Private dining
Private dining, made to order
A menu written for your guests, served in your own house, on the evening you chose. No reservation, no service window, no leaving home.
The restaurant comes to you, and stays as long as needed
Entertaining at home changes the nature of the evening. There is no next sitting, no neighbouring table, no closing time. Guests arrive when they like, drinks run on, and the evening ends because the conversation does, not because the bill arrives.
What remains is the essential part: the food. That is the chef’s role, building the menu with you beforehand, arriving with the produce, working in your kitchen and leaving it in order. You prepare nothing and clear nothing.
These dinners take every form. A birthday for twenty, an extended family meal, an evening with friends more ambitious than usual, or simply a dinner for two that you wanted to make particular.
Building the evening
The decisions that matter
The menu
Built with the chef from your tastes, the season and the character of the evening. It is submitted to you before being fixed: nothing reaches the table without your approval.
Choosing the chef
Mediterranean, classical gastronomy, Japanese, or something more homely: the profile is chosen for what you want to serve, not the other way round.
Guest numbers
From two people to a full reception. Past a certain size, a commis or service staff work alongside the chef so the pace holds.
Table service
Plated, served from the dish, or simply laid out, depending on the tone. A butler can handle the welcome, the wine and the service while the chef stays in the kitchen.
Dietary requirements
Allergies, intolerances, vegetarian guests: flagged when the menu is built, not on the night. They also shape the choice of chef.
Afterwards
The kitchen is left clean and the washing-up dealt with. That is part of the service, not a favour: the evening should leave you no work.
With staff
When the evening becomes a reception
Past fifteen or so guests, one chef can no longer cook and serve. The quality of the evening then depends as much on the room as on the kitchen: welcoming guests, pacing the courses, keeping glasses filled.
For these evenings we propose service staff alongside, butler or household staff depending on the format. Teams are assembled to work together, and it shows immediately in how the evening runs.
Frequently asked
Arranging a private dinner
01How far in advance should a private dinner be booked?
A few weeks is comfortable, particularly in summer. Dinners are arranged at shorter notice depending on availability. In high season, the earlier the request, the wider the choice of chefs.
02Is the menu imposed?
No. The chef proposes based on your tastes, your constraints and the season, then the menu is discussed until it suits you. It is fixed before the evening.
03From how many guests do we need service staff?
It depends on the format as much as the number. A seated dinner for ten can run without dedicated service; standing canapés for twenty cannot. We discuss it when defining the evening.
04Does the chef bring equipment?
He brings his knives and small equipment. For the rest he works with the house kitchen, so knowing what is available matters before the menu is fixed.
05Can a private dinner be held in a rented villa?
Yes, it is very common. You simply need to check that the rental permits it, and to know the kitchen equipment, which tenants often discover on arrival.
06Do you handle the wine?
The chef can advise on pairings for the menu. Buying and supplying the wine remains with the house, unless specifically agreed otherwise beforehand.
Tell us about your plans
A few details are enough. Guillaume answers personally and comes back to you with suitable profiles.