At a glance
- Chef: Giuseppe Manzoli — Italian private chef from Modena, sommelier-trained, 35+ years’ experience across Italy, London and Scotland.
- Service area: The whole Scottish Borders — Peebles, Innerleithen, Melrose, Galashiels, Selkirk, Kelso, Jedburgh, Duns, Hawick, Lauder, St Boswells, Coldstream, West Linton and the Tweed Valley.
- Best for: Self-catering weekends, hen parties, milestone birthdays, family reunions, wedding-weekend dinners and intimate celebrations.
- Venue types: Country houses, estate cottages, shooting lodges and self-catering properties across the Borders.
- A speciality: Everything made from scratch on the day, in your kitchen — no reheats, no pre-prepped trays.
- Pricing: From £75 to £180 per person, for parties of 2 to 30 guests.
- Bookings: Tailored quote within 24 hours. Phone 07414 235 378 or email [email protected].
I’m Giuseppe Manzoli, an Italian private chef from Modena, and I cook restaurant-quality dinners in homes, self-catering cottages and country houses across the Scottish Borders — from the Tweed Valley to Peebles, Melrose, Kelso and Jedburgh. Italian regional cooking, made with fresh Scottish produce and served in your own kitchen. Everything is made from scratch on the day. No reheats. No pre-prepped trays.
A proper Italian chef, cooking where you’re staying
The Borders is one of Scotland’s most beautiful places to gather — grand houses along the Tweed, shooting lodges in the hills, and self-catering properties built for long weekends with the people you love. What most of them don’t have is a chef. That’s where I come in.
I trained in Italy at Scuola Etoile under masters including Rossano Boscolo and Luca Montersino, and I’ve spent 35+ years cooking across Italy, London and Scotland. I’m sommelier-trained too, so I can guide the wine as well as the food — you can read more of Giuseppe’s story here.
I cook for 2 to 30 guests, plan every menu around your party and the season, and handle the lot — sourcing, cooking, serving and a full kitchen clean-down before I leave. You just enjoy the evening. See the full range of chef services I offer.
Where I cook across the Scottish Borders
I cover the whole region and travel throughout the Borders, including:
- Peebles, Innerleithen and the Tweed Valley
- Melrose, Galashiels and Selkirk
- Kelso, Jedburgh and Duns
- Hawick, Lauder, St Boswells, Coldstream and West Linton
If your house or venue sits anywhere in the Borders, I can almost certainly reach you — just ask when you enquire. I also cook across the neighbouring region as a private chef in Moffat & Dumfries & Galloway.
Made for self-catering stays and celebration weekends
Most of my Borders guests are staying somewhere special — a rented country house, an estate cottage, a lodge after a day on the hills or by the river. These places have wonderful kitchens and dining rooms but no one to cook. I plan menus around your schedule and cook and serve in the property, so no one has to drive anywhere or lift a pan.
It’s the easiest way to make a self-catering stay feel like a private restaurant that only your group can book. It works beautifully for hen parties, milestone birthdays, family reunions, wedding-weekend dinners and intimate celebrations — any occasion where you’d rather be around the table than stuck in the kitchen.
“He came and cooked for 14 of us for a hen do in the Scottish Borders — a truly brilliant experience. Fantastic service, unbelievable food and what a great guy Giuseppe is.”
— Aimee Flockhart, Google review
Weddings and special occasions
For smaller weddings, elopements and celebration dinners in the Borders, I cook a bespoke menu fresh in your venue or the house you’ve taken for the weekend. Handmade pasta, seasonal antipasti, slow braises and a dessert worth staying for — all built around you, your guests and what’s good that week.
For full-scale wedding catering of 80 guests and more, that’s handled by my separate brigade operation — ask and I’ll point you the right way.
Why guests choose me
- Born in Modena and trained under Rossano Boscolo and Luca Montersino at Scuola Etoile, cooking authentic Italian food with the best Scottish produce.
- Cooked for the First Minister of Scotland in 2024 — a level of trust you can’t fake.
- 220+ five-star Google reviews from guests across Scotland, and counting — read the reviews.
- Everything made from scratch on the day, in front of you — no reheats, no trays prepared elsewhere.
- Recommended to guests by leading Scottish venues, including Alexander House, Carlogie House, Arniston House and Estate, Seasgair Lodges and many more.
The food
There’s no fixed menu. Every dish is built around your party, your kitchen and what’s in season — Italian regional cooking with Scottish produce, from delicate antipasti and handmade pasta through to slow-cooked mains, game in season and proper Italian desserts.
Tell me what you love and any dietary needs, and I’ll design a menu that fits your evening exactly. You can browse examples of my bespoke menus for inspiration.
How it works
- Get in touch — tell me your date, location, guest numbers and the occasion.
- We plan the menu together — I design a bespoke menu around your tastes and the season.
- I arrive and cook — I source everything, cook and serve fresh in your kitchen.
- You relax — full kitchen clean-down before I go. You simply enjoy the night.
Dining is from £75 to £180 per person depending on the menu and number of courses, for parties of 2 to 30 guests. Get in touch for a tailored quote and to check your date.
Frequently asked questions
Do you travel to the Scottish Borders?
Yes. I cover the whole region — Peebles, Melrose, Kelso, Jedburgh, Galashiels, Selkirk, Hawick, Duns and the Tweed Valley — as well as the surrounding areas. Reasonable travel is included; just share your location when you enquire.
How much does a private chef in the Borders cost?
Dining is from £75 to £180 per person, depending on the menu and how many courses you’d like. Get in touch with your date and guest numbers for a tailored quote.
How many guests can you cook for?
Anything from an intimate dinner for 2 up to a party of 30. For larger weddings and events, ask and I’ll point you to the right service.
Can you cook in a self-catering cottage or rented house?
Absolutely — that’s a large part of what I do. I cook and serve in the property you’re staying in, and leave the kitchen spotless afterwards.
What kind of food do you cook?
Italian regional cooking made with fresh Scottish produce — handmade pasta, seasonal antipasti, slow braises and classic Italian desserts, all made from scratch on the day and tailored to your party.
Do you handle dietary requirements?
Yes. Tell me about any allergies, intolerances or preferences when we plan the menu and I’ll build the evening around them.
Get in touch
If you’re planning a self-catering weekend, a hen party, a small wedding or a family celebration anywhere in the Scottish Borders, I’d love to hear about it.
Phone: 07414 235 378
Email: [email protected]
Or use the booking form on the contact page.
This is the kind of evening I cook most often. My guide to private chef dining in Scottish self-catering houses, lodges and holiday cottages sets out how it works from first enquiry to the last plate cleared away.
Ready to check your date? See pricing and get in touch here.