Hosting a dinner party often comes with an unspoken tradeoff: you get to invite your favorite people into your space, but you also spend the day shopping, cooking, and cleaning instead of actually enjoying the celebration. A new platform called Chef2Nite wants to change that—and demonstrate the luxury of a private chef in the process.

Takeaways New Hide ▲

Hosts relax while chefs

handle menu, cooking, and

cleanup for your guests

Luxury private dining becomes

approachable in your own

home for any occasion

Personalized menus tailored

to dietary needs and

celebratory moments

Chef2Nite lets you

savor intimate memories

without leaving home

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Founded by Kelly Lyles Verstappen, Chef2Nite is a chef-host matching service designed to make private dining experiences easy, transparent, and accessible to more households. While private chefs have traditionally catered to an elite clientele, Chef2Nite believes that beautifully prepared meals shouldn’t be reserved for the ultra-wealthy. “At Chef2Nite, we want to make private dining accessible to everyone,” says Verstappen. “We believe people from all walks of life should be able to enjoy fine dining at a private event, not just the ultra-wealthy.”

The platform is simple by design. Hosts start by browsing a curated selection of vetted local chefs, each with a portfolio, pricing, and specialties ranging from contemporary vegan to classic Mediterranean. A built-in matching feature helps narrow the list to chefs who best fit the event’s style, budget, and dietary preferences. Once a chef is booked, they collaborate with the host to create a custom menu, then arrive on-site to prepare the meal and clean up afterward.

More than a gig platform, Chef2Nite aims to deliver a fully curated, high-touch experience, no matter the occasion. “Whether you’re planning a birthday party, a small gathering, or any special occasion, Chef2Nite will curate every detail of the experience,” Verstappen explains. “Hosting shouldn’t mean working. We want hosts to be able to enjoy the party with their guests.”

Beyond convenience, the service offers something many busy households crave: the opportunity to elevate everyday entertaining into something special. With flexible scheduling, transparent pricing, and chefs who bring both skill and a personal touch, the platform makes luxury dining feel approachable.

For chefs, Chef2Nite is equally appealing. The company provides consistent bookings, marketing support, business infrastructure, and guaranteed payments—all tools that help culinary professionals grow their own brands while maintaining flexibility.

As a Black-owned brand with ambitions to rival platforms like Airbnb—whose new app features luxury dining experiences—Chef2Nite is betting that more people are ready to reclaim their time, savor restaurant-quality meals at home, and make memories around the table.

After all, great entertaining goes beyond the menu—it’s about connection. And Chef2Nite is setting the table for more people to enjoy it.