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Weddings

About

Headquartered in Vista, California, Flavor Chef Catering is a long-standing mobile catering business that services milestone events such as weddings. Executive Chef Derek Carlson helps visions of dining excellence come to life. Derek and his team of culinary experts strive to serve exquisite, international cuisine at your wedding celebration.

Services Offered

The Flavor Chef Catering team offers comprehensive services for wedding events, from your initial consultation all the way to the final toast at your reception. These catering professionals will assist with preparation, delivery, setup, service, and cleanup on your special day. You can avail of tastings prior to your special day in order to perfect your menu for your special celebration.

Cuisine

Derek’s expertise stems from years of preparing high-end cuisine and coordinating landmark events. This experienced chef and his team work with a wide variety of flavors from across the globe which can complement the wedding theme of your choosing. Seasoned professionals will be on hand to serve dishes and pour beverages for your guests. These caterers use top-tier ingredients from environmentally and eco-friendly sources. With Derek and his team, you can anticipate a feast worthy of your wedding vision.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the average catering price per person for plated service?

$75

What is the average catering price per person for buffet service?

$60

What is the average catering price per person for stations?

$80

What is the average catering price per person for hors d'oeuvres?

$30

Which of the following are included in the cost of your full service wedding catering?

Delivery
Set Up
Clean Up
Cake
Cake Cutting
Dessert
Cocktail Reception
Server(s)
Tastings
Chairs
Tables
China
Linens
Flatware
Glassware
Chocolate Fountain

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
Limited Bar
Open Bar
House Beer
Specialty Beer
House Wine
Specialty Wine
Champagne Toast
House Liquor
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink

What event services do you provide?

Delivery
Set Up
Clean Up

What catering services do you provide?

Breakfast / Brunch
Buffet
Cake Cutting
Cocktail Reception
Custom Menu
Hors d'oeuvres
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What types of cuisine do you cater?

African
American
Asian
BBQ
Caribbean
French
German
Greek
Indian
Italian
Latin American
Local
Mediterranean
Mexican
Middle Eastern
Seafood
Southern
Spanish

What dietary needs can you accommodate?

Gluten Free
Lactose Free
Halal
Kosher
Nut Free
Organic
Vegan
Vegetarian

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Open Bar
Champagne Toast
Signature Drink

Which of the following items can you provide?

Chairs
Tables

Which of the following items can you provide?

Barware
China
Chocolate Fountain
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

Reviews of Flavor Chef Catering

B
Blaine Sent on 09/08/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing food!

We loved working with Flavor chef!! I'll be honest we went with them initially because they gave us the lowest quote and also because they were able to give us exactly what we wanted- passed apps plus a taco cart (not buffet). The price was right but also they were amazing to work with! So helpful and friendly. And the food was amazing!!! So many of our guests commented on it too because I feel like food at wedding is just never that great but their food was actually delicious!! We also hired our bartenders through them and everyone loved them!! They were wonderful. They also rented us beverage coolers and did our signature cocktail for us. It was great to get so many things through them. Love them!!!
M
Meg M. Sent on 06/08/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Calling all foodies!

Madison and Flavor Chef Catering were a highlight of our wedding!
Flavor Chef was the caterer that came with our venue. It was the one detail that I was initially hesitant about as my husband and I are the type that visit the newest restaurants in LA when they open. We keep a list of fine dining to dives with excellent food and are always looking to expanding our palettes.

Flavor Chef did not disappoint!! We had passed appetizers for cocktail hour followed by a buffet.

Our tasting was extensive and we had a few notes (sorry Madison!) This is where customer service and the amazing attitude of the Flavor Chef teamed came through. Their menu is seasonal and includes standards as well as some unique twists. They were also happy to adjust small ingredients on their menu to fit our specific tastes. So many of our guests commented on how impressed they were with the food at our wedding!
Madison went the extra mile. One of my bridesmaids has a long list of legit food allergies. She rarely eats out as few restaurants can accommodate her. I sent Madison a list of her issues and an enormous plate of food was delivered to our table just for my friend. She nearly cried and said "I have never felt so taken care of by a caterer or restaurant. This is the best meal I've had years."
Thank you Madison and Flavor Chef. I would use you again in a heartbeat. The food was delicious and my guests were so well taken care of!
Zoe
Zoe R. Sent on 12/23/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Delicious !

Our food was to die for! People are still raving about how good it was. We did the flavor truck and had burgers and chicken sandwiches. For appetizers we had chicken and waffles, lamb chops, avocado toast and a charcuterie spread. For dessert we did the fruit cobbler and the creme brûlée. It was all delicious ! I wish they had a restaurant because I would order this all the time. Madison was also so professional and kind. Their staff was delivering food hot and fresh. It was truly one of the best decisions we made for our wedding day. Do yourself a favor and book Flavor Chef if you want delicious wedding food!
Karla
Karla Sent on 11/09/2021
4.8 out of 5 rating

Delicious beautifully presented food and wonderful staff

We hired Flavor Chef Catering (and their Flavor Mobile Food Truck) for our Wedding (100 people) this past October 2021. Madison was such a JOY to work with from the start. From initial contact through the end... super responsive and provided great input/ideas that ultimately culminated to our vision coming to life. She was quick and flexible with changes and provided updated quotes/proposal in a timely manner. THANK YOU DEARLY MADISON; you are by far the best contact person from any vendor I worked it. Hope Flavor Chef knows how valuable you are.

We placed a deposit even before tasting and by tasting day we were glad we did! Prices are FAIR/comparable to other caterers (trust me, I checked) and the food quality is excellent. Multiple guests/family members approached me and commented on how much they loved the food. DELICIOUS and beautifully presented appetizers (avocado toast, sweet potato empanada, and shrimp lime ceviche), plated jicama salad, and buffet for entree (taco bar: carne asada and chipotle shrimp + grilled veggie medley + chipotle black beans + bonus rice), and dessert (FRESHLY fried churros).

Why minus one star:
The horchata drink was unfortunately perceived to be a dessert drink and only served during dessert time (churros and cake); horchata was actually meant to be the non alcoholic option for guests (besides water) for the entire reception.

The primary reason though: we decided to take advantage of the "full-service catering company" and went with Flavor Chef for ALL of the rentals to combine two vendors and eliminate having to communicate with another person. This I somewhat regret. The rental company they work with never came out to the reception site for a site visit prior to the day of the wedding. This proved to be a huge issue for weekend-of set up since they assumed a tree from Google Earth Images was still there (it had been cut down) and were planning on hanging market lights with that as a center point... which wasn't even the center point I had requested to begin with. We were missing a stand/pole to hang lights from. The rental guy ended up making it work but I was missing 1 line of lights at the center over the reception area since he used a side tree as a place to grab onto to create a little line of lights on the outer perimeter. The rental company was also overall very slow to reply to our (Madison and I) inquiries throughout the entire process and did not deliver all of the items rented (we were missing dessert plates and two round tables). Thankfully, Flavor Chef staff picked up the missing items. But had I not checked on each item in advance we would have been out of luck since the company is about 1 hr away from the reception site. Besides that, the rentals (farm tables, chairs, etc) were as pictured with no issues.

Overall, I am looking forward to working with Madison and Flavor Chef Catering again in the future... even for smaller gatherings like Holiday parties. THANK YOU!
W
Erin Sent on 09/09/2009
4.8 out of 5 rating
Lance was incredible. Given the fact that I had a location change two weeks prior to our wedding he was very flexible. He was more than willing to figure out the setup he would need to make things work at the new venue based on the menu we had chosen. Everything was wonderful. We had Lance cater our rehearsal dinner as well as the dinner reception and then makek some salads for the for the morning after BBQ. Everything was impeccable. The taste and quality of the food was wonderful and I didn't hear anything but compliments from our guests. I would highly recommend Lance to anyone that I know for future events. He's a great guy with great energy and very passionate about what he does!
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

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Flavor Chef Catering frequently asked questions

At Flavor Chef Catering, the cost of the full wedding catering service includes:
  • Delivery
  • Set Up
  • Clean Up
  • Cake
  • Cake Cutting
  • Dessert
  • Cocktail Reception
  • Server(s)
  • Tastings
  • Chairs
  • Tables
  • China
  • Linens
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Chocolate Fountain
The bar service starting price at Flavor Chef Catering includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • Limited Bar
  • Open Bar
  • House Beer
  • Specialty Beer
  • House Wine
  • Specialty Wine
  • Champagne Toast
  • House Liquor
  • Premium Liquor
  • Signature Drink
Flavor Chef Catering offers the following event services for weddings:
  • Delivery
  • Set Up
  • Clean Up
Flavor Chef Catering offers the following catering services for weddings:
  • Breakfast / Brunch
  • Buffet
  • Cake Cutting
  • Cocktail Reception
  • Custom Menu
  • Hors d'oeuvres
  • Plated
  • Server(s)
  • Stations
  • Tastings
At Flavor Chef Catering, you can find the following types of cuisine:
  • African
  • American
  • Asian
  • BBQ
  • Caribbean
  • French
  • German
  • Greek
  • Indian
  • Italian
  • Latin American
  • Local
  • Mediterranean
  • Mexican
  • Middle Eastern
  • Seafood
  • Southern
  • Spanish
At Flavor Chef Catering, the following dietary needs can be accomodated:
  • Gluten Free
  • Lactose Free
  • Halal
  • Kosher
  • Nut Free
  • Organic
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
Flavor Chef Catering provides the following bar and beverage services for wedding events:
  • Bartender(s)
  • Open Bar
  • Champagne Toast
  • Signature Drink
To cater to all tastes, Flavor Chef Catering offers the following food and beverage items:
  • Barware
  • China
  • Chocolate Fountain
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Linens
Flavor Chef Catering is recommended by 98% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.9 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 5 in flexibility, 5 in professionalism, 5 in value, 4.8 in quality of service and 4.8 in average response time.
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