Picture the scene

It’s a special occasion. The Cannes Film Festival perhaps or the Monaco Grand Prix? Throwing a birthday party or celebrating an anniversary? Whatever the event, it’s definitely a time to relax and experience some truly memorable food amongst good company. That’s where Amandine comes in. Our chefs will take care of all the shopping, chopping, preparing, perfecting and serving. You simply enjoy the company of your guests while we take care of the rest.

Many of our chefs are used to catering for large numbers and have experience of working for corporate as well as private functions. So if you’re looking for someone reliable, professional and personable to cater your event then look no further.

We can also help to find waiting staff or bar staff for smaller functions. We should mention however that we are not event caterers or party organisers. If this is what you’re looking for then we would be happy to recommend people that we know are very good. We can also put you in touch with companies that hire out equipment, crockery, cutlery or glassware.

Request a Chef

    If you would like to know more about any of our services or have a specific request then please complete the form below and we will be in touch with you shortly. Alternatively you can call us on +33 (0)9 67 31 96 62, +44 (0)207 193 7306 or +1 954 607 2153

    Test a chef

    What to expect

    Right first time

    Great chefs select the finest ingredients, and fine tune their dishes drawing on years of experience and detailed knowledge. At Amandine, we work the same way. We don’t throw endless CVs at you, hoping something sticks. Instead, you get a hand-picked shortlist of chefs, filtered initially using 40 different levels of compatibility including ability, style, character, location and availability. The end result: right chef first time!

    Read more about our carefully tailored and rigorous process:

    Chef Selection

    All of our chefs have to complete a 7 stage application process online before they are even considered for an interview. Many other agencies ask only for a CV and written references but at Amandine our in depth registration process requires our chefs to answer over 70 questions relating to their job preferences, style of cooking, work experience, location, availability and detailed employer references that we check verbally. Once they have completed this process our team then review the quality of their application and only the most promising of chefs get to the next stage of being interviewed.

    Interview & Skills Test

    Every candidate recommended by Amandine will have been interviewed - and we don't just mean a quick telephone chat. We conduct at least an hour-long interview either face to face or via video skype. All of our chefs will tell you that the Amandine interview isn't quite like other recruitment or crew consultants. We talk extensively about food with our chefs and take time to really get to know their individual stories and what makes them tick. When required we conduct skills tests in the Amandine kitchen and all of our chefs are offered the chance to cook a trial dinner for our judging panel of industry experts in order to become an accredited Amandine chef.

    Getting to know you

    We like to try and meet our customers in person. We think it’s a better (and much nicer) way to do business. And after all, it’s just as important to get to know you as well as we know our chefs if we’re to get the mix right. If we aren't able to meet with you to discuss your request, we always follow up by phone to find out as much about your specific requirements as possible. The more details we can obtain from you about the kind of food you or your guests like and the type of chef you are looking for the more likely we are to find you the right match.

    Compatibility Matching

    After confirming your request for a chef we put a shortlist of suitable candidates together. Our proprietary software allows us to search for the right chef using at least 40 different criteria to create an initial list of candidates that "on paper" fit with your requirements. From here we then fine-tune the selection based on our knowledge of the individual chef, discussing the role with them and further cross-referencing your criteria with our notes and other information such as previous employee references. Normally we recommend a short list of no more than 3 candidates who we think are suitable unless specifically asked for more. If there is just one chef who perfectly matches all your criteria then we will only recommend that one chef rather than ten others who aren't suitable.

    Verifying Chefs' Details

    In addition to thoroughly verifying all documents, written references and qualifications we speak to at least two verbal references for each candidate. These have to be people that the chef has worked for in the past two years or their most recent two jobs.

    Personal Service

    When we recommend a chef we provide a personalised profile that summarises the key relevant experience of the candidate and any personal details worth noting. The aim of this is to give you more of a personal picture of the chef and to share with you some of the details we have uncovered that you may not find out on a CV. We provide sample menus for all of our chefs when we send you their profiles along with references and food photos on request.

    Owner - Alexandra Lloyd Properties
    “the level of service is excellent…Amandine really tries to understand the tastes & requirements of the client and always finds the right chef…”
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    I have been working with Amandine for the past two years, placing chefs into luxury villas along the Cote d’Azur.  First of all, the level of service is excellent – all of my clients were extremely happy with the chefs who were placed in their villa. Secondly, I love the bespoke service that Kate herself offers. She really tries to understand the taste/requirements of the client and always finds the right chef rather than just supplying one who is available. Results matter and all of my clients have re booked Amandine chefs!  I wish Kate and Amandine all the luck in the future, although she does not need it!

    Alexandra Connolly,
    Owner - Alexandra Lloyd Properties
    PA to Private Clients (Val d'Isere)
    “Amandine…are very professional and always very prompt…”
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    From my perspective Amandine Private Chefs, and yourself in particular, are very professional and are always very prompt in responding to queries and following up where necessary which makes my job a whole lot easier.

    Tracey,
    PA to Private Clients (Val d'Isere)
    Private client
    “Everything was absolutely excellent. You should be complimented for recommending us to obtain the services of Michal.”
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    Everything was absolutely excellent. Michal is a great chef. The food was great and surpassed our expectations. Furthermore Michal´s personality and his ability to adjust to our needs/requests were absolutely great.We will for sure ask for Michal´s services when we visit France again. And also you should be complimented for recommending us to obtain the services of Michal.

    Christian Jul Madsen,
    Private client
    Director, 5* Luxury Chalet Company, French & Swiss Alps
    “Amandine are always supremely honest about a candidate’s suitability, quick to respond and hugely efficient”
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    At Bramble Ski and Haute Montagne we need world class chefs, sometimes at short notice, they have to have a very broad repertoire to suit our international clientele and be great with the guests.  Kate, Nicola and the team at Amandine have always been our go-to agency. Amandine totally understand our products, are always supremely honest about a candidate’s suitability, quick to respond and hugely efficient. I have used them for several years and look forward to many more years of collaboration!

    Natasha Robertson,
    Director, 5* Luxury Chalet Company, French & Swiss Alps
    Hidden Dragon
    “It is rare to find agents like you who are so dedicated to finding the perfect match.”
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    It is rare to find agents like you who are so dedicated to finding the perfect match. I am extremely grateful for all your time and efforts and hope we work together in the future.

    I wish you all the best for a lovely Christmas.

    Ashlee Benis,
    Hidden Dragon
    Estate Manager, Pershore Comercio Internacional, SARL
    “…there was no comparison between Amandine and the agencies we used in the past.”
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    Mission Impossible? Not with Amandine!

    As Manager of a vast property in Cap d’Antibes I had the near-impossible task to find, interview and appoint a chef at very short notice.

    It was an absolute lifesaver when I came across Amandine, the specialist chef agency, dedicated to providing exactly the right chef for even the most demanding gourmand.
    Kate Emery personally met with us and made available a selection of chefs from the Amandine portfolio, providing various levels of experience and providing all cooking styles with matching sample menus. All three Amandine chefs that we used on various occasions and for different lengths of time, operated with great skill, organization and complete flexibility.

    Amandine also provided us with the best financial arrangement with various options of how we could structure the deal.

    Not only financially but on all levels there was no comparison between Amandine and the agencies we used in the past.

    Needless to say our high profile guests, their families and friends were all content throughout the languid months of summer and we were happy to be at the receiving end of many compliments during a most efficient operation – thanks to Amandine.

    Annette Leroux,
    Estate Manager, Pershore Comercio Internacional, SARL
    Private Client
    We had the most superb holiday, five days none of us will ever forget… and one of the reasons was the brilliance of chef François.
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    Dear Kate

    Many thanks. We had the most superb holiday, five days none of us will ever forget. Truly wonderful – and one of the reasons was the brilliance of Francois.

    I have sent him an email “reference” for his website. It says exactly what we all thought about him. What he cooked for us was absolutely superb in every way – and he couldn’t have been nicer.

    He looked after us for the five days of our stay in St Paul de Vence. There were six of us and we are all agreed that his selections of what to give us for breakfast, lunch and dinner were superb and his cooking outstanding. Before we met him, he gave us a list of the menus he liked to cook, so we knew what to expect. Every meal we had was based on fresh local produce bought that day from the market. That includes the croissants and the bread we had at breakfast, the wonderful salads we had at lunch, and the fish and meat we ate. Every dish was prepared beautifully, and tasted wonderful.

    Chef Francois consulted us each day about what we might like to eat. (He made a point of asking if any of us had things we couldn’t eat so, if necessary, he could make an alternative choice). We asked for a light lunch, two courses usually, a salad followed by fish, and then a three course meal in the evening. On our last night, his piece de resistance was an incredible chocolate soufflé that was light as a feather and absolutely delicious.

    Chef Francois himself could not have been nicer or more easy to deal with. He is a most charming man. He speaks perfect English. We can only say that he gave us a gastronomic experience that we will never forget. It made our holiday truly memorable.

    I cannot recommend him too highly.

    You have a truly gifted chef on your books – and one of the nicest people one could meet, a winning combination.

    Francis Bennett,
    Private Client
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