Chef Chris Malstrom

Private Chef in Salem

I'm a professional chef with over 15 years in the food and beverage industry. Classically trained in AAA-rated fine dining restaurants in a variety of European/Mediterranean cuisines with an emphasis on local, seasonal and sustainably-grown food. I work with clients to craft delicious, inventive menus for the private dinner or event - paying specific attention to any dietary needs/concerns or allergens to avoid. Why go out for a fine-dining meal in a crowded, loud restaurant when you can have one prepared for you in your own home?

This dedication to the freshest + highest-quality ingredients carries over into the creation of seasonally-driven cocktail lists based on clients' tastes and preferences. For those looking for a more cocktail-driven event, I'll work with you to craft a drink menu based on party theme, guest tastes and ingredient seasonality.

I now travel between Salem, MA and Los Angeles, CA and am available to provide services in both areas!

For me, cooking is...

A passion and an expression of art.

I learned to cook at...

Classically trained in Greater Boston-area restaurants such as 80 Thoreau, Catalyst, and 62 Restaurant and Wine Bar

A cooking secret...

Always have fun with it

My menus

Winter Mediterranean Dinner

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Arugula Salad with Roasted Winter Squash, Spiced Pepitas & Smoked Balsamic

Winter Greens Salad with Clementines, Toasted Almonds & Citronette

Beet Gazpacho with Fennel & Citrus

Curried Squash Soup with Garam Masala Croutons & Herbed Creme Fraiche

Mixed Greens Salad with Sliced Radishes, Fines Herbs & Grainy Mustard Vinaigrette

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Crisp Gnocchi with Harissa-Spiced Squash, Pomegranate & Broccolini

Risotto alla Marsala with Prosciutto & Wild Mushrooms

Handmade Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

Potato & Leek Ravioli with Roast Potato Jus

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Beef Bourguignon with Roasted Root Vegetables & Hen of the Woods

Cassoulet of Cannellini Beans, Confit Duck & Sausage

Garam Masala Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Curried Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Puree

Herb-Crusted Cod with Charred Lemon, Spinach & White Bean Ragu

Herb-Roasted Chicken Breast with Moroccan Quinoa, Olives, Toasted Almonds & Spinach

Salmon over Harissa-Spiced Couscous with Fennel, Citrus & Baby Kale

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Almond Cake with Wine-Poached Pears & Vanilla Ice Cream

Brown Sugar Buttermilk Cake with Spiced Apples & Sea Salt Caramel

Cannoli with Earl Grey Ricotta Cream & Candied Citrus

Dark Chocolate Brownies with Mint Ice Cream & Bourbon Caramel

Flan with Orange & Spice

Winter Italian Dinner

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Roast Cauliflower Soup with Crisp Prosciutto

Mixed Greens Salad with Sliced Radishes, Fines Herbs & Grainy Mustard Vinaigrette

Winter Greens Salad with Clementines, Toasted Almonds & Citronette

Arugula Salad with Roasted Winter Squash, Spiced Pepitas & Smoked Balsamic

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Risotto alla Marsala with Prosciutto & Wild Mushrooms

Handmade Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

Potato & Leek Ravioli with Roast Potato Jus

Crisp Gnocchi with Harissa-Spiced Squash, Pomegranate & Broccolini

Chicken Piccata Polpette Over Creamy Polenta

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce, Kale & Roasted Fingerlings

Pan-Seared Scallops with Charred Lemon, Spinach & White Bean Ragu

Salmon over Harissa Couscous with Fennel, Citrus & Baby Kale

Herb-Roasted Chicken Breast with Polenta Cakes & Winter Squash

Pork Tenderloin over Creamy Polenta with Wild Mushrooms

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Masala Chai Panna Cotta with Espresso Caramel

Almond Cake with Wine-Poached Pears & Vanilla Ice Cream

Dark Chocolate Brownies with Mint Ice Cream & Bourbon Caramel

Cannoli with Earl Grey Ricotta Cream & Candied Citrus

Winter New England Dinner

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Winter Greens Salad with Clementines, Toasted Almonds & Citronette

Beet Gazpacho with Fennel & Citrus

Roast Winter Squash with Pepita Pesto, Smoked Balsamic & Burrata

Curried Squash Soup with Garam Masala Croutons & Herbed Creme Fraiche

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Risotto alla Marsala with Prosciutto & Wild Mushrooms

Handmade Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

Potato & Leek Ravioli with Roast Potato Jus

Crisp Gnocchi with Harissa-Spiced Squash, Pomegranate & Broccolini

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pan-Seared Scallops with Charred Lemon, Spinach & White Bean Ragu

Garam Masala Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Curried Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Puree

Herb-Roasted Chicken Breast with Moroccan Quinoa, Olives, Toasted Almonds & Spinach

Beef Bourguignon with Roasted Root Vegetables & Hen of the Woods

Salmon over Harissa-Spiced Couscous with Kale & Citrus

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Flan with Orange & Spice

Almond Cake with Wine-Poached Pears & Vanilla Ice Cream

Dark Chocolate Brownies with Mint Ice Cream & Bourbon Caramel

Brown Sugar Buttermilk Cake with Spiced Apples & Sea Salt Caramel

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Chef Chris's reviews

4.81

•

64 services

Chris was phenomenal! We booked him for a bachelorette party to come to our airbnb for dinner and it was absolutely perfect. He was polite and professional, the food was amazing, and he left the place spotless. Would definitely recommend!

Chef Chris was great. It’s a little unsettling hiring someone you don’t know to host a 12 person work dinner. Chris did a fantastic job. The food was quality and delicious. He explained all the items and served beautifully. Everyone is raving about the meal from end to end. Everything cooked to perfection. Would absolutely recommend him!!

Chris made a surprise family birthday party an evening to remember! Each course was amazing, the kids LOVED the menu he prepared for them, and he went out of his way to make a special birthday dessert and refused to let a series of unfortunate events that day deter him from delivering! We really appreciated his determination, the food and the entire overall experience.

Chef Chris did a fantastic job! Every dish was incredible and made for a special night. Would highly recommend!

We had an incredible experience, will definitely be back.

Chef Chris provided a memorable experience. He was on time, the food was delicious, and had personalized the menu per our request. He even went above and beyond with a few surprise additions. We had a great conversation with him and appreciated his professionalism. Thank you Chef!

Chef Chris presented us with lots of great menu options and the final menu was amazing. He was very accommodating to allergies and preferences. The food and presentation was amazing. It was fresh with complex flavors. We all finished the meal feeling completely satisfied! I highly recommend Chef Chris!

Chef Chris was incredible, I would highly recommend!!

Chris was such a wonderful chef - we cannot recommend him enough! The dishes were so thoughtful and creative and he did such a great job seamlessly incorporating dietary restrictions, which we really appreciated. The evening was everything we were hoping for - I hope we can book another dinner with him sometime in the future!

Chef Chris helped us to celebrate a 40th wedding anniversary and exceed all expectations. One of the best meals I have ever had! It was such a wonderful experience and I would highly recommend Chef Chris. The menu was thoughtfully crafted and sourced-everything was delicious!

Chris was wonderful, warm, excited about the food, where is was sourced and took great care in the preparation! He was also very adept at honoring dietary restrictions so gracefully. The food was amazing! He was able to help elevate a special night with an incredible meal! My family was blown away! Thank you Chris!!

Chef Chris was incredible! We did a family dinner for my mom’s 60th birthday and every dish was delicious. Chris was very friendly and kind and knowledgeable about the food he was serving us. We had a great night and would highly recommend the experience!

Chef Chris was excellent. He made this a truly amazing experience for my brother’s birthday. The food was amazing and he was a delight to have in our house. Would definitely book him again!

Chris was phenomenal! He was responsive and open during the menu process. He was punctual and attentive day of. The food was delicious and generous. We had some leftovers for the next day! Overall, great experience. I would highly recommend.

Chef Chris was absolutely amazing! He worked with us to build a menu we absolutely loved. He was super kind and very professional. The food far outdid our expectations and my very picky boyfriend loved and ate absolutely everything. We loved having him for our Valentine's Day dinner and cannot recommend him enough!

Chef Chris was incredible, he was everything I wanted for my wife’s surprise birthday dinner, he came with flowers straight from his garden, was very punctual and flexible. The food presentation and taste was out of this world. We had fun conversation and really enjoyed the experience

Chef Chris was amazing. Was great with our two girls and made a memorable meal for my wife’s birthday! Would highly recommend Chef Chris!

We had a wonderful night with Chef Chris at the helm. The dishes were presented with flair and each one had exquisite surprises in both taste and ingredients. Do yourself a favor and have Chef Chris Malstrom prepare dinner for your next date night or special occasion. We will highly recommend Chef Chris to all our friends and acquaintances.

Chef Chris is truly a treasure. With such little time to prepare he exceeded our expectations and his kindness towards our curious kids and personality all elevated the experience and evening. If you have the opportunity to book with Chris, consider yourself lucky. He is very talented and creative.

Chef Chris was INCREDIBLE. What an amazing experience that I wish everyone would try. Chef Chris is prompt with his responses as well as delivery. He was very accommodating for our 10th anniversary event and presented wonderful choices where it was hard to choose :). I asked for "warm and inviting" and he delivered that and more. He arrived with flowers in hand which was such a delight. Very nice touch. Days after we even kept talking about even his simple lemon-spritzer as being a wonderful accent to his fine dining menu. The presentation matched the aroma and the taste. Just FANTASTIC. Not only was the food the best we've ever had but the experience felt like once-in-a-lifetime. We had a few time constraints for an evening concert, and he adjusted the timetables to make sure we had an amazing experience without feeling rushed. He had all courses out in a well-timed manner where we were able to go out on our patio or have some intimate time talking by ourselves and yet engaging when we visited the kitchen to watch him work. Chef Chris is our next chef every time. Oh, and our kitchen was spotless.