Chef Nicolas Devenelle

Private Chef in Liberia

A native of France’s historic Champagne region, I have devoted my career to the hospitality industry. As a professional chef with 30 years of experience, I have honed my craft across diverse culinary landscapes. I hold a management degree from Château de Montvillier Hospitality School, France, and have worked in esteemed establishments across Belgium, England, Egypt, the United States, and, for the past two decades, Costa Rica—where I now call home.

For me, cooking is...

Cooking is about crafting unforgettable experiences, embracing the finest seasonal ingredient, and honoring the timeless foundations of French cuisine

I learned to cook at...

I first learned to cook with my grandmother, whose passion inspired me to pursue culinary school and refine my craft.

A cooking secret...

Transforming local ingredients into exquisite culinary experiences that delight my guests.

My menus

BBQ dinner menu

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Classic Caesar salad with crispy bacon bite

Costa Rican Mango cobb salad

Jumbo prawns cocktail

Seabass ceviche

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Argentinean beef empanadas with arrúgala and tomatillo truffle vinaigrette

Corn chips, guacamole, Pico de gallo, molcajete sauce

Caramelized pear and prosciutto bruscheta with cheese

Pulled pork slider with chipotle

Costa Rican pig in a blanket

Potato skins with bacon, scallion and sour cream

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Grilled Skirt steak (choice, black angus) with chimichurri, potato gratin and haricot vert

Grilled Rib-Eye steak (choice, black angus) with chimichurri, potato gratin and haricot vert

Beef tenderloin (choice, black angus) with mushroom sauce, potato gratin and haricot vert

BBQ baby back ribs, with corn and bbq sauce, mash potato and haricot vert

Bone-on grilled chicken breast with tomato sauce vierge, potato gratin and haricot vert

Lobster tail with garlic butter, mango and ginger rice with cilantro

Ahi tuna steak with bearnaise sauce, mash potato and haricot vert

Grilled Mahi-Mahi with chimichurri, mash potato and haricot vert

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Banana foster flambéed with local rum, served with vanilla ice cream

Soursop cheesecake with red fruit coulis

Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Chocolate lava flow with vanilla ice cream

Strawberry charlotte cake

Breakfast menu

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Fresh orange juice

Fresh tropical juice

Fresh Passion Fruit Juice

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Sliced fresh fruits plate

Eggs (Fried or scrambled or omelet)

Eggs “Ranch Style” (Huevos rancheros)

MAIN COURSE

Choose 3 dishes

Tropical breakfast parfait with granola

Breakfast sausage

Bacon

Breakfast potatoes

Gallo pinto & corn tortillas (Typical Costa Rican)

Local smoked cheese

Sweet plantains

Mexican chicken chilaquiles

Sliced Avocado Toast

Mexican rice

Breakfast Burrito (Black Beans, Avocado, Bacon, Mozzarella, Scrambled Eggs)

Sliced tomato with basil and balsamic

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

White toast, butter & jam

Choco-banana pancakes & maple syrup

Homemade croissant

Homemade blueberry muffins

Homemade chocolate croissant

French Toast

Crepes with Nutella

Family style lunch & dinner menu

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Sautéed fresh hearts of palm, mango and avocado salad served with a delicious basil vinaigrette

Grilled pineapple and organic arugula salad, tomato comfit, kalamata olive crostini and herb vinaigrette

Fresh tomato, buffalo mozzarella salad with basil pesto and balsamic reduction

Niçoise Salad with tuna, tomato, egg, haricot vert, potato, French herbs dressing

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Chilled spicy tomato gazpacho with cilantro oil, avocado and garlic crostini

Home-made Tortilla chips with fresh guacamole, pico de gallo and roasted tomato dip

Home-made hummus with crispy pita bread with olive tapenade

Goat Cheese, prosciutto, confit red onion and pear bruschetta

Gulf of Papagayo sea bass ceviche with avocado & corn, served with green plantain chips

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Chicken enchiladas with roasted tomato and tomatillo sauce

Lemon, garlic & thyme marinated roasted chicken breast with honey

Costa Rican chicken fajitas, corn and flour tortilla, guacamole & Pico de Gallo

Grilled mahi-mahi with herbs chimichurri, Mango, ginger & cilantro rice

Grilled tuna steak with mango chimichurri, Home-made vegetable ratatouille and vegetable ratatouille

Braised baby back ribs with bbq sauce and roasted corn, garlic mash potato

Grilled Rib-eye steak with bearnaise sauce, potato gratin and asparagus

Grilled New-York with tomato sauce vierge, seasonal vegetables, potato gratin

Grilled skirt steak with chimichurri, porcini mushroom potato gratin

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Tropical fruit tart with lemon cream

Tres leches cake scented with lemon grass and spicy rum

Poro-Poro Banana Foster with vanilla ice cream

Chocolate & passion fruit cheesecake

Caramelized pineapple tart Tatin with passion fruit coulis

5-course gourmet dinner

STARTER

All inclusive

Kir royal with fresh mango, Cheese « gougere » with local smoked cheese

Grilled yellow fin tuna loin with pan-seared foie-gras, white truffle oil vegetable Carpaccio, arugula and crispy “gaufrette” potato

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Homemade Lobster ravioli, wilted spinach, tomato sauce vierge & parmesan sauce

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Red snapper in a banana leaf, “picadillo risotto”, white & asparagus and tomatillo beurre blanc

Braised short ribs, “Grand’ma” potatoes, baby garden vegetables and Cabernet sauvignon wine jus

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Chocolate Fondant, served with vanilla ice cream and passion fruit coulis

CREPE SUZETTE Served with Grand Marnier orange sauce and vanilla ice cream

Asian dinner menu

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Gyozas Choice of pork, shrimp, vegetables

Eby fried shrimp, Asian tartar sauce

Chicken Satay

Vegetable tempura with sweet & sour sauce

Edamame, Spicy or Non-spicy

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

TUNA TIRADITO with fresh mango and wonton chips

Vegetarian sushi roll -Filling with cucumber, mango, chive & carrot , covered of avocado

Parmesan roll (with prawns)

California roll - Choice of Yellowfin-Tuna, Salmon, Shrimp, Filling with avocado & cream cheese, cover of sesame

Spicy tuna roll

Tuna ceviche, asian style, with avocado, sesame oil and seeds

Asian Grilled Tuna Salad & Wild Cilantro - Seared tuna, asian greens, arugula, wild cilantro, mango, avocado, edamame, soy and sesame vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Teriyaki chicken with jasmine rice and vegetables

Pork with sweet and sour vegetables and grilled pineapple sauce

Honey glazed salmon with mashed sweet potatoes & Vegetable tempura

Tuna Tataki, Vegetables, sushi rice, teriyaki sauce

Ramen Soup, Chicken, ramen noodles, eggs, driet shitake, mushrooms, scallions

Asian beef fajitas Mongolian style

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Asian Fried banana with vanilla ice cream

Green tea mochi

Black sesame cookies

Mango sticky rice

Chef Nicolas dinner specialties

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

PURA VIDA SALAD, organic baby green, sautéed heart of palm, glazed sherry tomato, smoked “Tico” cheese, plantain, avocado, cilantro vinaigrette

ASPARAGUS, PORCINI MUSHROOM & GOAT CHEESE TART, served with an organic baby field green and herbs vinaigrette

CARAMELIZED PEAR SALAD, served with Roasted tomato, arugula, pear, crispy bacon, goat cheese crostini, French vinaigrette

GRILLED JUMBO PRAWN SALAD WITH FRESH MANGO, served with comfit cherry tomatoes, hearts of palm, mojito vinaigrette

ORGANIC GREEN SALAD WITH FRESH ASPARAGUS, served with orange segment, hearts of palm, and garden-herb vinaigrette

ASPARAGUS, PORCINI MUSHROOM & GOAT CHEESE TART, served with an organic baby field green and herb vinaigrette

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

HOME-MADE LOBSTER RAVIOLI, spinach, lobster, tomato, basil, white truffle parmesan sauce

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH SAFFRON LEEK AND ASPARAGUS RISOTTO, baby tomato and kalamata olive crostini

AHI TUNA TARTAR WITH WAKAME SEAWEED, MANGO & AVOCADO, served on a cucumber carpaccio with truffle oil, arugula and crispy home-made potato chips

MUSHROOM, BEEF AND GOAT CHEESE EMPANADAS, served with arugula, truffle, tomatillo and chipotle vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

RED SNAPPER A LA “TALLA” Red snapper filet marinated with cilantro, tomato and lime juice, wrapped in a banana leave, then baked Served with ginger mango rice and vegetable picadillo style

GRILLED BEEF TENDERLOIN, CABERNET SAUVIGNON SAUCE, served with Pesto risotto with asparagus, parmesan cheese and truffle oil

SEARED FILET OF SEABASS, served with Mediterranean vegetable, red quinoa and asparagus risotto, saffron sauce

PAN-SEARED FILET OF GROUPER, served spicy carrot & fennel slow, basil mash potato

SLOWLY BRAISED WAGYU SHORT RIB Garlic mash potato, asparagus, red wine jus

ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST served with asparagus, French bean & potato gratin served with porcini sauce

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

PASSION FRUIT CRÈME BRULEE, crispy tuile

CARAMELIZED PINEAPPLE TART “TATIN”, served with a vanilla ice cream and passion fruit coulis

CHOCOLATE LAVA FLOW, served with a vanilla ice cream and passion fruit coulis

MANGO & LIME PANNACOTTA, served with coconut crème anglaise

SOURSOP CHEESECAKE, served with Pineapple chips and passion fruit coulis

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Chef Nicolas's reviews

4.86

•

155 services

Had the best experience with Chef! He created an incredible dinner full of amazing flavors and variety. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and absolutely delicious. It was the perfect way to wrap up an unforgettable week in Costa Rica. Pura Vida!

Best thing we have done on vacation! Chef JJ was absolutely amazing and incredibly engaging! Definitely a must!!!! Thanks chef JJ

Chef Sebastian was incredible! The food was amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed the meal and his presentation. Would have him again in a minute!! Absolutely fantastic experience!!

This was a wonderful experience, definitely recommend the chef experience!

Chef Nicolas and his team were DELIGHTFUL to work with. My company hired them to serve our 30-person mastermind group lunch every day for 3 days. The food was superb, the service was excellent, and our clients were thrilled. They easily catered to some dietary restrictions we had: gluten-free, vegetarian, and a nut allergy. They were always on-time with service and prepared well ahead of schedule. They were not bothered by slight delays that come with live events - very patient and service-oriented. Edwin (head server, I believe) really went above and beyond to care for our team and clients. Everyone loved him. I hope to work with them again in the future! You won't regret hiring this crew!!

This was so incredible! The food was superb and so was the atmosphere created by the chef. Everything was organized and delicious. This was a pretty special occasion and I was well pleased with the meal. The kitchen was left sparkling after. Private Feedback: The food was excellent

Incredible chef with such kind manners and delicious food. The chef and sous chef made delicious food, beautifully plated. They did all the dishes before leaving as well.

The chef did a great job. Food was on point.

A very cool chef who was able to part a couple cooking techniques to a group who knows its way around the kitchen. The combination of French techniques and local ingredients to the dishes was a nice touch. Just the right amount of food with the perfect seasoning everything was delicious and would highly recommend!!

For my friends 30th birthday, we had the incredible experience of a guest chef cooking a special dinner at my friend's house. From the moment the chef arrived, the atmosphere was transformed into something magical. He brought not only his culinary skills but also an engaging personality that made the evening delightful. The menu had exquisite dishes showcasing the chef's creativity and expertise. Each course was beautifully presented and bursting with flavors. The chef's willingness to interact with us, explaining each dish and sharing cooking tips, added an intimate and interactive dimension to the dinner. Having a guest chef for my friends birthday was not just about the food, but also about creating unforgettable memories with friends and family. It was a unique and luxurious way to celebrate, making this milestone truly memorable. If you’re looking to make a special occasion extraordinary, I highly recommend having a guest chef cook for you.

If we could rate ten stars, we would! My wife and I took my parents on a bucket list trip to Costa Rica. We all enjoy cooking and finding great restaurants, and thought this sounded fun. The communication was excellent throughout the experience, and they were very accommodating and came up delicious substitutions for a couple diet restrictions we had in the group. Chef Sebastien showed up right on time, and our meal was served exactly when we said we wanted to eat. He is a classically trained French chef with pastry training as well, and the meal was one of the best I’ve ever had. He took care of everything, including setting the table and doing all of the dishes afterward. We were able to just sit back, enjoy the meal, and talk. I’d highly recommend this experience for anyone staying at a place with a full kitchen. Private Feedback: Sebastien - thank you again. My parents couldn’t stop talking about how special that experience was for them.

Chef was wonderful! It was so great to taste a wide variety of local dishes and flavours and learn all about their history and significance along the way. We have a new baby and even took some time between meal preparations to spend some time with him which was so sweet and unexpected. Definitely do this!! We'll be booking again for sure.

Chef Nicolas and Sebastian were amazing. The dishes were all so beautifully prepared and presented and everything was so delicious. Our entire group loved the experience, making it a highlight of our trip in Costa Rica. 5 stars!!!

We had an incredible experience. I booked for 10 of our friends vacationing together. The chefs were so personable and polite many of our guests participated In learning a few new skills in the kitchen. Everything was done for us from setting the table to cleaning up the kitchen. Highly recommend!!

We had an excellent meal and a wonderful time!

The food was amazing! The chef and his assistant was very professional!

Thank you chef Nicholas for providing an incredible experience to this group.

Chef Gustavo was EXCELLENT! He was so friendly, kind and respectful of our time and asks. He invited us to watch him cook if we wanted but was also happy to let us relax outside and serve us our courses. His dish presentations were beautiful and equally as delicious. Between our group our main dishes were fish, beef tenderloin and short rib which he timed to come out perfectly and he gave a great explanation of each dish. Will absolutely be recommending Gustavo to friends coming to Tamarindo next year and hope to come back ourselves and book with him again! Thank you again for everything, Chef!

We were a group of 6 on vacation in Costa Rica! Having the chef come to our home and prepare dinner was on of the highlights of our trip. The food was 5 star quality across the board. Menu, presentation, and flavors were the highest of quality!!! Highly recommended!!!