Chef Santiago Matias Romero
Private Chef in Melbourne
Get to know me better
I never give what people expect, I always try to give much more.
Hola! My name is Thiago. I was born in the Argentine city of Córdoba. For as long as I can remember I have been cooking in my family's restaurants, I grew up in them. At one point in my life I studied gastronomy, but not feeling satisfied with what I had learned and with the job offers I had, I decided to embark on a trip around the world learning gastronomy. Today I find myself in this wonderful city of Melbourne. Here, I found knowledge , friends , family and even the love of my life . With more than 16 years of experience in different gastronomic cultures, catering and decoration, I am more than qualified to offer you an unforgettable culinary experience. I invite you to be part of my story and share my passion for delicious, creative and exciting food!

More about me
For me, cooking is...
For me, it is an art and I execute it that way, from the colors, the aromas, the textures, the sounds and the flavors.
I learned to cook at...
In college, but I learned much more traveling the world from all the chefs I met along the way.
A cooking secret...
Hygiene, quality, responsibility, commitment and love!
My menus
Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus with Lemon Hollandaise Served warm, with a sprinkle of toasted almonds
Classic Prawn Cocktail with Marie Rose sauce, crisp lettuce, avocado, lemon and micro herbs
Fresh oysters with finger lime mignonette
Decadent Baked Brie with fresh thyme, local honey, and sourdough crisps
Succulent Roast Chicken with lemon, thyme gravy
Marmalade-Glazed Ham with cranberry & ginger sauce
Crispy Skin Salmon served on a bed of beetroot and horseradish crème
All mains served with duck fat potatoes, glazed carrots and summer salad
Caramelised Shallot Tarte Tatin in with a white wine jus
Sticky date pudding with butterscotch sauce
Berry White Chocolate Pavlova with seasonal fruits and whipped cream
Chocolate Hazelnut Semifreddo Rich and indulgent, topped with whipped cream and crushed roasted hazelnuts
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Mini Meatballs with Napoli Sauce, Shaved Parmesan & Fresh Basil
Beef Carpaccio Crostini - Thinly sliced beef on toasted baguette with rocket, capers & truffle mayo
Crispy Chicken Bites with Lemon Aioli - Lightly crumbed chicken tender pieces with a zesty garlic-lemon dip
Smoked Salmon & Avocado Crème Blinis - Topped with dill, lemon zest & a hint of crème fraîche
Mini Ceviche Tostadas - Fresh citrus-marinated fish (or prawn) with red onion, coriander & lime
Crispy Polenta Squares with Prawn & Chilli-Lime Butter - A crunchy base topped with warm prawns and herbed butter drizzle
Sweet Corn & Halloumi Fritters with Sweet Chilli Jam - Bite-sized fritters served warm with a dollop of sweet chilli jam
Caramelised Onion & Goat Cheese Tartlets - Buttery pastry shells filled with sweet onion jam and creamy chèvre
Mushroom & Thyme Arancini - Crispy risotto balls with porcini & truffle oil, served with aioli
Mini Caprese Skewers - Cherry tomato, bocconcini & basil with balsamic glaze drizzle
Alfajores (soft chocolate & caramel sandwich cookies)
Lemon pistachio cannolis - Crunchy pastry shells filled with sweet lemon ricotta cream & dusted with crushed pistachios
Mini Passionfruit Pavlovas - Crisp meringue nests filled with whipped cream and tangy passionfruit
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Salade de Chèvre Chaud Warm goat’s cheese served on toasted brioche with a drizzle of lavender honey, roasted walnuts, and baby mâche leaves
Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinee Classic French onion soup, deeply caramelised onions in a rich beef broth, topped with a Gruyère crouton gratinée
First course Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Canard à l’Orange Modernisé Crispy duck breast with a refined orange and Grand Marnier reduction, served with Parisian potatoes and glazed baby carrots
Filet de Bœuf en Croûte (Beef Wellington, French style) Seared beef fillet wrapped in mushroom duxelles and puff pastry, finished with a red wine jus, served with haricots verts and pomme purée
Main course Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Tarte Tatin Individuelle Caramelised upside-down apple tart served warm with crème fraîche
Mousse au Chocolat Noir avec Éclat de Sel Silky dark chocolate mousse with a hint of sea salt, topped with Chantilly cream and cocoa nibs
Dessert Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
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Black olive tapenade on crostini with anchovies (a crispy bread base topped with a savory olive spread and salty anchovies)
Mini feta cheese tartlets with honey and thyme (small pastry bites combining the creaminess of feta with the sweetness of honey and the aroma of thyme)
Andalusian gazpacho served in small glasses with extra virgin olive oil (a refreshing cold tomato-based soup, smooth and vibrant, finished with premium olive oil)
Cod croquettes with saffron aioli (crispy fried croquettes filled with salted cod, paired with a fragrant saffron-garlic mayonnaise)
Starter Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Baba ganoush with homemade pita chips (a smoky roasted eggplant dip served with crispy baked pita chips)
Mediterranean vitello tonnato with capers and olives (thinly sliced veal topped with a creamy tuna-caper sauce, finished with Mediterranean olives)
Mediterranean tuna tartare with olive oil, citrus, and basil (fresh diced tuna seasoned with citrus zest, extra virgin olive oil, and aromatic basil)
Garlic shrimp with a touch of white wine (juicy prawns sautéed with garlic and finished with a splash of white wine)
First course Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Moroccan-style lamb slow cooked with spiced couscous and dried fruits (tender lamb slow-cooked with aromatic spices, served over couscous with raisins and nuts)
Baked sea bass with Mediterranean herbs and cauliflower-potato roasted garlic purée (delicate sea bass fillet baked with fresh herbs, paired with a creamy vegetable purée)
Greek moussaka reinterpreted in individual layers (a modern take on the classic eggplant, potato, and beef casserole, served in elegant portions)
Lemon chicken with green olives and roasted vegetables (juicy chicken braised with lemon and olives, accompanied by seasonal roasted vegetables)
Braised goat with chickpea purée and rosemary oil (slow-cooked young goat, served with a silky chickpea base and aromatic rosemary oil)
Grilled Scotch Fillet with Mediterranean Red Wine Sauce and Greek-Style Potatoes (Juicy scotch fillet seared on the grill, served with a red wine sauce infused with Mediterranean herbs, accompanied by oven-roasted Greek-style potatoes.)
Main course Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Saffron crème brûlée (a silky custard infused with saffron, topped with a caramelized sugar crust)
Almond tart (Santiago cake) with citrus reduction (a traditional Spanish almond cake enhanced with a zesty citrus sauce)
Lavender panna cotta with honey (a delicate Italian cream dessert infused with lavender and drizzled with honey)
Dark chocolate mousse with olive oil and Maldon salt (an airy bitter chocolate mousse elevated by fruity olive oil and crunchy sea salt flakes)
Caprese cake (almond and chocolate) with red berry coulis (a rich flourless cake of almond and chocolate, balanced with a tangy berry sauce)
Dessert Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
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Sydney Rock Oysters with Finger Lime Mignonette (Fresh oysters with a citrusy native finger-lime dressing)
Smoked Trout Rillettes on Wattleseed Lavash (Creamy trout spread over crisp lavash with roasted wattleseed)
Macadamia Dukkah Ricotta with Charred Flatbread (Crunchy native nut spice mix to tear-and-dip)
Starter Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Seared Scallops with Macadamia Cream (Caramelised scallops over silky macadamia purée)
Burrata with Davidson’s Plum Vinaigrette (Creamy cheese, tomatoes and a tart native-plum dressing)
Wild Mushrooms on Toast with Native Thyme (Sautéed mushrooms over sourdough with bush herbs)
Grilled Asparagus with Mountain Pepper and Honey Macadamia Crumb (Spring asparagus, gentle heat and nutty texture)
First course Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Crispy Pork Belly with Quandong Glaze (Crackling pork finished with sweet–tart native peach)
Roasted Barramundi with Lemon Myrtle Butter and Warrigal Greens (Crisp-skin fish, aromatic butter and coastal greens)
Wood-Fired Scotch filet with Mountain Pepper Jus (Charred steak, native pepper jus and brassicas)
Free-Range Chicken with Native Thyme Pan Jus (Roast chicken, scented jus and crispy potatoes)
Main course Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Pavlova with Finger Lime Pearls and Passionfruit (Crisp meringue, native citrus pop and tropical fruit)
Lemon Myrtle Cheesecake with Macadamia Crust (Baked cheesecake scented with native lemon-myrtle)
Eucalyptus Honey Crème Brûlée (Silky custard with crackly sugar and native honey)
Chocolate and Macadamia Tart with Wattleseed Cream (Rich tart served with lightly whipped wattleseed cream)
Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
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Sea salt edamame & rich miso soup
Salmon Sashimi with avocado purée
Tuna sashimi with spicy sesame dipping sauce
Gyoza, pan seared dumplings, pork and cabbage filled dumplings
Pork katsu (crispy crumbed pork steak) with rice and katsu sauce
Grilled salmon teriyaki, fresh salmon portions grilled with sweet and sticky teriyaki sauce
Matcha & strawberry cheesecake
Green tea jelly with sweet poached lychees
Yuzu meringue tart
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Mini Arepas filled with Guacamole and Prawns Soft corn cakes stuffed with creamy guacamole and tender prawns
Corn Toasts with White Fish Tiradito, Leche de Tigre and Yellow Chili Crispy corn bites topped with thin-sliced white fish in citrus marinade with Peruvian yellow chili
Green Plantain Chips with Mango and Jalapeño Ceviche Crispy plantain chips served with a fresh mango and jalapeño ceviche
Mini Corn Tostadas with Green Shrimp Aguachile Crunchy corn tostadas topped with cooked shrimp in a spicy green chili-lime sauce
Starter Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Elotes, Mexican style corn on the cob, served with zesty lime mayo, parmesan cheese and corriander
Peruvian Mixed Ceviche with Coconut Tiger’s Milk Fresh seafood marinated in citrus and coconut-infused tiger’s milk
Gourmet Arepa stuffed with Shredded Lamb and Tropical Pico de Gallo Corn arepa filled with tender pulled lamb and fresh tropical salsa
Salmon Tiradito with Yellow Chili Emulsion and Cancha Corn Thin-sliced salmon in a smooth Peruvian yellow chili sauce with crunchy corn
Corn Tostada with Sesame-Marinated Tuna, Chipotle Mayo and Micro Salad Crispy tostada topped with tuna in sesame marinade, chipotle mayo and fresh microgreens
First course Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Aji Amarillo marinated market fish, pan seared fish of the day with spicy Peruvian pepper sauce, grilled greens and fresh herbs
Peruvian Lomo Saltado with Andean Potatoes and Soy Reduction Stir-fried beef tenderloin with onions, tomatoes, Andean potatoes and soy glaze
Argentinian Porterhouse Steak with Fresh Herb Chimichurri and Criolla Salad / Grilled Porterhouse served with traditional chimichurri and a tomato-onion salad
Main course Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
Charred Corn and Truffle Tamal with Aji Verde Foam- A delicate masa tamal infused with roasted corn and a touch of truffle oil, steamed in corn husks and served open-faced. Garnished with a light ají verde foam, micro herbs, and a drizzle of lime crema
Alfajores (soft chocolate & caramel sandwich cookies)
Churros with chocolate dipping sauce
Suspiro Limeño with Cookie Crumble Traditional Peruvian caramel cream topped with meringue and cookie crumble
Dulce de Leche Flan with Chantilly Cream and Syrup-Soaked Strawberries Classic caramel flan made with dulce de leche, served with whipped cream and candied strawberries
Dessert Ask the Chef – Special Dietary Requests
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Fresh oysters with lemon & salt
Charcuterie Grazing Board
Bruschetta capresse
Baked Bree with Local Honey & Rosemary
Grilled calamari with green salsa
Arancini di riso with truffle cream and dried tomato
Grilled Porterhouse with Crispy Kale & Dutch Potatoes
Uovo in Raviolo (Runny Egg Yolk Ravioli)
Coq au vin served with creamy mash potatoes & garlic greens
Chocolate raspberry tart
Chocolate hazelnut mousse
Lemon pistachio cannoli
Classic Cream brûlée
Churros with chocolate dipping sauce
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