Getting a table for twelve or sixteen in the Hamptons on a summer Saturday is a project. You need multiple cars, a reservation made weeks ago, a long wait anyway, and a drive back over the bridge just as the evening hits its stride. A private chef flips all of that. The meal comes to you, nobody has to change out of their bathing suit until the last minute, and the best table in town turns out to be the one on your own oceanfront deck.
Chef service sounds extravagant until you price a couple of restaurant nights out for a full house of guests. For big groups it's often comparable, and the experience is simply better: courses timed to your day, kids fed without a standoff, and the grown-ups still at the table at ten o'clock because nobody has anywhere to be. Here's how it actually works in a rental home, and how to arrange it for your stay with us.
Why a chef beats going out with a big group
Restaurants are built for parties of four, not sixteen. With a chef in the house, dinner starts when your group is ready — after the beach rinse-off, after the toddlers are down, whenever you like. There's no splitting the check nine ways, no designated drivers, and no herding everyone to the cars while the sun is still out.
It also solves the one real friction point of a group trip: who cooks. On a multi-family weekend, nobody wants to spend their vacation on kitchen duty. Handing the biggest meals to a professional keeps the labor off your crew and the kitchen open for coffee and snacks the rest of the day.
Service formats: one dinner, a weekend, or the whole stay
Private chef service scales to fit the trip. Most groups land on one of three formats:
- A single dinner — one showpiece evening, often the first or last night of the stay
- A weekend package — dinners both nights, sometimes with a brunch worked in
- Full-stay service — breakfast, lunch, and dinner covered for the length of your visit, so the whole trip runs like a resort with one table
How it works in a rental home
The rhythm is simple: you approve a menu in advance, the chef shops for everything, arrives ahead of the meal, cooks, serves, and then leaves the kitchen cleaner than they found it. Your only job is to show up hungry. Some chefs plate formally at the table; others set a family-style spread or run the grill for a poolside cookout — tell them the mood you want and they'll match it.
Both of our homes were built for exactly this. Each has a full-size chef's kitchen with plenty of counter and cooktop space for a professional to work, and the dining setups seat the entire group at once — up to 16 at the 8-bedroom home at 915 Dune Road and up to 12 at the 6-bedroom at 819 Dune Road. Between the indoor tables and the oceanfront decks, the chef has options and so do you.
Dietary needs, kosher-style, and holiday meals
A good private chef treats dietary needs as part of the brief, not a complication. Allergies, vegetarian and vegan plates, gluten-free, and separate kids' menus are all routine — just spell everything out when the menu is being planned so nothing is improvised on the night.
Kosher-style meals and holiday menus can be accommodated on request as well. If your group gathers for a Shabbat dinner, or you're planning a Thanksgiving or another holiday meal at the beach, mention it early. With enough notice, the menu, the ingredients, and the timing can all be arranged around your traditions.
When to ask, and how we arrange it
The earlier you raise it, the better — summer weekends and holidays book up for chefs just like they do for houses. As a rule of thumb, request chef service when you book rather than the week you arrive, and have a rough headcount and any dietary notes ready.
We arrange private chef service as an add-on when you book direct with us, alongside the no-booking-fee rate. Just request it with your inquiry, or call +1 201-888-1170, and we'll coordinate the details around your dates and your group.
Common questions
Can the kitchens handle a professional chef?
Yes. Both homes have full-size chef's kitchens with generous prep space, and the dining setups seat the entire group at once — 16 at the 8-bedroom home and 12 at the 6-bedroom.
How far in advance should we request a chef?
Request it when you book your stay, especially for summer weekends and holidays. Last-minute arrangements are sometimes possible, but early notice means more menu options and your first choice of dates.
Can a chef accommodate dietary restrictions or kosher-style meals?
Yes. Allergies, vegetarian, vegan, and kids' menus are routine, and kosher-style and holiday meals can be accommodated on request with advance notice. Share the details with your inquiry so the menu is planned around them.
Is chef service included in the rental rate?
It's an add-on arranged separately from the nightly rate, quoted based on your group size, menu, and how many meals you'd like covered. Request it with your booking inquiry and we'll put the pieces together.
Last updated August 10, 2026.
Stay oceanfront on Dune Road
Our 6 and 8 bedroom homes sit directly on the beach in Westhampton Beach, with heated pools, hot tubs, and private beach access.
