Chef James Kelly

Private Chef in Puntarenas
Chef James Kelly

Get to know me better

Chef James Kelly is a culinary explorer with over 20 years experience as professional chef & culinary consultant in Costa Rica and around the globe.

Chef James Kelly is a lifelong surfer and culinary explorer with over 20 years of cooking experience in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica and around the globe. A former private chef and culinary consultant to Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen, James specializes in clean, performance-driven cuisine rooted in the rhythms of the ocean and the wisdom of longevity cultures. His diverse clientele includes politicians, royalty, athletes, fashion icons, and celebrities. Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of cooking for international stars such as Mark Ruffalo, Josh Brolin, Flea, David Duchovny, Mario Testino, Liev Schreiber, Bruce Springsteen, Rick Rubin, Jack Dorsey, Jay-Z and Beyoncé.

Photo from chef James Kelly

More about me

For me, cooking is...

A passion! It's where I can express myself through flavor, texture, and artistic presentation.

I learned to cook at...

The biggest influence has been whilst working with the team at 4th St. Cafe working with San Francisco transplants Michael & Jennifer Bailey.

A cooking secret...

The freshest ingredients, confidence, experience, love, and imagination.

Book your experience with Chef James

Specify the details of your requests and the chef will send you a custom menu just for you.