A 60th birthday dinner for 12 guests, cooked in a private house in Ravelston, Edinburgh, on Thursday 17 September 2026. The couple live in London and brought their family and friends up to Edinburgh to celebrate. They asked for one thing above everything else: a proper beef Wellington. I built it in their kitchen, in front of them, and baked it to order.
Built on the spot, not brought in a box
A Wellington is one of those dishes people ask for by name, and it is also the one most often ruined: grey meat, soggy pastry, a mushroom layer that slides off. The way I get it right is to do every stage in the house on the day. The fillet is seared and rested, the mushroom duxelles is cooked down until dry, the prosciutto goes on the cling film, then the fillet, then the roll, then the pastry. It rests in the fridge before it goes anywhere near an oven.
Ten guests had the Wellington, so I made two. Baked at high heat until the pastry was deep gold, then rested again before carving. When I cut them open the fillet was pink from edge to edge, which is the whole point.
The rest of the menu
We started with canapés while everyone arrived: king prawns wrapped in Parma ham, tempura Scottish haddock, risotto arancini with pumpkin and sage, and almond and smoked salmon balls. Then my own focaccia, baked in the house that afternoon.
The pasta course was handmade ravioli, made from scratch. For ten of the table: king prawn ravioli with basil and cherry tomato sauce. Two guests were vegetarian, so for them I made ricotta ravioli with butter, Parmesan and sage. Same effort, same plate, nobody gets the leftover option.
The two guests who did not want beef had salt-baked sea bass instead, whole fish baked in a salt crust and opened at the pass. Sides for everyone: a tray of dauphinoise potatoes, honey-roasted carrots, roasted aubergine and tenderstem broccoli. Second helpings went out, as they always do.
Dessert was a choice of apple tarte tatin or sticky toffee pudding, six of each, both with my homemade ice cream, churned in the house that day.
What this kind of evening looks like
I arrived in the afternoon with everything: ingredients, my own pans, heat lamps for plating, the ice cream machine. The kitchen was a good one, but I bring what I need so I am never depending on what is in the cupboards. The family had their evening in the dining room while I worked in the kitchen, plated 12 covers at a time under the lamps, and left the kitchen clean at the end of the night.
If you are planning something similar in your own house, my private chef at home in Scotland page explains how an evening like this works, from the first message to the clean kitchen at the end.
In short: a 60th birthday dinner for 12 in a private house in Edinburgh, with beef Wellington built and baked on the spot, handmade ravioli (with a proper vegetarian version), salt-baked sea bass, and homemade ice cream. From £75 per person, VAT and travel included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make beef Wellington in a normal house kitchen?
Yes. I build it on the kitchen counter and bake it in the house oven. I bring my own trays and thermometer, so the only thing I need from the kitchen is an oven that holds its temperature and space in the fridge to rest it.
Do you cater for vegetarians at the same dinner?
Yes. At this dinner two guests were vegetarian and had their own handmade ricotta ravioli with butter, Parmesan and sage, served at the same time as everyone else’s course. Two others had salt-baked sea bass instead of the Wellington. Tell me any dietary needs when you book and the menu is built around them.
Do you cook birthday dinners in Edinburgh if we are travelling up from London?
Yes. This couple live in London and hosted in Edinburgh. I do all the shopping and bring the equipment, so you only need to give me the address, the date and the guest count.
I’ve been cooking professionally for 35+ years, with 220+ five-star Google reviews from clients across Scotland. If you’d like a dinner like this for a birthday or a family celebration, get in touch and check a date.