Chef Hatim Hamdan

Chef At Home in Philadelphia

I was born and raised in Morocco and have spent much of my life in Spain, an experience that has deeply shaped my culinary identity. I trained and developed my skills in kitchens across the country, from Barcelona and Madrid to the coasts of Valencia and the island of Menorca, gaining a strong foundation in Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine.

Throughout my career, I have worked alongside some of the top culinary talent in Spain, with experience ranging from high-volume, fast-paced restaurants to more intimate and refined private events. This versatility has allowed me to adapt my style to different settings while maintaining a consistent focus on quality and flavor.

After moving to the United States, I launched two culinary concepts—PhillyTapas (temporary) and Basqake—bringing authentic Spanish classics such as paella and tapas to a new audience. My Basque-style cheesecake has received critical acclaim, including recognition from Craig LaBan of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who described it as “an absolute fork magnet.”

Fluent in Arabic, Spanish, and English, I am able to connect with a diverse range of clients and cultures. My goal is to create memorable dining experiences that reflect both my heritage and my international journey, combining authenticity, technique, and creativity in every dish.

For me, cooking is...

Cooking is creating art, experiences and most importantly, memories of special moments.

I learned to cook at...

My formative training started with Soloh Group in Barcelona, and from there I changed positions in varying cities between Madrid, Barcelona and Philly

A cooking secret...

Creating Spanish cuisine infused with my Moroccan roots and Mediterranean touches.

My menus

Personal Menu

STARTER

All inclusive

Spanish Jamon, spanish cheese board and homemade blueberry jam

Confit red peppers salad, feta cheese, parsley

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Spanish truffle tortilla, alioli and chives

High level braised lentils with herbs and foie gras

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Seafood Paella

DESSERT

All inclusive

Basque cheesecake

Spanish egg flan

Mediterranean Tapas

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Anchovies toast with Parmesan & truffle butter and chives

Special Patatas bravas with chipotle sauce & alioli

Wild Mushroom Croquettes with Manchego cheese & truffle essence

Burrata with homemade pistachio pesto

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Spanish Potato tortilla with truffle

Tuna tartar with avocado cream

Spanish gambas al ajillo with garlic & fresh herbs

Beef meatballs with saffron sauce, egg zest & pine nuts

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Seafood Paella (specialty)

Braised Short rib lasagna

Grilled octopus with mojo verde and Urfa oil

Grilled salmon with champagne & trout roe sauce

DESSERT

All inclusive

Basque cheesecake

Caramelized spanish torrija

Spanish tapas

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Confit red peppers salad, feta cheese, parsley

Special Patatas bravas with chipotle alioli

Burrata with homemade pistachio pesto

Ratatouille Empanada with mojo verde sauce

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Spanish truffle tortilla, alioli and chives

High level braised lentils with herbs and foie gras

Tuna tartar with avocado cream

Creamy mushroom croquetas with truffle mayo and parmesan

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Seafood Paella

Beef Wellington with foie grass and Demi Glace sauce

Moroccan grilled chicken with fresh herbs

Grilled salmon with Beurre Blanc sauce

DESSERT

All inclusive

Basque cheesecake

Atlantic

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Oysters with Fish Sauce and lime Vinaigrette

Potato & Tuna Salad with Shrimp and Shrimp Mayo

Anchovies toast with Parmesan & truffle butter and chives

Mini Lobster Toast with Shellfish Coral Emulsion and Lemon Zest

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Tuna tartar with avocado cream

Croaker ceviche

Spanish Octopus with mojo verde & Garlic Paprika oil

Gambas (shrimp) al ajillo with paprika and fresh herbs

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Sea bass with a tomato sauce risotto & lemon zest

Spanish seafood paella

Lobster cannelloni with seafood sauce

Grilled salmon with champagne & trout roe sauce

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Basque cheesecake

Caramelized spanish torrija

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Chef Hatim's reviews

4.85

•

46 services

Chef Hatim was absolutely wonderful!!! We talked together the entire evening. He explained each dish from its origin to his presentation. We had a million questions and he answered every one of them in depth. He cleaned up after every dish, AMAZING!!! It was a wonderful experience and I will definitely be requesting him again and again. THANK YOU CHEF HATIM!!!!!

Chef Hatim was amazing. He prepared a menu for a party of 16 that everyone enjoyed. He was professional from our first contact and very easy to work with. When I requested any changes to the available menu he was easily accommodating. He engaged with our party and left our kitchen spotless. Truly an amazing experience and would highly recommend Chef Hatim

Hatim’s food and service were incredible. We hired him for a date night at home and he delivered a phenomenal experience for us. We are looking forward to having him back for family and friends! The cheesecake alone was enough to invite him back!

We had the most enjoyable night with our Take a Chef Hatim! He arrived promptly, was very polite, and the food he prepared was absolutely delicious. Overall it was an awesome experience and we all would do it again!

Chef Hatim was so great! Girlfriends and I had a holiday get together, Chef Hatim was very polite, he made an amazing meal, it was so delicious. He explained the dishes in detail, cleaned up nicely after and was punctual. I highly recommend him if you’re looking for a talented chef. We would love to hire him for another dinner in the near future!

Chef Hatim made my husband’s birthday amazing! He was very professional and engaging from the first contact made. He was punctual and each dish was presented with detail and passion. Chef Hatim is a talented chef who shared the culture of each dish upon its presentation. He was pleasant and we look forward to hiring him for another meal in the future! Chef Hatim is the way to go!

Hatim was incredible. The dishes were fantastic, and he was very personable and created a great night for my wife and I. Would highly recommend!

Chef Hatim did an incredible job. The food was delicious and his personality made the night perfect.

The food was superb and our evening was amazing. The mushroom croquettes were bursting with flavor and texture, the beef Wellington was cooked to perfection, and the Basque cheesecake was creamy and smooth. Hatim responded quickly to my questions. He is easy to work with and very personable. I would highly recommend Chef Hatim to anyone looking for a special and delicious dinner.

Chef Hatim created a well balanced experience. It fit perfectly for our 10 year anniversary! I would recommend for anyone that wants a Culinary experience.

Chef Hateem has been amazing in both his personality and cooking skills. His dishes were unique, fresh, imaginative, and very very tasty. I also loved his friendly nature and how easily he can engage in conversations with my guests. His personality is really very engaging and friendly. i highly recommend him as i haven't had this incredible Spanish food for a long time. I definitely want him in my future dinner parties.

We had Chef Hatim cook for my husband’s birthday dinner, and everything was amazing. We started late because I had to put my son to sleep, and he was so kind and patient about it. The food was absolutely incredible, every dish was full of flavor and beautifully done. Chef Hatim made the evening feel so special. Highly recommend!

Chef Hatim was very professional, nice, and talented. It was a pleasure working with him, and we would recommend him to anyone! We especially liked the mushroom croquettes, and we all agree that the Basque cheesecake was the best dessert we’ve ever had!

Chef Hatim was amazing to work with! He was very communicative and helpful even before I booked him to help me come up with a menu that would work with our preferences and dietary needs. He took the perfect amount of time to set up, in between dishes and clean-up for a wonderful at-home experience. His food was incredible- very flavorful and so nicely presented! I would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a fine-dining experience.

Our chef Hatim was personable, professional, and did a great job. Would definitely recommend.

Matim was more than we could have asked for. His food was delicious and his presentation matched. I would highly recommend him.

Chef Hatim provided us with an amazing 5 year anniversary dinner. He made the most delicious meal for us while also sharing a bit about himself and the origin of the dishes. I can not say enough great things about our experience and we certainly hope to have him again!

Chef Hatim provided an incredible meal for my boyfriend's birthday. Everything was perfectly seasoned and beautifully plated. The showstopper was the light and incredibly smooth chocolate Basque style cheesecake with orange zest. We also enjoyed the seafood paella with shrimp, muscles and calamari. The meal was a good value and having it prepared at my home made the evening extra special. Chef Hatim and his wife are lovely people, and I hope to visit the restaurant where he works in Philadelphia.

Chef Hatim was wonderful to work with. I hired him for a private dinner for my dad and his girlfriend for his birthday and he was punctual, informative, knowledgeable and most importantly his food was delicious. He is capable of creating a wide variety of dishes and flavors. I would highly recommend Hatim for both small private dinners and larger events and parties up to 20+. 5 stars!

Our Chef - Hatim did and excellent job in making a wonderful multi-course meal for 4 of us and creating a wonderful evening. The presentations were beautifully done and each course was delicious! An added bonus was that Hatim brought his lovely wife, Amira, an accomplished architect to help him with the preparations. We enjoyed their company so much that we asked Hatim and Amira to join us and share their story which began in Spain. Most enjoyable was Hatim's famous cheesecake, it was the best we ever had! I would highly recommend choosing Hatim as Chef at your next event, you will be guaranteed an amazing meal and an added bonus if Amira comes too!