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DF Private ChefPrivate-chef dining across New England for intimate dinners, hosted celebrations, and menus built around the guests.DF Private ChefPrivate-chef dining across New England for intimate dinners, hosted celebrations, and menus built around the guests.Loading page content.
Current showcase menu
A full summer working menu for private dinners, built so hosts can choose a clear starting point without waiting through a long back-and-forth.
Current use
This is the menu that is ready to point at right now. Most hosts narrow it into a three-course, four-course, five-course, or longer dinner after the date, guest count, kitchen, and service style are reviewed.
Pricing
The same current private-dinner pricing structure applies whether you pick this menu as the starting point or request a custom menu. Final pricing still depends on guest count, course count, service style, location, staffing, sourcing, and event details.
Boards + Salads
Charcuterie board
Cheese, meat, spreads, fruit, vegetables, pickles, crackers, and nuts or seeds.
Salad mix
Beets, radish, preserved berry-rhubarb vinaigrette, camembert cheese, and rye crouton.
Classic caprese with grilled basil toast
Grilled zucchini salad
Red peppers, eggplant, feta vinaigrette, and dandelion capers.
Chopped beet salad
Magnolia, pickled rhubarb, strawberry-bronze fennel vinaigrette, and goat cheese.
Beet salad
Smoked blueberry-basil vinaigrette, chevre, and toasted black walnut.
Frisée
Oregano cracker, goat cheese, prosciutto, and minced pickled vegetables.
Slow-roasted turnip and rutabaga
Black garlic-black walnut vinaigrette and fine herbs.
Wilted spinach
Confit potato, sunchokes, manchego foam and tuile, thyme pickled rhubarb.
Small Plates + Raw Bar
Raw oysters
Lilac shrub and green onion gremolata.
Poached asparagus and crab
Fresh hollandaise, fried sunchoke chips, and dill.
Raw tuna crackers
Green onion, confit garlic, maple vinegar, and dehydrated green onion.
Marinated cheese hand wrap
Lettuce, foraged greens, lime balm, pansies, mint, and fresh green onion.
Corn gazpacho
Toasted gnocchi, marinated grilled corn, summer peppers, and herb oil.
Fresh pasta tossed in pesto
Marinated tomatoes and manchego.
Seafood
Fried oysters and asparagus
Smoked corn and potato puree, dill, caraway, and coriander seed.
Charred scallop and cucumber
Pruned green blueberries caper-style and brown butter.
Halibut
Basil buttercrumb, fresh tomato broth, and compressed tomato and zucchini.
Cured salmon and beet rose
Fresh goat cheese, lilac and black pepper shrub.
Sautéed salmon and peas
Water-tomato broth, herb goat cheese, and crispy salmon skin.
Lobster roll
Lemon aioli, buttered asparagus, asparagus sauce, buttered bun, and chive.
Chicken + Beef
Crispy chicken thighs
Sautéed asparagus, potato gratin, and Madeira sauce.
Crispy chicken cutlets
Madeira pan sauce, tomatoes, raw zucchini, confit sunchokes, and herbs.
Crispy chicken breast
Lemon vinaigrette, roasted peppers, and crispy potatoes.
Marinated grilled chicken breast
Stone fruit, shallot, pickled magnolia, crispy onions, and chicken jus.
Creamy chicken gnocchi
Garlic-parmesan cream sauce, charred corn, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and herbs.
Turkey tips
Marinated turnip, magnolia vinegar, thyme, and house barbecue sauce.
Grilled steak tips
Peppers, chive potato salad, grilled zucchini, and corn on the cob.
Burger sliders on toasted brioche
Confit garlic burger sauce, LTOP, and jalapeño jam.
Marinated flank steak
Fries, garden chimichurri, slow-charred tomatoes, and zucchini.
Grilled aged ribeyes
Roasted potatoes, rosemary, asparagus, Madeira beef jus, peppers, and herbs.
Braised short ribs with blackberry BBQ
Cornbread, honey butter, corn on the cob, green beans, and bronze fennel gremolata.
Dessert
Magnolia chai gelato
Black walnut cone, chocolate shell rolled in balms, pansies, magnolia, and mint.
Strawberry rhubarb crumbs
Compressed and candied rhubarb, and lime balm gelato.
Chocolate and blueberry mousse tart
Lilac caramel gelato and sea salt.
Ice cream sandwich
Chocolate cake cookie, vanilla and chocolate-lilac gelato, peanut butter and pretzel clusters.
Lemon and lime balm tart
Lilac sable cookie crumb and vanilla lime balm gelato.
Blueberry mousse tart
Chocolate shell, blueberry chocolate chip gelato, chocolate ganache, and whipped cream.
Lilac dark chocolate gelato
Peanut butter pretzel clusters, lightly cooked strawberries in sauce, and whipped cream.
Strawberry shortcake cheesecake
Strawberry sorbet, candied lime, and lemon balm.
Lemon curd sable tart
Toasted meringue, strawberry-rhubarb syrup, and lemon-lime balm gelato.
Fried dough sundae split
Fried dough, hot fudge, vanilla bean gelato or any gelato. Toppings: whipped cream, caramelized banana, strawberry topping, chocolate sprinkles, and walnuts.
Showcase and custom
The showcase menu is meant to remove friction for hosts who want a clear answer now. Custom menus are still available every day, and asking for custom does not change the public pricing structure.
Start the inquiry from this menu and mention any changes in the notes. That keeps the next step clean without forcing a second decision.
Summer Menu 2026
42 dishes · 5 courses