Every year it happens the same way. Sometime in late November, the messages start arriving. "Are you free on the 24th?" "Can you do New Year's Eve for twelve?" "Is it too late to book for Christmas lunch?"
Sometimes it is. December is the busiest month of the year for private chefs in Singapore, and the best dates go first. So if you're thinking about having a chef cook for your family or your guests this festive season, this is the guide I wish more people read in October.
Why a private chef for the holidays
Hosting at home over the holidays sounds lovely until you're the one doing it. The host spends the evening in the kitchen, timing the roast, plating starters, washing up between courses, and misses most of the party they organised.
Restaurants are the other option, but in December they're packed, the set menus are expensive, and you're on their schedule, not yours. Kids get restless. Grandparents get tired. Nobody can linger.
A private chef gives you the best of both. Your home, your table, your timing, and food at restaurant level. You sit with your guests. The chef shops, cooks, serves and leaves the kitchen clean.
What a festive menu can look like
Every menu we cook is built around the people at the table, so there's no fixed festive package. But to give you an idea, a Christmas dinner might be:
- Oysters or a seafood starter to open
- A light soup or a seasonal salad
- A centrepiece: roast turkey, beef Wellington, duck, or a whole baked fish
- Proper sides, made from scratch
- A classic dessert, like a bûche de Noël or a chocolate tart
Not everyone wants a traditional Western Christmas, and in Singapore many families don't. Our chefs cook French, international and Asian cuisine, and we're happy to mix: a French main with Asian starters, a lighter menu for health-conscious guests, or a separate plate for the kids. Allergies and dietary needs are planned in from the start, not handled on the night.
What it costs
Here are our real numbers:
- Private dinner cooked by me, Chef Nicolas: SGD 1,200 per dinner
- Larger gatherings of around 20 guests: SGD 4,000 chef service fee
- Food cost is excluded and billed separately, at cost, with receipts
For bigger groups, that fee covers the extra hands needed to cook and serve properly, so the evening runs smoothly from the first course to the last.
Already have a private chef with us? Your chef can cook for extra guests over the holidays. Up to 8 people, you only cover the extra food. Above 8, we add SGD 200 for an assistant.
Book early. Really.
The 24th, 25th and 31st of December are the most requested dates of the year, and they fill up first. Christmas Day lunch and New Year's Day brunch go soon after.
My honest advice:
- Lock in your date now, even if the menu isn't decided. We can plan the food in November.
- Know your guest count, even roughly. It decides how many chefs and how much help you need.
- Tell us about your kitchen. Most home kitchens in Singapore work well, but for a big group we may bring extra equipment.
- Share dietary needs early, especially for kids and older guests.
It's about the time, not just the food
After 26 years in kitchens, the thing I notice most at festive dinners isn't the food. It's the host. When they don't have to get up, they relax. They talk to their family. They're actually at their own party.
That's what you're really booking. Good food, yes. But mostly an evening you get to enjoy.
If you'd like a chef for Christmas or New Year, tell us your date and your guest count, and we'll take it from there. For more ideas on entertaining at home, read our guide to hosting a dinner party with a private chef.
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Le Petit Marché is Singapore's private chef concierge agency, founded by Chef Nicolas Reynard and Kai. We match families, family offices, and private offices with chefs we've trained, vetted, and genuinely stand behind.
