Private chef in the Costa Brava
Gourmet dinners cooked in your the Costa Brava holiday home. Shopping, cooking, serving and cleanup all handled.
From Begur and Pals to Cadaqués and Platja d'Aro, the Costa Brava is Lara's home turf. Renting a villa along the coast? She brings restaurant-quality dinners to your table: fresh local seafood, Catalan classics and tasting menus, so your holiday is all enjoyment and no cooking. Travel within the Costa Brava (30–50 km) is included.
- Begur
- Pals
- Cadaqués
- Calonge
- Platja d'Aro
- Sant Feliu de Guíxols
- Llafranc
- Calella de Palafrugell
Dinner on the Costa Brava
The Costa Brava runs along the Girona coast from Blanes to the French border, all rugged coves and pine-clad cliffs above a deep blue sea, with whitewashed villages tucked into the folds of the shore. It is the region where Lara grew up, and the place she knows the produce, the fishermen and the back roads of best.
An evening with a private chef here feels unhurried and quietly luxurious. Lara arrives at your villa, the terrace catches the last warm light over the water, and dinner unfolds at your own pace while she cooks, serves and clears away. You stay with your guests, glass in hand, and the only thing asked of you is to enjoy the table and the view.
Flavours of the Costa Brava
This coast is a larder of celebrated products. There are the prized gamba de Palamós prawns landed at the Palamós fish auction, the salt-cured anchovies of L'Escala, the rice grown in the fields around Pals, the wines of the Empordà DO and the local Empordà olive oil. Lara shops the markets of Palamós, Palafrugell and La Bisbal d'Empordà for whatever is best that morning.
From that catch and harvest she cooks the classics of the coast: a slow suquet de peix, a sea-and-mountain fideuà, a bright esqueixada of salt cod for the warm days. Plates lean seafood-forward and resolutely Catalan, the gamba de Palamós barely touched by the pan, the Pals rice swollen with good stock, finished simply so the produce speaks for itself.
Coves, beaches and slow days
Spend the day on the water: swim in the coves below Begur such as Sa Riera and Aiguablava, walk the Camí de Ronda coastal path, wander the whitewashed lanes of Calella de Palafrugell or sail out to the wild Cap de Creus near Cadaqués. Then come home to a private dinner on the terrace, the sea still in your hair and nothing left to do but sit down.
Frequently asked questions
Does a private chef come to villas on the Costa Brava?
Yes. Lara comes to your holiday home anywhere on the Costa Brava and cooks dinner in your own kitchen. She handles the shopping for fresh local produce, the cooking, the service at your table and the full cleanup afterwards, so you and your guests simply enjoy the evening.
What local dishes can Lara cook on the Costa Brava?
Plenty. Think gamba de Palamós, L'Escala anchovies and rice from Pals turned into suquet de peix, fideuà, paella and a fresh esqueixada, all paired with Empordà DO wines and local olive oil. She also cooks Catalan classics and tasting menus, built around whatever is best at the market that day.
Is travel to the Costa Brava included?
Yes. Travel within the Costa Brava (30–50 km) is included in the price, so there is no extra charge for villas across the region's towns and coves. For dinners further afield, such as Barcelona, a small travel surcharge applies, agreed with you in advance.
Journal
Lara's Journal
A Chef's Guide to the Costa Brava Markets
Where I actually shop along the Costa Brava: the morning markets, the Palamós fish auction, and the local treasures I look for. Then I show you how to turn a basket into dinner.
Read article
Empordà Wine Country: A Tasting Route I Love to Share
Just inland from the Costa Brava lies the DO Empordà, a wine region shaped by the tramuntana wind. Here is how I'd spend a day among the cellers, and how I bring those bottles back to your table.
Read article
A Private Chef's Guide to Catalan Cuisine
The dishes, ingredients and markets worth knowing before you eat your way through the Empordà.
Read articleWhat we do
From a quiet villa dinner to your wedding day
One chef, tailored entirely to your stay.
Loved by villa guests
Holidays they still talk about
Real guests, real evenings, and the reviews to prove it.
“Lara is INCREDIBLE. We had her cook for a retreat of 11 of us, and she blew us away with her delicious, nourishing dishes. She accommodated dietary needs with so much thought, making every single guest feel so special. We will be booking her again and again!”
“Five star service and food! We were in Pals for a week as a group of 6 adults and 7 children… Chef Lara made our adult dinner night so special. Stand-outs were the rock mussels and gambas. A total pro who set up everything and tidied up perfectly.”
“Lara cooked the most exceptional meal for our party of 7, to celebrate two big birthdays. The food was beautifully plated and delicious, with a fascinating range of flavours. She explained each dish, its origin and where the ingredients were sourced.”
“Lara was extremely professional and detail oriented. We learned so much about Spanish cuisine and especially enjoyed her Paella class. We were two families and couldn't have asked for a better experience.”
“I highly recommend Lara! I booked her for a birthday dinner and the whole process was completely effortless. The food was extremely delicious and the presentation beautiful. She created a wonderful memory for me and my family.”
“Lara cooked for us in Costa Brava. She did everything perfectly. She went beyond when it was necessary, because she cared about what she was doing.”
“Lara's cooking and service was sensational! Highly recommend.”
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