Private Chef Service

Personal Thai food catering service for private parties in Kent

If you’re looking to host a private party, let our private chef service take care of the catering so you can relax, enjoy your party stress-free, and impress your guests.

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Sawadee

We offer authentic private Thai chef services for all those special occasions at your home or party venue. Whether you are looking for a dining, canapé or buffet service, we have you covered.

Our delicious authentic Thai and Asian dishes are prepared in advance and freshly cooked in your home or party venue. We then serve the food and clear it away afterwards, leaving the kitchen as we found it. All you need to do is focus on enjoying your special occasion.

We offer a range of private chef packages that include popular Thai and Asian canapés, starters, mains and desserts for events large and small, both formal and informal, across Kent.

Our private chef service is a fantastic experience to remember and one which many of our customers come back to experience with us time and time again.

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How It Works

Here’s everything you need to know about hiring a Private Chef from The Thai Kitchen

Private Chef Service Step 1

Step 1

Choose & Request

Choose your dishes from our extensive private chef menu (or get in contact if you need help), and then submit your private chef request, providing all your event details, using the form at the bottom of this page.

Private Chef Service Step 2

Step 2

Discuss & Confirm

We’ll contact you to discuss your event plans, answer any questions you have and confirm the private chef package price and our availability before you pay a 50% deposit to secure your date.

Private Chef Service Step 3

Step 3

Finalise & Pay

We will get in touch again around seven days before your event to discuss and finalise all the finer details.

The remaining 50% balance is due five days before your event.

Private Chef Service Step 4

Step 4

Experience & Enjoy

On the day, we’ll arrive at the agreed time, freshly cook and serve your food, clear dishes between courses and clean the kitchen before we leave, all while you sit back, relax and enjoy your time with your guests.

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Private Chef Menu

Here are some of our authentic Thai Food dishes for private chef events. If there’s a specific dish not included here that you would like for your special occasion, then just let us know.

Silver, Gold & Sapphire label denote which private chef package the dish is included in.

Starters

Delicious small dishes to share. The perfect way to start your Thai meal.

Chicken or Pork Satay

Silver

  • Chargrilled marinated chicken or pork skewers.
  • Served with a peanut sauce dip.

Fresh Spring Rolls

Silver [v] [vg]

  • Mixed salad, cucumber, shredded carrot, mint and rice noodles wrapped in rice paper.
  • Served with a side of peanut sauce.

Spring Rolls

Silver Vegetable Spring Rolls [v] [vg], or Gold Duck Spring Rolls

  • Crispy pastries stuffed with vermicelli noodles and cabbage.
  • Duck Spring Rolls also include roasted duck breast.
  • Served with a sweet chilli sauce dip.

Chicken Wings in Sweet & Sour Sauce

Gold

  • Chicken wings in a sweet and sour sauce, topped with sprinkled mixed peppers and spring onions.

Chicken Wings in Korean Sauce

🌶Gold

  • Chicken wings in Korean sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds and spring onions.

Spicy Pork Balls

🌶Gold

  • Crispy fried minced pork with rice, chilli, ground roasted rice, lime juice, kaffir lime leaves, spring onions, coriander and fish sauce.

Pork Dim Sum

Gold

  • Steamed Dim Sum filled with marinated pork, oyster sauce, soy sauce, eggs, carrots, cabbages, spring onions and sesame oil wrapped in a delicious soft pastry.
  • Served with a side of vinegar soy sauce

Tom Kha Soup

Silver with Mushroom [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Prawns, or Sapphire with Mixed Seafood

  • A spicy and sour soup.
  • Your choice of mushroom, meat or seafood with coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime, mushrooms and red chilli.

Tom Yum Soup

🌶Silver with Mushroom [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Prawns, or Sapphire with Mixed Seafood

  • The famous Thai spicy and sour soup.
  • Your choice of mushroom, meat or seafood with galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime, mushrooms and red chilli paste.

Tempura

Silver Vegetable Tempura [v] [vg], or Sapphire Prawn Tempura

  • Deep-fried, battered, mixed vegetables or prawns.
  • Served with a side of sweet chilli sauce. 

Prawns In Blankets

Sapphire

  • Deep-fried fresh prawns wrapped in crispy pastry
  • Served with a sweet chilli sauce dip.

Steamed Prawns in Seafood Sauce

🌶Sapphire

  • Steamed King Prawns in a spicy Thai seafood sauce, sprinkled with coriander and chilli.

Thai Fish Cakes

🌶 Sapphire

  • Thai fish cakes made from delicious basa fish, marinated in Thai curry paste and filled with green beans and kaffir lime leaves.
  • Served with a sweet chilli sauce and garnished with grounded peanuts.

Som Tum

🌶🌶Silver with Papaya [v – optional] [vg – optional], or Sapphire with Prawns

  • Thailand’s most popular salad. This sweet and sour salad mixes green papaya with chillies, tomatoes, green beans, lime juice, garlic and peanuts. Light, healthy and spicey.

Mains

Delicious Thai curries, noodles, stir-fries and special dishes to delight your tastebuds.

Curries

Thai Red Curry

🌶Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • Red Thai curry cooked in coconut milk with kaffir lime leaves, green beans, courgette, bamboo shoots, peppers and basil leaf.

Thai Green Curry

🌶Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • Green Thai curry cooked in coconut milk with kaffir lime leaves, green beans, courgette, bamboo shoots, peppers and basil leaf.

Thai Yellow Curry

🌶Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • Yellow Thai curry cooked in coconut milk with carrots, onions and potatoes.

Panang Curry

🌶Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • A red Thai curry variation, cooked in coconut milk until reduced, creamy, and garnished with shredded kaffir lime and basil leaves.

Massaman Curry

🌶Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • A Southern Thai signature dish. This delicious curry is cooked with coconut milk, onions and potatoes.

Jungle Curry

🌶🌶Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • Jungle curry is a popular dish from the forests of northern Thailand (hence its name) and is full of flavour. Made with fresh red chillis, courgettes, carrots, green beans, bamboo shoots and a special mixed Thai herb jungle curry paste.
  • Unlike many other Thai curries, this one doesn’t contain coconut milk and tends to be spicier.

Pad Phet Curry

🌶🌶Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Prawns, or Sapphire with Sea Bass or Mixed Seafood

  • This popular red Thai curry combines sweet and salty flavours with a deep-fried battered meat or seafood option of your choice with kaffir lime leaves, green beans, fish sauce and red chilli.
  • Unlike many other Thai curries, this one doesn’t contain coconut milk and tends to be spicier.

Hor Mok Pla Curry 🌶️

Sapphire

  • Thai fish curry made with steamed basa fish with thick coconut cream garnished with kaffir lime leaves and red chilli.
  • Served in a banana leaf bowl.

Noodles

Pad Thai Noodles

Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, or Gold with Prawns

  • Thailand’s most famous rice noodles are stir-fried with egg, bean sprouts, spring onion, and carrots in the all-important Pad Thai sauce.
  • Served with crushed peanuts to garnish the dish.

Pad See Euw Noodles

Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Prawns, or Sapphire with Beef

  • Stir-fried rice noodles with dark soya sauce, green vegetables, carrots and beansprouts.

Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)

🌶Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Prawns, or Sapphire with Beef

  • A popular spicy noodle dish made from flat rice noodles, stir-fried with bamboo shoots, green beans, onions, sweetcorn, basil leaves and mixed peppers in a chilli and garlic sauce.

Stir-Fries

Stir-Fried Mixed Vegetables

Silver

  • A selection of vegetables, stir-fried with soy sauce.

Stir-Fry with Cashew Nuts

Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • A crispy meat or seafood option of your choice stir-fried with cashew nuts tossed in oyster sauce with carrots, mixed peppers, onion, spring onion and roasted chillies.

Sweet & Sour

Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • A stir-fried dish with pineapple, tomatoes, peppers, onion and cucumber.

Pad Kaprow

🌶Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • A crispy meat or seafood option of your choice stir-fried in oyster sauce with chilli garlic, green beans and basil leaf.

Pad Khing

Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • Stir-fried ginger in oyster and soy sauce mixed with garlic, carrots, red pepper, mushrooms, onions and spring onions.

Pad Makua

Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • Stir-fried aubergine with garlic and ginger in oyster and soy sauce mixed with spring onions.

Pad Nam Mun Hoi

Silver with Tofu [v] [vg] or Chicken, Gold with Beef, or Sapphire with Prawns or Duck

  • Stir-fry with carrot, mushrooms, onions and mixed peppers in oyster sauce.

Specials

Weeping Tiger Steak

Sapphire

  • Marinated sirloin beef, served with a spicy Thai herb sauce.
  • Served in slices and garnished with mixed salad leaves.

Roasted Duck in Tamarind Sauce

Sapphire

  • Roasted marinated duck in tamarind sauce, garnished with sliced red chilli, spring onions and crispy onions.

Sea Bass in Tamarind Sauce

Sapphire

  • Deep-fried battered sea bass in a tamarind sauce, garnished with sliced red chilli, spring onions and crispy onions.

Grilled King Prawns in Tamarind Sauce

Sapphire

  • Grilled king prawns in a tamarind sauce, garnished with sliced red chilli, spring onions and crispy onions.

Salads

Minced Chicken or Pork Salad

Silver

  • Spicy minced chicken or pork salad mixed with tomatoes, shallots, and ground roasted rice, seasoned with lime juice, chilli flakes and fish sauce.

Yum Kor Moo Yang

Gold

  • A spicy Thai salad mixed with slices of grilled pork shoulder, tomatoes, shallots, ground roasted rice and celery, seasoned with lime juice, chilli flakes and fish sauce.

Pla Kung

Sapphire

  • A spicy Thai salad mixed with steamed prawns, lemongrass, tomatoes, shallots, ground roasted rice and celery, seasoned with lime juice, chilli paste and fish sauce.

Yum Neua

Sapphire

  • A spicy Thai salad mixed with slices of grilled sirloin beef, tomatoes, shallots, ground roasted rice and celery, seasoned with lime juice, chilli flakes and fish sauce.

Sides

Essential small dishes to complement your mains.

Steamed Jasmine Rice

Silver [v] [vg] [gf]

  • Fragrant steamed white Thai jasmine rice.

Egg-Fried Jasmine Rice

Gold [v] [gf – optional]

  • Fragrant white Thai jasmine rice stir-fried with free-range eggs.

Coconut Jasmine Rice

Sapphire [v] [gf]

  • Fragrant white Thai jasmine rice, mixed with coconut milk and sprinkled with roasted desiccated coconut.

Pineapple Jasmine Rice

Sapphire [v] [gf]

  • Fragrant white Thai jasmine rice, stir-fried with small pieces of pineapple, onion, spring onion, peas and red peppers.

Desserts

Delicious desserts to end your meal on a high.

Banana Fritters with Ice Cream

Silver [v] [gf]

  • A popular South-East Asian street-food dessert consisting of a banana coated in a sweet batter made from shredded coconut, coconut milk, rice flour, and sesame seeds and topped with caramel syrup.
  • Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Mango with Sticky Rice

Gold [v] [gf]

  • A traditional and very popular South-East Asian dessert made with sticky rice, fresh mango and coconut milk.

Coconut Balls

Gold [v] [gf]

  • A traditional dessert made from boiled rice flour, stuffed with coconut and melted with palm sugar and coconut milk. It’s rolled and coated in desiccated coconut to become a pretty ball of coconut goodness.

Looking for something else? Do you have questions?

We can’t list every dish we offer in our private chef service menu here, so if there’s something else you’d like or you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us for a free menu consultation.

Key: [v] Suitable for Vegetarians / [vg] Suitable for Vegans (on request) / [gf] Gluten Free / 🌶 or 🌶🌶 Level of spice (can be tailored to your liking)

Those with a peanut allergy should note that peanuts and cashew nuts are used in our kitchens and may also be present in your event kitchen.
For complete allergen information, please visit our Allergen Info page.

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 Private Chef Packages

Here are our great value private Thai chef menu packages.

Prices are based on a minimum of 6 people. For groups above 20 people, a buffet service is offered, instead of table service.
Prices for smaller or larger private chef events are available on request.

Extra dish choices are charged at £7.50 per person for Starters & Mains and £3.50 per person for Desserts

A single travel fee of £1/mile will apply for locations more than 10 miles from Ashford International Station.

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Testimonials

Here’s what our customers say about us

“The Thai Kitchen catered my birthday dinner for 18 of us. Food and service was fabulous – they catered for vegans too. Plenty of food which. It only looked amazing – was delicious too!”
Sandra Gray

(Google Reviews - 5 Stars)

“Apple was incredible in hosting my 30th birthday dinner last night. The food was incredible, Apple was really accommodating to all dietary requirements and we had a fantastic evening. I would recommend Apple to anyone – thank you so much!!”
Emily Dunlop

(Google Reviews - 5 Stars)

“Such a wonderful birthday feast in the comfort of your home for 10! The food was perfect in taste and quantity and served professionally. We were completely spoilt and the kitchen was spotless at the end of the meal. I thoroughly recommend The Thai Kitchen. Thank you so much!”
Jessie G

(Google Reviews - 5 Stars)

“The Thai Kitchen team catered for my husbands 30th and they were incredibly professional. Apple was so prompt with contacting us, she took extra care to understand our preferences and helped create a menu that will suit all our guests. They were on time, clean and the food was amazing!! Can’t wait to have them around again!”
Chaamanti Sivakumar

(Google Reviews - 5 Stars)

“Apple provided food for my 30th birthday dinner party. The food was absolutely delicious. The selection to choose from was excellent and Apple gave guidance on the options. I was very pleased with my choices and every dish was delicious. Apple was very good with the dietary requirements in our group and ensured none felt singled out by their allergies. Apple was very professional throughout and only needed a short time to prepare the food. I only have a small kitchen but Apple was able to use it effectively and brought most equipment with her. Thank you for a special experience for my birthday. Highly recommend for special occasion.”
Bethany Shelton

(Google Reviews - 5 Stars)

“Amazing! Apple cooked a delicious meal for 12 of us to celebrate a 30th Birthday! All the food was freshly prepared and really tasty. Would highly recommend to others.”
Chloe Boobier

(Google Reviews - 5 Stars)

“We booked the Thai Kitchen to prepare a home meal for a group of friends. The food was delicious, Apple was lovely and there was no hassle as she bought all of her own equipment and cleaned up after.

A very good experience! Highly recommended!”

Jack Sloggett

(Google Reviews - 5 Stars)

“Apple cooked a delicious Thai meal for 8 people for my wife’s birthday celebrations. Excellent communication before the event and assistance with choosing the menu. On the day she arrived on time, was very friendly and left the kitchen clean and tidy – the food was superb.”

Michael Farrer

(Google Reviews - 5 Stars)

Private Chef FAQs Icon

Private Chef
FAQs

Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about our Private Chef service. We hope they are helpful to you. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us using the contact form at the bottom of this page.

Private Chef Service

Do I need a large kitchen to host a private chef event?

No. If you’ve only got a small kitchen, then fear not as most of our food is prepared in advance, leaving only the cooking and serving of food to be done on the day.

The minimum we ask is that your kitchen has a hob (gas or electric hobs are both fine, just let us know in advance which you have so we can be prepared).

Who provides the plates and cutlery?

We will provide serving plates and any specialist utensils used in our private chef service to serve your food. We do not provide plates and cutlery, which you would need to provide or source separately.

I'm not sure which dishes to choose. Can you help?

Yes, of course. It can quickly become overwhelming with so many tasty Thai and Asian dishes to choose from. Message us using the form below, and we’ll happily call you back to discuss the menu options in more detail, so you can decide what’s best for your and your guests.

Does the chef bring all the cooking equipment with them?

Our chef will bring their specialist pots, pans, and kitchen utensils to use in your kitchen (or the event venue’s kitchen). We may also use some other general kitchen utensils from your kitchen if needed.

We only need to know what type of hob is in place to bring the ideal equipment with us.

Do I need to supply any of the ingredients?

No. Our chefs will come with all the ingredients they need to make your chosen dishes.

Does the chef set the table?

No, our chefs and any assistants do not set the table.

This would ideally be done before the chef arrives to avoid having to be in the kitchen when they are preparing and cooking your food, especially if space in the kitchen is limited.

What do your private chef menu package prices include?

Our Private Chef packages include:

  • All the quality ingredients and the plates to serve the food from.
  • The chef’s time (and any chef assistant’s) to prepare the food before your event.
  • Cooking your food fresh on the day of your event.
  • Serving food and clearing dishes between courses (please note that we offer a food service only; please make your own arrangements for serving drinks).
  • The final cleanup afterwards to return your kitchen to how it was received.
What are the private chef package prices for children?

Children below 12 years of age are classed as children and are charged at 50% of the adult price when eating from the same dishes. Please note that the minimum number of people for a private chef package is six full-priced adults.

Can you cater for larger events?

Yes, absolutely. Typically for events with up to 6 guests, the Head Chef will work alone to prepare, cook, serve and clear the plates between courses and clear up the kitchen after. For bigger events with more guests, the Head Chef is supported by several Assistant Chefs and Waiters to help serve, clear the plates between courses, and clear up after.

How far in advance do I need book your private chef service?

If your event date is fixed, we’d say the earlier you book, the better, as our private chef dates can get booked quickly, especially around weekends and holidays/festivities.

Bookings can be made up to 3 months in advance. We typically don’t accept bookings less than 7 days before the event but contact us anyway, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Dietary Needs & Preferences

Do you cater for vegetarians or vegans?

Absolutely. Thai food is a great option for vegans and vegetarians. As well as offering a number of dishes ideal for those on a plant-based diet, many Thai dishes can be tailored to your personal dietary preferences.

Simply let us know if any of your guests are vegan or vegetarian when booking your private chef experience with us, and we’ll adjust the menu for their needs.

Do you cater for halal?

Yes. We can source halal options for most of our dishes. Lead times of some ingredients can be longer than non-halal, so advanced booking is recommended.

Can the level of a dish's spiciness be adjusted?

We have you covered if you like your food to be super spicy or prefer something a little more subtle. We can tailor the spiciness of most of our Thai dishes to your preferences, so just let us know how you’d like it.

Changes & Cancellation

What if I need to change a dish in my booking?

If you need to change dishes in your booking, contact us as soon as possible, and we will do our best to cater for them. Unfortunately, we can’t accept menu changes less than 5 days before the event.

What if I need to add or remove the number of guests after booking?

If you need to change the number of guests in your booking, contact us as soon as possible, and we will do our best to cater for the change. We will confirm any changes with you and any resulting price differences.

If the number of guests falls below the minimum number on your booking, then the cost per person will increase.

Unfortunately, we can’t accept changes to the number of guests less than 5 days before the event due to the lead times of our food suppliers.

What if I need to cancel?

We will offer you a full refund if you need to cancel more than 14 days before your event. If your event is less than 14 days away, you will receive a 50% refund on the total booking value. If your event is less than 5 days away, we cannot offer any refund.

What if The Thai Kitchen cancels my booking?

In the highly unlikely event that we need to cancel your booking, we will seek to find another chef with a similar menu. We will refund you in full if we can’t arrange another chef. Alternatively, we’ll offer you a 10% discount on your booking if you can reschedule your event.

Private Chef Enquiries

If you’re ready to book your Private Chef experience with The Thai Kitchen or would like to discuss your event needs in more detail, please complete the form below, and we’ll get back to you soon.

We aim to respond to all private chef enquiries within 24 hours of receipt.