After tasting Chef's amazing creations at various events over the years we absolutely had to have him treat our wedding guests to an amazing BBQ dinner. This was definitely not another rubber chicken dinner. Chef is a master of his craft, and he and Kristin are professional, enjoyable to work with, and know how to impress a crowd.

Had a meal catered by chef and it was fantastic. All the food was amazing and he taught us so much. Chef answered all questions we had about techniques and told fun stories. It was great having him do a meal for a family of 4. He cleaned up so well after too! Chef is the best! Also brought by some fresh bread and other goodies!

Absolutely incredible. We hired The Chef Instead for our outdoor wedding in July based on Google reviews. Chef Martin and his team did not disappoint. Everyone is still raving about the food months later. I would book them again in a heartbeat!

We initially hired Chef Martin for our wedding in 2020. Due to covid we had to make changes and Chef Martin was so understanding and flexible. We ended up having him cater a meal for our immediate family and it was so amazing! Everyone loved the meal and we were so glad we were still able to have him and Kristen be a part of our wedding day. Fast forward to 2021- we had re-booked Chef for 2021 for our postponed reception (which we ended up canceling because of covid). Again, Chef Martin was always so responsive to emails and so helpful as we navigated all these changes. We ended up having a BBQ meal with a group of family and friends instead and again we were blown away with the quality and variety. There was something for everyone and the menu was incredible. Especially the Mac and cheese! With booking two events with the Chef we can say we were very happy with how upfront and clear he is with his information. You know what you are getting and he doesn't let you down. We would 100% hire the Chef again for future events and we were glad we got to enjoy two amazing meals prepared by Chef and Kristen! Thank you 😊

Over the past 15+ years we have hired Chef Martin on at least 6 memorable occasions, for group sizes ranging from about 2O to as many as 85. We have also had the pleasure of enjoying Chef's fabulous dinners on numerous other occasions when friends and acquaintances have used his services. Chef has never disappointed us, is always entertaining, and his dinners are outstanding. Kristen helped us immensely in planning our largest and most recent outdoor celebration and dinner this summer. From her extensive pre-planning checklist through to her venue visit several weeks prior to the dinner, we had full confidence that all details were taken care. Kristen also headed up the efficient and professional team of 3 servers on the day of the dinner. Thank you Martin...and Kristen for the fabulous meal and your important role in making the day so very special. Your passion for good food and people are always evident and appreciated.

Chef and his team were absolutely amazing! They cooked for us at our outdoor wedding of 80+ people. They were very organized and clean. My kitchen sparkled when they left. And The food was out of this world! My guests are raving about the food saying things like “those were the best ribs I’ve ever had” “wow your caterer was amazing” thank you Martin and Kristin for making our night so memorable right down to the meal we shared with our friends and family!

Chef Martin and Kristin provided us with a night not to forget!! This was a truly elevated experience. Not only did we have a beautiful dinner but Chef Martin was generous with his knowledge, giving us a private cooking show all afternoon. Now we are just trying to think of an excuse to have them come again, would highly recommend booking The Chef Instead for an exceptional fine dining experience that is restaurant quality but in the comfort of your own home.

Chef Martin catered our son’s wedding rehearsal at Big White. His tapas and desserts were impressive and delicious. There was a perfect balance in the various dishes and all the guests were impressed! A very talented chef whose food made the evening memorable and pleasurable. We highly recommend him!

Chef Martin and Kristen provided amazing food and service at two events we hosted this summer. Our friends are still raving about the wonderful BBQ! They made it all seem easy and really added to the fun and relaxing vibe at our gatherings. Thank you again.

I would definitely recommend Chef Martin for any dinner party you are hosting. Twice now, he has blow us away with his food and service. If he’s available, book him!