I first discovered KitchenSurfing when I was invited to a dinner party with LA’s culinary community in a fun home near Abbot Kinney in Venice. I dined on nonstop delectable bites that had me “Oooohing” and “Aaaahing” with a crowded group of interesting people in a beautiful backyard as we stood around tables in the darkness. The two chefs hired for the event knocked our socks off with each course with an endless array of dishes like lamb chops, chorizo salad, and BBQ chicken. The food extravaganza continued to blow my mind with their dessert options. I watched as the Chef Joey Giorgianni used his torch to make S’mores on housemade ginger snaps, valrhona chocolate, and house made vanilla marshmallows, then created these Meringue Bites with lemon curd and a fig and berry explosion on top.

What is so convenient about this KitchenSurfing concept that just came to LA from Chicago, NYC, Boston, the Hamptons, and Berlin? You want to have a dinner party for 5 or 50? You want a chef to prepare Thanksgiving? Maybe you want a luncheon at your home. You select the theme or food type you are interested in, and then you can select your chef and your budget. You can even choose your own menu. A BIO about each chef is online and some chefs have reviews, as well as pictures showcasing their food creations. Some of the current food themes in LA include NOLA in Venice (Louisiana cuisine), Taste of Galicia (Spanish coast), Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Class, Let’s Do Lunch, and Modernist LA.

You do nothing. The chef shops, shows up at your house, cooks, serves, and cleans. You enjoy the restaurant-like environment at your home and actually talk to your guests. The chefs come with an hourly rate, a minimum hourly booking, and locations they will go to outside of LA, like Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, or Newport. Sometimes it is nice to not have to worry about a thing, but rather savor the food and enjoy your time and home with the people you love.