Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a private chef cost in Scotland?
Private dinners run from £75 to £180 per person, depending on the menu, courses, group size and location. That includes ingredients, shopping, cooking, service, clean-up and VAT.
What is included in the price of a private chef?
Everything: ingredients, menu planning, shopping, kitchen equipment, cooking, table service, full clean-up, VAT and travel within reasonable distance. Longer journeys to the Highlands, Skye and the islands are quoted separately on the proposal.
Is there a minimum number of guests?
Bookings start from two guests, up to around thirty. For very small groups a minimum spend applies: a complete private dinner for two runs £600 to £1,000 depending on the menu and location.
Can you cook for allergies and dietary restrictions?
Yes — vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut allergies and religious requirements are designed into the menu from the start. For severe allergies I use a second, separate safe prep environment, so there is no cross-contamination risk.
How far in advance do I need to book?
Four to eight weeks is comfortable for most weekend bookings. Mid-summer weddings benefit from around six months — July and August book up furthest ahead. Last-minute dates sometimes work, so it is always worth asking.
Do I need to provide kitchen equipment?
No — I bring my own pans, pots, tools and cutlery. All you need is a working cooker, and if the kitchen is missing something specific, I bring that too. I have cooked multi-course dinners in everything from country-house ranges to studio kitchenettes.
How do I book, and do you take a deposit?
Send an email or call with the date, location and guest numbers — you receive a tailored menu proposal within 24 hours. A deposit of £300 to £500 secures your date (up to £1,000 for larger events such as weddings), with the balance due before the event.
Does the chef clean up after cooking?
Yes — completely. I cook in your kitchen, serve each course, and leave the kitchen clean after the last guest has left. You do nothing but enjoy your guests.
Is travel included in the price?
Travel within reasonable distance of Moffat is included in the per-person price, along with VAT. Longer journeys — typically the Highlands, Skye and the western islands — are quoted separately and shown clearly on the proposal.
Can you cook for a wedding or milestone birthday?
Yes — small weddings, elopements and milestone birthdays up to around thirty guests are my core work. As a trained pastry chef I also build celebration cakes from scratch. For events above thirty guests, my sister brand the Italian Banquet Company handles full-scale catering.
Can you cook at a self-catering house or holiday let?
Yes — self-catering houses, lodges, castles and holiday lets across Scotland are where most of my bookings happen, from Edinburgh townhouses to Highland lodges. Multi-day stays are a specialty: I cook whatever the group wants, from breakfast to dinner.
What kind of food do you cook at weddings?
Italian craft, Scottish produce: handmade pasta, slow braises, Orkney scallops and East Coast langoustines, desserts made from scratch — designed around your guests and the season, cooked fresh in your venue. See example wedding menus.
What canapés do you advise for a wedding?
Four to six per guest during the drinks reception, in a mix — seafood, meat, vegetarian, one served warm — and always one-bite. Most requested: seared Orkney scallop with pancetta crumb, saffron arancini, and langoustine in garlic and chilli butter. Full advice on the wedding menus page.
How much does wedding catering cost?
Every wedding is priced individually on guest numbers, menu, venue and travel. Send your date, venue and numbers and you will have a clear quote within 48 hours — no packages, no hidden extras. A deposit secures your date, with the balance due before the event.
Which areas of Scotland do you cover?
I'm based in Fife and I cook right across Scotland — Fife, St Andrews and the East Neuk, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perthshire, the Scottish Borders, Dumfries & Galloway, the Cairngorms and Aviemore, the Highlands, Loch Lomond and Argyll, Aberdeen, and down into Northumberland. If your venue is somewhere I haven't listed, ask anyway — for weddings and multi-day bookings I travel further.
Will you cook for children?
Of course. Children usually eat earlier and simpler — fresh pasta with butter and Parmesan, or a plain version of what the adults are having — and I don't charge full price for them. Tell me their ages and I'll suggest something.
Do we need to tip?
There is no obligation at all — the price you agree is the price. If you've had a lovely evening, the thing that helps me most is a few honest words in a Google review.
Can we do a tasting before the wedding?
Yes — tastings are available for weddings and larger events, and they're the best way to settle a menu. We'll sit down, eat the dishes you're considering and change whatever isn't right.
Are you Italian, and is the food properly Italian?
I'm from Modena, the home of aged balsamic vinegar, and I've cooked professionally for over 30 years. The pasta is rolled by hand on the day and the ragù is cooked slowly, but I use Scottish beef, lamb, game and seafood — Italian technique, Scottish larder.
- A starter course prepared for a private wedding dinner in Scotland
- Giuseppe Manzoli at work in the kitchen at Kilmartin Castle. Giuseppe regularly cooks for clients at castle, country house and self-catering venues across Scotland including Kilmartin Castle (Argyll), Carlogie House, Alexander House, Arniston House, Seasgair Lodges and Cameron House.
- Giuseppe Manzoli and his sous-chef
- Chef Giuseppe after serving His Clients
