private chef services and premium catering in Winnetka, ILlinois
private chef services and dining in winnetka
For when your gathering deserve more than catering.
Winnetka has always known how to set a table. From the landmark estates along Sheridan Road to the storied dining rooms of homes that have hosted generations of Chicago's most influential families, this is a community where hospitality is not performed — it is inherited. Vendador's private chef services were made for exactly this kind of home and exactly this kind of host.
For generous leaders balancing demanding careers with meaningful relationships, we bring a complete Michelin-caliber brigade — chefs, sommeliers, servers, and every piece of restaurant infrastructure your evening requires. Our NDA-protected staff knows when to laugh with you around the table, and when to disappear, so you remain fully present, completely unhurried, and and a guest in your own home.
For those who take their cellar as seriously as their guest list, our sommelier services bring genuine expertise to every pour. From night-of pairings to long-term cellar curation designed around how you prefer to entertain, this is private dining in Winnetka the way it should be: deeply considered, flawlessly executed, and worthy of the home it happens in.
From intimate dinner parties in storied Sheridan Road estates to landmark celebrations that spill across sprawling Winnetka grounds, we offer private dining, sommelier-led wine service, licensed craft bar programs, and canapé service — a complete culinary experience that arrives at your door and disappears without a trace.
private chef services
A chef-driven journey through 5 to 12 seasonally inspired courses, plated with precision, and presented with passion and elite hospitality. Every detail is provided — curated plateware, Reidel glassware, silverware, and linen napkins — so you never need to worry about having the right amount of anything. Each menu is custom-designed for you and yours, never repeated, always unforgettable, and worthy of the Winnetka dining rooms they are served in.
From cellar curation to night-of pairings, our certified sommeliers and licensed craft bartenders bring the full beverage experience to your event. Choose from our rotating seasonal cocktail menu, a premium open bar, or three tiers of wine pairings. Every pour is intentional, every cocktail crafted.
Canapés & Grazing tables
Elegant, fresh, high level bites designed for effortless entertaining. From the drawing room to the garden, our canapé service sets the tone from the first moment guests arrive and keeps the energy alive all evening long,
buffet dining
Abundant, beautifully composed, and anything but ordinary. Our buffet presentations bring the same Michelin-caliber ingredients and plating philosophy to a format that flows naturally for open houses, cocktail receptions, and events where conversation moves as freely as the food
What Sets Us Apart for catering in winnetka
MICHELIN-TRAINED PEDIGREE
Chef Francis Pascal trained in some of Chicago's most celebrated kitchens — Japonais by Morimoto, Momotaro, and Roister of The Alinea Group. That foundation of elite technique and exacting standards travels with us to every table we set in Winnetka.
A COMPLETE FINE DINING ECOSYSTEM
We don't arrive with trays and chafing dishes. Vendador brings an entire restaurant brigade to your home — Michelin-trained chefs, sommeliers, mixologists, servers, and every piece of plateware, glassware, and linen your table requires. Nothing is missing. Nothing is left behind.
NDA-PROTECTED DISCRETION
Winnetka's most cherished gatherings deserve complete privacy. Every member of our team operates under a non-disclosure agreement, so your guests, your conversations, and your home remain exactly that — yours.
FARM-TO-TABLE SOURCING
Chef Francis grew up in Albania with direct relationships to the people growing his food. That same philosophy drives Vendador today. We source from trusted farms and purveyors whose ingredients grace the menus of the country's top Michelin-starred restaurants.
BUILT FOR YOUR TABLE, NOT THE MASSES
Vendador is a boutique operation by design. We do not run multiple events simultaneously or hand your evening to a junior team. When you book Vendador, you get Vendador — fully present, fully committed, from the first course to the final mignardise.
“I can not say enough about Francis and his team at Vendador. Francis was a dream to work with leading up to the event- worked with me on my crazy ideas, had perfect contacts for other vendors we might need (I.e. space rental, flowers, etc), and was wonderful with communication. I had a few of my guests cancel last minute and Francis worked with me to make the intimate event perfect - on a short timeline!
His attention to detail (the menus at the place settings, the welcome cocktail, the prep) is next level. He truly goes above and beyond. His operation is a well oiled, professional machine.
The food was out of this world. Francis is a talented chef - each course was better than the next. I am still dreaming of (and drooling over) that salmon crudo! He delivers a luxury dining experience in the comfort of your home - my guests and I will never forget that unbelievable meal.
Francis and his team left my kitchen spotless- they were incredibly respectful of our space- and he was very sweet to my kids (they loved that he made them a special mac and cheese meal).
The best part of the entire experience is that Francis is just one of those good humans who you want to continue working with and referring people to. He cares about what he does with true passion and his customer service shows it. We enjoyed chatting with him all night and can’t wait to have him back.
10 out of 5 stars.
Update — he’s been back 3 more times!”
-Emma G., client in Winnetka
why we love cooking in winnetka
Winnetka has been hosting extraordinary gatherings since before it was incorporated. Founded in 1869 along the shores of Lake Michigan, this village was shaped by families who understood that a well-lived life deserves beautiful surroundings — and who built their homes accordingly. From the Georgian estates along Sheridan Road to the architect-designed Tudor and Colonial Revivals that have anchored the same lots for over a century, Winnetka was constructed with intention, and it shows in every room we have had the privilege of cooking in.
The hosts here are generous, deeply rooted, and enormously proud of their homes. They are families who have attended the same New Trier graduation parties for two generations, who open their estates for holiday gatherings that have become annual traditions, and who mark milestones with the kind of deliberate, considered celebration that only comes from people who know exactly what they have built.
Vendador has had the privilege of serving Winnetka's most meaningful occasions — intimate rehearsal dinners in candlelit dining rooms overlooking the lake, milestone birthday celebrations in sprawling back gardens, corporate relationship dinners in private libraries where the conversation never has to stop, anniversary celebrations that unfold across every room of a home that has earned every one of its years, and summer soirées on gracious lawns that stretch toward the water.
These are not events. They are the evenings Winnetka families talk about for years. And we are honored to be the ones in the kitchen when they happen
FAQs for vendador private dining
What is the smallest and largest event size you do?
We design culinary experiences for groups of 2 to 200. Our flexibility is dependent on the style of dining and we are open to discussions about events larger than 200 guests. Our culinary support goes beyond individually plated fine dining experiences, and Chef Francis loves to get creative to personalize your event with canapé service, happy hours, food stations, grazing tables, buffets, open bar, seasonal cocktails, and more.
do you accommodate allergies and dietary restrictions?
Yes, we are happy accommodate all allergies and dietary restrictions. We love to design menus based on your preferences. We require all clients to ask their guests about allergies and dietary restrictions so we can personalize menus for certain dietary needs.
What does the day-of timeline look like?
We will arrive approximately 2 hours before your guests to set up. We prepare all elements of your meal from scratch at our commercial kitchen space, and cook everything in your home. We have cooked in all kinds of kitchens, and bring everything we need to execute your menu out of your home. Once we arrive, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the feeling of being a guest at your own party. After the event concludes, we work efficiently to pack up and clean, leaving your kitchen more spotless than when we arrived.
do you bring plateware and silverware?
We provide all the plateware, silverware, glassware, serviceware, cooking equipment, and linen napkins for your dining experience. Our goal is that you never have to lift a finger, and part of that means providing enough dishes and flatware for every course. We love working with our inventory of hand selected ceramics and high quality stemware. For specific plate styles outside of our collection, we can arrange rentals from a local company on your bej for a procurement fee.
do you only do formal dinners?
Your options for enjoying high quality cuisine are not limited to a sit down dinner! We provide food for all occasions and styles of dining are flexible based on the needs of your event. We offer elevated buffet service, food stations, raw bars, and passed canapés for events of all sizes, including corporate lunches. We also offer wine and cocktail classes or cooking demos as an add-on experience before your meal. If you have something special in mind, reach out! We love to make it happen.
Do you teach cooking classes?
In lieu of cooking classes, we offer cooking demonstrations as an add-on to your dining experience. We are happy to demo the techniques and process to the dish of your choice, whether that be how to make fresh pasta, how to cook the perfect steak, how to pipe and roll agnolotti, how to shuck oysters, etc. If there is something you’ve always wanted to see the process of, ask during your consultation! Sharing our knowledge is a vital part of Vendador.
do you bring DECOR for the table?
Though we do not personally provide decor and styling for events, we often collaborate with local florists and event stylists. We have a trusted network of vendors who we would be happy to connect with on your behalf to design your table or pick up simple floral arrangements.
what is the cost of a Private chef experience?
Our commitment to excellence extends beyond the plate, encompassing a comprehensive and personalized luxury event service. We operate with an event minimum of $1500 and tasting menu experiences begin at $325 per person.
Since no two events are alike, the final price is curated jointly through a consultation.
These prices are for private dining experiences and are not relevant for corporate lunches and catering packages..You can learn more about corporate catering here.