Service 02

Family-Style Event

Generous shared platters set down on the table — for the celebrations where the food is meant to be passed, the wine refilled, and no one in a hurry.

Family-style catered celebration with shared platters in San Diego

Family-style is built for the moments that work better with everyone leaning in over a shared platter — milestone birthdays, anniversaries, multi-generational dinners, gatherings of close friends. Instead of plating to the seat, I lay the meal out family-style: hearty mains, garden-fresh sides, breads, sauces, and condiments so every guest builds their own plate.

Best for groups of 8–24. The rhythm is relaxed: cocktails and starters as people arrive, mains brought to the table together, dessert when conversation slows down. I cook everything fresh in your kitchen, refresh platters as they empty, and stay through cleanup so the room you woke up to is the room you go to bed in.

Family-style is how I cook when the table matters more than the plating. I send out generous platters — a sharing board to start, two mains, a spread of seasonal sides — and let everyone build their own plate and go back for more. It suits the loud, happy gatherings: milestone birthdays, anniversaries, a houseful of close friends. The food keeps coming, the table stays full, and no one is waiting on a single perfect plate. It is abundance, done properly.

Included

What is in the Service

Custom shared menuDesigned for the table — mains, sides, breads, and sauces that travel well together.

Sourcing & shoppingFresh produce, meats, and seafood from local San Diego markets.

In-home cookingEverything prepared fresh in your kitchen on the day of the event.

Platters providedServing boards, bowls, and platters for the table — agreed in advance, returned after the event.

On-site refresh & servicePlatters refilled, sides replenished, dessert brought out at the right moment.

Full kitchen cleanupYou walk away from the table to a kitchen that is already clean.

Sample menu

Bar Appetizers

Shared Starters

Shared Mains

Sides

Dessert

See all family-style menus

Investment

Pricing

From $650 per event

The service fee covers menu planning, sourcing, travel, cooking, table refresh, and full cleanup. Ingredients are reimbursed separately at receipt — no markup.

A $200 deposit secures your date. The remainder is due after the event. Prefer all-inclusive? From $100 per guest for parties of twelve or more — from $1,200 for 12, from $1,600 for 16, from $2,000 for 20 or more. Organic, premium-grade ingredients included.

How It Works