Chef Anna Atanassova

Personal Chef in Denver

After 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 behind exceptional ingredients.

In 2019, I founded an off grid retreat chef business on the shores of Lake Michigan. Since then, I have prepared 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 clear understanding of how nourishing ingredients support the body while still delivering flavor and presentation. Every dish is prepared with the level of detail you would expect from a high end restaurant, while staying 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 support your event and overall goals.

For me, cooking is...

Everything is a dinner party.

I learned to cook at...

My mother's Azerbaijani kitchen!

A cooking secret...

Compounding flavors and treating flavor pairings like wine tasting notes.

My menus

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

South Asian Fusion

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Hamachi with sumac, black lime vinaigrette, shaved fennel, watermelon radish, micro cilantro

Salmon sashimi with fresh coconut meat, coconut milk, charred mango + avocado

Fresh baked milk buns with black garlic butter

Shiitake + enoki mushroom toast on sourdough baguette, cured egg yolk

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Roasted beets in kefir lime + coconut sauce, grapefruit, thai chilis

Smashed cucumber salad with napa cabbage + passionfruit vinaigrette

Chilled avocado coconut soup with lime + basil oil

Grilled bò lá lốt (beef wrapped in betel leaf) + sticky date and tahini dipping sauce

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Braised lamb shanks with heirloom tomato + galangal sauce, seared long beans + charred carrot pureé

Trout en Papillote - whole trout baked in parchment with caramelized fennel, shallot + papaya

Quartered chicken with 5 spice butter, seared oyster mushroom + ginger - carrot pureé

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Pandan chiffon cake + vanilla bean chantilly

Black cardamom + chocolate sorbet (vegan, gf)

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

Armenian BBQ

STARTER

All inclusive

Baku salad - heirloom tomatoes, smashed cucumber, shallots, sumac, fresh mint

Crispy fried long beans - labneh, adjika aioli

Dark rye crostini - saffron labneh, charred leek

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Dushbara - tiny lamb dumplings, spiced broth

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Armenian BBQ chicken (toyuq kebab) - yoghurt, citrus + herb marinated chicken legs, charred

Braised lamb shank - persimmon, cardamom

BBQ lamb chops - white onion, pomegranate molasses

*all choices served with bbq eggplant, leek + tomato

DESSERT

All inclusive

Baklava pot de creme - pistachio custard, cardamom cream, walnut - honey paste

French Countryside

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Sourdough baguette baked with locally milled flour, served with whipped rosemary butter, locally cured mortadella + flaked salt

Sea scallop escargot, pea shoots

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Charred snap pea + asparagus salad, dijon vinaigrette, shaved comté

Celery root bisque with seared and crispy shallot topping

Asparagus in buerre blanc, popped amaranth, good oil

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Chicken moutarde | crispy skin-on bird in wine + whole grain mustard

Grilled steak (butcher's cut varies) | au poivre + parsnip frites

Braised bone-in bison short ribs | red wine + pomme pureé

DESSERT

All inclusive

Spiced pear, vanilla + chiffon cake

Show me more

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.