Hire a Private Chef for an Experience Designed Around You
French Magnolia Cooks is not a volume-driven operation. If you’re looking to hire a private chef, we create in-home dining experiences for hosts who care how an evening feels—not just how it looks. Every gathering is approached with intention, balancing ease, beauty, and thoughtful hospitality so you can stay present while everything unfolds naturally.
Our work is rooted in in-home fine dining, intimate celebrations, and boutique weddings. These are not catered events in the traditional sense. They are chef-led experiences, planned and executed with care, where every detail supports the moment at the table.
At a glance, a French Magnolia evening feels quietly elegant. Soft linens, classic French tableware, thoughtful wine selections, and seasonally inspired dishes come together without feeling staged. Service is calm and attentive. Nothing feels rushed or overproduced. The experience is designed to feel effortless—because the work behind it is intentional.
A Few Things People Ask Us
People often reach out with similar questions when they’re thinking about a private chef.
Here are a few of the ones we hear most.
What does a private chef do?
A private chef creates a personalized dining experience in your home or private setting. That usually includes menu planning, ingredient sourcing, cooking on-site, and leaving the kitchen clean at the end of the evening. The focus is on hospitality and care, not volume or speed.
How is a private chef different from catering?
Catering is designed to feed many people efficiently. Private chef work is designed to serve a specific group thoughtfully.
With a private chef, the menu is built around you, the food is prepared on-site, and the experience is paced like a meal, not a service line. It’s more personal, more flexible, and more intentional.
Do you cook in our home?
Yes. Most private chef experiences take place in the host’s home or private venue. We work with what’s available, plan ahead, and bring what’s needed to make the evening feel seamless.
What kinds of events are a good fit for your company?
We’re best suited for private dinners, chef’s table experiences, small celebrations, and boutique weddings. The common thread is that the gathering is intentional and hospitality-forward.
If the goal is volume or speed, we’re probably not the right fit. If the goal is a memorable experience around the table, we’re aligned.
Do you offer private chef services for weddings?
Yes, for select boutique and destination weddings.
This typically looks like rehearsal dinners, welcome dinners, or intimate wedding meals where the food and experience are meant to feel personal rather than catered. We take on a limited number of these each year.
How many guests can a private chef serve?
That depends on the type of experience and the space. Most private chef dinners are designed for smaller groups (10-24), where pacing and connection matter. We’ll talk through guest count early to make sure expectations are aligned.
Do you accommodate dietary preferences or restrictions?
Yes. Menus are planned in advance with dietary needs, allergies, and preferences in mind. The goal is for every guest at the table to feel cared for without drawing attention to accommodations.
Where do you offer private chef services?
We serve select areas of Western North Carolina, East Tennessee, and Virginia, including Highlands, Cashiers, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, Nashville, Knoxville, Roanoke, and Charlottesville. Travel beyond these areas may be considered for the right fit.
How far in advance should we book a private chef?
Availability varies by season, but reaching out early is always helpful — especially for weekends and special occasions. We take on a limited number of engagements so each one gets the attention it deserves.
What does working together usually start with?
It starts with a conversation. We’ll talk about the gathering, the setting, and what you want the experience to feel like. From there, we’ll decide together whether it’s a good fit before moving forward.
Is this a good fit if we’re “just looking for food”?
Probably not.
Our work is about the experience as a whole — the pacing, the table, the flow of the evening. If that matters to you, we’re a good match. If you’re simply looking to have food dropped off, there are better options.
In-Home Fine Dining
Inviting French Magnolia Cooks into your home transforms an evening into a fully realized dining experience. From softly pressed linens and curated tablescapes to multi-course menus paired with exceptional French wines, every detail is handled with precision and warmth. Your private chef, server, and sommelier work seamlessly so you can relax, connect, and enjoy the moment.
Boutique Weddings
Intimate weddings deserve the same level of care as grand celebrations—often more. French Magnolia Cooks specializes in boutique weddings where cuisine, wine, and setting are woven together with intention. Whether hosted in a private home, garden, or destination setting, each wedding reflects your personal style while maintaining the elevated standards that define our brand.
Private Events & Celebrations
From milestone celebrations to elegant social gatherings, our private events are designed as immersive experiences. Thoughtful menus, refined presentation, florals, candlelight, and polished service come together to create an atmosphere that feels both elevated and welcoming. This is hospitality that unfolds naturally—never rushed, never overdone.
Destination Experiences
French Magnolia Cooks travels with intention. For clients seeking something truly distinctive, we offer destination and travel-based culinary experiences—bringing our team, our philosophy, and our standards wherever your gathering takes place. From planning to execution, every detail is managed with the same care as an in-home event.
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Bringing Your Vision to the Table
Original, creative, effortless, and elegant—every private chef experience begins with listening.
As the executive chef and founder of French Magnolia Cooks, Chef Missy designs and executes each gathering with a deep respect for the people around the table. With more than twenty-five years of experience across the culinary and design worlds, her work draws inspiration from the lives, stories, and reasons people choose to gather.
The private chef experience is a form of live hospitality. It requires calm leadership, preparation, adaptability, and care in every moment. Staying present, keeping a steady hand, and knowing when to step forward—or step back—is what allows the experience to feel natural for guests and seamless for hosts.
chef’s tables
wine dinners
plate-ups
family style
gatherings
boutique
luxury
weddings
What’s Included in a Private Chef Experience
Every French Magnolia private chef experience is thoughtfully inclusive.
We provide everything needed for the evening to feel cohesive and considered, including linens, china, flatware, stemware, florals, candles, all food, and curated wine pairings when desired. Nothing is pieced together at the last minute. Each element is chosen to work in harmony with the others.
Chef’s Table dinners and wine-forward experiences are among our most requested offerings. These evenings often include guided conversation around food and wine—sharing insight into ingredients, technique, regions, and traditions—without turning the meal into a performance. Guests leave feeling both cared for and connected to the experience.
Not Catering — By Design
We believe private chef work should feel personal, fluid, and deeply human.
This is not drop-off food. It’s not assembly-line service. And it’s not designed for volume. Each gathering is treated as its own moment, requiring judgment, preparation, and quiet attention throughout the evening.
Our role is to hold the experience so hosts don’t have to. When it’s done well, the work stays mostly invisible—and that’s exactly the point.
We recently had Chef Missy and her fabulous husband Thomas create a Chef's Table dinner party for my 50th birthday celebration with an intimate group of my girlfriends. What a treat to sit down to the most beautifully set table with flowers, candles and china. We loved learning about each wine from Thomas. His selections were perfectly paired to each course. Chef Missy prepared the most exquisite meal that my guests are still talking about! They were professional in their interactions before and during the evening and we all found them delightful to be with! The entire experience exceeded our expectations!
– Ruthann Ross
We did the chef's table experience at our home and Chef Missy made everything special, delicious, and best of all, I didn't have to lift a finger. Every course and wine pairing was exquisite. It was very educational and a dinner we will be talking about for years to come. Can't wait to do it again some time!
– Allie Turner
Chef Missy traveled to Blowing Rock, NC, to put on a fabulous brunch for my mother-in-law’s birthday. The food was outstanding, presentation just beautiful and learning all about champagne from her husband, Thomas Fraley, was an added bonus. My husband and I are looking forward to working with Chef Missy again in the future. She’s just the best!
– Abbey Sullivan
We had such an amazing night with Chef Missy and Thomas!! The food, the wine, the ambiance, and the laughter all made for an unforgettable experience! I can not recommend them enough!
– Christina Bare
I cant put into words how blessed our group was by Missy and Thomas. Our experience was so, so much more than food. They created an experience our group was changed by, and will never forget!
– Callie Hansen
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