How Much Does a Private Chef Cost in Charleston, SC?

Charleston, South Carolina, known for its rich culinary traditions and top-notch restaurants, has become a hotspot for food enthusiasts seeking unforgettable dining experiences. If you're looking to elevate your dining game and enjoy a personalized meal in the comfort of your own home, a private chef might be just what you need. In this article, we'll explore the cost of hiring a private chef in Charleston, SC, and introduce you to Charleston Chef Service, a local company that's making private dining easy and affordable while embracing the competitive landscape of the industry

The Charleston Dining Scene

Charleston's culinary scene boasts a stellar reputation, thanks in part to renowned chefs like Sean Brock, who have put Low-country cuisine on the map. As the demand for personalized dining experiences has grown, so has the popularity of hiring a personal chef to curate exquisite meals tailored to your tastes and preferences.

Charleston Chef Service

Charleston Chef Service is at the forefront of providing exceptional private chef experiences in Charleston. They're dedicated to streamlining their operations to offer a more affordable private chef experience, complete with wine pairings. Their tagline, "Private Dining Made Easy," encapsulates their mission to simplify the process of hiring a private chef for Charleston residents and visitors alike.

How It Works

Charleston Chef Service specializes in thoughtfully curated 3-course dinners prepared in the comfort of your own home. Here's how the process works:

1. Go to chschefservice.com

2. Choose one of their signature menus & book your event date using their convenient online booking platform to submit your event request. Charleston Chef Service staff will review your request and send you an invoice via email.

3. Their trained staff arrives with all the necessary dinnerware for your service. You only need to provide beverage glasses if opting for wine service.

4. To secure your event date, a 50% deposit is required. The remaining balance is due on the scheduled event date.

Charleston Chef Service understands that private dining should be accessible to all. Their 3-course chef-curated dinners start at just $80 per person. For those looking to elevate their experience, featured wine pairings, curated by an expert, can be added for an additional $45 per person. This pricing model ensures that you get a customized and memorable dining experience without breaking the bank.

Hiring a private chef in Charleston, SC, can be a fantastic way to enjoy a tailored dining experience without the hassle of going out to a restaurant. So, whether you're a local or just visiting, indulge in Charleston's best private chef services with Charleston Chef Service. Your taste buds will thank you.

Visit them at chschefservice.com

Carolina Gold Arancini

Carolina Gold Arancini, Parmesan & Sesame Seeds

While we might have lost most of our crop variety since the commercial adoption of monoculture, there are still some people out there trying to preserve America’s great heirloom varieties. Marsh Hen Mill, a family-owned farm on Edisto Island, SC is one of them, growing and milling their own heirloom grains like Sea Island red peas, Carolina gold rice, black eyed peas, and Blue Corn. 

Carolina gold rice is a staple crop in South Carolina. It’s a long grain flavorful rice and a perfect canvas for tons of classic southern dishes. There are a billion ways to prepare white rice and I'm sure you’re familiar with more than a few. You probably don’t have quite as many recipes for all that leftover rice, though. This is a modern take on a classic but if you don’t like parmesan or sesame, there are so many other ways to play with flavors here. Have at it!

Note: Make sure you use cooled leftover rice. This recipe won’t work with fresh rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Carolina gold rice, cooked

• ½ cup grated parmesan

• 1/8 cup parsley, chopped

• ¼ tsp minced garlic

• 3 large eggs

• 2 cups panko, finely ground

• 1.5 cups AP flour

• 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds

• s&p to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine your cooked rice, parmesan, parsley, garlic, sesame seeds, and egg. 

2. If more binder is needed, add finely ground panko a little at a time until proper texture is reached

3. Roll mixture into balls about the size of  golf ball

4. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill in the freezer. 

5. While your mixture is chilling, set up an egg wash station with finely ground panko in one bowl, whisked eggs in another, and AP flour in the last. 

6. After about 30 minutes, remove the chilled rice balls from the freezer. 

7. First, coat the rice ball in flour. Shake off excess. 

8. Next, dunk the flour-coated rice ball in the egg mixture followed by the panko mixture. 

9. Return to your baking sheet and proceed with the rest of the rice balls. 

10. Once all the rice balls have been egg-washed, return to the freezer for 30 minutes or overnight. 

11. When you’re ready to cook, Heat oil in a deep bottom pan on medium high heat.

12. Once preheated, add your Arancini to the oil. Constantly rotate to ensure even browning. Each one will take about 6-8 minutes in the oil. 

13. While still hot, garnish with salt, parmesan, sesame seeds, and parsley. Enjoy!

5 Winter Food Hacks to Spice up the Season

Hey guys,

Chef JP gathered his top 5 favorite winter food hacks that help him get through the cold season. Do you have any of your own?

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Save your leftover Red Wine

Don’t throw it out! First of all, it’s a darn tragedy to waste good wine. Second, if you don’t want to down the bottle just make sure to save it for the next time your braising some tough meats or feel like adding an extra acidic “zing” to your dish.

Lean into Oven Roasting and stews

If grilling is meant for the summer months than surely oven roasting is meant for the winter. Theres just something about cranking up the oven, throwing in a roast, and sitting back to enjoy the season that really conjures up some great memories of my mom making delicious balsamic glazed roasted brussel sprouts or airline chicken with a tangy cranberry orange relish.

Warm Spices & Greens with a bite

Reach for those warm spices in your cabinet. Cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon to name a few. They aren’t just great metabolism boosters. They also provide the body with nutrients while adding flavor to your seasonal dishes.

Additionally, Mustard greens, radish, kale, and other greens with a bit of a spicy bite to them are great for the winter. Start opening your mind when you enter the grocery store. What can you add to your cart that’ll bring variety to your dinner plate?

Freeze your herbs

Yup. Seems weird, but do it! Freezing herbs at their peak freshness does a great job at retaining those flavors when you need them. Don’t abandon your herb garden just because the weather is changing! Just switch up your approach.

Utilize leftovers

Let’s face it - when that cold weather swoops in sometimes you just don’t want to cook. The winter time is best for recharging the batteries anyway and you’ve been working so hard at being more conscious of what’s going in to your body. UTILIZE LEFTOVERS! you’re saving time and money AND treating yourself to delicious food. I call that a triple play.

Keep spreading love, good people!

Best,

Chef Jake

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Crispy Buffalo Wings

Hey Football Fans,

Have you ever tried making buffalo wings at home for game day? I’m sure most of you have before…. BUT have you made really delicious restaurant quality ones? Probably not. Today i’m going to tell you the secret to Crispy, Crunchy, and Tangy Buffalo Wings that are perfect for the big game.

The Wings

Alright - so the main thing we want to do with the wings is give them a nice crunchy outer skin layer without adding any breading. In order to do that, we’re going to want to reduce the moisture from the inside of the wings. So first, we’re going to PAR bake the wings on a wire rack so the fat and extra water that’s inside the wings can drip out below. (par bake means that we aren’t going to fully cook the wings. We don’t want them to dry out on us.) Once the wings are par baked, we’re going to pull them out of the oven and let them rest. Then, we’ll give them a quick seasoning, toss them in baking powder, and bake with whatever method you prefer. Air fry, fry, or bake these up for a crispy golden delicious exterior and a tender juicy interior.

The Sauce

Use about 6-8 oz. of your favorite hot sauce and mix with 2-4 Tbsp of melted butter, depending on your heat preference. Toss the crispy cooked wings in the sauce and serve with chopped parsley or green onion, bleu cheese, and some carrot and celery sticks!

The Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Pat your wings dry with paper towel, then salt.

3. Place wings on a wire rack into preheated oven for 10 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes.

5. Salt & Pepper the wings and lightly coat them in baking powder

6. Cook the wings using preferred method (Bake, fry, or air fry) until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

7. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.

8. Toss your wings in the sauce you made

9. Plate and serve with blue cheese, carrots and celery sticks, and garnish with parsley or green onions.

10. Enjoy!

Keep spreading love, good people!

Best,

Chef Jake

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Perseverance Street

Are you afraid of being judged for the way you live your life?

I’ve got good news for you: The “what’s your plan’s?” or “get it together’s” wear off eventually. They get old. You stop hearing them…and when that day finally comes, you’ll officially be able to begin your life. YOUR life. The one you kinda sorta knew you wanted to have but got too bogged down by the opinions of others to actually pursue. So you let it sit to percolate in the back of your mind. Every once in a while thoughts resurface again only to be drowned by your doubts.

Listen, I’m not here to give you the hoorah speech that’s ultimately going to get you off your ass and stop making excuses. If i’ve learned anything on my journey, it’s that I don’t have that power, nor wizardry of “word craft” to convince someone to do something or believe in something I believe in. Life has us all on our own journeys, being experienced only through the eyes of the individual. We all get served lessons from life differently, at different times, and we conceptualize our learned experiences differently. I think wether this venture you’ve been dreaming up works out in the end or not, living with the failure and taking the lessons along the way is far more valuable than living with the regret of not knowing….

BUT I DIGRESS

I’m actually here to talk to the people that finally did build up the courage to make a pivot in their life and change direction. First of all, Congratulations. The leap you took is terrifying. Being a company that is still a very small start-up, and i hate to tell you this, but it’s STILL terrifying at times. There are absolutely moments of self doubt, doubts of self worth, and complete lapses in confidence. Being an entrepreneur can be lonely and it’s not just a “career path”. Being an entrepreneur is also a lifestyle choice. But life is all about balance and with the lack of security being an entrepreneur brings also comes an immense amount of freedom. That freedom is a gift, of course, but it’s also a responsibility. So, you’re a little shell shocked after the first few months. I GET IT! Let me tell ya, I was too. Stumble through this at the beginning. Allow yourself the grace of failing and making mistakes. Write down all the things you're experiencing and learn from them. Be Transparent when you fail and admit it. When you admit it to yourself, its freeing and when you admit it to a customer, although the initial ROI might not look good, that moment will make a lasting impression on them and they’ll be more willing to accept the mistake, forgive, and proceed to give you their business.

Just Don’t Stop.

No matter what you’re going through with your business, in your personal life, navigating COVID - it’s important to have a steady hand on your back nudging you to keep pushing forward, even when you’re too tired. Preserve. Keep climbing that mountain and developing your self awareness along the way. Identify the things that help motivate and drive you forward and let yourself take it in. After all, you didn’t chose this path for the destination, you chose it because you love the process. Keep Grinding. Keep Hustling. You’re building muscles that you’ll one day be able to proudly flex…..after your winding journey down perseverance street.

Never Give Up! Failure and rejections are only the first steps to succeeding. [Everyday] ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things.” -Jimmy Valvano

Keep spreading love, good people!

Best,

Chef Jake

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A Plea for Compassion

Today is November 3rd, 2020.

It is Election Day and Joe Biden is looking to push Donald Trump out of office. I’m not about to preach my political beliefs, though I do have strong opinions on this stuff. I’m not asking for your opinion and i’m not going to spew about the importance of voting either. I guess this is more of a plea for compassion. Like I said, I have my beliefs about who I think is better suited to represent our country and i’m even willing to respectfully debate my beliefs in a face to face setting for the sake of broadening my own perspective on the matter. When a winner is inevitably announced, I beg that we simply treat each other with respect and lead our lives with compassion and empathy. Let’s not turn to finger pointing or name calling. Accept our new reality and move on with our lives. Losers make excuses for their shortcomings. Winners turn their shortcomings into strengths and build with the limited tools they have. Truth is: there really is no 100% right answer coming from either major party and an entire nation of people are shouting their “personal truths” out into the world, a little louder each time in order to drown out all the folks around them trying to do the same. See the problem?

Take a deep breath. We all have something we can learn from one another. A CEO of a major business has something to learn from the janitor and vice versa, so. just . listen….

Let’s come together. Let’s lead with compassion.Let's embrace diversity.

Let’s practice empathy.

Let’s remember what it means to be proud to be an American.

Keep spreading love, good people!

Best,

D.B.

Instagram

Stay Young with this SUPERFOOD!

What did the peanut say when an almond tried to pick a fight?

Cashew Outside! heh…….heheheh…..ok, fine. It’s still funny to me.

Corny food puns aside, your kids just brought home loads of candy on Saturday night. Yes, you want them to indulge but the incessant snacking of tasty ghoul-themed confectionaries has your kids bouncing off the walls almost as fast as your head is ping-ponging trying to keep up with them! While your unconditional love may have you spread thin, have some peace of mind knowing that those Almond Joys little Joey is munching on might actually contain some nutritional value. ALRIGHT FINE - I’m stretching this one a little bit but let’s talk about another quality superfood. You probably have it in your pantry, and if not you’ve almost definitely tried them before (sorry to you nut allergen folk out there). I’m talking about almonds. Almonds are a delectably tasty tree nut that is packed with essential nutrients. Enjoy this infographic below to learn about the nutritional power of almonds. At the very least, it’ll help you keep up with those crazy kids!

Keep spreading love, good people!

Best,

Chef Jake

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Working with Yeast Doughs - What to Look For

Hey Friends,

As someone that bakes bagels for a living, I’ve learned a thing or two about what you need to look for in a healthy yeast dough. After all, yeast is a living organism and you need to treat it as such! Here are a few pointers and things to look out for when working with a yeast dough.

#1) Use Instant Yeast, for your baking endeavors. It’s easy to work with, has a relatively long shelf life, and you don’t need to worry about keeping it alive. Besides, even most professional kitchens and bakeries use instant yeast for their dough.

#2) When hydrating the flour with water remember that cold water will slow down yeast activity ultimately giving the dough more time to develop its flavors. This also means it will take longer for your dough to rise and be ready to work with, however. Warm water will speed up the yeast activity meaning that it will rise much faster, but at the compromise of flavor.

#3) Oil is often called a “Shortener”. This is because when added to a flour that contains gluten, the oil will cause the gluten strands to shorten, making the dough less stretchy, which could ultimately affect the oven spring of your finished product. This could also be a desirable characteristic, depending on what type of final product you’re trying to make.

#4) Besides sweetening the dough, the presence of added sugar speeds up yeast activity and allows the dough to proof more quickly. Be careful of adding too much sugar, however. If the dough rises too quickly the gluten strands won’t have time to strengthen. This means as soon as you try to pick up the dough or work with it at all, it’ll deflate very quickly and most likely be sticky and hard to work with. Also be mindful of the affects of white vs. brown sugar. Brown sugar causes the end product to have a more firm and darker crumb.

#5) Salt is necessary in order to give the dough flavor. Be weary when mixing the salt with your other dry ingredients, though. Salt prohibits the development of yeast in the dough. To be safe, add salt to one side of your bowl and yeast to the other side of your bowl before adding your wet ingredients. This allows the yeast a chance to get hydrated by the dough before the salt comes into contact with it.

#6) Mixing the dough allows the gluten strains to strengthen and develop. In most dough applications, the dough is properly mixed when you can poke it with your finger and the exterior of the dough bounces back from the indentation left by your finger. Dough is slightly tacky but easily comes off fingers.

#7) A little baking soda when dissolved in water, can be brushed on to most dough products just before they are about to be baked to give your dough a “pretzel effect”.

#8) Baking with dough can be very challenging for cooks of any level. The moisture in the air can affect the way flour fills your measuring cups. When baking, it’s important to measure ingredients by weight. Using a scale will ensure consistent results and a better finished product!

I hope these tips helped you overcome whatever baking challenges your facing! If this blog didn’t answer your baking questions, reach out to us on chefjpexperience.com and we’d be happy to do our best to steer you right.

Keep spreading love, good people!

Best,

Chef Jake

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