Estimate your private chef or catering budget across Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, and the Big Island. All calculations reflect our published rates, honest grocery inclusions, required service staffing, the 20% service charge, and Hawaiʻi GET.
Each island maintains independent grocery freight lines and county General Excise Tax.
All single dinners include chef preparation, grocery shopping, fresh ingredients, and kitchen cleanup.
We cook across all parts of Oʻahu. Travel surcharges only apply where real highway transit distances exist.
Automatic Staffing Rules Applied:
• Dedicated Lead Chef: 1 included in food band
• Service Associates: 1 server included in quote ($55/hr, 4-hr floor ($220))
Estimated Total Investment
$1,533 – $2,186
Approximately $192 – $273 per guest (all taxes & fees included)
Written quotes are guaranteed. A 50% deposit locks your date on the chef’s calendar only after you approve the exact menu and numbers.
The myCHEF Transparency Pledge
• Zero hidden fees discovered on the invoice.
• 100% voluntary gratuity — never added automatically.
• Groceries at cost with original receipts on Stay Chef bookings.
Calculator Guidance
The calculator uses our exact published rate cards, current county General Excise Tax (GET) rates, and standardized staffing ratios. Because menus are customized to your group dietary preferences and seasonality, the low-to-high spread reflects menu protein selections. The written quote you receive after inquiry is the confirmed final total — never an estimate.
Yes, for all single-event formats (Signature, Family-Style, Chef’s Table, and BBQ), all groceries and fresh ingredients inside the chosen tier are 100% included. For Stay Chef multi-day residency, the calculator shows the chef’s professional daily fee plus an estimated $60–$90/person/day grocery allocation billed at cost with original receipts provided.
For intimate groups under 8 guests, a private chef handles both cooking and table presentation seamlessly. For 10+ guests or plated multi-course formats, a dedicated front-of-house server ($55/hr, 4-hour minimum) is required to ensure wine service, synchronized dish presentation, and rapid table clearing. For 25+ guests, a sous chef ($75/hr) is added.
The 20% service charge appears on its own line on every myCHEF quote. It covers kitchen operational equipment, administrative coordination, licensing, commercial general liability insurance naming your residence, and emergency chef substitution coverage. It is not a gratuity; tips remain 100% voluntary.
Explore our side-by-side 4-island comparison matrix, inclusion specifications, and hourly staff fee schedules:
View Statewide Tariff →Planning across Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, or Big Island? Coordinate all islands under one master brief, one point of contact, and unified billing:
Explore Multi-Island Catering →