Weddings & Celebrations

An unforgettable wedding, personally crafted

From your first toast to the last course — an elevated wine-country wedding menu, created around you.

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Trusted Across Napa Valley's Wine Industry
Boisset Collection Raymond Estate ONEHOPE Winery Napa Valley Life
The Experience

More than a meal — a celebration, crafted around you

A wedding menu isn't just food — it's the taste your guests will remember for years, the moment you and your partner finally sit down together, the detail that turns "the food was great" into "I've never been to a wedding like that."

Chef Rafael personally designs every wedding menu, drawing on a decade cooking for Napa Valley's most discerning wine-estate guests. That same hospitality — warm, attentive, unhurried — comes to your celebration, whether it's two people or two hundred.

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What's Included

Everything handled, start to finish

Menu Planning

A personal consultation and tasting to design your menu.

Sourcing

Seasonal, quality ingredients selected specifically for your day.

Preparation

Every dish prepared with the same care as an intimate estate dinner.

Service & Presentation

Full-service execution and styling on the day itself.

Wine & Bar Pairing

Coordination with your wine or bar service for a seamless evening.

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How It Works

Hiring a private chef, made simple

1

Consultation

Share your date, vision, and guest count in a personal conversation.

2

Menu & Event Planning

A custom menu is designed and tasted, with every logistical detail planned around it.

3

Preparation

Ingredients sourced, staffing arranged, every detail prepared ahead of your day.

4

Your Experience

Chef Rafael and team execute flawlessly — you simply enjoy the celebration.

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Reception Styles

A few ways to experience the evening

Three example formats — every menu and format is fully customized to your celebration.

The Plated Celebration Dinner

A formal, multi-course seated dinner — the classic elevated wedding experience, paced and plated course by course.

The Family-Style Feast

Abundant shared courses down long tables — warm, communal, and built for conversation between guests.

Interactive Tasting Stations

Chef-attended stations guests wander between throughout the evening — playful, social, and memorable.

Menus are always fully customized — this is a starting point for the conversation, not a fixed package.

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Why Chef Rafael, Personally

Every wedding, cooked by the chef himself

"A wedding only happens once. I don't send a team to handle it — I'm in the kitchen, on the day, making sure every plate is exactly right. After a decade cooking for Napa's wine estates, I've learned that the best celebrations come from paying attention to the smallest details, not from a set menu."

Celebration Gallery

A few moments behind the scenes

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Good to Know

Wedding & celebration FAQs

The questions couples ask most before booking Chef Rafael for their day.

Most couples book Chef Rafael 6–12 months out, especially for peak wine-country season (May–October). Popular dates go quickly, so it's best to secure yours as soon as your venue is confirmed.
From intimate elopements of two to full receptions of 150+ guests. The menu format — plated, family-style, or stations — is chosen with your guest count and venue in mind.
Absolutely. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-specific needs are worked into the menu design from the start, so every guest is fully taken care of without a separate "special meal" feel.
Menu planning and tasting, ingredient sourcing, preparation, and full-service execution and presentation on the day. Pricing is built around your menu, guest count, and format, so every quote is custom.
Chef Rafael leads the culinary experience and coordinates a serving team for your event. Rentals like tables, linens, and glassware are arranged separately — Chef Rafael is happy to recommend trusted local vendors and coordinate with them directly.
Yes. A personal tasting is part of the menu-planning process, so you and your partner can refine the menu together before your day arrives.
Chef Rafael is based in wine country and primarily serves Napa Valley and Sonoma County. For destination celebrations beyond the region, reach out — travel arrangements can sometimes be made for the right event.
That's normal — final guest counts and menu quantities are confirmed closer to your event date, once your RSVPs are in. Your quote will be adjusted accordingly at that time.
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Tell us about your wedding

Every great celebration starts with a conversation.

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