What should I get a private chef to cook for us

[Allthegoodhorses]

I won via a charity auction a meal for 4 (two courses) to be cooked for us by a chef in our village. She is a trained Pru Leith cook/chef although does not do this for a living.

I have to provide her with a menu I would like and honestly, I have no ideas. My husband and I are cook-from-scratch people and often have things like rib of beef, Beef Wellington, salmon en croute, Beouf Bourguignon, or pies etc.

I have no idea what I would get her to cook as most things I can think of are what we already do for ourselves. Does anyone have any ideas? We will eat most things but I am not keen on tomatoes or mushrooms. None of the guests are veggie and will eat fish also. I don't think it matters which the two courses are (starter/main or main/dessert).

Just give her all that info and ask her to make a suggestion.

Do you actually have to provide a menu? Could you just send her a list of your dislikes and depending on where you live could you ask that ideally the majority of thee produce come from within the local area.

Otherwise could you suggest a theme like a Spainish Meat Main and a French dessert (or starter).

Having to come up with an actual menu would take a bit of the good out of it for me.

I would suggest she do something seasonal that’s just a bit too much faff for you to be bothered with. For me, that would be soufflés . Or, depending where you live, too much effort to get hold of.
OR just something that you love but don’t often have and enjoy the fact of being catered for?

I’d ask her for suggestions.

Thanks, she has asked me specifically what I would like her to cook for me. That’s the issue rather than her just doing her own thing.

Can you look at the menu of a nearby nice restaurant and choose something you wouldn't usually have from There?

I'd want a curry and a cheesecake but I'm not very classy 😊

That’s a good idea. I like Thai style dishes - not sure if this is something she can do. The Ivy do a gorgeous duck Thai curry. Thank you

Any meal I don’t have to cook would be lovely so I’d just pick my favourite two courses

Well id go for mushroom fricasse, beef wellington and cheese. But what do you want op?

The Le Gavroche Souffle Suissesse! Spelling? But that, anyway.

You can push that back to her - “ what would you say are your three signature mains and puddings, and we will pick one of those”

I was going to say soufflés too. Cheese for main, chocolate for pudding! Cos why not.

That’s a good idea thank you.

I’d do this. Easier for her as she will be confident with them and better for you as they’re well practised!

This is the problem. I don’t know what I want. Difficult I know but I guess I was maybe hoping someone would throw an idea out there and I would think ‘that’s a good idea”

Oh op this sounds amazing. I would pick mussels fries and crusty bread the food of gods. With some lovely wine.

I'd probably go for duck à l'orange as it's one of my favourite dishes, but too retro to feature on many restaurant menus. Alernatively, maybe game if you can source it? (I presume you'll be responsible for providing the ingredients).

I agree with pp's, ask her what her top 10 dishes are, what her favourite things tu cook are, her personally. No point asking her to cook .... Thai if she isn't comfortable, cauliflower if she doesn't like it.

I'd look at a French Michelin star restaurants menu and choose at something from there

Dishes that involve tiny amounts of lots of ingredients.

Multiple courses that you would normally dread washing up.

Dishes that can go wrong on timings without practice (eg expensive fish)

Dishes that require specialist pans (hollandaise type sauces)

Haha, pizza and chocolate mousse for me! 👌

OP it's a pretty poor show that she's not offering you suggestions. Ask her for examples of menus from previous meals she's done maybe?

I’m so envious! Totally agree with your notion of asking for something that you can’t or don’t make yourself. I think the signature dish idea is a good one.

Just promise us you’ll come back and tell us what it was like?!

Something that you wouldnt cook for yourself, something you have never had before, unusual things that are faffy

pick something really faffy that you enjoy but can never be bothered cooking, I’d pick
tempura king prawns with a Korean style dipping sauce (I can’t be bothered with all that hot frying fat so that would be a nice change) for main I’d definitely have a nice piece of fish with a herb crust and boulangère potatoes as that’s my fav meal and for dessert it would have to be a chocolate biscuit cake with a thick layer of ganache!