Chef Don Carr

Private Chef in San Luis Obispo

I have had a lifelong love of food and dining. Before the era of celebrity chefs, I wanted to share my 16th birthday at Spago (Wolfgang wasn't a legend yet) with my best friend. My memories of delighting in the paper wrapped fingerling grilled cheese at Harry's Bar & Grill in Florence is my fondest food memory during a family trip. I was blessed to be exposed to a wide variety of foods and dining experiences in my formative years. It planted the seeds that grew into my passion and creativity. I spent fifteen years in the restaurant industry, attended The Portland Culinary Institute and enjoyed the privilege of serving celebrities, world leaders, and everyone in between. Cuisine remains an integral part of creating memorable experiences with people.

While I have enjoyed a successful career in marketing and advertising, I have also been honing my chef and hospitality skills using food as a creative outlet for friends and family. Now, I get to pursue my passion and share it with others. If you’re looking to bring people together for an intimate gathering, to celebrate love and friendship and to create memories over fine food and drink, it would be my joy to do that with you. It fills my heart with happiness to delight those who come to my table by creating dishes and experiences that are healthy, delicious, beautiful and memorable. I look forward to helping your next gathering do exactly that.

For me, cooking is...

a canvas for my creativity. Each dish is unique and prepared with both skill and infused with love.

I learned to cook at...

our home kitchen when I was young. I attended Portland Culinary Institute and have honed my skills cooking for family and friends.

A cooking secret...

is to cook with love and care in all I do, keenly keeping the people who come to the table my main priority above all else.

My menus

Gourmet Taco Bar, Craft Margaritas, Mexican Beer, Michelada's and Dolce's

STARTER

All inclusive

Craft Patron Margaritas - Cucumber & Jalapeno, Watermelon, Mango (when in season), Served on the rocks (1 drink per guest included. Additional @ $15.00 each)

Mexican Beer Sampling- Chilled Modelo, Corona, Pacifico with limes (2 beers per guest included. Additional beers at $7 each)

Michelada's (Beer + Homemade Michelada mix with a salted/Tajin rim and lime) 1 Michelada per guest. Additional Michelada's at $10 each

Taco Works or Home made tortilla chips with house made guacamole and salsa

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Taco proteins: Seasoned and grilled Carne Asada, NY Steak, Organic Chicken, Adobado (Pork)

Taco toppings: Grilled and raw onions, grilled chili peppers, tomatoes, fresh avocado slices, garden fresh greens, cilantro, Mexican cheese

Condiments: Sour Cream, House made Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, Hot Sauce Selection

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

DESSERT

All inclusive

House made flan and baked Churro's with chocolate dipping sauce

Optional substitute: Cinnamon Apple Crisp with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Bachelorette Bash -- Central Coast Style

STARTER

All inclusive

Chilled water service

Amazing craft cocktails and or wine (additional cost - chat with chef about options)

Grilled artichokes with citrus aioli or Farm Fresh Tomato Bruschetta or TBD starter (chat with chef to make requests)

OPTIONAL - Charcuterie plate with cured meats (from Alle Pia in Paso Robles), local cheese, spreads, fruits, nuts, etc

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Chef's Signature Salad - Leafy greens, shaved Radicchio and Arugula salad with roasted beets, apple, pear, candied pecans and house made citrus vinaigrette with Gorgonzola crumbles

OR Classic Cesar salad with local greens and homemade dressing, croutons and shaved Parmesan

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

BBQ or Cast Iron Seared Prime Rib Eye Steak with Chimichurri or Mushroom, Onion, Herb and Red Wine reduction sauce

Citrus & herb infused Basmati rice or classic mashed potatoes

Grilled or local roasted veggies, seasoned to perfection

DESSERT

All inclusive

Midnight Molten (similar to Chocolate Lava Cake) and fresh whipped cream or Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee with mixed berries or TBD dessert

A taste of the Central Coast

STARTER

All inclusive

Amazing craft cocktails and or wine (additional cost - chat with chef about options)

Chilled water service

Grilled artichokes with citrus aioli

OPTIONAL - Charcuterie plate with cured meats (from Alle Pia in Paso Robles), local cheese, spreads, fruits, nuts, etc

OPTIONAL & EXTRA Chilled seafood selection (Grassy Bar, Morro Bay oysters on the 1/2 shell with Chef's special mignonette

Caviar tasting and accoutrements from The Caviar Co, SF, CA (additional cost- chat with chef about options)

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Chef's Signature Salad - Leafy greens, shaved Radicchio and Arugula salad with roasted beets, apple, pear, candied pecans and house made citrus vinaigrette with Gorgonzola crumbles

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

BBQ or Cast Iron Seared Prime Rib Eye Steak with Chimichurri or Mushroom, Onion, Herb and Red Wine reduction sauce

OR Pan Seared and oven roasted California Halibut (or your favorite fish) over roasted pepper, tomato, onion and herb puree

OPTIONAL & EXTRA Award winning NZ Lamb lollipops with mint and herb sauce

Citrus & herb infused Basmati rice or classic mashed potatoes

Citrus & herb infused Basmati rice and roasted veggies

DESSERT

All inclusive

Midnight Molten (similar to Chocolate Lava Cake) and fresh whipped cream or Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee with mixed berries or TBD dessert

A Birthday Celebration and taste of the Central Coast

STARTER

All inclusive

Grilled artichokes with citrus aioli or Farm Fresh Tomato Bruschetta or TBD starter (chat with chef to make requests)

OPTIONAL - Charcuterie plate with cured meats (from Alle Pia in Paso Robles), local cheese, spreads, fruits, nuts, etc

OPTIONAL & EXTRA Grassy Bar, Morro Bay oysters on the 1/2 shell with Chef's special mignonette

Amazing craft cocktails and or wine (additional cost - chat with chef about options)

Chilled water service

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Chef's Signature Salad - Leafy greens, shaved Radicchio and Arugula salad with roasted beets, apple, pear, candied pecans and house made citrus vinaigrette with Gorgonzola crumbles

OR Classic Cesar salad with local greens and homemade dressing, croutons and shaved Parmesan

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

BBQ or Cast Iron Seared Prime Rib Eye Steak with Chimichurri or Mushroom, Onion, Herb and Red Wine reduction sauce

OR Pan Seared and oven roasted California Halibut (or your favorite fish) over roasted pepper, tomato, onion and herb puree

Chat with chef about other main course options (steak, lamb, chicken, shellfish)

Citrus & herb infused Basmati rice or classic mashed potatoes

Grilled or local roasted veggies, seasoned to perfection

DESSERT

All inclusive

Midnight Molten (similar to Chocolate Lava Cake) and fresh whipped cream and Berry Compote or Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee with mixed berries or Pomme de Fleur (Apple Flower Pastry) with Vanilla Bean Gelato, TBD dessert

EXTRA: Home made birthday cake with candles (chat with chef to explore options)

Gems from the Sea

STARTER

All inclusive

Chilled oysters on the 1/2 shell tasting from Grassy Bar in Morro Bay with special mignonette

Dungeness Crab Cocktail over lemon pepper celery, cocktail sauce and fresh micro greens

Classic Shrimp Cocktail with cocktail sauce and lemons

Crispy Crab Cakes with a citrus and herb aioli

Choose one starter

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Chef's Signature Salad - Leafy greens, shaved Radicchio and Arugula salad with roasted beets (we can leave the beets off for certain guests), apple, pear, candied pecans and house made citrus vinaigrette with Gorgonzola crumbles

OR Home made Clam Chowder

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Spiny Lobster, grilled with a lemon & tarragon butter

Pan Seared and oven roasted California Halibut (or your favorite fish) over roasted pepper, tomato, onion and herb puree

Pan seared Scallops topped with crispy pancetta, anaheim chili and lemon tapenade

Choose one

DESSERT

All inclusive

Midnight Molten (similar to Chocolate Lava Cake) and fresh whipped cream or Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee with mixed berries or TBD dessert

Approachable & Delectable Elegance

STARTER

All inclusive

Premier Bubbles from Champagne, France

Chilled oysters on the 1/2 shell tastings from Grassy Bar, Hog Island and Prince Edward Islands with special mignonette

Caviar tasting on grilled toast, endive and figs

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Wagyu beef carpaccio with whole grain mustard, bitter greens, aged Parmesan and cracked peppercorns

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Seared duck breast and diver scallops with blood orange, soy and sesame glaze

Flash fried and lemon zested broccolini

Gold flaked sticky rice

DESSERT

All inclusive

Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée with mixed berries and fresh vanilla whipped cream

Port wine selection or sipping Whiskey tasting

Espresso or French Press Coffee service

The Five Star Experience

STARTER

All inclusive

Premium Champagne toast to kick off the evening

Sparkling or flat water service throughout the evening

Grassy Bar (Morro Bay) Oysters on the 1/2 shell with Champagne Mignonette

Fresh crab cocktail with lemon pepper infused celery or Crispy Crab Cakes over a roasted pepper and tomato puree

Craft Cocktails (chat with chef to talk about your favorites or selection options)

Bread service by local bakers and creamery butter

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Grilled locally farmed artichokes with garlic lemon and herb aioli topped with crispy homemade breadcrumbs

Garden fresh greens, shaved root vegetables, pear, apple, and lemon vinaigrette with gorgonzola crumbles

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Seasonal roasted vegetables seasoned to perfection

Garden fresh herb infused mashed potatoes

Snake River Farms Ribeye or Filet Mignon with garlic, shallot, rosemary and butter finish

Citrus marinated and locally caught lobster medallions topped with micro greens and clarified butter for dipping

DESSERT

All inclusive

Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée with mixed berries

Top shelf espresso martini or your favorite after dinner drink

Elegant table set up and all kitchen clean up so you can continue to relax and enjoy

Guys ONLY! Learn to prepare a classic starter, first course, main dish and dessert!. You will eat wh

STARTER

All inclusive

Craft cocktails, beer or wine to get everyone into the right spirits! (chat with chef via the app to make beverage choices)

Learn to make a classic cocktail (eg Margarita's)

Learn to make a classic starter or appetizer

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Learn to make and present a classic first course

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Learn to make and present a classic starter main course

DESSERT

All inclusive

Learn to make and present a classic dessert

NOTE: You will eat and enjoy everything you make :-)

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Chef Don's reviews

4.9

•

190 services

I hired Chef Don from Inspired Dining for my 56th birthday dinner and he along with Chef Bethany were fabulous! They set a magical table setting, made the most amazing cocktails (and kept them coming!), prepared and served delicious food - simply put we felt pampered all night. There were lots of personal touches too, like Chef Don's personal hand-written menus and thank you note and he also suggested Morrow Bay oysters for an app that were to die for (and I'm not even a big oyster fan!). To top it all off, they are also just super nice people and fun to hang out with throughout the evening.

Chef Don was amazing !!!

Chef Don was incredible. He made our event truly special and made it so easy on us to host. Our friends have been talking about it for weeks!

Chef Don came with it. From presentation to taste, everything was amazing. Our group enjoyed engaging with chef Don and tasting the incredible meal. What an experience. Thank you chef Don and su chef for making a memorable meal for us.

We had an incredible experience with Chef Don! The food was absolutely amazing — every dish was beautifully presented and full of flavor. He was so friendly and sociable, making the whole evening feel relaxed and enjoyable. Communication was easy from start to finish, and the service was seamless. We didn’t have to worry about a thing — just enjoyed a fantastic meal and great company. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a top-notch private chef experience!

We had a great experience with Chef Don Carr and his team! The food was very tasty, and it was coursed and presented in a way that best suited the needs of our group and our space. The team was professional and knowledgeable, and they went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience during our trip to the region including connecting us with other great local vendors.

Chef Don’s team was incredible. We had a wonderful birthday dinner for my husband. Would highly recommend.

Chef Don and his partner Treva were absolutely incredible. From start to finish, they made the experience unforgettable. Not only are they genuinely wonderful people….warm, professional, and fun to be around, but the food they prepared was outstanding. Every dish was beautifully presented, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor. They went above and beyond to make the evening special, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for an exceptional private chef! ????????‍????????

Chef Don & Chef Treva completely made our the bachelor party weekend. They were professional, engaging, and served some of the best food we've ever had. You absolutely have to choose Chef Don for your event if given the chance - he won't disappoint!

Chef Don was amazing to work with and chef Bethany was a delight. The food was outstanding, the service was fun and professional and the clean up was superb.

Chef Don and Treva are incredible! I felt like our group was in for a wonderful experience from the very beginning. Communication was friendly and thorough throughout the entire process. The table was set beautifully, and the food was absolutely delicious. They are good-natured, professional, and respectful, and it is easy to see that they love what they do. Highly recommend this awesome duo!

Chef Don and Treva were wonderful. The table decorations and food plating were a beautiful presentation. Each course was better than the last. Don was very accommodating to our dietary needs. They were friendly and engaging but also have is our space to enjoy the night. They saved to leftovers for us and cleaned so well at the end of the night. Our group was so pleased with everything.

Chef Don was amazing for our small dinner party. The food was incredible and the service was awesome. The table decor was a huge plus as well. Highly recommend!

I cannot even express into words how incredible Chef Carr and his team are. From the very first message of communication to the table presentation, the food, and when they left for the evening, everything was 5 star. He’s so amazing that we’ve already booked our next experience with him!

Chef Don and his wife Wendee were just absolutely amazing! All of us are still talking about how amazing the food was the entire weekend and I don’t think anything else really compared to the dinner they provided for us. They are extremely professional and friendly - they were so personable and fun to chat with during dinner which made the event even more fun. Everything was locally sourced and fresh, and we opted for extra add ons which was so worth it. Wendee decorated the table with flowers and lights and chef Don had wrote a personalized menu as a keepsake. Overall it was a perfect evening.

Chef Don is amazing. The food was absolutely delicious and the attention to detail exceeded our expectations. From table setting to the food and presentation to clean-up, we loved the entire experience. He and his wife Wendy worked with us to ensure our birthday experience and celebration was one we would never forget.

Chef Don was incredible and did a great job. Catering to our liking! Great personality with a love for food and wine:)

Chef Don Carr and staff were fantastic!!! The presentation, the service, the food.....was absolutely wonderful. I can not recommend Chef Don enough. He created a memorable experience for our family. We are looking forward to hiring him again. Thank you Chef Don!

Chef Don and his team are true professionals. They care so much about creating a good experience for guests, and Chef Don has an entire team at his fingertips to do so. The food was creative and delicious. Chef Don is a wonderful person and is so thoughtful and easy to communicate with! Would recommend 10/10!

Chef Don was incredible! He did everything to make the event special for us. His food was amazing. Every part of the dinner was delicious. He made everything exactly to our liking and included our feedback in the process. I cannot recommend him enough! Definitely hire him for your next event you will not regret it!