Chef Michael Smerda

Private Chef in Fort Lauderdale

90Services completed

4.74 / 5Based on 24 reviews

English · GermanLanguages

Fort LauderdaleI travel up to 100 km

Get to know me better

Crafting culinary experiences that delight and inspire.

I am a German-trained chef with a Master’s degree in Culinary Arts and more than 30 years of international experience in fine dining, private chef services, catering, restaurant operations, and culinary leadership.

My career began in Germany, where I hosted the television cooking show *Mike isst einfach besser* and published my first three cookbooks. Since then, I have authored and published 15 books, combining my culinary expertise with storytelling, innovation, and a lifelong passion for food.

After relocating to the United States, I successfully led two German restaurants before entering Miami’s upscale hospitality scene. As Executive Chef at the iconic Sagamore Art Hotel in South Beach, I became known for creative menus, refined plating, and memorable culinary presentations.

Today, I specialize in personalized private dining experiences, luxury events, yacht dinners, and custom menus tailored to each client’s preferences, lifestyle, and dietary needs. My experience managing culinary teams and high-pressure kitchens allows me to provide exceptional food with professionalism, organization, and discretion.

I continue to explore innovative techniques, including 3D food printing, laser engraving, sous-vide preparation, and modern food presentation. Whether preparing an intimate family dinner or managing a large private event, my goal is always the same: to create thoughtful, beautifully presented food and an experience guests will remember.

More about me

For me, cooking is...

.... a religion. Very simple. Food is powerful. It influences our world, the way we live, and the way we enjoy life.

I learned to cook at...

Germany. I graduate in the Culinary Institut Kermes Munich with masters in culinary art

A cooking secret...

respect for the food.

Types of cuisine I prepare

Chef's special
Local
Latin American
French
Italian
Mediterranean

Show me more

Chef Michael's reviews

4.74

•

90 services

Would absolutely recommend Chef Michael!

Great experience!

Chef Michael exceeded our expectations in every way. His food presentation was gorgeous, and the dishes were delicious! He was punctual and left the kitchen spotless. I would not hesitate to hire Chef Michael for your next event or dinner party.

Chef Michael was absolutely incredible! His attention to detail was beautiful, kept in communication throughout the week and finalized a stunning menu! He was so friendly, attentive, and engaging. This was a dinner party of a lifetime, we made core memories. Thanks to Chef Michael! My friends can't stop talking about it, they were blown away by everything. Thank you so much! There is a new standard for dinner parties now!

We LOVED Chef Michael! We had a bachelorette dinner with 10 girls total and even had leftovers. Amazing service and attention to detail. Highly recommend and love that we were able to customize the menu. Some girls had allergies and Chef took care of everything! 10/10 would book again!

AWESOME dining experience! Master Chef Michael and his team handled the whole experience start to finish. No clean up and no hassle - all enjoyment! Plating and food were beautiful and lots of great flavors! The whole dinner party really enjoyed the evening. Cheers!

My friends and I booked Chef Michael for a brunch for a girls bachelorette party at our Airbnb. Chef Michael had us pick from an extensive selection of food and even accommodated a request from the bride when something was not on the menu. The food was AMAZING and it was all beautifully presented. His service was above and beyond. We are all still talking about how good his food was and how friendly, flexible, and professional Chef Michael was. Thank you so much for an amazing experience. We highly recommend booking Chef Michael for any private dining experience! You will not be disappointed!

Chef Michael was gracious, engaging, charming and created an outstanding meal. And his wine pairings were perfect. He and his team were outstanding.

Great and convenient way to have a private chef at your home.

Chef Michael created an unbelievable experience for my boyfriend’s 30th birthday dinner. The food was artfully presented and lick-the-plate-clean delicious. He accommodated all my special requests and gave excellent explanations of everything that was served. Truly a 5-star dining experience at home.

Michael was absolutely amazing! The sushi was unreal and we all tried some things we’ve never had before. I couldn’t recommend him more highly. Such a blast!

Chef Michael Smerda absolutely nailed it! We were a group of 9 business professionals and we hired Michael and his assistant to serve us breakfasts and a lunch. Every meal was entirely unique, included many options to fit everyone's preferences, and tasted amazing! He has a great personality, efficient work ethic, and a rockstar sous chef! Even though we did not have Chef Michael cook dinner for us, our entire group believed that his dinners would have been better than the "fancy" dinners we had at restaurants during our trip. We all highly recommend this chef's service, and we are very pleased with Take a Chef for connecting us with him.

Chef Smurda is amazing. He is engaging and attentive to details. His presentation is awesome. He explains each course in detail. He asks questions to ensure that each taste is pleasant. We had a great experience and I would recommend Chef Smurda for your private dining experience.

I can not say enough amazing things about Michael and Marjorie (his assistant). I was so skeptical about going through Take a Chef. We had a management offsite and I wanted something amazing! Michael was PERFECTION! From the moment I booked him I knew we had the perfect Chef. He was incredibly responsive and attentive to our dietary needs. He showed up exactly when we asked and his food was some of the best food we have ever eaten (and I am a New Yorker and have high standards!) he was an absolute pleasure to share space with. We will be using him every time we are in town, and might fly him to other locations if an opportunity presents. Do not think twice; he is your guy! We are so grateful!!!

Chef Michael created some amazing breakfast dishes for us. Every dish was amazing, detailed, presented beautifully, and exceeded all expectations! I would highly recommend Chef Michael.

Chef Michael ‘s food was phenomenal. It was the perfect surprise for my boyfriend. Everything was so tasty, plated beautifully and included cool techniques we had never tried.

My sisters and I gave this experience to our Mom and Stepdad as a Mother's/Father's Day gift. The impression Chef Michael left on them was incredible. His attention to detail and delicious food made the experience great, but his personable and warm personality made it memorable. Chef Michael does an excellent job in ensuring that your meal exceeds any expectations. We would definitely recommend him to anyone that is looking to gift this to someone or simply just wants to do something unique and different. Thank you again Chef Michael for such a wonderful dinner!

Great cuisine, presentation and service. This was a wonderful moment

Chef Michael Smerda was simply... the most talented, humble, fun, and professional chef I have ever met. I don’t even know where to start with just how happy my girlfriend and myself were with our romantic dinner for two. His assistant and him work well together like they have been doing it for 20 years, they are fun to talk to and explained the dishes perfectly. From start to finish we were blown away by both the flavors and presentation. It is the kind of meal where you are full at the end but it was such quality cooking that you do not feel bad whatsoever. However, if I were to describe him in one word..... he is an ARTIST and he is bringing back an appreciation for food the likes of which I have never seen. I promise you that Chef Michael Smerda’s love for cooking and presentation AND especially his advances and writing on “food lasering” and “food 3D printing” will make him a well-known name in the very near future. To me, he truly is a pioneer in that regard. And to end, we loved him so much we want him to cook for our wedding in the future. If that is not a positive first impression, I don’t know what one is. Do yourself a favor.... hire Chef Smerda and don’t look back. He will handle handle an event from 2 people to 12 to a corporate or fundraiser. Finding a chef who is that talented and truly appreciates the experience even after all his years in the field is refreshing. He has the experience and professionalism of 20-25+ years but he has the heart and drive of a 20 year old. Thank you again chef, we look forward to our next meal with you in the next month or so!

We had an amazing experience with chef Michael. His food was absolutely delicious and he exceeded our expectations. I would highly recommend him.