How booking a private dinner usually goes

A real enquiry, lightly shortened, shared with permission.

  1. Sofia18:42

    Hi! My partner’s 40th, 14 people, our flat in Estrela, Saturday 21 March. Is that something you do?

  2. Inês19:05

    Yes — 21 March is free, and fourteen is a good number for a home kitchen. Three things I need before I can quote you properly:

    1. How many burners, and how big is the oven?
    2. Any allergies, and is anyone vegetarian or vegan?
    3. Seated at one table, or standing with plates?
  3. Sofia19:20

    Four burners, a normal oven. One coeliac, two vegetarians. Seated — we can just about fit fourteen if we borrow a table.

  4. Inês19:48

    Then I would suggest five courses rather than six, so nothing is waiting on the oven. Coeliac and vegetarian menus are cooked as their own dishes, not a plate with things taken off it — that is included, never an extra charge.

    For fourteen seated, five courses, I would be €68 per person including all the shopping, plus €120 for a second pair of hands on the night. You buy the wine and I will send a list. I arrive at 15:00, we eat at 20:00, and your kitchen is cleaner than I found it by midnight.

    See a sample five-course menuAsk about another date
  5. Sofia20:02

    That is exactly what we wanted. Where do I send the deposit?