How much does a private chef cost in Rhode Island?

Private chef pricing depends on the guest count, menu complexity, and service type. Most private dinner events with Partum Events start at $75–$150 per person, which includes menu planning, grocery shopping, on-site cooking, service, and cleanup.

What does a private chef do?

A private chef plans your menu, shops for all ingredients, cooks everything on-site in your kitchen, serves each course, and cleans up before leaving. With Partum Events, every detail is handled — you don't need to do anything except show up to your own dinner.

What's the difference between a private chef and a caterer?

A caterer typically prepares food off-site and delivers it in bulk. A private chef cooks everything fresh in your kitchen, serves each course individually, and provides a more intimate, personalized dining experience.

Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?

Yes. Every menu is built around your group's dietary needs from the start. Partum Events regularly accommodates vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and other allergy-specific requirements.

How far in advance should I book a private chef?

For private dinners and events, booking 2–4 weeks in advance is ideal. Holiday dates and peak summer weekends in Newport book out faster — sometimes 6–8 weeks ahead. Weekly meal prep clients can typically start within a week of inquiry.

Do you bring your own ingredients and equipment?

Yes. Chef Paige handles all grocery shopping and arrives with everything needed to prepare and serve the meal. Clients provide access to a working kitchen — stovetop, oven, basic counter space.

What areas do you serve?

Partum Events is based in Newport, Rhode Island and serves coastal RI, Providence, South Shore Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and greater Boston. Travel fees may apply for locations outside the core service area.

How many guests can you accommodate?

Private dinners typically serve 2–20 guests. Hors d'oeuvres and cocktail events can accommodate larger groups. For events over 20, additional staffing is arranged.

Mother's Day Private Chef at Home: Skip the Restaurant, Get the Real Thing

Mar 18

Written By Paige Gilbert

A client texted me last week.

May 9th. "Paige, can you do Mother's Day tomorrow? My mom's flying in from Boston, we promised her dinner, but everything is booked or doing a fixed menu."

We made it work. It's what we do.

But here's what I've noticed: by mid-May, people realize Mother's Day at a restaurant isn't the gift they imagined. It's loud. The kitchen's swamped. Your mom gets whatever three dishes the executive chef decided in February. And you're just sitting there, watching them work the room.

That's not what she deserves.

There's another way. One where she eats what she actually wants, in a space nobody's rushing, with people she loves. You book a date and show up. That's it.

PARTUM EVENTS · NEWPORT, RI

Skip the Restaurant Reservation

A private chef handles the menu, the setup, and the cleanup. So your family can stay together at home and focus on what matters.

Start Planning

What This Actually Looks Like

The private chef comes to your house. Or a vacation rental on Aquidneck Island. Or a property in Newport. Wherever you're gathering.

We arrive around 3 or 4 PM for a 7 PM dinner. Quiet about it. Your kitchen becomes ours. We prep, cook, plate each course, clean up. You and your family have drinks, talk, laugh. The first course appears. Then the next one. There's no menu card diverting someone else's attention. No call to the server. Just dinner, the way it should be.

You choose the menu ahead of time. We source the ingredients, local when it matters, specific when it does. We build the evening around what your mom likes to eat, not what's convenient to produce 40 times that night.

By the time dessert is done, the kitchen is clean. We leave. You've just hosted a Mother's Day dinner your mom will actually remember.

And you didn't cook it.

The Evening, Hour by Hour

A private chef dinner for four to twelve guests runs about six and a half hours from arrival to departure.

THE EVENING · HOUR BY HOUR

3:00 PM — Chef arrives, begins setup and prep quietly in your kitchen

5:30 PM — Passed hors d'oeuvres and drinks while guests arrive and settle in

6:15 PM — Guests seated. First course plated and served

7:00 PM — Main course arrives. No clock running. No table to turn

8:00 PM — Dessert is plated. Cheese course. Toasts happen naturally

9:00 PM — Kitchen completely cleaned. Chef departs. Your evening is yours

Why This Works Better Than a Restaurant

Restaurants aren't bad. They're just built for a different job.

A restaurant's job is to turn tables. Feed many people, quickly, at the same price point. Your mom gets what the kitchen can execute at scale. The wine list is fixed. The menu is fixed. The noise is guaranteed.

A private chef's job is to feed your people. If your mom loves fish and your sister is vegetarian and your aunt needs gluten-free, we cook four different menus. If you want to linger over wine and cheese until 10 PM, nobody is waiting for your table. If you want to eat at 6 PM, that is what happens.

Clients from Boston and Providence book us for exactly this. They don't want to fight I-95 on Mother's Day and hope for a decent reservation. They want to drive to Newport, walk into their house or rental, and have dinner happen.

It's also a gift that requires nothing from you except choosing a date and a menu. We handle the rest.

A Sample Mother's Day Menu

Five courses, designed to feel special without being heavy.

SAMPLE

The

Chilled Cucumber & Dill Soup

Smoked Salmon Crème Fraîche

Pan-Roasted Halibut

Morel Mushrooms | Spring Peas | Beurre Blanc

Local & Imported Cheese

House-Made Crackers | Jam

Herb-Brined Chicken

Roasted Root Vegetables | Charred Broccolini

Beef tenderloin or all-vegetarian risotto available upon request

Strawberry Pavlova

Whipped Cream | Fresh Mint

Chocolate tart or lemon cake also available

The whole evening runs about three hours. Courses come out naturally. No rushing.

Before You Book

- How many people? Four to 20. Smaller groups feel intimate. Larger ones work too we just need notice to scale.

- How far in advance? Six weeks minimum for Mother's Day. Four weeks if you're flexible. It's March now, which means you still have time, but not much.

- Dietary restrictions? We build those in from the start. Vegetarian, gluten-free, shellfish allergy. Everyone eats well.

- What about wine? We can pair wine, you can bring bottles you love, or skip it. Your choice.

- What does it cost? Pricing starts at $150 per person. Includes chef, ingredients, service, and cleanup. No surprises.

FAQ

Do I need a fancy dining room?

No. We've cooked in family kitchens, vacation rentals, Bellevue Avenue homes, and beach houses. The space doesn't matter much. The people in it do.

Can I watch you cook?

Yes. Some families like to be in the kitchen with a glass of wine. Others prefer to stay out of it. We adapt.

What if we're not sure what menu we want?

We'll walk you through it. We know what works, what's in season, and what impresses people without being over the top.

Can you do brunch instead of dinner?

Yes. Mother's Day brunch at your place is a wonderful thing. We've done it many times.

What if a guest has a severe allergy?

We take it seriously. We ask detailed questions, verify ingredients, and keep separate prep areas if needed. Food allergies are real. We treat them that way.

Can you accommodate a large family gathering?

Yes. We've done 20-person family dinners. The menu scales. We just need notice and an idea of the space.

Do you serve areas outside Newport?

Partum Events serves Newport and all of Rhode Island, the Boston metro area, and Cape Cod.

Mother's Day shouldn't feel like a logistics problem. It should be good food, the people she loves, and an evening that felt built just for her.

Because it was.

May fills up quickly. If you're thinking about this, now is the time.

PARTUM EVENTS · NEWPORT, RI

Mother's Day, Handled

May dates fill quickly. Share your date, group size, and what she loves — I'll send a menu concept and quote within 24 hours.

Inquire About Your Event

Paige Gilbert