Treat yourself to delicious meals at your vacation rental home when you hire a private chef for a one-off meal or for the duration of your trip.
In our exclusive interview with private chef Evelien Sipkes, we get the inside story on her excellent private chef service and how you can enjoy gourmet cuisine in your vacation rental home, without having to lift a finger!
Hi Evelien! Tell us a little bit about your background and about what inspired you to become a private chef?
I started to provide lunch during my art workshops. And because I really like to cook, the next step was ‘artertainment’: a short introduction into my artwork or a demonstration of a special technique, followed by a high tea or happy hour. When I was asked to serve dinner at home, I just jumped into it and I love it!
What exactly does a private chef do?
I provide private chef services to private clients in their vacation rental homes including couples, families, and large groups whether it’s an intimate meal for two, a family feast, dinner party, or a special occasion. Every dinner is planned to meet the vision of the client and I only use high-quality ingredients with precise attention to detail.
What kind of food do you serve?
As they call me ‘the all natural artist’ because of the connection between my art and nature, you could also call me an 'all natural cook’.
I work with fresh ingredients and local products as much as possible. No frozen foods or cans, no preservatives, I make all the dishes ‘from scratch’ and I raise some herbs in my own garden.
If you wish I can focus on organic, or prepare food for special diets such as gluten free, lactose free, sugar free, etc. Just let me know.
What kind of dish do you recommend?
I would like to offer people the local tastes, such as fresh tuna - very different from the frozen tuna you buy in the supermarket - with krioyo sauce, or the local dish ‘keshi yena’.
The dishes on the menu contain ingredients of which I am quite sure I can get them during the year. There are more opportunities depending on which other fresh ingredients are available on the island during a specific time.
In the end, I can’t recommend one specific dish because I like to adapt to the wishes of the guests, unless of course the guests like to have hotdogs from a can with prefab bread and produced ketchup. I won’t do these kind of things because in that case I can’t stick to my own cooking style.
Who needs a private chef and what are the benefits?
If you are on vacation and you have rented Villa Seashell, there is the option to hire a chef. You deserve to be a guest in your own villa!
Private dining is as good as eating out at a fine restaurant, but It takes away the hassle of making reservations, getting dressed up and driving to and from the restaurant without the worry over babysitting or who is going to drive. It gives you the freedom to eat what you want, when you want, all in the comfort of your own villa.
A private chef helps guests to do what they come here for.....to relax!
Do you offer any other services?
I can also arrange for private dining on my terrace for a group of 6 people or more.
Once in a while I cook a ‘table d’hote’: I make a menu and people can subscribe individual or with a group and you will have dinner at my home, where I combine food and art into a total experience.
I can arrange a private art workshop or the ‘artertainment’ as I mentioned before, also for 6 people or more. But you can also join my weekly ceramic classes for once or twice if you are not with a group. Just send me an email and we will figure it out!
For more information or to hire Chef Evelien during your Villa Seashell trip contact us. Sample menus are available upon request.
Interested in staying with us? Contact us for information about our oceanfront villa, one of the nicest Curacao vacation rentals.
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