The Rise of Private Dining: When Dining Gets Personal

The trend of private dining, or in-home dining by professional chefs, is gaining more and more supporters, bringing the experience of a fine dining restaurant to the comfort of one’s home or even a yacht.

Although the service existed before, it was the pandemic period that brought it to the forefront as an alternative to the restrictions of mass catering. Since then, private dining has evolved into a prestigious choice for private dinners, business meetings and special occasions, with a focus on personalized service and quality ingredients.

One of the professionals who consistently serves this philosophy is chef Nikos Angelis. As he himself states, The Kitchen Project, the team he has created, offers comprehensive culinary and consulting services. Their goal is to optimize the tasting experience and commercial performance through targeted concept development and the implementation of best practices.

The services include the preparation of a personalized menu, taking into account both the needs of the host and the guests as well as the functionality of the space and equipment. A visit to the space is preceded to assess the ergonomics and capabilities. The chef then returns with a quote for the total cost, arranges for the purchase of raw materials through partners and undertakes the preparation and setting of the dishes on site. This is followed by cleaning and departure of his team. If the space allows, there is also the possibility of a bbq using a gas grill. Upon request, wine and soft drink suggestions are also provided.

He clarifies that presence in the space is required at least three hours before the arrival of the guests, while sufficient storage space in the refrigerator is essential. The Kitchen Project offers additional services such as staff training, food styling, product costing, ergonomic and equipment recommendations, as well as consulting for corporate events, weddings, private events and cooking classes.

Nikos Aggelis’ professional journey did not begin in the kitchen, but in the field of economics. Born in Athens in 1972, he studied economics at the Athens School of Economics and Business Administration and worked for years in the banking sector, until cooking began to win him over. As he explains, he began his career as an amateur, experimenting in his home kitchen, until the opportunity arose to work professionally, gradually acquiring skills and experience. For a period, he maintained both qualities, dedicating time and patience to his new path.

His participation in the MasterChef competition in 2018, where he won the coveted apron and entered the top 50, served as a starting point for his subsequent culinary experiences. Subsequently, he graduated from the Anavyssos School of Tourism Professions with the title of chef, obtained a certification in pastry and is also a certified adult trainer.

His culinary thinking has been determined by the collaboration with both famous and lesser-known colleagues, while in recent years he has been collaborating with a multinational hotel group, while continuing to offer private dining and restaurant consulting services.

As it turns out, the personalized catering model is not just a passing fad, but a dynamic alternative that upgrades the hospitality experience, while giving new content to the role of the chef outside the restaurant.