Frequently Asked Questions
Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering can travel! We are happy to provide services all around the world.
Our headquarters are located in Gainesville, FL.
In addition to federally recognized training and certification, Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering has enacted additional health & safety protocols for COVID-19 that meet or exceed state standards. You can view our entire COVID-19 compliance policies & procedures by visiting our COVID-19 Policy
We always suggest planning as far in advance as possible. Due to the highly custom tailored nature of our services, and to offer only the highest level of superior customer service, your personal chef will need time to prepare your tailored menu and any decor that may be necessary.
If you have a last minute need (for bookings happening within the next 7 days), please contact our concierge services team directly at 352-871-8769 for expedited assistance.
The total cost of your booking will depend on many factors, such as the specific menu you select, service style, staffing needs, number of hours on-site, rentals, your geographic location, setup & breakdown times, and a bunch of other details we will handle for you!
Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering prides ourselves on offering 100% full customizability with every single event we do! There are no unexplained or hidden “service fees” with us.
Just share with us your vision of your event, and leave the rest to us!
Most of our clients find that it’s much more cost effective to have a minimum of 4-6 guests for their bookings.
We will happily cook for two guests, however a minimum contract dollar amount would apply.
Quite possibly! Please call our concierge services line right away at 352-871-8769 and inform our event concierge of your needs and we will do our best to make it happen for you!
We’ve created a whole page dedicated to answering this easy question!
Please visit https://www.ambrosiattr.com/ and click on the “how it works tab” for details
In today’s world, this is not anything uncommon. Being a great host that considers the needs of all of their guests is vitally important to a successful event. We will work with you during your menu design phase to prepare a fully custom tailored menu where all guests can feel included, and their dietary needs are met without awkward feelings. Simply provide us with as much details about you & your guests dietary needs as possible during your menu design phase to ensure that all of these details are addressed and incorporated into your menu.
Locations
Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering will travel! We are proud to serve you at your home or place of venue around the world. Travel and hotel fees will be an additional charge.
Our offices are located in Gainesville, in central Florida.
Absolutely! We can easily accommodate you & your guests at almost any vacation rental or AirBnB. Simply email us a link to your vacation rental or AirBnB prior to signing your contract documents. Some vacation rental owners require certificates of insurance be issued to them prior to permitting our service team on-site. Rest assured that Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering is fully licensed & insured and will work directly with your vacation rental owner to handle all of that paperwork for you, stress free!
Absolutely! We can handle all the details of your corporate event to ensure every detail is handled for you. From casual dinners & offsite meetings, to full scale sales launch parties & C-Level executive dining galas, we’ve got you covered.
We certainly do. We can certainly travel with you to alternate locations. Alternatively, we can arrive ahead of you, and meet you at your desired destination with food and drinks ready to serve upon your arrival.
Pre-Event Planning
No. Due to liquor licensing laws, Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering will not furnish any alcoholic beverage for your event.
However, we are happy to provide you with a shopping list with suggested quantities for you to purchase, and for us to serve under your direction during your event.
No problem! Once you’ve secured your event with a non-refundable date reservation payment & contract, you will have the freedom to adjust your menu and services as desired, up until 7 (seven) business days prior to your event. Simply contact your event concierge to inform us of any changes as early as possible.
Absolutely! Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering can certainly provide casual style events, from taco parties, backyard BBQ’s, to poolside cocktail parties. No event is too casual for us! Simply let us know your desires, and let us turn them into a reality for you with our signature “5 star in-home fine dining “ and catering service!
Yes, Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering does provide services for events of virtually any size, small or large.
Minimum booking fees apply. Ask our concierge for details.
Please contact your concierge team for more information.
Please contact your concierge team for more information.
Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering proudly sources our ingredients as micro-locally as possible. Our unwavering commitment to use only the finest quality, locally sourced, organic, sustainable, GMO free, fair trade, and fair wage ingredients has earned us worldwide recognition in our industry.
Please contact your concierge team for more information.
Yes! Although we offer fully customizable menus, we also have sample menus if you need help with menu planning.
We are happy to discuss what kosher options we can create for you. If you require rabbinical supervision in the preparation of your menu, the expense of the rabbi of your choosing would be paid by you. Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering does not include the cost of rabbinical supervision in our contracts.
No. Due to strict public health code regulations, and foodborne illness potential, all ingredients must be purchased by Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering and kept in our supervised control until they are served. Not only does this ensure proper food safety, but also better quality and freshness of your dining experience.
We apologize, but there will be no exceptions to this policy.
Please notify us immediately if you need to cancel your event. Please refer to the cancellation policy of your contract for details on cancellation fees and refunds.
Every member of Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering staff has the necessary food handlers, ServSafe, or Professional Food Manager food safety certifications to comply with Florida and/or federal food safety standards.
We also carry professional general liability insurance, and full workers compensation insurance as required by local, state, and US federal law.
Should you require a certificate of insurance for your venue, or proof of insurance for your event, kindly contact your event concierge a minimum of 14 business days prior to your event to request these certificates.
Please note that Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering does not offer host liquor liability, or any other type of general liability event policies that extend coverage to our clients. Clients are encouraged to contact their homeowners or commercial insurance agents for assistance with obtaining special event insurance coverage.
Yes, we have a minimum total event charge of $500 – $695 weekdays, and $795 – $1000 on weekends. These charges are inclusive of ingredients & labor, but exclusive of sales tax, travel/mileage charges or gratuities.
In general we tend to book up to 3-12 months in advance of major holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years Eve and Day. However please do check with our concierge team for the most up to date availability.
During My Event
No. Due to liquor license laws, Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering will not furnish any alcoholic beverage for your event.
However, we are happy to provide you with a shopping list with suggested quantities and purchase locations, for you to purchase these beverages. We are always happy to serve them under your direction for your event.
We generally will arrive 60-120 minutes prior to your desired event start time. This prep time allows your service team to begin preparation of your menu, set tables & decor, and familiarize themselves with your event location.
Absolutely! This is a complementary part of our service. We will leave your kitchen surfaces clean & sanitized, dishes & flatware rinsed & loaded into your dishwasher. Items requiring hand washing may result in an extra charge.
Note: Due to potential liability, we will not permit our staff to wash stemware or crystal. These items will only be rinsed with clear water, and set aside.
As soon as you know you want to extend your event past your contract end time, simply let your service team lead know. Additional overtime billing rates will apply, and will be due and payable at the time our staff leaves your location.
Since your chef has already shopped for the ingredients, we cannot offer a refund for last minute headcount decreases. Your chef will prepare the menu as contracted, and we will be happy to leave any excess portions not served to a guest, in your fridge for you to enjoy the next day.
Gratuities & Tips
Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering accepts payments via ACH Bank Transfer, Visa, Mastercard, or AMEX and other forms of payments such as Apple pay, PayPal, etc. Overseas or international clients may also send wire transfers if pre-arranged with our accounting department.
No. Gratuities are never included in your contract. We believe that gratuities should always be at the discretion of the client. You may choose to add gratuities to your contract during the initial signing phase. Once you choose auto-pay, additional gratuities cannot be added to your contract.
If you are a corporate client, and your accounting department requires gratuities be predefined in your contract, kindly contact our event concierge for assistance & modification of your contract documents.
A gratuity is always at your discretion. Gratuity amounts generally can be offered equal to what you would normally extend in a fine dining establishment where you are served by a team of service staff, based upon your satisfaction with our service, and can be any amount of your choosing. Industry average is 18-25% of your event amount.
Certainly. Cash gratuities may be handed to your service team at any point during your event. We generally will equally split any gratuity amount equally among the members of our staff who worked your event on-site.
Alternatively, you may extend any gratuity amount you wish to any individual of the team whenever you see fit. Kindly let us know your wishes of how you would like the funds disbursed.
Absolutely! Ambrosia Private Chef & Catering offers gift certificates in any dollar amount you wish. Simply contact our concierge to purchase a gift certificate.
Corporate Events
Absolutely, we offer catering services for any time of the day or night you wish! From simple continental breakfasts & buffet lunches, to private dining experiences, and anything in between! Simply ask our concierge for details!
Absolutely! Our team can handle all the details of your corporate event to ensure your event is successful. From casual dinners & offsite meetings, to launch parties, plus more. We’ve got you covered.
Absolutely! We are partnered with several exclusive corporate off-site venues to hold your corporate off-site event. We can be available to you & your team 24 hours a day, to prepare & serve any type of food & beverage menu items you desire at any location you wish.
No. However we have the ability to prepare and serve you any type of food truck style cuisine you may wish. Tacos, gourmet grilled cheese, burgers, dogs, wings, asian food, BBQ etc. Simply let us know your desires, and we can make them a reality!
Yes we do. We presently provide drop-off aviation catering at most of the airports in Gainesville, FL and the Central Florida area. Alternatively, we can also travel with you on your aircraft, and prepare meals for you while on-board. Contact our events concierge for details.
