Valerie Sent on 04/11/2026

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Amazing :)

Amazing team, professional and loved how they’re able to make just about anything . They work with allergies too, my family had special ones like eggs and mushrooms. Our wedding was this past February 2026 and we requested Peruvian. It turned out so delicious, great customer service, they worked with your budget and made sure every little detail was taken care of. Even during the tasting presentation was on point! I wish I could hire them for everything! 10/10 would recommend every time!

Calista Sent on 07/30/2025

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Wedding food

They were great especially with allergies my husband has a severe allergy and they were very on top of it. The food was unbelievable it was so good everyone told me plus when there is a wedding it’s hard to have hot food. All the food was hot. They were on top of everything and did very well. I highly recommend.

Lisa Sent on 03/21/2025

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Best Wedding Meal Ever

We used Chef by Design at our wedding at The Neon House where they're based out of. I have always been weary of plated meals at weddings as usually they're not very good but Chef by Design exceeded all expectations. The food was so good at our tasting and somehow ever better at our wedding. All of the guests raved about the food all night and into the next morning and now even the week off people are still texting me about it. I would use them again for our next event!

Kelsey Sent on 04/27/2024

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The Best Food and Service!!!

We booked Chef by Design and The Neon House for our wedding rehearsal and wedding on 04.20.24. Both are owned and run by the husband-and-wife team, John and Marcy. While The Neon House was the perfect venue for us (HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!), if it doesn't fit your wedding vision, Chef by Design can still provide the ultimate catering experience in any venue!!!! Not only do they have an extensive menu with so many delicious options; they are also open to customizing the perfect menu for every couple. After reviewing the menu, we knew that just one event would not be enough to fully experience everything that Chef by Design has to offer (hence booking them for rehearsal and wedding day). As basic and simple as these items seem; their house made bread and Caesar salad are a MUST! We had them at both events, I don't think any salad has every received so many complements and I will forever crave their bread! At the rehearsal we kept the menu fun with some of their grilled flatbread pizzas and custom milkshakes from their late-night section, yum! For the wedding in addition to the salad and bread, Marcy helped us customized a few hors d'oeuvres to make them perfect for our picky palates. We selected a few plated main course options that were again customized: Marcy helped us turn one of their pasta options into a vegetarian and dairy free option for our guests with dietary restrictions, though it wasn't specifically on their menu they were able to create my favorite dish, and my husband selected their Grilled New York Strip Steak. All of these were absolutely incredible, but we aren't done yet; we also had desserts, our wedding cake and drinks provided by Chef by Design. These were also phenomenal. Though it is controversial, my husband is an Ohio State fan and requested buckeyes that John begrudgingly agree to make for us ;) thank you! I wasn't picky about our wedding cake as we are not cake people and I mostly just wanted it for the cake cutting picture, but WOW was it good. Food is so important, and Chef by Design does it right! Looking back, the tasting and working with Chef by Design to customize our menu was my favorite part of wedding planning by far!
I cannot say enough about the incredible team at Chef by Design. In addition to the food, the staff is absolutely amazing! Everyone is so kind and they made sure that my groom and I did not go hungry on our big day. Despite our busy timeline, there was always a server ready with a drink or tray of hors d'oeuvres for us to grab between photos, and a hot plate of food for us once we were finally ready to eat. From start to finish the entire team took such great care of us. And of course, we had so many complements on the food and service from our guests. Cannot recommend Chef by Design enough for not only excellent food but top tier service! Thank you all again!

Will Sent on 11/05/2023

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Delicious Custom Menus with Easy Planning

We were married at The Neon House on Saturday 10/28/2023 and used Chef By Design since they are the on-site caterer for The Neon House. When planning we knew that having really great food at our wedding was important to us and we were so lucky to have Chef By Design dropped into our laps. Joanie and Marcy (the owner) were wonderful to work with and helped us set up a menu that mixed and matched custom items with some of their regular offerings. We wanted to incorporate some Filipino food and they were so game! They listened to what we wanted and offered amazing suggestions. At our tasting I took one bite of short rib and knew we had made the right decision. The appetizers, entreés, desserts, wedding cake, late-night snack, and even the bread had our guests raving. We received SO MANY compliments on the food and the presentation. The serving and bar staff were professional, friendly, and fun and created the perfect atmosphere throughout the night. If you're looking for a delicious menu and some truly awesome people to work with, I can't recommend Chef By Design more!

Megan Sent on 05/20/2023

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Excellent caterer!

We loved working with Chef by Design and the food at our wedding was delicious! We wanted everything to be dairy free and Chef by Design was able to modify all our favorite dishes to fit our needs without compromising on flavor. We also had a bunch of gluten free guests and they seamlessly got their meals delivered to their table. The service at the wedding was incredible. A few of our guests even commented to us that the bartenders remembered their drink order! My husband and I felt so taken care of! I know a lot of people say you don’t get to eat at your wedding, but Chef By Design made that a non-issue. They brought us snacks during pictures and had our plates ready for us as soon as we sat down. The team really is so kind, and so wonderful to work with, we’d absolutely recommend them.

Cristina Sent on 01/19/2023

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Absolutely amazing!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU to this chef and his amazing menu. I cannot say enough about the amazing team at Chef By Design. From picking the menu (so many options!) to customizing it and perfecting everything after the tasting (we are picky!) everything was just so great. On the day of, all we heard were amazing things about every item: the appetizers, main menu and desserts. At the end of the night people were even taking the desserts to-go! I also have never heard people compliment or comment on servers at a wedding, but this team went so above and beyond that people came up to us and commented on it. I had asked for wine service throughout dinner and I promise you not a single cup fell below a half-pour for the entire dinner service. I would recommend this team to anyone looking for not only excellent food but top tier service as well!

From my MIL:
The filet mignon was so good that several of us just stopped talking so we could savor the experience. The New Yorker who sat across from me said of all the filet mignon he has eaten across NYC, what you prepared was the best, and it arrived perfectly hot! As the mother of the groom I asked several guests how they enjoyed their meal. Without exception people raved about the salmon and the vegetarian ravioli, as well as the beef. A few described the appetizers as so delicious they loaded up and hardly had room for the meal. The desserts were exceptional. The whole experience was wonderful.

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Elizabeth Sent on 10/04/2022

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Exceeded our hopes!!

Food - “best wedding food I have EVER had,” said one senior guest. We are foodies and CBD hit it out of the park, across the street, through the window of the house standing there!
Kellyn and Zeke we’re amazing to work with: from fine tuning to menu and tweaking recipes to personal service to the bride and groom. We hope to have other events with them!

Maria Sent on 06/12/2022

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If you want good food and a good service, choose them.

10/10 - hire them! We're from the Northeast and got married in Cape Charles, VA. I was really nervous about which catering company we were going with because my family is a bunch of foodies and I have two sisters so I know people would be comparing weddings. My husband and I hate when you go to weddings and the food is generic and lukewarm. Chef by Design's food was impeccable and it was hot, and delicious. My dad ran up to me during dinner and said "THE BEEF HAD TO BE SMOKED FOR 12 HOURS OMG ITS SO GOOD!".. The roaming raw bar, watermelon feta salad and the beef meal were the biggest hits. Also, the dinner rolls were so good. The servers were so attentive to me and my husband throughout the night. The bartenders were great, they made us spicy margaritas and Moscow mules as our signature drinks and everyone loved them. All the servers and bartenders were top-notch. Seriously, choose them. They're worth every cent.

Chef by Design's reply:

Thank you so much, Maria! It was truly our pleasure to work with you on your amazing day! Congratulations, and we wish you both the very BEST! xoxo

Hallie Sent on 06/27/2021

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Phenomenal food. Executes every time. Staff are a delight.

Chef by Design is absolutely fabulous. Everything was PERFECT on our wedding day and darn good food is such an important part of that we wouldn’t have trusted anyone other than Chef by design. We knew about them from being such a staple in the area and then choosing The Neon on House as our reception venue. They were wonderful at pivoting during Covid and changing our wedding to a small backyard setting, even honoring our request to use my moms crystal and china. The menu was inventive like a progressive garden party dinner with many courses that encouraged good conversation and a relaxed vibe. My mom worked closely with them and we will continue to for our big bash/belated reception in March. We even used them at Easter time and for my bachelorette party. They’re true seasoned pros and keep it fresh. Delish food. Never disappoints. I can’t WAIT to see what inventive food displays they come up with for March. Thank you guys soooo much for the perfect day!!!

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Chef by Design's reply:

Hallie~
Thank you!! You are your family have been a dream to work with through everything - we've had the most fun celebrating these multiple AMAZING events with you. Congratulations again, and we wish you both the very best!! xo

Michelle Sent on 05/24/2021

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Absolute Perfection

Chef By Design catered my daughter's bridal shower on May 22, 2021. She had just moved to the area, I live in another state, and this was out first time using a caterer. I cannot say enough good things. Emily was wonderful, patiently answering my questions and offering much needed suggestions. She met my daughter and toured her house and they laid out a plan for rain or shine. We felt totally comfortable. The day of the shower, Slavic was my event producer. His ideas and input were amazing. Sam the bartender was personable and was one step ahead of our every need. Our servers (I forgot their names) were polite, helpful and just excellent. The food is amazing. Everyone was raving about it. I wanted a special side dish. The team was able to figure out how to produce it and it was a tremendous hit! I could go on and on with accolades. They cleaned up everything and left my daughters house the same way they found it! DO NOT HESITATE TO USE Chef By Design. You will be thrilled!

Rachel Sent on 05/23/2021

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AMAZINGGG catering company !!

This catering company was simply the BEST!! All of their food is amazing , our guests have not stopped talking about how awesome the food and service was. Kellyn went above and beyond to help make my dream wedding a reality !

Kristy Sent on 01/19/2020

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Foodie dreams

WOW. Chef by Design was truly the way to go for our wedding food. We were absolutely in love with it. We had a beautiful dual plate with beef tenderloin, chicken, mashed potatoes with french onions and green beans. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. We had over 100 guests and our guests said the food tasted amazing. We even had a little oyster bar during cocktail hour which was super cool as a passed appetizer. HIGHLY recommend if they're within your budget. We opted for a customer supplied bar, which Chef by Design helped us by recommending amounts of liquor based on any specialty drinks or desires. We would hire them again and again!

Sarah Sent on 09/19/2019

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Quality Service and Food!

The entire team at Chef By Design was amazing for our wedding! They were so professional and ous guests were raving about how good the food was! They coordinated some rentals for us too and were so helpful throughout the process. We are very grateful that we decided to hire them!

Melissa Sent on 07/08/2019

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Chef By Design is THE BEST!

We can't thank Chef By Design, and specifically Joanie, enough for everything! We contacted CBD about our wedding and they were so easy to work with. We discussed our vision and our food preferences with them. After speaking with them, they invited us in for a tasting. Everything was AMAZING! My husband wanted every single thing they served us! :) I am a vegetarian and CBD went above and beyond to design a perfect menu that included vegetarian options. Joanie was so incredibly kind and was so easy to communicate with when we contacted her.
Our guests all raved about the food at the wedding reception and cocktail hour. Many people told us it was the best food they've ever eaten at a wedding! At 10:00 pm we served mini pizzas to our guests and those were definitely a hit! We are so thankful we chose Chef By Design and would do it all over again! Thank you so much, Joanie, for everything! We appreciate it more than you know!!

Maggie Sent on 05/15/2019

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My guests still rave about it

We had a steak and shrimp dinner customized just for our wedding and it was delicious. Every single one of our guests were satisfied! They were also very accommodating and easy going about our vegan guests and guests with allergies. It was beautiful! Worth every penny!

Cat L. Sent on 05/13/2019

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They are the best there is.

We had Chef By Design cater our wedding on 3.23.19 and just like everything they do, it was done with excellence. Chef By Design is the best there is. I did not worry at all because I knew they would take care of us. Chef By Design's staff takes the time to listen and know their clients so that they can best serve them on their day. The food is incredible and the staff is professional and personable. They were a huge contributor to what made our day so special and thoughtful. We are so thankful for Chef By Design!!

Amy K. Sent on 01/09/2019

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Wonderful!

Wonderful to work with, high quality presentation, delicious food and a team of professional and devoted staff.

Eileen Sent on 10/01/2018

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We hire Chefs By Design for my daughter's wedding - absolutely wonderful food and the most amazing staff! The staff was extremely professional and helpful throughout the night and took care of every detail - even helping us get things to our car. The food was delicious and everyone had a wonderful time.

Elizabeth Sent on 07/13/2018

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Oh my gosh....Chef by Design did an amazing job catering our wedding! People said during the wedding that they had never seen steak cooked so well on such a large scale. Everyone said everything they ate was delicious...the ham biscuits and crab cakes were insanely popular of course! You really get what you pay for with Chef by Design and that's incredible professionalism and really taking pride in the weddings they cater.

Chef by Design's reply:

Elizabeth! We miss all the planning with you already! :) You guys were a dream couple to work with and we are so thrilled for you. Thank you for trusting Chef by Design for your big day. Congratulations!!! xoxo

Liz Sent on 06/18/2018

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Chef by Design is great!!! They're open to any and all ideas - and literally all their food is delicious! They also have an incredible eye for setting up a beautiful reception - and they really get you excited for your big day.

Chef by Design's reply:

Liz, thank you for your wonderful review. We were so thrilled working with you both, and are so excited for your future together. Congratulations! xo

Bobby Sent on 04/12/2018

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Food was amazing! Staff was on top of it! And clean up was a breeze! From the meetings prior, to the day of the event, Chef by Design was remarkably easy to work with and the food was spectacular. Thank you again!

Chef by Design's reply:

Bobby~
Thank you for your kind words! We were thrilled to be a part of your day - it was beautiful! Congratulations again! ~Marcy and the CBD Team

Kathryn Sent on 04/01/2018

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I have not stopped hearing compliments about the food at my wedding! And I know the compliments are true because the caterers made sure my husband and I sat and ate, and sent us home with tons of leftovers. Every single person we worked with– Marcy in the pitch, Emily in planning, and Slavic the night of the wedding– was a pleasure to work with. Their reputation is stellar because their product is stellar. They made my special request of soft pretzel bites come to life, and took great care of us.

Chef by Design's reply:

Thank you so much for this beautiful review. You and Jay were a dream couple to work with from the very beginning! Congratulations again, and please keep in touch! ~Marcy and the CBD team

Christina Sent on 12/08/2017

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We hired Chef by Design to caterer our wedding, and they did a phenomenal job! Food was one of the highest priority items for us and Chef by Design knocked it out of the park. The food was delicious! The compliments from our family and friends were nothing but great things to say! They talked about how it was the best food they ever had at a wedding! Marcy and the team are professional, super sweet, and accommodating. We were so impressed, and I highly recommend Chef by Design as a caterer. Thanks Chef by Design!

Lia Sent on 11/26/2017

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Chef by Design catered my daughter's wedding reception at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk. I can't say enough good things about them. The team was meticulous, courteous, accommodating, super nice and extremely professional. The food was exceptional, and everyone was very impressed with both the meal and the service. If you want a top-notch caterer who will deliver outstanding results and take the worry of planning an event out of your hands, Chef by Design is without a doubt the best around. A real pleasure in every regard.

Chef by Design's reply:

Lia, thank you for this amazing review. You were such a pleasure to work with in all stages of planning her wedding. What an amazing night it was! Please send our heartfelt congratulations to all! xo ~Marcy, Chef John and team

Meredith Sent on 08/06/2017

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The team at Chef by Design was nothing but the BEST; the most professional, warm and welcoming team that we met with. To this day, my wedding guests continue to talk about how delicious the food was. They worked with me to make all my dreams come true - and made sure that my groom and I actually ate dinner :)

Kaitlin Sent on 08/05/2017

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We couldn't have gone with a better caterer. Excellent customer service and pristine attention to detail from Marcy, Emily and their team. Not to mention, the food was downright delicious. It was a perfect night! Thanks, Chef by Design!

Danielle Sent on 07/17/2017

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Chef by Design went above and beyond on my wedding day to make not only the food, but the experience amazing for me and my guests. My wedding was almost a year ago and I am still having people rave about how great the food was at my wedding! I have already recommended CBD to many friends who are planning their wedding and will continue to keep recommending CBD.

Sharon Sent on 07/13/2017

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We had our wedding in Sandbridge in May 2016, and were lucky enough to have "Chef By Design" handle all the catering, beverages / bar, and party rentals for us! We couldn't have been more pleased. Marcy & Joanie were AMAZING, so accommodating, professional, and truly took the worry out of our day -- Which was so needed, as we were planning a destination wedding on the other side of the country from where we live! Everything went so smoothly from start to finish, and they were so kind and wonderful. And, CHEF JOHN'S FOOD was amazing! We had a Hawaiian / island-themed wedding, and Chef prepared a unique & delicious menu for us, catering separately and carefully to multiple food allergies & dietary restrictions within our family & guest list that day... And, the team handled it with ease. Everyone was safe and happy, and we've gotten so many compliments on how delicious and wonderful everything was that day. It was a beautiful day, and my husband and I couldn't have been happier. THANK YOU, "CHEF BY DESIGN!" :)

Jasmine Sent on 07/10/2017

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ABSOLUTE BEST CATERER IN THE HAMPTON ROADS AREA!! Marcy and Joanie were the most awesome people to work with. Even a year later we have folks still talking about how great the food was at our wedding!! They not only made our day extra special, they were extremely flexible with our last minute changes as well provided world class service for us and our guests. Words don't explain how thankful we were to have such a stellar catering company provide the food for our wedding! Thanks again Chef by Design you guys ROCK!!

Chef by Design's reply:

Jasmine! Thank you for your kind words! You were such an amazing bride, and couple to work with! Congratulations again to you both, and we wish you the VERY best! xoxo

Elizabeth Sent on 07/06/2017

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Six months later, we're still getting compliments about the food and drinks served at our wedding. The Chef By Design team was amazing to work with from start to finish, and I've been recommending their services to all my engaged friends.

Chef by Design's reply:

Elizabeth! It was OUR pleasure being a part of such an amazing and special day! Thank you for your kind words and compliments! We all wish you the VERY best, and congratulations again! xo

Michelle Sent on 06/12/2017

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We hired Chef by Design for our wedding and they did a magnificent job! Marcy and her team were awesome, super professional, kind, good at communicating with us, just overall amazing! We didn’t stress at all working with them, they had everything under control. Once we picked the food choices, (which was hard to do because everything was so good) they took it from there. They coordinated with our venue, our wedding planner, and rentals so that everything would flow perfectly, which it did. And of course, the food was fantastic!! Their mash potato martini bar was a big hit. None of our guests had ever seen that before and they thought it was the coolest thing ever. Marcy set everything up beautifully and even made it go with the theme, which was beachy/coastal. The menus had starfish on it, sea shells around the food display, etc. I loved it!! Emily assisted us with choosing the rentals and she did an amazing job at putting all that together. Marcy and Emily really listened and understood perfectly what we had in mind for the room and food. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was when I walked in, it was like a dream come true!! Another thing I loved was that Marcy made sure that my husband and I got to eat at the wedding ha ha! They served us a plate and brought it over to us as well and “blocked” people from coming to us for a few minutes so that we could eat. It was great! 
Our wedding was about a month ago, and our guests still tell us how good the food and service was, both at the cocktail hour and during dinner. We were very pleased with them. Look no further than Chef by Design! They are truly an amazing catering company who will go above and beyond to make the day perfect, plus they have good food and are experts at what they do! I will definitely hire them again for a big occasion and we highly recommend that you do as well! 

Chef by Design's reply:

Michelle! Thank you so much for your compliments! We had so much fun working with you, and to see it all come together! You looked absolutely stunning on your special day, and I am so glad we got to be a part of the huge celebration! We all wish you guys the very best!! xoxo ~ Marcy

Chaz Sent on 10/04/2016

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Chef By Design blew us away immediately. Their website makes food selection simple and it was a treat working with Marcy and Joanie. We loved our tasting so much that we decided to use them for our rehearsal dinner in addition to our wedding. We had a beach wedding in Sandbridge so we wanted to include plenty of seafood options. At Marcy’s suggestion we went with a seafood boil for the rehearsal dinner and it was a hit! No worries if seafood isn't your jam: they have plenty of other options including mac & cheese that I still dream about. Our family has a lot of foodies and they were all blown away. If I had a dollar for every time someone said it was the best meal they ever had our wedding would have been free!

Chef by Design's reply:

Chaz and Jackie~
It was such a pleasure working with you both for the rehearsal and your wedding! We so enjoyed getting to know you and your wonderful family! Thank you for allowing us to be a part of such a special weekend, and for your kind words! Congratulations!! xoxo Marcy

Mandy Sent on 09/30/2016

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I don't even know where to start with all of my Chef by Design compliments! When we first started speaking with Marcy, we really weren't sure what kind of food we wanted. We were merging a casual southern family with an Italian northern family, so our tastes in food were on opposite ends of the spectrum. Once I explained that, Marcy just ran with it and created an outstanding menu that meshed our differences very well. My in-laws went with us for the tasting and I was a bit nervous, as they're very picky and tend to only eat things they're used to. As we went through the menu, tasting each item and making notations, I noticed my father-in-law writing "Excellent" next to everything!! He rarely uses that word to describe food unless it truly is excellent! I was so relieved and so excited! The food the day of the wedding was just as amazing it was when we did the tasting.
Our wedding was almost 2 weeks ago, and we're still receiving compliments from our guests about how wonderful everything was! Also, we've received a lot of compliments on the staff. I've been told multiple times that everyone was just so helpful, friendly, and truly seemed like they were happy to be there. To me, good service is just as important as good food, so I'm very thankful to the CBD staff!

Chef by Design's reply:

Thank you so much for your beautiful compliments! We so enjoyed working with you on your special day, and you both were so amazing! We wish you the very best!

Anne Sent on 08/21/2016

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I wish I could give Chef by Design 6 stars in every category! Marcy, Emily and Joanie and their team were amazing. We did tastings at Chef by Design and with another local caterer and the other caterer's food just paled in comparison. We were blown away by our CBD tasting and couldn't wait to eat it all again at the wedding! Emily was always extremely responsive and was on top of everything for our wedding. We didn't have a wedding planner but they gave us great advice and suggestions when needed. On the evening of our wedding, their staff was on the ball - there were zero hiccups and people even kept commenting to my parents about how amazing the catering/bartending staff was. We bought our own alcohol but used CBD's staff to serve. During the reception (the day was much hotter than we'd expected and people drank a lot more beer than wine), one of the servers offered to make a beer run so that no one would realize we were going to run out of beer. My parents were so grateful & impressed that a server took the initiative to do that! The food was absolutely amazing and 6 weeks later, we still have people tell us how it was the best food they'd ever had at a wedding. If you're going back and forth between CBD and another caterer, you're crazy not to pick CBD!

Chef by Design's reply:

We had such an amazing time working with you all on this gorgeous wedding! Thank you for your kind words!! We truly enjoyed every moment and are thrilled that you were pleased with our involvement on such a special occasion!! xoxo
Marcy, Chef John, Joanie, Emily and team

Barbara Sent on 07/20/2016

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If you want awesome food at your event, you should hire Chef By Design. We had such a tasty and varied menu. CBD even went the extra mile and re-created a family favorite recipe of Tuna-Q to accommodate all the pescatarians in the family. We also had a nice selection for the vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free guests. Every item was clearly labeled so that those who had food allergies were clear on what they could eat. There was something for everyone. The desserts were gorgeous and delicious. One of our guests was a professional chef and he was amazed at the food and presentation.

Chef by Design's reply:

We were so thrilled to be a part of this beautiful wedding!! Thank you so much for your review, and please tell Mel & Peter congratulations for us!

Katie Sent on 06/06/2016

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Joanie and the team at Chef by Design executed a flawless evening for our wedding reception. The food was DELICIOUS - everything from the appetizers, oyster bar, entrees, and special request cobbler bar dessert was on point. We received so many complements from our family and friends on the food. Joanie did 3+ site visits to ensure that the outdoor tented wedding at the home I grew up in would be fabulous. And when the weather called for massive storms, Joanie and the team had the best attitude for doing everything possible to make the night amazing. They also seamlessly executed a room flip and ran an efficient bar for our guests all night. Our goodie bag made a delicious dinner of leftovers the first night of our honeymoon. I HIGHLY recommend.

Chef by Design's reply:

Katie, thank you for your kind words! It was our pleasure working with all of you and making sure your day was perfect for you! Congratulations again!! xoxo

Kathleen Sent on 01/25/2016

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Wow, where do I begin. Marcy and Joanie are the most amazing woman to have standing in your corner on your big day! I live in Phoenix, AZ so as you can imagine it is very difficult to plan your big day 3000 miles away. Right from the first phone call Marcy made me feel like I was her first priority. I made a trip out to Virginia Beach one year to the date to meet with Marcy and the Chef by Design group, which is when I met Joanie. It doesn't do it justice to say these women go above and beyond to make your feel like the world revolves around you. The food was amazing, and Joanie stepped up and offered to help out where she could because I lived so far away. Unfortunately Hurricane Joaquin uprooted by beautifully planned beach wedding and the Chef by Design team jumped in to help this super emotional bride out. Not being from Virginia Beach, and having my wedding venue canceled by Mother Nature, I had no idea what to do. I have 100 guests from all over the US in town for a beach wedding during a hurricane. Marcy and Joanie assured me things would work out and these amazing ladies found me a last minute venue 24 hrs before I was to say, "I do". Among all the craziness, last minute changes, dress tearing, and chaos, Joanie and Marcy made sure everything was together. Have you ever had a guest at a wedding ask for seconds? I did, actually many of them. Talk about a compliment to the chef. The food was beyond amazing, and if you like crab cakes I highly recommend them for your menu. My guests raved about the dinner and how pretty everything turned out despite all the madness :) Thank you ladies from the bottom of my heart for all you did to make my day the best it could be with the circumstances we had. Marcy and Joanie from Chef by Design are exactly what you want supporting you on your big day! I absolutely recommend Chef by Design for your big day!

Caitlin Sent on 10/09/2015

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Chef by Design did a fantastic job! Marcy was such a joy to work with, she and her team helped us create the feel we were hoping for at our reception. They were part of our amazing vendor team that flipped the room from ceremony to beautiful reception so fast and the food was AMAZING! Chef John worked with us to create a custom ethnic food station that was fantastic. So many of our guests came up to us during the reception and in the days after the wedding to tell us how great our food was! I would highly recommend Chef by Design!

User2472103 Sent on 10/02/2015

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You can't go wrong with Chef by Design. The service and food was perfect and our guests had nothing but wonderful things to say about them. They were there for everything we needed and they helped make our wedding day so very special.

Amelia Sent on 09/29/2015

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Chef by Design went above and beyond for our Wedding.
Marcy and Joanie were so amazing to answer every question, every email, and to take note of every small detail. Leading up to the wedding, they really treated us like we were the one and only client they had and made sure we were comfortable with everything every step of the way. They're not only caterers, but they handled the rentals, and beyond.
We had made custom chargers for the tables, and they were sure to use them but also collect them to keep them from being stolen at the end of the night. We also had coozies and special champagne glasses for people to keep that they made sure was displayed and used! Our guests raved about the food. The Cocktail Hour, the Charcuterie Boards on each Table, The Duet Plates... even down to the late night Milk & Cookie Shots and later the Pretzels for the bus ride home! We also had them do our Wedding Cake and many of our guests were in awe of the amazing flavor of the Strawberry and Creamsicle layered cake.
Marcy and Joanie cared about everything being perfect, down to finding boards to cover up mud puddles, dealing with late transpo buses (which was not their hire) and even helping come up with ideas for our rain plan to transform original ideas to incorporate into the new rain plan ideas. The one thing I'll also recommend, in case it doesn't usually come in the package is that we had our own waitress assigned to us who really took care of us, who gave the lead singer of the band a thumbs up for me when I couldn't get up and even putting spray deodorant on me when I realized I had forgotten! Because of her, we got to eat all the food, have drinks whenever we wanted, and really be able to enjoy the Wedding!
I wouldn't take even a nano second in hiring Chef by Design again, their custom service, attention to detail, and all round amazing work will never be forgotten.
Thank you so much guys for making our Wedding as amazing as it was!!!
Amelia & David
9-26-15

Chef by Design's reply:

Amelia and David!!!
Congratulations again~ What an amazing day it was, and we are SO happy for you both. Thank you for your kind words - your wedding was a dream to be a part of, and we wanted it perfect for you. Your "private server" is something that we do for every one of our couples, so that our couples can truly enjoy every moment and feel like a king and queen! :) We wish you every bit of joy and happiness for a lifetime! Marcy, Joanie and CBD Team xoxo

User2379303 Sent on 06/12/2015

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I got SO many compliments on the food from our Vendor. I loved the tasting, they let us eat in peace and discuss the menu. They even created the most delicious cheesesteak to serve at the end of the wedding. The staff were so professional, one of the catering staff even helped when we had trouble bustling my dress! Joanie was such a pleasure to work with and is excellent at her job. I Would definitely recommend this company for any event!

Chef by Design's reply:

Thank you for this wonderful review! We had such a great time working with you both, and we now have that Philly Cheesesteak on our menu as a late night snack! ;) We wish you many, many years of happiness!
Cheers!! xoxo
Marcy, Joanie, and the CBD Team

Rebecca Sent on 02/17/2015

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On a scale of 0-5, Chef By Design was a 10! Unfortunately the highest score I could give them is a 5. Not only is John an extremely talented chef, but Marcy, Joanie, and the rest of the team's professionalism and generosity helped to make our big night memorable! The CBD staff made sure that my husband & I were well taken care of and that we did not got without that night. They took the time to make sure they got to know us and our tastes in food to make sure that our wedding menu was nothing short of awesome. I can't emphasize enough how much we are grateful to them. We highly recommend the Chef By Design Team!

Elizabeth Sent on 12/11/2014

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Chef by Design was absolutely wonderful for our wedding! Their food is delicious and was just as good as the tasting. Quality food and reasonable prices for the service provided. The staff is so friendly and does so much more than just provide the food. The service and hard work that went into making our wedding such a success cannot be valued and it is hard to put into words the appreciation of their hard work.

The staff helped move my chairs from inside to outside, and then back inside for the reception, due to the rain. The coordination between them and my planner was amazing and without them, we couldn't have pulled off my perfect image of an outdoor ceremony.

The food was so good and it was very important to us to have our guests recognize the great food at the wedding. Everyone raved about every single thing that was served and it was no wonder that all the food was gone at the end of the night. Everyone left satisfied and the food was better than expected being served in large quantities. They provide full set up and break down and handle all rentals as needed so there is little for you to personally stress over as they have everything handled.

Joanie and Marcy will work with you as much as you need to plan the perfect menu and work within your budget. They both are amazing and you will feel like friends instantly when working with them. I would recommend them to anyone for any catering needs.

Erin Sent on 12/06/2014

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I used Chef by Design for my wedding this past September. Marcy was helpful and patient throughout the planning process. My husband, mom and I had different ideas for the menu and rentals. Marcy worked with us to create a menu and setup within our budget that all of us were excited about. She also coordinated our rentals, assisted with our timeline and even helped us find a DJ that fit the style we were looking for. Our reception was perfect - the food and staff both incredible!

Elizabeth Sent on 11/09/2014

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By far the best catering service ever. They work with you to plan a menu that suites your tastes, event, and budget. The staff was excellent, we had butler passed items and they were very courteous, professional and cleaned up to the point you'd not even known they'd been there. They made a plate of 2 of everything for my husband and I without being asked which was very much appreciated. We found out after the wedding that they couldn't make the oven work at our location and managed to cook somewhere else and get the food back in time and hot! The food at weddings is usually forgettable but people raved about our food for weeks after the event. I can't wait for a reason to have another party so we can hire them and eat their food again!

Alicia Sent on 11/04/2014

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Amazing team to work with from start to finish.

Elizabeth Sent on 11/04/2014

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They really take the time to help you plan a menu that fits your budget, wants and theme of your event. The food is amazing and the staff was almost invisible and very polite and professional. They couldn't get the oven to work where our wedding was held and managed to get food cooked and back with out missing a beat! We didn't even know this happened until after wedding! Truly amazing caterers and would have a party just hire them!

Sara Sent on 11/02/2014

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Fantastic! Ok here's the deal: There are alot of caterers that can pump out food. There are few that can create meals that are as delicious, thoughtful, satisfying, and high-end as Chef by Design Catering Co. The staff are incredibly friendly and active listeners who want your event to be better than expected. They hire wait staff who have the same values as the owners... it is not a wonder to us that they are fast gaining the stellar reputation and growing a client list that such an excellent business deserves. Our guests raved about how good the food and service was and that made us proud as hosts.

Rick Sent on 11/01/2014

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Chef by Design had a huge variety of menu items. They were able to provide everything that we requested. The food was incredible. They were very delightful, professional and accommodating. We would highly recommend this company to anyone who is planning a special event.

Jane Sent on 10/31/2014

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By far the best catering experience we've ever had!!! We will never use another caterer. Marcy, the co-owner, was wonderful to work with and helped us plan the perfect reception for our daughter. Both my daughter and son-in-law (and all of the guests!) loved the food; it was displayed beautifully and was delicious!! And there were so many great options to choose from, including vegan and vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. Our guests are still raving about the crab cakes and the mashed potato bar! We love this caterer!

Ariel Sent on 10/29/2014

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Chef By Design has a reputation for being one of the best catering companies in the area and I found out first-hand how they truly go out of their way to ensure your event is a memorable experience. I contracted with Chef By Design to cater my wedding but quickly found out that they do so much more for their clients. Our tasting appointment was very personalized and relaxed. The staff made sure they were checking in with us to see what we liked and didn't like but also gave me and my fiance some space to discuss our menu during the tasting. At Chef By Design they were happy to change up some of their standard dishes to fit our needs and tastes, but we didn't have too change much because their food is amazing. Other catering companies we consulted with left us feeling underwhelmed with impersonal, rushed consultations and just did not provide overall the level of service we were looking for. Chef By Design representatives even attended my site walk-through. I could tell they were as excited about the event as I was and appreciated that they took the time on a weekend to come and provide suggestions and solutions as we worked through event logistics.
On the day of our wedding I can't tell you how fantastic it was to not worry about anything related to our bar, food or service. Not only were the servers and bartenders that work for Chef By Design professional and polite, but the company also handles "back of the house"/ behind the scenes services most brides don't realize are crucial to a well executed event. During our buffet dinner guests were never left waiting for a dish and we never ran out of food. I still get compliments over a year later from guests on how much they loved the food at our wedding.
If you are looking for a high level of service with quality food and impeccable execution for your wedding or next event, definitely check out Chef By Design. They will work with you at all stages of the planning process to ensure your day goes off without a hitch!

Suzy Sent on 10/28/2014

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Chef by Design was amazing, delicious and very easy to work with! I wanted to keep the day simple and easy. They helped me make sure I had enough, but not too much and the right combination of food and decorations. They worked within my budget and I never felt pressured to spend more or do more than I was comfortable with. They were very responsive by email and phone. They were always very friendly and I really believe they wanted to make the day special. For instance, we happened to run out of wine (our wedding reception site allowed outside alcohol) without any hesitation they offered to do a wine run for us on the spot! It was great, taken care of and we didn't have to worry about anything. Also......the food was amazing...especially the cake!!!! They have lots of food choices and were also very willing to make adjustments for some of my guests with food allergies and for kids. We would without hesitation hire them again and highly recommend them.

Liz Sent on 10/27/2014

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A pleasure to work with and a creative and talented chef! I was pleased with the price, food, service and presentation. We had a perfect gourmand-approved menu. We special requested a pizza station for our wedding and Chef By Design made it happen with 2 kinda of flatbread pizza set up on a butcher block - nice!

The CAKE: The cake. Off the chain! Compliments all night on how it was the best wedding cake people had ever eaten! CBD makes chiffon cakes, not that traditional dense stuff. It's made FRESH the night before and refrigerated, NEVER frozen. Ours had Nutella in it - watch out! Crowd pleaser!

Jessica Sent on 10/26/2014

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We loved Chef by Design from our first meeting with them. They took time to get to know us and what our ideas were for our wedding day. We had difficulty deciding what foods to choose at our tasting because every single bite was delicious. The service on our wedding day was amazing--anytime a server would walk by us, they would check to see if we needed anything. The food was again delicious and we loved having our goody bag for the end of the night!

User1799933 Sent on 09/08/2014

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It's hard to give a perfect review, because nothing is perfect, but looking back on our wedding 3 months ago, I can't say I wish something went differently with regards to the catering. Chef by Design was a pleasure to work with. They were encouraging, supportive, and extremely flexible. They are really busy but made time to get back to our questions/concerns. They will not be the most affordable caterer, but the quality is unbelieveable and the staff is really professional. We received so many compliments about our food and service. A major bonus was the staff's familiarity with our other vendors and venue. They frequently cater at the Water Table (which is where we had our ceremony/reception), and it made our lives so much easier as they made our vision come to life. They worked so well with our other vendors, as well. I'm so appreciative for their work at our wedding to make everything to smoothly. I (the bride) did not have to worry about a thing!

Lisa Sent on 08/13/2014

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Chef By Design catered my wedding reception July 12, 2014 and did an AMAZING job! I cannot say enough good things about Marcy and Joanie and their entire staff. Right up to my wedding, they were very responsive, open to my ideas, full of even more ideas, and just great to work with. My husband and I wanted specific themes at 3 different stations to represent our different food tastes, so the variety made it complicated. But you would never know that because Chef By Design made it look easy. The food was AWESOME, and my family and friends are still talking about it a month later. At our tasting we got to talk to the chef in person and ask questions, make changes, etc. We requested a few minor changes, and they nailed it at our wedding. Besides the food quality, their staff was so attentive and went above and beyond at our reception. My husband can't eat spinach, so even though our guests were having a spinach salad, Chef By Design served my husband a special salad with different greens. Also, as soon as we sat down for our meal, our guests started approaching us to talk and congratulate us. Marcy was so observant and offered to make an announcement so that our guests would give us a chance to eat first. She had just had shoulder surgery and was still in a sling but still attended our wedding. We were so impressed, and I highly recommend Chef By Design as a caterer. I wouldn't have changed a thing.

Meredith Sent on 07/27/2014

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It was such a pleasure to have worked with Chef by Design Catering Co. for our wedding. We worked closely with Joanie and Marcy and cannot say enough good things about them! We were planning our wedding while living in another state and they really worked with our limited schedules to get things done. They also took a lot of work off of our shoulders by handling many of the event rentals such as the tent, dance floor, tables, chairs, napkins, silverware, glassware, bars, etc. They stuck to our vision and executed it perfectly. We really enjoyed the food tasting a few months before our big day, but hearing how amazing the food was from our guests was even better! Chef by Design Catering Co., Marcy, and Joanie turned our dream wedding day into a reality!!

Chef by Design's reply:

Meredith - You guys were a DREAM for us to work with! Thank you for trusting us with so much of your special day! We wish you both the very best, and hope you will stay in touch with us! Much love ~ Marcy, Joanie and team xoxo

Brittany Sent on 06/17/2014

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Marcy and her husband were amazing to work with. They helped create a special menu for our wedding (Shrimp & chicken skewers, avocado and squash on the skewers, over rice pilaf with grilled asparagus wrapped with carrot on the side). The food was beautiful and delicious and cooked onsite, which was hard to find in some caterers. Great communication & service.

Christopher Sent on 11/12/2013

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We worked with Joanie and Marci at Chef by Design for my daughter's wedding a few weeks ago. Kimberly was very particular about the types of food she wanted, how she wanted it displayed, and all the details most brides aren't typically concerned with (we like food!!). Chef by Design worked with us every step of the way to make everything perfect for us. The food was outstanding, the staff was helpful and polite, and they all went the extra mile to make us and our guests feel comfortable and happy. We would absolutely recommend them and can't wait to hire them again for our next event!!

Bonnie Sent on 10/24/2013

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I actually feel emotional when I think about Marcy and Chef by Design when I think back on our beautiful wedding day on September 27th.. I don't throw around "perfect" very often. The catering was PERFECT. I grew up in VB but have lived in NYC the last 9 years, where I was a manager at the exceptional raw/vegan restaurant, Pure Food and Wine. So, good food is IMPORTANT to me: quality of ingredients, flavors, presentation... I wanted NYC standards. And CBD delivered above and beyond. My mom and I pretty much fell in love with Marcy at our tasting. She is just a doll--so sweet and warm and excited about what she does and realizing her bride's vision.. As is Joanie and the rest of her team. The amazing Chef John (Marcy's husband) is SO talented! They have a CRAZY EXTENSIVE menu, ranging from perfectly done and delicious "standards" to super creative, original dishes. I had a ton to choose from, and STILL Chef John created an *INCREDIBLE* vegan entree for us!!!!!! It was magazine worthy in taste and presentation. Everything was! Their staff at the reception were more than polite to our guests--they were happy, warm, and accommodating to all of our dear family and friends, which was SO important to me. They all had smiles on their pretty faces and looked so polished in their sleek black attire. They also made sure my husband and I actually got to eat!! We didn't want a cake so we chose a few different desserts (again, from like a thousand options!) and they were all AMAZING! And, the team packed up three huge bags of food and desserts that were awaiting us in our hotel room! They also did our bar, which was stellar, and set up ALL the rentals for the linens, tableware, chairs, etc. Also perfection. The compliments from friends and family are still flooding in. If you want not only truly amazing food and presentation, but also lovely people who are a delight to work with, hire Chef by Design. You will be so happy you did. And so will all of your guests:)

Ashley Sent on 10/05/2013

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Chef By Design was amazing. The staff was friendly and helpful and the food was to die for! I did not have to lift a finger during or after the wedding. Joanie Powell was awesome to work with and answered any questions I had. The guests loved the food and the friendly staff!!!!

User993653 Sent on 10/22/2012

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We booked Chef by Design almost 1 year before my daughter's October 20, 2012 wedding. Throughout this time, we met several times to discuss her vision and do a tasting. They were so friendly and helpful. Joanie Powell was the best in helping us with the rentals, selections, and creative ideas. We received so many compliments from our guests on how great the food and the service were. They really loved the crab cakes and grits and rockfish appetizers-Yummm! Not only was the presentation beautiful, but even more importantly, the food was delicious thanks to Chef John. Their service was personal, their staff was professional and the food was of great quality. We would highly recommend them for any special event.

Heather Sent on 08/13/2012

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I can't even begin to say how amazing Chef by Design was... As soon as I booked my wedding, I got a menu which I was literally salivating over. I picked some of the MOST delicious things I have ever tasted in my life. Had a great experience at my tasting, was able to tweak things and truly customize it to my liking. Working with Joanie was an absolute pleasure! She made the whole process so easy! She was quick to answer any questions I had and let me personalize everything but always had a very helpful perfessional opinion on things... Super thankful for that! ALL of my guests LOVED the food. I'm pretty sure it's the one thing I hear most about now! All in all, i had an EXCEPTIONAL experience!!!

Kim Sent on 04/24/2012

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The Chef by Design crew was amazing. Joanie helped us with so many things! Everyone raved about the food for days after! Joanie and her staff really helped make the party!! She put together a seated dinner for 120 in a tent kitchen at a horse farm and the food was divine! It made it to the table warm for everyone. And as the bride and groom we made time to eat dinner!

Tyler Sent on 04/23/2012

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Cheers to Chef by Design for making our wedding wonderful and absolutely delicious. We brought them the challenge of creating a vegetarian reception menu that would please our palates as well as our meat eating friends and family and they delivered with ease. People are still raving about the foods we served, specifically the mac n' cheese bites, various soups and white veggie lasagna! Yum!
We also enlisted their services for our wedding cake, which turned out beautifully. They stunned us with a 3 layer creation that shimmered and was stacked with champagne glasses - AMAZING! Then there were the cake flavors themselves - my husband isn't a huge chocolate fan and scarfed down his sample during our tasting in about 30 seconds. Their carrot cake and lemon pound were also equally as tasty.
On top of all the amazing food, the service and support we received from Chef by Design was top notch. They were there to help through every step of the way, even assisting in selecting and coordinating our rentals. I can honestly say our wedding would not have been the same without them!

Maya Sent on 11/13/2011

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Words couldn't even begin to describe how great Chef by Design is. They completely transformed my wedding into our theme and went above and beyond on anything we asked of them. Joanie was our day of coordinator and there was not ONE thing that went wrong on our wedding day. The food was DELICIOUS, fresh, and presented in a way that awed and impressed our guest. Definitely worth EVERY single penny we spent! I have no regrets in choosing Chef By Design.

Kelly Sent on 11/05/2011

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I cannot say enough wonderful things about Chef by Design! From the moment we met Joanie we knew she would make our wedding perfect. We were greated with hugs and a bright smile. The food we enjoyed during our tasting was delicious and was just as fresh and delicious the day of our wedding. Everything was just as we remembered during the tasting and every guest at our wedding couldn't get over how great everything was. The mashed potato bar was a hit with everyone! Joanie even went with us to help pick out our linens and figure out the table arrangements. Joanie kept us up to date on the seating chart as well as all other details for the layout of our venue. We only have wonderful things to say about Chef by Design. They make sure your event is perfect and that you don't have to worry about anything!

Matthias Sent on 10/25/2011

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Nothing but compliment on the food!!! It was AMAZING!!!! If you don't get the crab cakes, then you made a HUGE mistake.....they are AWESOME!! And our guests loved them. One word of advise if you get them...get a lot of them!!!
Joanie, Marcy, and Chef John are all GREAT people and very easy to work with. My wife and I will continue to use them for parties and such now in the future. That is just a huge compliment to their quality of service.
One common phrase from our guests was, "WOW the food was awesome" and of course "Dude, are there more crab cakes"!!!
Easy selection as a caterer......They will not let you down, they are the best in town by far. Very responsive and meet/exceed all expectations!

D Sent on 10/20/2011

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Getting the food right is THE most important part of a wedding. We had 4 events for our son's wedding and each was different. Once we knew Chef by Design was going to be our caterer, we stopped stressing about that! It was a breeze working with Marcy, Joanie and Chef John...actually lots of fun! They handled everything down to the smallest detail. (Their staff was the best also!) The bride and groom and their parents could then enjoy (and remember) all that was happening. The food was amazing and each event had different food and different themes! It was so memorable and delicious!

Patti Sent on 10/13/2011

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Chef by Design catering service was exemplary! We hired them for a wedding reception in our home. From the set up of tables and chairs to serving a delicious, well cooked menu to the clean -up, I was completely delighted with their professionalism. The food was cooked perfectly and the presentation was beautiful. Our wedding guests raved about the food! They were so accommodating to our requests and even mopped my kitchen floor before they left and took the garbage with them! I would highly recommend them.

Carolyn Sent on 10/11/2011

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This catering company is absolutely outstanding in every way. They had to change our plans for a wedding and reception on the beach to an inside wedding at the last minute due to bad weather and they responded beautifully and quickly. The food was perfect and the staff, especially the catering manager Joanie Powell, were great to work with. I recommend them very, very highly.

Caleb Sent on 01/28/2011

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I recently embarked on the life long journey of marriage! October 11, 2010 was our big day and as for most people we wanted the day to be perfect. I had the luxury of securing Chef by Design for our catering service. I had been to event catered by the previously and had always been impressed with their service and mostly food. Chef John, Marcy, Joanie and the staff went above and beyond to provide everything that we asked and more. You know you have a great caterer when you never even know they are there. They did a great job of anticipating needs before they would arise. The did an incredible job of tweaking our menu to meet our budget requirements. The compliments we received from friends and family were all the same: "It was a such a beautiful wedding, and the food was the best we have ever had!" If you live in Hampton Roads and are looking for catering for any event, I hope that you will choose Chef by Design! They helped make my wedding the greatest day of my life!

-Caleb Hill

Erin Sent on 07/28/2017

4.9 out of 5 rating

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Emily was a huge help as we were planning. Chef John made a custom dish for us that was out of this world. Joanie made our actual wedding night go perfectly. There were no issues what so every, all the food displays looked absolutely perfect and it tasted amazing!! I hope I get to attend a wedding in the future that Chef By Design is catering:)

Allison Sent on 07/13/2017

4.9 out of 5 rating

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We were blown away by Chef by Design from the moment of our tasting. The food was all so good which made it incredibly difficult to narrow down the entree choices - a great problem to have! Joanie, Marcy, and Emily were all super-responsive to e-mails which made my planning long-distance much easier. Emily was especially helpful in recommending other (non-caterer) vendors to us and helping to put it all together. The serving/bartending staff were all very professional and friendly. We loved the flexibility that allowed us to stock our own bar to save some money. And the beautiful s'mores bar was the perfect late night snack for our guests. Thanks Chef by Design!

Lynn Sent on 09/23/2012

4.9 out of 5 rating

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4.5 out of 5 rating

Love, love, love these people! From the first meeting with Marcie to the day of my wedding - everything was done at a very professional but personal manner! They were happy to meet with me and once we established what kind of event - Marcie, Joanie and Chef John did an amazing job! They are everything they say they are! I would not hesitate to cal them again for the perfect catering for sure. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Lynn

Elisha Sent on 04/21/2012

4.9 out of 5 rating

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Chef by Design was fantastic to work with! We had hors d'oeuvres, a seated salad, and a buffet dinner at our wedding and the guests kept commenting on how great to food was (certainly not your typical wedding food). The crab cakes, curried lamb skewers, jalapeno cheddar soup, and garlic peppercorn steak got the highest reviews! All of their food was great and they were wonderful to work with - I would recommend them to any friend! Wish they had a restaurant so we could have their food more often.

Sarah Sent on 06/24/2010

4.9 out of 5 rating

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THe food, service and people were amazing. I could not have asked for a better caterer, wedding planner. I miss them!! Every display looked professional and tasty. I am still hearing compliments on the mashed potato bar!

Deanna Sent on 10/07/2024

4.8 out of 5 rating

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50th Anniversary Party

We used Chef by Design for our 50th Anniversary Party. From our first meeting we were treated professionally, every pone call was returned, every question answered. We worked with Kellyn who also collaborated with our event Planner Josh of Mann and Wife. Everyone who attended our party raved about what a good time they were having and how good the food was! The staff was very attentive, never had to ask for anything because they were always right there and eager to help. My husband and I honestly couldn't have asked for more - Chef by Design (and Josh) went above and beyond in every way!

Tamica Sent on 05/19/2019

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Absolutely amazing

On our wedding day Chef By Design provided excellent food (crab cakes to die for) and quality service. They can provide any meal/appetizer you can dream of and will cater you menu to your wishes (our involved a mashed/baked potato bar with all the fixin's). All the tables,linens,chairs, and food were set up and presented better then I could have imagined. The team was professional and all transitions were executed seamlessly. The staff made sure we ate and sent us home with boxes of leftovers at the end of the night. I am beyond satisfied with our experience and would recommend them to anyone looking to have a stress free event with delicious food served by an amazing team. Chef By Design...YOU ROCK! Xo - The Thompsons

Rachel Sent on 05/22/2018

4.8 out of 5 rating

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Emily from Chef by Design was absolutely wonderful to work with! She was very professional and responsive, and helped us choose our linens and glassware, figure out our liquor order, and plan our layout. The food was all spectacular and they have a huge selection to choose from! My one complaint is that I worked hard on a specific seating chart, which was not executed by the staff day-of. Overall, though, no one knew but me and everyone had a wonderful time!!! Responsive staff and friendly bartenders, plus great food... would definitely recommend!!! Thanks, Emily!

Jennifer Sent on 10/01/2017

4.8 out of 5 rating

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We had catering for our wedding at MOCA in September. We loved our food and got many compliments from our guests about the wait staff being very attentive. Emily helped us in planning and organizing everything ahead of time and did a great job!

Melissa Sent on 07/27/2016

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Chef by Design works hard to provide you with the best experience possible, and to allow you to make your wedding personalized through the food and decorations. Chef by Design communicates with the rental company for you, it is one more stress taken off of you, they arrange the pick up, set up, clean up, and return of all the rentals. They also worked so closely with the staff at The Water Table in order to make the whole day run smoothly without any difficulties. They even assigned a server to the bridal party during the cocktail hour (which was AWESOME!!!)

Meghan Sent on 07/08/2016

4.8 out of 5 rating

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My husband and I are extremely happy with our experience with Chef By Design! Our guests are still telling us how great their food and service was at our wedding reception. They had unlimited food choices and really created a menu that worked best for us, even changing it a week or so before the wedding. Their presentation was great and showed that they cared how it looked to guests. They even cooked on-site for a fresh taste, eliminating re-heating food for the guests. They worked with us on coordinating all of the rentals. They were very service oriented at the reception, from guests dropping drinks, checking on food, and checking on my husband and me. We didn't have to worry about guests not getting what they needed the whole night. They were even responsive after the wedding when we lost something at our venue. This company truly cares for their customers wants and needs. We would recommend them to anyone and would use them for any event.

Chef by Design's reply:

Meghan~
It was such a pleasure working with you on your wedding! You are a fantastic couple, and we were thrilled to be a part of such a special day! Congratulations again!
CBD Team

Christina Sent on 10/21/2015

4.8 out of 5 rating

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We hired Chef by Design for our wedding on 9/14/13. We were initially interested in hiring them because they already provided vegetarian and vegan options and we knew our guests would need these accommodations. We did the tasting and everything was absolutely delicious. Even better, the food was fantastic on the day of the wedding. Everyone raved about the food and my brother said the vegan dish was the best he had ever tasted. The staff was very professional and were not intrusive in the evenings events. They even served my and my husband's plates so we didn't have to go up to the buffet line. I would absolutely recommend their services to anyone, totally worth the value.

William Sent on 10/08/2015

4.8 out of 5 rating

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Outstanding service and quality. Would recommend them to anyone for small or large events. They adapted to the specifics we wanted for our wedding and delivered exceptional results.

Cynthia Sent on 09/20/2015

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Just wow! Unbelievable food for my unbelievable wedding day. The team at Chef by Design provided us with the most delicious food we could have dreamed of. They are with you step by step creating and tweaking your menu. They are also very professional and friendly. I was very confident in my choice as making them my caterer. My husband and I received so many compliments about the food: we had a cocktail hour consisting of 3 passed dishes, antipasta and fruit/cheese station; 4 choices for dinner; and 3 desserts. Everything was phenomenal!

Dee Sent on 11/09/2014

4.8 out of 5 rating

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Great service, great staff, and even better food! Chef By Design made us feel like family from the first day we met with them, so warm and welcoming! I Wish I could get married every day just to eat their stellar food! I highly recommend working with them for any and all occasions!

User1912149 Sent on 11/09/2014

4.8 out of 5 rating

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We had a wonderful tasting where we got to know the team. The crab cakes are amazing.

Krystal Sent on 07/24/2014

4.8 out of 5 rating

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Joanie worked with us on all levels. We had budget issues and she was able to get what we wanted on our buffet within our budget. The food was absolutely outstanding and all our guests loved the food as well!! Thank You for everything!

Sophia Sent on 09/15/2013

4.8 out of 5 rating

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Chef by Design did an amazing job with our wedding! The food was delicious (and they even sent us home with some since we didn't have much to eat during the party!) and the service was excellent. They took care of so many details so we could just relax and enjoy the party. I had no idea what I was doing with the wedding planning, and they answered all of my questions and helped out much more than they had to. I would hire them again in a heartbeat!

Shannon Sent on 08/14/2012

4.8 out of 5 rating

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Chef by design is amazing! We're so glad we chose them for our wedding! Our guests are still raving about how wonderful the food was. Joanie is awesome and went out of her way to meet with me and my vendors to ensure my vision for our big day was captured. Joanie & her team were fabulous, thanks guys for making our event one to always remember!!

Julie Sent on 01/29/2011

4.8 out of 5 rating

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Chef By Design is a wonderful group of people who made our reception incredible! The food was delicious, they have so many choices, plus they are very flexible in accomodating your taste. They can also give excellent advice as to what works best with the kind of atmoshphere you are looking for. The staff was also very professional the night of the reception and worked tirelessly to keep things going smoothly. I would HIGHLY recommend them for any event.

User2009265 Sent on 01/14/2015

4.6 out of 5 rating

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Joanie and Marci were wonderful- flexible to new ideas on both food and decorating.

Erin Sent on 10/14/2014

4.6 out of 5 rating

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I couldn't have asked for a better team or more delicious food!!

Ruth Sent on 07/17/2012

4.6 out of 5 rating

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DELISH!!!!!! Chef by Design is incredibly amazing!!!! My husband and I went to many tastings. My husband is the cook of the house and is very picky. After meeting with Marcy and Joanie we decided from their elaborate menu what we wanted to taste. Everything from the salad to the main entrees was simply scrumptious!!! We planned our menu over a year in advanced. We were a tad leery that maybe would not be the same on the day of the wedding. A few weeks before the wedding our guest count went up, Joanie and Marcy worked with us through a few bumps in the road. On the day of the wedding Beth came out with their full staff EVERYTHING WAS BEYOND PERFECT!!!!!The food actually was better then what we had originally tasted, fit for a king and a queen! Our guest even now 2 months later are still raving about the taste and quality of the food!!! Chef by Design is simply the best in Hampton Roads!!! Thank you Marcy, John, Joanie, Beth and all of Chef by Design staff for making our wedding so grand!!!!

Chef by Design's reply:

Ruth~
You were such a beautiful bride, and your wedding was fantastic!! Thank you for allowing us to work with you on your special day! (ps. you really should go into wedding planning - you did an amazing job!! ) It was so great to see it all come together! Best to you both!! Marcy, Joanie & Beth

Marina Sent on 10/19/2020

4.4 out of 5 rating

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Delicious food for our small ceremony!

If you want great quality and a great variety of options for food, hire Chef by Design!! We were so pleased and so were our guests! I definitely recommend to anyone looking for high quality catering in the 757!

Lisa Sent on 04/13/2019

4.4 out of 5 rating

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Chef by Design

Overall the food was good. I was disappointed in a couple of items served. I felt they did not taste as good as they did when we had our tasting appointment. For amount of money we paid, it should have been amazing. But it wasn’t.

Christine Sent on 06/22/2016

4.3 out of 5 rating

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4.5 out of 5 rating

CBD was one of the preferred vendors for our venue, and the food was phenomenal. People went back for thirds on the food and many complimented the catering. The staff was also very helpful on the day of our wedding and worked with my wedding coordinator to make sure everything went smoothly. However, the weeks leading up to the wedding were stressful - they were not the most responsive with emails, and it was hard not to worry if things were going to go off without a hitch. Their responsiveness did get better the closer we got to our wedding date. We provided our own liquor supply for a full bar but had two bartenders; I did have some guests complain about one bartender not knowing how to make drinks -- one said that other guests were putting down their still full drinks and going to the other bartender. However, the rest of the wait staff was excellent - we had a dedicated waitress who made sure our plates were full and we had drinks in hand. Overall, we're pleased that we went with them, mainly because the food was just that good.

User2520395 Sent on 01/27/2016

4 out of 5 rating

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The moment I found Chef by Design, I knew I wanted them as our caterer. Initially, they seemed to be very responsive but as soon as we paid our deposit we had a horrible time trying to communicate with them. Our wedding planner called more than several times, I called and sent multiple e-mails, but it was very difficult to get a hold of them. I understand they are busy, but the communication needs to improve; this affects their responsiveness but also their professionalism ratings. During our tasting, they took our feedback into consideration and made the revisions for our wedding. We had a backyard wedding, the bartenders also came from this company and the day following our wedding, my husband and I had to clean up lemons, limes, straws, and other trash that the bartenders had just dumped into the grass. It was hard for us to believe that if they had catered at a museum or business, they would dump items such as these in the yard instead of throwing them in the trash can. The food was delicious and everyone loved what they had, we provided three different options.

We ended up providing my parents, aunt and uncle with a private dinner as our gift to them from Chef by Design. It has been months after our wedding and they constantly talk about this experience- the food, the wine, the hospitality. It was definitely something special and I can't thank Chef by Design enough for helping to say thank you to my family and making them feel as special as we did on our wedding day.

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Chef by Design