Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Regarding his food...it is amazing!

Affordable chef services services of Santa Cruz catered my wedding on November 5, . My husband and I have nothing but EXCELLENT things to say about Mark, his catering staff, service, and DELICIOUS food.

Since meeting Mark last fall, he has been nothing short of professional, personal and very insightful. Outside of providing us with a myriad of menu options, we found him very resourceful and experienced, from recommending other vendors, giving us insightful pointers and useful recommendations so that we were completely prepared for our special day. He did all in the most unobtrusive way. We all found him very responsive and very accommodating to meeting with us, especially since our time was limited as we live out of state.

Regarding his food...it is amazing! Mark can prepare anything - any cuisine, any dish, and he does it so well! We were a bit all over the place, as we live in Brooklyn, and are exposed to food from around the globe. I seemed like anything we thought of, he had a recipe for or was willing to try something new.

We always knew we were in good hands, but actually seeing and tasting the food on our wedding day, was even better than what we had imagined. The food presentation and table capes were beautiful. His staff was professional and provided top service. We received countless compliments and even many inquiries as to who the catering company was and how people could contact him? Always a good sign!

I would highly recommend Affordable chef to any other prospective client looking for a caterer that can master any dish, provide professional service with a smile and offer excellent advice and insight into executing a memorable and delicious event.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

FABULOUS!

We hired Chef Mark and Affordable Chef services for a Birthday party early this month and were blown away at both the quality of food and level of professionalism. Mark was flexible and provided suggestions but listened to what our vision was. During the event Mark and his staff were right on the mark yet able to adjust when needed. My husband and I are foodies and were so impressed by the quality and presentation of the food. In short, everything was seemless! What a great event -- thanks Mark. We'll definitely be hiring you again!

Terri Schill in Ben Lomond, CA 

Monday, November 14, 2011

Tasty

Worked for us

We had Mark Gallagher provide catering services for our wedding/reception at Villa Viscaya on 10/8/11.  The price for what he has to offer is impossible to beat.  The food including appetizers and multi-course dinner tasted very good - prepared with high quality ingredients and professional care.  Mark is very experienced at catering weddings and events so rest assured he understands execution.  Overall, everything went very well.  We did notice during setup that the place settings weren't correct, but after calling this to Mark's attention he quickly had it fixed.  The only other consideration to mention was that Mark's communication and reassurance during the planning stages isn't his strongest suit.  Perhaps that's because he's very experienced at this.  Nonetheless, those who like to work out detailed plans with lots of communication may be left wanting.  Still, for the price and overall quality of food, it's a tradeoff that's certainly worth considering.  Worked for us, that's for sure.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Chef Mark & the Affordable team is ( AWESOME ) .

 Thank you for providing a wonderful evening. There were raves about the food and the service. I cannot say enough about your staff and their attention to detail and quality of the service. The Appreciation Dinner is the premier event of the year and this year’s event was especially nice. I wish you continued success and hopefully we can do this again in the future.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Thanks Chef Mark and team!

  After a slightly hectic last minute venue change, you guys were all such great sports, and really made the day! The food all tasted great, and the guests loved it, more than anything all the service was fantastic. All the guests told us how much they loved the appetizers and the dinner, in addition, everyone said how nice all the staff was! I would highly recommend you for all types of events, and specifically weddings! If you are looking for an amazing chef, who keeps their cool, and makes sure your special day runs perfectly this is the man you want to hire! We can't say thanks enough for everything

Monday, September 26, 2011

You're awesome!

Hi Mark,

I just wanted to thank you again for the wonderful job you did at our wedding.  The food was DELICIOUS and you and your crew clearly worked hard to ensure that everyone was happy and well fed.  Plus, all the help setting up and cleaning up was much appreciated!  In particular, we are especially grateful for your willingness to cook a family dish without hesitation or complaint.  You helped us create a personalized wedding that reflected who we are, which is exactly what we wanted.  You're awesome!

Sincerely,
Rosemary

Friday, September 23, 2011

Amazing Birthday Celebration - Thanks Chef Mark

It was my twin sisters 60th birthday and didn't want to just go a restaurant so I searched the internet for a Private Chef. Wow did I find the perfect choice, "Chef Mark Gallagher". We rented an ocean view home on West Cliff and had a Night to remember. He and his server came to the home, cook and entertained the 20 of us with rave reviews. The food was over the top, from the scrumptious hors d'oeuvres passed around before hand to his 5 star dinner all the while keeping the wine glasses full. Baked Rolled Salmon, Fillet Mignon, Fingerling Potatoes, Asparagus Tips. Need I say more -

Treat yourself and guests to Chef Mark

Thanks Again
Bob D.
Capitola, Ca

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Our guests had a blast!

My new wife and I hired Chef Mark to cater our wedding last month and were very happy with the results. I was nervous at first because his prices were much lower than everyone else we looked at but we really had no other option so we rolled the dice. Chef Mark definitely has a laid back attitude but when it came down to crunch time he was very prompt with answering all our questions and guiding us through the hectic final stages of wedding planning. Chef Marks staff was excellent through out the entire event and the food was excellent. We received nothing but compliments and our guests had a blast!
Cece and Andrew

Monday, September 5, 2011

Chef Mark & the Affordable team is AWESOME.

They are a full service crew with the best culinary skills around. The name says it all Affordable Chef, we were able to provide dinner to our 175 guest at our wedding for $25-$30 less per person than other full service caterers. On top of that Mark was able to rent us our tables, chairs, linens, plates, napkins, cups, EVERYTHING. Talk about a stress free day. Mark took care of everything, he made sure that my wife and I had nothing to worry about. The site we were getting married at caused a problem with chairs 30 minutes before our ceremony started, Mark handled it so professionally and quickly, my Wife and I didn't even know it happened until the next day. Not only is the customer service great but the food was fantastic. Over a year later we have friends still talking about the menu at our wedding, and Mark was able to help me surprise my wife with out wedding dinner on our one year anniversary. Chef Mark goes out of his way to provide the best service, food, and experience ever. The name says it all he is Affordable, he's a great Chef, and he ROCKS!!!!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Stress free environment

The Affordable Chef and Chef Mark provides you with the best food for the best price and the best service. Chef Mark catered our wedding almost a year ago and we are still receiving comments about how good the food was at our wedding. With 3 other family weddings last summer, we were told we had the best food by far. Not only did Affordable chef provide great service and food, but we were also able to rent our tables, chairs and linens through them as well. They provided everything and created a stress free environment for my wife and I throughout the day. I would recommend Affordable Chef to anyone looking for great food at a great price with personal 1 on 1 care!!!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Again thanks

 Hi Mark,

 First, I'd like to thank you for all your work for Allison and Mark's reception. 
 The event was so very nice. You and your staff didn't miss a beat..........
.
The family was up yesterday to pick up their belongings and they were so happy with everything. 

Again thank you Mark; it was a pleasure working with you.
 
Judy

Sunday, July 31, 2011

AND YOU SURE CAN COOK!

Hi Chef Mark,
 
All I can say is you are  100% professional, smooth and tons of fun to work with. Every element of our beverage/food service was smooth and relaxed. I love how you had bamboo skews to hold up the cake, disposal paper ware we forgot to bring for desserts, that lighter for the candles--you and your crew handled each "crisis" with ease, grace, and humor.
AND YOU SURE CAN COOK!
 
Many, many thanks for a great double event.
 
Joan O'Keefe
one happy mother of the groom

Thursday, July 14, 2011

No wonder he's booked solid!

I was a tad nervous when we met, but then decided his laid back attitude would be perfect for our wedding. Everything was exactly how he said it would be, and I didn't have to think at all. He even helped smooth over other funny details on the big day (husband a little too tipsy *cough cough* in front of family members...*cough cough*). Totally worth it. Totally fun.

Laecee in Santa Cruz, CA

Monday, July 11, 2011

100% Wonderful!!!

EVERYONE loved the food.  We also had unexpectly have more than 25 attend and there was still plenty to go around.  I think the favorite was the crab cakes!
 
Thank you, Thank you! When we have our next party, most likely Oct , I will be sure to call soon enough to book you with plenty of time..
 
Thank you, Thank you!
 
 
 

Sunday, July 10, 2011

The professionalism was top-notch

The staff was a well-oiled machine (our ceremony had to move indoors due to rain and they managed to quickly and noiselessly remove 150 chairs from our dance floor without me every noticing it - amazing!).  The food was great (I'd say it was actually better at the wedding than at the tasting), and we received numerous compliments.  The service throughout the meal was also great.  I wondered if I was receiving special service because I was the bride, but in speaking with other guests, they were also pleased to have experienced the same attentive service.

I hadn't hired a coordinator for the day, and while it technically isn't the role of the food provider to coordinate all aspects of the night, Mark and staff were great about prompting my husband and I to do our thank you speeches, introductions, etc. at the correct time.  I really feel that they went above and beyond their scope of responsibility to make sure that the days events were great!

Monday, June 27, 2011

It was the easiest party I ever planned!

 Hi Mark,
Thank you very much for the excellent food! Everyone at the party was asking for your name!

The food was fantastic! You were so right! It was the easiest party I ever had!
 

  Thank you, thank you!
    Lisa W

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Give him a call

I was watching one of those take home chef shows. While researching for a chef in my area, I was goggling and came across a local chef, Mark Gallagher. After talking to him a little about what I wanted to do, which was a 3 to 5 course candlelight dinner for my girl, chef Mark took full control over every detail. Needless to say she was in wonderland, and I was shocked and impressed at the same time. If you have a couple bucks to spend, give him a call.  http://www.affordablechef.info/event.html
May 16, 2011 by T  Way in Santa Cruz, CA

Friday, June 17, 2011

Affordable chef coded

Monarch cove

Affordable Chef is an all in one great place to get everything you need.  Chef Mark provided the food, plates, linens, utensils, glasses, tables, and chairs for my 175+ wedding.  They provided the best food the property has ever seen, at the best prices.  My wife and I find ourselves thinking about the food at our wedding craving it a year after.  Go with Affordable Chef for any culinary needs in the Santa Cruz area.  He will make your life easy and carefree on the day of your event, and will make sure it's YOUR day and nothing will get in the way!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Hollister garden wedding

Hi, Mark,
You are truly a pro! Our wedding was fun, relaxed and a most memorable experience. Thanks to you and your staff for delicious food, great service and a lovely set-up in our friends\' garden. We knew from our meetings with you that we could count on you for an outstanding wedding.
Thanks so much!
Cathy & John

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Grad party ..

Event was a huge success!  All guests commented on the excellant food and congenial service. As the hosts, Jeff & I appreciate the attention to detail including bringing supplies in advance. I will definitely call you when I cater another party.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Burlingame Garden wedding

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Small Garden Wedding Extraordinaire

Chef mark and his staff made our event so enjoyable. the food was delicious, displayed beautifully and served with a smile.he was so easy to work with...a real pleasure. i recommend affordable chef catering highly and will use them again..

After meeting with Chef Mark to plan our wedding, he said, "Just have fun and I'll take care of everything." And that's just what he did! During the months before the event, he checked in frequently and was always available to answer questions or offer suggestions. His charming and fun personality really made everyone in our family feel so comfortable! Most importantly, Chef Mark made everything about our wedding day so special! He tailored the menu (and the whole reception, actually), to reflect the intimacy we wanted for our celebration. Not only was the food fabulous, (our guests are still commenting about how great it was) but the atmosphere Chef Mark created with his creativity and professional talents was incomparable! I was worried that my Italian mom would get all stressed out having someone in "her kitchen" but Mark couldn't have been more reassuring and nice on that level as well. He and his staff were so courteous and amazing all day .

Highlands park Ben Lomond

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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Amazing Birthday Celebration

March 4, 2011

Thanks Chef Mark

It was my twin sisters 60th birthday and didn't want to just go a restaurant so I searched the internet for a Private Chef. Wow did I find the perfect choice, "Chef Mark Gallagher". We rented an ocean view home on West Cliff and had a Night to remember. He and his server came to the home, cook and entertained the 20 of us with rave reviews. The food was over the top, from the scrumptious hors d'oeuvres passed around before hand to his 5 star dinner all the while keeping the wine glasses full. Baked Rolled Salmon, Fillet Mignon, Fingerling Potatoes, Asparagus Tips. Need I say more -

Treat yourself and guests to Chef Mark

Thanks Again
Bob D.
Capitola, Ca

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Seemless

"We hired Affordable Chef Services for a Birthday party early this month and were blown away at both the quality of food and level of professionalism. Mark was flexible and provided suggestions but listened to what our vision was. During the event Mark and his staff were right on the mark yet able to adjust when needed. My husband and I are foodies and were so impressed by the quality and presentation of the food. In short, everything was seemless! What a great event -- thanks Mark. We'll definitely be hiring you again!"
From: Terri Schill of Ben Lomond, CA on April 20, 2011

Friday, February 11, 2011

"fine dinning"



My family planned a birthday dinner for my mom's 80th birthday with Affordable chef services, the service, the people were beyond expectation. The food was exceptional and everyone was truly impressed with the menu. The chef/owner (Mark) checked in on our party through out the night to make sure everything is in order and if we needed anything. Would recommened them for anyone that wants a "fine dinning" dinner party for any occassion.

Aiken, SC