quality of my preparation and ingredients. So if the experience is all about the social media post, and you just really want to know what it’s like to have grouper and pasta on the beach, then we’re going to do that. For me, though, I will always suggest that my clients think twice before committing to that and the price that comes along with hiring a private chef.
