Staying in for dinner? Check out these 10 Charleston-area private chef services (2024)

What motivates people to dine at restaurants rather than their own homes?

According to a recent survey, three-quarters of diners go out to avoid cooking, and more than half said restaurants are more convenient. Among respondents, 44 percent visit restaurants because they enjoy socialization.

With the rise in private chef services, all three of those benefits can be accomplished without leaving home.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, several Charleston area chefs stepped away from restaurant kitchens to launch catering or professional chef services. The transition came as more diners decided that enjoying a chef-prepared meal at home was more enticing than visiting a restaurant.

Four years later, it's challenging to secure a restaurant reservation in Charleston; one look at resy.com confirms that local eateries have recovered from the era of masks and social distancing. And while there are several group-friendly restaurants in Charleston, dining with a large party can be complicated.

When staying in feels easier, check out these 10 private chef services in Charleston.

Calabria’s

Private chef Graham Calabria can curate just about any type of food experience, from small dinners to large outdoor cookouts. Each one celebrates ingredients from farmers and fishermen throughout the region. Calabria has competed on the Food Network and cooked for celebrities like Channing Tatum.

Carolima's Lowcountry Cuisine

Lowcountry native Sameka Jenkins specializes in food that celebrates her Gullah culture. Offering options for groups of various sizes, Carolima's Lowcountry Cuisine can curate events for parties, family gatherings and more.

Charleston Chef Service

Jake White left restaurants to open Charleston Chef Service, a business that brings multicourse meals to Charleston-area homes. He caters to groups of eight to 20, incorporating local ingredients into every meal.

Gringo Ninja

The local location of this franchise will bring all types of culinary experiences to your home — from a Lowcountry boil to Korean barbecue and hibachi.

Interactive Home Cooking

Ty Kotz spent 25 years working in New York City’s top fine dining restaurants before launching his own private chef service. His business, Interactive Home Cooking, typically hosts dinner parties for groups of eight to 25 people. Meals are cooked to order in front of guests.

Iron Clay Catering

Longtime Husk chef Travis Grimes launched his own catering company, Iron Clay, in 2022.

For groups of 6 to 12, Grimes suggests a plated dinner that features one to four starters or canopies, a first course, main course and desserts. For larger events, Grimes encourages guests to select Iron Clay’s buffet option.

Lauren Furey

Lauren Furey, whoapprenticed with Nathalie Dupree, curates private dinners and hosts at-home cooking lessons. For more information, visit laurenfurey.com.

Rosemary & Rye

Though Rosemary & Rye is a full-scale catering company, it also boasts a private chef service. The meals are chef curated and customizable.

The Carolina Chef

This personal chef service can handle any type of gathering, from a formal date night to family-style meal for a large group. Menus change with the seasons, and seafood, rice and produce are sourced locally.

The Drifter

The private dining format has been a winning formula for former Charleston Grill chef Michael Zetner and his wife, Courtney, who in 2020 launched a bread-baking business that morphed into a private events company. The Drifter is still going strong today, specializing in 30- to 50-person dinner parties.