Private chefs in Cork

A small number of private chefs reach Cork today, with package prices from €50 to €110 a head and a typical price of about €90. One chef is based in Cork city and cooks Palestinian and wider Mediterranean menus using Irish produce. Another is based in Killarney and travels up to 100 km. Supply is thin, so the grid above shows who is actually available rather than a long list.

A 100 km radius from Cork city takes in Kinsale, Midleton, Youghal, Macroom, Bandon and Clonakilty, which makes a chef based in the city a realistic option for a dinner in East or West Cork as well as in the city itself. The Cork-based chef lists dinners for as few as two guests and as many as 50 or 100, with minimum orders between €50 and €100. The Killarney chef lists minimum orders of €85 to €90 and takes tables from one guest up to 100.

The usual jobs are a dinner party for six to twelve, a birthday or anniversary at home, a long table for a family weekend in a rented house, and a quiet dinner for two. The chef plans the menu with you, buys the ingredients, cooks in your kitchen, serves each course and leaves the kitchen clean. You provide the table and the guests.

Every package shows its price per person, so you can set your numbers and see the total before you commit. If you want a course changed, a starter added or a dietary need handled, message the chef first. Enquiring is free and there is no card at that stage. The chef will tell you quickly if the date and address work, which matters most for a booking in a rural part of the county.

Your card is only charged once the chef accepts the booking, and the cancellation terms are shown before you pay. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free menus are normal requests, but flag any serious allergy in your first message so the chef can confirm the menu is safe to cook.