Chef by Request

Chef by Request did an excellent job with our food! Amanda was so easy to work with and super attentive during the whole process. We had a few guests with dietary restrictions and allergies and they went above and beyond to make sure those individuals were catered to. We chose the 6oz filet, farmhouse chicken, and zucchini vegetarian dish. We heard nothing but great things about the food from our guests. My husband used to be a chef and they passed the test for sure!

Chef by Request has been exceptional from the start of us reaching out to them! Amanda was so responsive and accommodating to what our vision was in regards to our menu for our wedding! Many of our guest told us our food was delicious!!! Highly recommend and you’re in good hands with Amanda!!!

CBR did a phenomenal job on our wedding. The food and staff were both top notch. Amanda was very helpful with all of our needs. 5/5 would recommend.

Working with Chef by Request was such a delightful experience. Amanda was incredibly helpful, kind and responsive during our planning process as well as offered such great insight into our culinary visions. Chef by Request delivered impeccable service, attention to detail, and delicious food. It was such a gift to be fully present in our celebrations and not worry about a single component because Amanda and her team were so dedicated to providing an outstanding catering experience. If you want a seamless evening and know that you will be taken care of, I recommend Chef by Request and look forward to using their services for future events!

Chef by Request, and specifically, Amanda are the best ! So professional, very responsive. They were the only caterer that helped me try to stay in my budget for food for my wedding! They helped with suggestions there are so many options to choose from. The tasting was wonderful, I cannot recommend them enough! They helped think of the little details I may not have. Very helpful and all around awesome ! Made my day so special and their servers were amazing!

Amanda at Chef by Request was amazing. She was quick to respond to all of my questions and made it so that I could just enjoy my wedding without stress. Highly recommend.

We might be the most unorganized people on the planet but for our wedding on 5.10.2024, Chef by Request made everything come together better than we could have expected. Amanda is the person you want to communicate with when it comes to planning a wedding. Even though she may have the busiest schedule known to man or woman she always makes you feel as though you are her only contact. The staff were some of the most friendly people we've met, and let's be honest.....this is work for them. I don't think there was one person I saw without a smile or engaged with a guest to help at every corner. The food is second to none. Our spread wasn't the most out there in regards to tastes, we're plain people and it doesn't take much to impress us, but for a wedding of 150 people the Chef's took care of every appetizer, to every meal, to our desserts and coffee. Whether it's big or small do yourselves a favor and go with Chef by Request for all your catering needs!

From our first conversation to the final finishing touches, everything we managed with Chef By Request was amazing. We chose a venue that would allow us full control over our vendors, and the search was on for an amazing caterer. Chef By Request came up among our searches, and we were truly wow'ed by the event coordinator, Amanda. Amanda goes above and beyond for her clients to have a wonderful experience. She answered our questions thoroughly and thoughtfully, and was a hallmark of our time working with them. The food is amazing. They have a nice private dining space for tastings on-site at the Lisle office, which was comfortable, quiet, and enjoyable. We had a very relaxed tasting and generous portions, and we felt very confident making choices for our wedding. From then on, any planning questions or decisions with Amanda was amazing, and our wedding food was incredible. We cannot recommend them enough - the arugula and beet salad was a favorite, as well as the brick chicken francaise and short rib risotto. Our guests were very impressed with our meal, and we received so many compliments. You'll get not only amazing food, but white-glove customer service with CBR. We would easily hire them again for any future life events!

We hired Chef by Request for our wedding in June 2023, and were very pleased with the quality of the food, service, planning experience, and responsible communication. They worked with us to craft a menu that would appeal to many palates, was mindful of allergies, inclusive and as locally sourced as possible. Of the four vendors we reached out to, Chef by Request was the most responsive and the only one able to commit to sourcing local produce. We were also able to work with a local liquor store partner to get exactly the alcohol we wanted. While there were some bumps along the way (we went through multiple iterations of the "final" menu and details such as the linens until it was correctly recorded), Amanda met us where we were and ensured everything was set up and presented as we wanted it to be. She was collaborative and easy to work with, especially since we also hired a day-of coordinator and composting service. Everyone at our wedding loved the food -- and I appreciated having a plate of strawberries that were absolutely grown on a small farm and sourced locally.

Would recommend Chef by Request as a caterer, they did fantastic catering our wedding. We worked with Amanda who made the whole food selection process easy and stress-free. She was super friendly, attentive and made the experience even greater. The food was great, received lots of compliments from our guests. And kudos to the serving team for handling the last-minute menu and seating changes our guests threw at them without breaking a sweat. Great food, great service, and they handle curveballs like pros. If you're after solid wedding catering without the drama, Chef by Request is a great choice. Would definitely recommend.

CBR was truly a pleasure to work with for my wedding this past weekend! Amanda listened to everything that we wanted. She even was so kind enough to remember that my husband likes his sauce on the side, and doesn’t like cheese! Every guest said that the food was absolutely amazing, and wish they could have taken seconds home! We couldn’t picture our day with out the CBR team!

Food and service was incredible!!! Wonderful to work with them and would use them every time! Thank you so much for all your help!

Food and service was wonderful! We got so many compliments from guests at our wedding about the food! The process was very easy from beginning to end. Amanda made everything go so smoothly and was timely to all my emails!

The food was out of this world and the service outstanding! They made our special day all the more special because of their friendly, amazing staff. I highly recommend them them!

Our wedding was 1/20/2023 and people are still talking about the food! Working with Amanda was incredibly simple and fun. She worked with us to create a well thought out menu, shared recommendations for our appetizers, late night bites and dessert pros and cons. We really appreciated her guidance and help. The food was out of this world. The staff treated my groom and I like royalty and really helped to make the night special. We would recommend them 1,000 times if we could!

I cannot say enough good things about Amanda and Chef By Request. I emailed Amanda for about 16 months about our wedding and changed my mind about 150 times and she was so helpful during the process and so patient with me in deciding what we truly wanted on our wedding day. They provided food for my bridesmaids and me the morning of our wedding, our cocktail hour, dinner, dessert, and late-night snacks and I cannot say enough about how great everything was. From our tasting to the wedding day, it was EXACTLY the same which is rare. The Chef By Request team is phenomenal and Amanda's professionalism and genuine care are unmatched - I'd recommend them to anyone. Thank you again for all of your support and for making our wedding day more than we could've dreamt of.

I hired Chef By Request for my wedding and they did an amazing job! We actually had a brunch wedding, so Amanda helped us to create a completely customized menu with omelet stations, a carving station, pastry station, an amazing buffet, plus build your own bloody mary and mimosa bars! People were passing around the food getting each other to try things and still tell me how great the candied bacon was to this day. Not only was the food incredible, but working with Amanda was so easy, she is incredibly responsive and professional. She also helped us to keep the bill reasonable. I am so glad that we went with them, I would highly recommend and use them again!

We used Chef by Request for our wedding in November @ The Bridge Lemont. The food was amazing! I was able to enjoy my meal (steak and chicken) and it was all cooked so well. The appetizers were also amazing as a wonderful staff member made myself and my husband a plate of appetizers so we could have some! I highly recommend :)

The best wedding food our guests have ever had! All of our guests raved about our appetizers, dinner, desserts and late night snack - the short rib risotto was a highlight but everything was fantastic! Amanda and team were great to work with and everything with our catering was a breeze. Highly recommend!

I cannot begin to explain how AMAZINGGGGGG Chef By Request is. Amanda was my main contact and she is an absolute treasure. All of my questions and concerns were immediately addressed and resolved. The day of my wedding was quite literally the best day of my life, and it was really through Amanda and her staff's help and dedication that everything went so smooth. The food was DELICIOUS, the cake was utterly IRRESISTABLE, and the drinks were absolutely flowing~ Thank you Chef By Request and especially you Amanda for being a part of our wonderful day. Hopefully will see you soon, because I'm 110% recommending you guys to my friends and family (some of them also getting married soon~)

We loved having Chef By Request cater our wedding! The food was delicious (we received so many compliments from our guests), and they were a pleasure to work with. They ensured that everything ran smoothly and were so helpful and kind!

We didn't have to think about a thing with Catering By Design! Amanda advised us on our daughter's outdoor/tented wedding and not one detail was missed. The food was restaurant quality and the service staff was friendly and attentive. We were so well cared for that we were able to just be in the moment and celebrate... perfect!

Choosing Chef by Request as our caterer was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding! They have SO many dinner possibilities and their extensive selection of both hors d’oeuvres and desserts made it hard to choose which ones to pick (too many delicious options)! Their packages were also much more affordable than other caterers we looked at. Aside from the food, Amanda was phenomenal to work with. She was extremely patient and always gave detailed answers to my questions, even if I sent 15 questions in one email! She was always friendly and kept in contact even when she was swamped with events. Our guests are still raving about the food (especially the wild mushroom chicken) and the staff members too. Everything was wonderful with CBR and we cannot recommend them enough!

I felt like a guest at my own wedding. Amanda was great at communicating with me throughout the entire process. I always felt confident that she had everything organized. The food was AMAZING! My husband was extremely happy and so we're our guests with the quality of food. Cannot say enough nice things.

Chef by Request was great! The coordinator was always helpful and on top of the work. The staff were very nice, and they left the kitchen in better condition than they found it. They followed the flow of the evening, and were quiet during the ceremony (which was fantastic!). The food was delicious, literally restaurant quality. 10/10.

I cannot say enough about the professionalism and quality of service from Amanda. She is the sole reason that I booked with chef by request over other caterers. Her responsiveness, transparency and willingness to make everything work. Our appetizers were amazing, and 3 weeks later people are still talking about how good their food was. We also did an ice cream sundae bar and everyone loved it! If you’re looking for great service and great food then this place is for you!

Amanda was amazing!! She made sure we had everything covered down to the final details. The day of coordinator and staff were fabulous. Very attentive and helped us navigate the day so nothing was missed. All of our guest were raving about the food and how delicious it was. I will always recommend Chef by Request for any event that needs catering. Fabulous job and we cannot thank you enough for the experience.

Amanda made our experience with Chef by Request so wonderful. Out of all the caterers I contacted, she was the most responsive and helpful, willing to go the extra mile to make things work for us, even at a venue that was far away and more challenging in terms of on-site places to prepare food. Even when our ceremony and reception were delayed, CBR handled the change in schedule fairly smoothly. The only thing I wish we had done differently was to communicate more clearly about our layout and to designate which tables would be served first so that our wedding party / family tables weren’t waiting as long to eat. But overall I would highly recommend CBR to anyone for how easy they are to work with, how delicious their food is, and the reasonable pricing.

We used Chef by Request for our recent wedding celebration. We can't say enough about how positive the experience was. Amanda was fantastic in working with us to plan an interesting and creative menu of small bites and the on-site staff did a phenomenal job. Our guests raved about the food and the attentive level of service. HIGHLY recommend Chef by Request!

There are so many caterers to choose from, but Chef by Request is definitely an experienced group serving up delicious food! Because we hosted a brunch reception, we did not have a traditional food tasting prior to the event; however, the brunch buffet (especially the live omelet bar) was an all around favorite for us and our guests. Chef by Request is honest, highly organized and maintains an open line of communication through the planning process. We really appreciated the detailed breakdown of costs and their flexibility while our final numbers came in. They make recommendations based on experience, but are also flexible to your needs/vision. We would definitely hire them again for a major event!

Working with Chef by Request was easily one of the best decisions we made throughout our entire wedding planning process. From the first email, our contact Amanda Ingle went above and beyond to provide all the information and support she could, including suggesting creative ways of cutting costs. She was always professional and prompt in our communications, patiently explaining anything we had questions about. She continued to be an MVP on the day of the wedding, even helping us make table number cards by hand when we realized that was something we had overlooked. And of course, all of the food was phenomenal. We 100% would work with Chef by Request again.

We had a great experience working with Amanda for our wedding catering. She was flexible and responsive to feedback. We were also impressed with the range of options available at our price point.

This is the second wedding in my family which we have used Chef by Request because the food, service, and coordination are amazing! At both weddings guests were so happy with the delicious food! Amanda helped us immensely through 3 postponements due to COVID and was always understanding and kind! She was able to make everything we wanted happen in an affordable way. We are so impressed and can't recommend Amanda and her team more!!

We absolutely love Chef by Request! Incredibly delicious food, variety, and consistency; the service was fantastic and the firm incredibly easy to work with and a joy to support. There was plenty of everything, and our guests could not say enough about the food. Thanks so much!

Amanda Ingle was wonderful to work with and her suggestions helped making the holiday a huge success! My guests loved the food selections and they were delicious. The gentleman that delivered and set up the food was so efficient and had great suggestion on the set up! I would recommend Chef by Request to anyone needing catering needs.

There is not enough space to expound on what a wonderful event Chef by Request catered for us! It was a second wedding for both of us and we really just wanted to have a celebration that was not traditional but still elegant. Amanda, who unfortunately I never had the pleasure of meeting, handled everything by email and somehow was able to nail EXACTLY what we were looking for. We had rented a VRBO for the party after the ceremony and had an open house. We choose a very eclectic menu to please all tastes and it all came together perfectly. We LOVED the staff and Chef Elena was perfect. Wonderful personality and the attention to details was above and beyond. One thing that stood out to both of us was the staff searched us out to make sure we were eating. (I do apologize I don't remember all their names.). When you have house full of guests, eating is not the first thing you are thinking of and it was a wonderful gesture. We did the night "On a flow" so we relied on Chef by Request to read the room and adapt to what was needed. They did it. We had an open bar (totally worth it because the bartender was perfect), about 15 different hot and cold appetizers for a group of about 40. Things came out a different times and no one went hungry. They made suggestions on variety and quantity which we appreciated to make sure everything was handled. Lamb chops. Let me say that again. Lamb chops. Coconut shrimp. Because everyone loves those. Perfect passed one bite yummy. Any of the meat and cheese displays are great and we mixed and matched them. We decided to not do a cake and instead do a dessert spread with cheesecake. So good. There was a bit of everything for every palate and they altered it to our request. Planning a wedding in Illinois when we live in Michigan has many challenges - Chef by Request made it so much easier. Would absolutely recommend them. A huge thank you to Amanda, Chef Elena and the rest of your staff for your help and well wishes. The night would not have been what it was without you. We still would have gotten married, but the bride wouldn't have had such a great time......Thank you!!

Amanda at Chef by Request was one of the MVPs of our wedding. She answered every question and request we had in a prompt manner, had great recommendations and was so incredibly thorough with all of the information that she provided us. The Sweet Home Chicago package was perfect for our guests, especially since many came from outside the Chicagoland area. Amanda and her team did an excellent job on our wedding day as well, and she was so helpful with coordinating.

I hate to use the word perfect, but that's literally what my wedding day was. This group put everything together flawlessly. Everything was beautiful, delicious, and memorable in only the best ways. If you are looking for a place to make your wedding dreams come true, look no further than chef by request. Thank you guys for my perfect day!

Amanda is amazing! She was super responsive and helpful throughout the whole proposal through final contract process. The food was great, and they even set aside an app plate during cocktail hour to make sure we (bride & groom) ate the food we selected for our guests! They worked directly with the venue on all the logistics, and it was honestly a pretty easy process for us, all we had to do was the tasting and select what we liked!

Chef by Request provided catering services for our wedding. We appreciated them hanging in there and being flexible with us while we found a new date for our wedding since we had to postpone one year due to COVID. Of all the vendor services we had to find, this was the most challenging. Our venue does not host frequent events. It was important that we found an organization capable and willing to take great care in leaving the space and equipment in the manner in which they found it. I can honestly say that Chef by Request delivered in that regard. The food was good. The service staff was sufficient. Our captain made sure we were satisfied before leaving. Amanda was our contact for planning. She was excellent and her responses were helpful and timely. Her experience and insight proved valuable. They delivered everything on time and as planned. We are happy to recommend Chef by Request to anyone considering them for full service catering.

Amanda was amazing to work with from start to finish, and worked with my budget to help bring our vision to life without over extending ourselves. From first interaction, to the tasting, to the wedding itself I cannot say enough how pleased we were with the service, quality, and professionalism from Chef By Request. We got sooooo many compliments on how great the food was at our wedding (apps, buffet dinner, and late night snacks)! My only regret is not eating more :D Stop looking, Chef By Request is where it's at!

Chef by Request did a phenomenal job, from the setup to serving, to clean up afterwards. Amanda was very responsive and accommodating to all of our requests. We had no issues whatsoever on the day off and the food was amazing. They even made a point to find the bride and groom to offer some hors d'oeuvres.

Chef by Request was amazing to work with for our wedding! Our event captain Amanda made us feel comfortable right from the beginning, and and was able to accommodate our requests. We choose to do their taco station for our dinner. During the tasting we were blown away with the quality and taste. They also made us an elote hors d'oeuvres per our request. At our wedding all of the food tasted as it did at the tasting, and all of the staff were wonderful! One server made sure that I got taste all of the hors d'oeuvres, and another came to check if we needed any more food before we made our rounds saying hello. All staff were professional, kind, and a joy to work with!

Chef by Request was top notch! We had the privilege of working with Amanda. From start to finish she provided a perfect experience. She was clear in communications, always willing to take a questions/clarify anything, and provided a variety of options without pressuring. There were never any concerns or issues along the way. The day of, the staff were warm, friendly, & on point. Even more, the food was perfection! Us and our guests could not stop raving about how delicious the food menu was from start to finish for all (vegetarians included!). Can’t say enough awesome things about them!

We worked with Amanda and Chef By Request to cater our wedding. Amanda was very helpful in the process of planning for tables, chairs, tents, linens, menu options, etc. I was truly impressed with the feeling of chef by request being a one stop shop. The day of the wedding was perfect. We made a backyard wedding feel truly extravagant with the help of Chef By Request. The servers were amazing and very professional. Highly recommend.

CBR was extremely helpful and flexible with our many changes (due to COVID) for our wedding. The bartender we had was simply amazing, and I could not recommend her more!!! Food was delicious, too!

Amanda was fantastic to work with! We had to make several changes bc of covid, and she rolled with the punches and made our lives easier. The servers/chef were so kind and helped clean up, very professional. Bartender was ok.

We found out about Chef By Request through family friends, and now that we can speak for ourselves, we’ll be recommending them to anyone and everyone in need of a caterer. Our guests are still talking about how delicious the food was! Favorite selections included the bacon wrapped dates, Parmesan crusted filet mignon, and macaroni and cheese. Amanda and her team were professional and flexible when our wedding plans changed some due to Covid, too. We also loved partnering with a business that gives back to their communities. Can’t say enough good things!

We went through Chef by Request for our last minute wedding celebration this past weekend. Dave, Amanda and team were incredible and willing to work within our budget to ultimately create a delicious app/meal/drinks selection and people raved about the food. I highly recommend them as a caterer for any celebration big or small!

Amanda and her team were incredible!! I have a culinary arts degree and food was the top priority in our wedding! Let me just say the food surpassed our expectations and then some. Chef by request was the best decision we made and I am truly thankful for the level of service they provided. Amanda is the backbone to this team and was very knowledgeable and professional with everything we threw her way. Amanda’s communication was super fast and she answered every one of my questions-there were a lot! The staff on our day even made sure to give us our own appetizer platter! We were in heaven! I would HIGHLY recommend them and would definitely hire them for future events.

We used Chef by Request for our wedding this past weekend and they were by far the best vendor we worked with. Throughout the entire process, Amanda was diligent, quick to communicate, and made everything extremely smooth and easy!! We changed our minds on a couple of things, and she would send the new contract over immediately no questions asked. Not only was the service great, our guests kept raving about the food! I would HIGHLY recommend them!!

We ordered appetizers from Chef by Request, and I don't even have much to say because everything went so smoothly! Sadly my now husband and I can't even say how the food was - everyone ate it all before we could even have any!

Chef by Request was a perfect choice for our backyard tented reception Labor Day weekend. Amanda was by far the most responsive of any of our vendors when it came to all the questions I had and last minutes changes. Setting up a kitchen at a private residence to feed over 150 people outdoors at a plated dinner is no small task, and they did it flawlessly. They even made a small plate of apps and served it to my fiancé and I privately between the cocktail hour and reception, and it was the best part of our day. I would 100% book them again!

Amanda and Chef by Request were amazing to work with throughout the whole wedding process, from the tasting to the big day and figuring out all the details in between. Big thank you to Amanda and the CBR team for making the process as easy as possible, being accessible to answer all questions, and for making the wedding day go smoothly and without a hitch. Not to mention the food was a hit!