Chef Anna Atanassova

Personal Chef in Denver

After spending a decade in the restaurant industry, primarily in fine dining, my path evolved toward understanding food and wine not just as luxury products, but as agricultural expressions that begin on the farm. This shift led me to Northern Michigan, where I worked in vineyards and orchards, deepening my respect for seasonality, soil, and the people who cultivate exceptional ingredients.

In 2019, I founded an off-grid retreat chef business on the shores of Lake Michigan. Since then, I have prepared thousands of meals for wellness and yoga retreats, professional athletes, intimate dinner parties, weddings, corporate gatherings, and large conventions. I am experienced in accommodating a wide range of dietary preferences and restrictions, tailoring each menu to align with individual needs and goals.

I believe food is medicine. My menus reflect a thoughtful understanding of how nourishing ingredients can support the body while still delivering exceptional flavor and presentation. Every dish is prepared and plated with the finesse and attention to detail you would expect from a high-end restaurant, while remaining grounded in integrity and wellness.

I am also happy to collaborate directly with your event planner, assistant, nutritionist, or coach to design customized menus and meal programs that seamlessly support your event and personal objectives.

For me, cooking is...

Everything is a dinner party.

I learned to cook at...

I learned to cook all over Detroit, Traverse City and Michigan's North Woods.

A cooking secret...

Compounding flavors and treating flavor pairings like wine tasting notes.

My menus

Wellness Retreat

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Feta, watermelon, and cucumber salad with edible flowers

Chimichurri chicken skewers with saffron dipping sauce

Chilled melon and cucumber soup, green curry, coconut milk

Blackened root vegetable crudite with yuzu garlic aioli, local micro greens

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Asparagus, snap pea & peach salad with Dijon vinaigrette

Baby gem lettuce, citrus, date, and green goddess salad

Caramelized cabbage salad with tahini, Calabrian chili and herby lemon oil

Kale salad with pear, lemon, honey Tahini vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Halibut poached with local sungolds, shishitos and coconut milk

Handmade red lentil tofu, kiwi and soy marinade, bok choy, chili crisp

Charred Cauliflower Steak with Romesco Sauce (Vegan/GF) – Topped with toasted almonds and parsley

Chicken quarters with herb + black garlic butter, crispy fingerlings

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

(GF) Yuzu meringue tart with kefir lime, toasted meringue and almond crust

Layered olive oil cake with tahini, cacao and dates

Chef's Choice

STARTER

All inclusive

Local sourdough from Kinship served with chimichurri oil, tomato confit and black garlic butter

Burrata with wine braised fennel, saffron + garlic

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Charred cabbage salad with husk cherries, fenugreek and pickled shallots

Braised beets in coconut - galangal vinaigrette, fresh passionfruit + toasted coriander

Heirloom tomato soup with crumbled cornmeal + parmesan tuille

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Confit chicken legs with Dijon butter + charred scallion chimichurri

Braised lamb shank with pears + cippollini onions

(side) charred delicata squash over whipped garlicky feta, pomegranate, fresh mint

(side) slow braised radishes in miso-maple glaze

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Dark cacao pot de creme with olive oil and sea salt

Fig, lemon and olive oil cake with lemon curd

Rustic Italian

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Handmade Focaccia or Ciabatta with compound butter

Burrata Board - heirloom tomatoes, confit garlic, Italian tomato braised beans, fresh herbs, parsley oil, ciabatta

Proscuitto, tinned fish and Italian cheese board with crostini

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Flatbread - tomato jam, castelveltrano olive

Flatbread - basil pesto, Italian meats, pecorino

Arugula salad with labneh vinaigrette and shaved fennel

Endive and butter lettuce Caesar salad

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Braised lamb shanks with Barolo and fennel

Chicken milanese with tomato jam and arugula

Trout en papillote braised with red peppers and confit garlic

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Tiramisu, of course - matcha, chocolate or classic

Fig, chocolate and olive oil cake with lemon cream

South Asian Inspired

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Gochujang Sticky Wings - Kewpie + yuzu dipping sauce

Jammy farm eggs in tamarind brine, pickled red onions + mint chutney

Yakitori Shishito Peppers + Shiitake Mushrooms, ponzu sauce

Onigiri - choice of miso salmon, woodear mushroom, or curried pork

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Papaya Salad (we can discuss spice preferences)

Coconut curry soup with grilled bok Choy and chili crisp

Korean style baked corn with tempura chips

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Korean BBQ Kalbi (flanken style short ribs)

Thit Kho (coconut braised 5 spice pork belly) with duck egg and ginger salad

Pork, tofu, or chicken larb, served with fresh lettuce and all of the fixings

Yakitori - a variety of skewers brushed with Japanese BBQ sauce

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Yuzu meringue tart with kefir lime, toasted meringue and almond crust

Lemongrass Creme Brulee

Fresh, Local, Colorado

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Rocky Mountain Trout Crudo – paper-thin local trout, lemon-olive-oil dressing, basil & micro-greens

Spinach-Goat-Cheese Spanakopita Bites – flaky phyllo triangles, cool tzatziki for dipping

Grilled Lamb Kefta Skewers – pine-nut-herb lamb, yogurt-cucumber sauce, pickled onions

Roasted Beet & Whipped-Feta Bruschetta – Palisade peach accents, crushed pistachios, fresh mint

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Heirloom Greek Village Salad – tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, Haystack feta, oregano vinaigrette

Chilled Peach-Tomato Gazpacho – sweet Palisade peaches, ripe tomatoes, hint of sherry vinegar

Warm Farro & Forest-Mushroom Salad – foraged mushrooms, lemon-herb dressing, baby arugula

Creamy Olathe Corn & Saffron Chowder – sweet-corn base, smoked-paprika oil, crispy leek threads

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Herb Crusted Colorado Lamb Chops – rosemary jus, roasted fingerling potatoes, charred asparagus

Lemony Dill Stuffed Mountain Trout – almond crumble, pomegranate drizzle, spring greens

Lemon Za'atar Roast Chicken – artichoke-olive tapenade, saffron rice pilaf

Mediterranean Spiced Bison Tenderloin – roasted eggplant caponata, crispy chickpea

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Dark chocolate and espresso mousse with toasted vanilla meringue and blackberry compote

Honey Pistachio Baklava Buns

Palisade Peach Crostata – thyme-scented pastry, local honey ice cream

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Chef Anna's reviews

4.78

•

101 services

Chef Anna Atanassova was absolutely amazing!! We hired her for our dinner after our micro wedding and she did not disappoint! She was amazing leading up to the event, helping us change the menu to accommodate people’s likes, dislikes and allergies. She was awesome through every step of the process! Ana locally sources all of her foods, the bison and the chicken were some of the best dishes I’ve ever had! The food was DELICIOUS! 11/10 recommend!

I set the chef up for my wife and 10 friends. There were various allergies and preferences to work around but the chef made it all work and presented the ladies with an educational and sensory filled evening. Definitely would use this chef and others provided through this service.

Anna was absolutely the very best! We could not have suggested even a single improvement. She was easy to communicate with, plan the menu with, and very timely. She was very engaging and super kind. She told stories and explained the ingredients. She fielded every question our group had with poise and personality. I could not ask for a better night for my friends—and our bachelor, for whom this trip and meal was organized for. If you are unsure about who to go with, pick Anna!

Chef Anna did an amazing job! I would highly recommend her.

I absolutely loved having Chef Anna for my dinner party!! Not only was the food incredible but her stories were even better! Just getting to know the chef and the food was a really nice change. Also not having to do ANYTHING but get my guests there , that was really nice!

We hired Anna for our dad’s 100th birthday party. She made a delicious meal and helped make the party amazing! Will definitely use her again!

Chef Anna went above and beyond for my Women's Sedona Yoga Retreat, providing impeccable meals three times a day that were intriguing, delicious, healthy, and experiential. Her charismatic personality, flexibility, and communicative approach made her easy to work with. She engaged with guests personably and accommodated all needs with ease. Each meal felt tailored, intentional, creative, and exceeded expectations. She maintained the budget and was transparent about timing, ensuring we could best meet all schedule needs. Anna anticipated our needs and held such a nurturing approach to serving us in every way she knew how. With so many tricks up her sleeve, she constantly wowed my attendees to the point that she easily became a memorable feature of the weekend experience overall. Don't sleep on hiring Anna – you will be blown away by her craft!

Chef Anna was fantastic. Very easy to work with, accommodated a few dietary restrictions that aren't always easy, and brought a great variety of flavors. She also paired and presented multiple wines for the meal. We did this as a gift for some friends and it was a huge hit!

Anna was absolutely incredible. Her food was phenomenal, she was punctual, attentive and overall just a joy to be around. We would definitely use Anna again in a heartbeat and would recommend her to anyone and everyone. She was amazing! Not to mention, she left our kitchen sparkling clean. 10/10!

We had a wonderful meal and very enjoyable evening. Such a pleasure.

Chef Anna was absolutely incredible to work with! She was very easy to communicate with and flexible with planning a 5-course meal for a special occasion. Her meal was very creative and the presentations were outstanding! She used fresh, organic local produce and meats, and even decorated some of the dishes with edible flowers. I am not kidding when we say this may have been the best meal we have ever eaten. I highly recommend Chef Anna!

Chef Anna was fantastic. She crafted the menu and made some awesome dishes. The dinner was delicious!

Chef was great!

Chef Anna created an incredible experience for my friends and I! She was also very engaging and can tell she put a lot of thought into each dish. I highly recommend her for your next event!

Amazing

Anna was amazing. Our team felt completely spoiled all week. Her dishes were spectacular, and they asked her to cater additional meals. She went above and beyond the entire week and I cannot say enough good things about her food and her level of service. Outstanding.

We had a wonderful experience with Anna! We came to Scottsdale as a group of 16 for a bachelor party and a private chef experience was top of our list for activities. Anna planned a great menu, was accommodating to our preferences and dietary needs, and made a delicious meal! She’s professional but also super fun and engaging — it felt like we were hanging out with a friend. Can’t wait to use Take a Chef again, and I’d love to have Anna as a chef again if I’m ever in the Phoenix area!

Chef Anna was fantastic! Anna was punctual, friendly, and considerate. We felt like Anna truly cared about our party. Every dish they served was presented beautifully and tasted fantastic. I highly recommend Anna for any event!

Anna was an awesome chef! She made an amazing meal for my group and was great at describing the food and why she made it. The appetizers were excellent as well. She was great.