Reviews
We engaged Chef Cihan to prepare a birthday dinner for my husband, with five adults and two toddlers present for part of the meal. The two-year-old snagged an extra helping of the delicious dessert. Cihan was easy to communicate with, organized, charming, and incredibly precise with his timing, and the exquisite food exceeded our expectations. The adults were able to relax and enjoy the procession of each course. As others have said, he left the kitchen cleaner than it was before he arrived. His extensive experience and professionalism are obvious. We would all highly recommend him.
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Kathy Hamilton - November 3, 2024
Chef Cihan was the best private chef we ever had to date. His food was delicious and incredibly presented which led to a great dinner party. He also left our kitchen cleaner than it originally was - 10/10 would highly recommend!
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Jonathan NG - November 6, 2024
We had an amazing dining experience with Chef Cihan. This was a farewell dinner for my parents after them helping with our newborn. From the moment I reached out, the communication was impeccable. My dad is a rather picky eater with a small portion size. Not only did he finished every course, he raved about the food until the moment he got on his flight. Chef Cihan is such a delight! I’m looking forward to more amazing dinners with him.
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Seo Park - November 5, 2024
Chef Cihan is hands down one of the best and kindest chefs out there! He was prompt, organized, and communicated clearly from start to finish. The food was absolutely amazing. We hired him for a 12-person birthday dinner party, and we’ll definitely be bringing him back for future events!
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Arianna Sayyadi - October 28, 2024
Chef Cihan is talented to be sure, and he is thoughtful, he puts great care into the menu selections, ingredient sourcing, timing, and presentation, and he is a pleasure to have in your company. Before the night is done, we are already planning the next excuse to have him prepare a meal. Thank you, Chef Cihan, you are always 10/10
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Georgina Frantz - September 9, 2024
Chef Cihan did an amazing job at my graduation dinner. He was punctual, and flexible, communicated with us regularly, and the food was delicious!!! We will most definitely hire him again.
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Meghan Thapa - August 19, 2024
Chef Cihan helped us with 3 private events for 15 people.
His meals were excellent and stress-free. Would definitely recommend.
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Sean&Jessica Herman - August 4, 2024
I have to give Chef Cihan my highest recommendation and I am a serious foodie. Our small team of 7 Microsoft hired him for a special dinner together as a morale event this past week. It was like eating at a Michelin Star Restaurant right in my own home. I found him on the internet and at first I was not sure if he was going to be legit. Boy was I wrong. He has trained at The French Laundry and his mastery of cooking is amazing and he comes from a family of chefs from Istanbul. Most important he was wonderful to work with in creating a menu that could accommodate a challenging set of people who had diverse dietary needs and allergies. He made everyone feel special and catered to. He is humble and yet a great artist. Do yourself a favor and experience his expertise. While he doesn't do wine as part of his meal he does offer recommendations that can help create a pairing for his amazing dishes. We loved his Basque Cheesecake so much we are asking him to make it for our wedding celebration next month.
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Michael Aldridge / Team Microsoft Loop - July 26, 2024
Chef Cihan prepared an incredible 5-course meal for us. The dishes were beautifully presented and tasted amazing, 5 stars+ You won't be disappointed.
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Stefan Behrens- July 18, 2024
Chef Cihan was amazing! My wife hired Chef Cihan to prepare a birthday dinner for the two of us. With a 9-month-old at home, it's much harder to get out for a nice meal so we were very excited. Chef Cihan exceed expectations! The food was excellent. Everything was cooked perfectly, the flavors were delicious, and the plating was gorgeous.
Chef was engaging and we had great conversations about food and travel; he happily answered any questions we had about the ingredients, food preparation, and his overall culinary journey.
My wife said the Chef was easy to talk to and coordinate with in preparation for the dinner. He was flexible and accommodating.
Overall we had an amazing experience and highly recommend Chef Cihan's services.
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Kevin Tam- July 7, 2024
Chef Cihan was the absolute best. Just a wonderful experience from beginning to end. He is personable, responsible, highly collaborative, and a terrific chef!
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James Read - June 29, 2024
During our recent trip to Seattle, we had the pleasure of hiring Cihan, whose background includes prestigious stints at The French Laundry and under Jean-Georges. His culinary expertise was evident throughout the evening, making it an unforgettable experience. The meal began with a starter of cured yellowfin tuna, paired with a vibrant carrot escabeche, creamy eggplant purée, and fine herbs. This dish set a high bar with its freshness and exquisite presentation. The first course featured sashimi of hamachi, complemented by a Thai coconut lime cream, ikura, and pickled daikon. The combination of textures and flavors was perfectly balanced, showcasing his talent in Asian-inspired cuisine.
For the main course, we enjoyed Kyoto miso-marinated Chilean sea bass with a delicate yuzu-champagne miso sauce and crispy lotus roots. The seabass was cooked to perfection, and the flavors were beautifully harmonious. Dessert was a standout: a burnt Basque cheesecake with blackberry and rhubarb coulis, topped with almond crumble. It was so delectable that I couldn’t resist having it again for breakfast the next day. Overall, Cihan was incredibly accommodating, professional, and gracious, making the evening seamless and memorable. His skill and creativity truly made for an extraordinary dining experience. We highly recommend him to anyone seeking a unique and sophisticated culinary adventure.
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Andrew Bensinger - June 21, 2024
Cihan transformed our evening into a culinary masterpiece, blending exceptional flavors with flawless presentation. His attention to detail, passion & professionalism is remarkable.
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Brittany Powers Feek - May 16, 2024
As with our previous experience, Chef Cihan outdid himself. He is a great communicator. Flexible and imaginative with the menu. Always on time and thoroughly prepared. And such a talented master in the kitchen! He is a truly lovely person, and it is such a pleasure to welcome him into our home. I look forward to when he will be creating another beautiful and delicious meal for us. You simply can not go wrong with Chef Cihan.
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Michelee Scott - April 20, 2024
I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to experience Chef Cihan’s cooking twice in private settings for special occasions with friends and family. I was blown away each time at the food and overall experience. I love going out, but dining in with Chef Cihan is unique and celebratory in an amazing way. I highly recommend him.
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Noah Klika - April 5, 2024
We had the pleasure of hosting a remarkable 50th birthday dinner party for my close friend, made unforgettable by the culinary prowess of Chef Cihan Erol Etlik. Each dish he crafted was a masterpiece, blending exquisite flavors with artistic presentation. Chef Cihan's attention to detail and personalized approach tailored the dining experience to perfection. His warmth and professionalism added an extra layer of joy to the evening, leaving our guests impressed and delighted. Thank you, Chef Cihan Erol Etlik, for transforming an ordinary gathering into an extraordinary culinary celebration. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a memorable dining experience filled with impeccable flavors and exceptional service.
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Stefanie Wilcoxon - March 4, 2024
Chef Cihan prepared an amazing meal for 18 of us recently catering to our one gluten-free guest while still dazzling our pallets and our eyes! Courses of hand-prepared cod, lamb, and cheesecake, each course better than the last! His menu preparation, professionalism, and day-of execution are all above expectations. He is worth bringing in to elevate any evening, large or small.
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Mark Concannon - February 25, 2024
We hired Chef Cihan for my birthday dinner after enjoying his food at a friend’s house. He was so easy to work with and he accommodated each of my menu requests and additions. He is super friendly and clean, and I can’t wait to have him back! I dream of his basque cheesecake!!
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Jamie Cantu- February 23, 2024
AMAZING!! We have used Chef Cihan’s services for a few dinner parties and events each time he has been consistent, professional, and incredibly easy to work with. He adapted the menu perfectly for our guests with allergies and food restrictions and the food he prepared was delicious and plated so beautifully. He provides a very high-end dining experience that is perfect for special occasions. I would 10/10 recommend Cihan’s services.
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Adina Stromberg- February 22, 2024
We truly enjoyed an incredible meal and time hosted by Cihan Erol Etlik. His dishes were very creative and full of flavors. We had a total of 8 people at the table and Cihan was able to maintain a perfect flow for all the courses during the entire meal. The wine pairings that he recommended perfectly complemented the meal that he prepared, and added another dimension to the exceptional dinner. He presented all the courses with professional confidence and grace. Our guests were enchanted and enthused by the entire experience!
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Demetrius C. Terrell- February 12, 2024
Hired Chef Cihan for my birthday dinner for 12 people. He was very communicative and we spoke multiple times leading up to the event. The menu he presented me to choose from was excellent, and on the day of the dishes were delicious! Everyone enjoyed their meal. Chef cleaned everything up before he left and was very pleasant to chat with during his meal prep. I highly recommend Chef Cihan!
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Suzanne M. Kraus- February 5, 2024
Chef Cihan was incredibly professional, and communicative and the food was top-notch. I’ve never done an in-home chef before so didn’t know what to expect, but Chef Cihan exceeded my expectations. I would hire him again and again!
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Aliza Morris- November 12, 2023
Absolutely incredible. Chef was able to provide us with an amazing experience, with fantastic food, and sophisticated tastes and we would book him again in a heartbeat. He is truly talented and will make any dinner you are preparing, once in a lifetime!
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Rebecca Morphis- October 22, 2023
My fiancée and I had an adventure elopement in Seattle and wanted to end the day with a private dinner. We found Chef Cihan and we couldn’t be more happy with our experience. On the day of the scheduled dinner, our ceremony ended very late and we were too tired to really enjoy the meal but Chef Cihan was very accommodating and allowed us to reschedule to lunch for the next day. Chef was very professional, he gave us updates on the time of arrival and was very punctual. He was very personable and easy to talk to without us feeling overwhelmed by his presence. Most importantly, everything on the menu was delicious! The dishes were brought out in a timely manner, we didn’t feel rushed nor did we have to wait too long in between meals. In the end, our kitchen was cleaner than before the Chef arrived. We highly recommend Chef Cihan!
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Hoang Nguyen - October 10, 2023
Chef Cihan prepared a fantastic birthday dinner at my house. The menu selection is thoughtful matches the season and includes wine pairings that I can shop for separately. We had a fantastic time chatting about everything the specific spices he brought from his recent trips from Morocco and the specific knives he was able to get from Japan. The food was amazing, but I think the most important quality of the conversation. He clearly loves what he does and is very eager to share with us the key steps in the preparation.
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John Yi - September 18, 2023
Chef Cihan provided a wonderful service for us. He was able to deliver on everything we needed, on short notice and added on to what was already such a wonderful occasion. The food was fantastic and the servings were perfect. I would love to work with him again.
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asMaximum Millet - September 6, 2023
Chef Cihan was incredibly professional and polite, his menu was seasonal and inventive. There was a little issue with some of the proteins as we found out (only days before the event) that one of our guests had a dislike for seafood. Chef Cihan made quick changes to the menu and made 2 separate dishes for this one guest. The dinner was flawless, and we were blown away by his creativity and how delicious everything was including the fresh made-to-order raspberry soufflé capping off the incredible meal. I highly recommend Chef Cihan and would hire him again!
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Karina Kunins - July 3, 2023
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Chef Cihan is such a delight, and he made our anniversary dinner truly magical. During the preparation, he walked us through his inspiration for becoming a chef and his experience cooking throughout the world. All of the dishes were thoughtfully crafted, well-balanced, and frankly delicious. We both consider this one of the best meals of our lives.
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Daniel LaRoche - June 3, 2023
Chef Cihan was fantastic-easy to work with, very responsive and punctual, and friendly. And, the food was really delicious - every single dish was thoughtfully prepared and presented. We had a great dinner party and I would work with Chef again.
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Alanna Nielsen - April 24, 2023
What a fantastic experience!! This was a Valentine's Day treat for us and didn't disappoint. We like to eat at high-end restaurants but it's harder these days with kids on a weekday, so we got a high-end restaurant experience at home. The food was delicious, perfectly cooked, and presented, and Chef Cihan was the perfect combination of engaging and conversational while also knowing when we wanted to have our own privacy at dinner. We will definitely be hiring Chef Cihan again and strongly recommend it!
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Tai Rattigan - February 21, 2023
Chef Chef Cihan cooked an incredible dinner for us at our birthday event. He suggested an amazing menu and tailored it to our tastes and preferences. The meals he prepared were not only visually stunning but also incredibly delicious. He was happy to explain all the ingredients and thoughts behind each course and provided great recommendations for wine pairings. We could not have been more happy with his service and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a great home cooking experience.
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Christine C - January 28, 2023
We are extremely satisfied. It was the perfect experience for our law firm’s holiday party. Everyone enjoyed themselves, the food and service were beyond fabulous, and the dishes were even done before the night wrapped up!
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M. B. Sheehan - December 9, 2022
I was incredibly impressed with the service, food, presentation, and overall experience of the evening. We’ll be booking Chef Cihan again!
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A. Jennings - November 20, 2022
Chef Cihan Erol Etlik helped us create an unforgettable romantic evening, from his punctuality, his set up & and presentation, and his high-quality meals. A wonderful menu manifested into a gorgeous & and delicious meal. We will likely be seeing Chef Cihan again soon!
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J. Nnanabu - September 13, 2022
Chef Cihan made our anniversary dinner unforgettable. It felt like for one evening our home transformed into a fancy restaurant! The chef demonstrated how to cook every dish and even shared some secrets of searing perfect scallops! Would definitely recommend it to everyone.
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R. Kalmykov - September 9, 2022
Chef Cihan created an absolutely unforgettable night for us. His communication throughout the process was attentive, clear, and professional. The food was absolutely top-notch, the service was impeccable and he was a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend Chef Cihan to anyone who wants to create a special and memorable experience. We look forward to working with him again soon. Thank you!
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M. Berger - September 3, 2022
I have had the privilege of having Chef Cihan cook in my home three times and each has been amazing. The first time he prepared a dinner for 10 (including a child) of semi-picky eaters and developed a 4-course menu that everyone loved. His plating was superb and inventive and his execution was flawless. He delivered 9 perfectly cooked pieces of halibut out of one kitchen at the same time and cooked a steak for a member of our party who doesn’t eat fish. The second dinner was an engagement dinner for my best friend, who is a pescatarian. The meal was absolutely brilliant and better than any restaurant I went to in 2021! He made a ceviche that was out of this world, a poached octopus that was unlike anything I’ve ever had, a lobster with truffle dish that was one of the best dishes I’ve ever eaten, and a dessert that was the perfect ending. We still talk about what an incredible night it was. In February, he came back for a 6 person birthday dinner. Everyone (including my brother-in-law who is a chef) was incredibly impressed. The smoked duck appetizer was out of this world and the steaks were gigantic and delicious. We had enough leftovers! While all three meals were very different, what was constant was Cihan’s technical brilliance and execution. His customer service is top-notch, as he is highly responsive and partners with you to develop the perfect menu to match the occasion. He’s attentive during dinner without being intrusive and a joy to be around. He also leaves your kitchen cleaner than when he found it!! I can’t say enough great things about Chef Cihan and the experiences he has helped provide my family and I.
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T. Dimeglio - July 1, 2022
We had a wonderful experience with Chef Cihan. With 7 people, there were quite a few requests, and Chef Cihan was up to the challenge and delivered an unforgettable 5-course meal. Timely and professional, the experience as a whole was fantastic. Perfect portion sizes and the food was absolutely delicious! Would 100% do this again! Thank you again for the amazing experience! Highly recommend Chef Cihan!
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H. Ahrnsbrak - June 25, 2022
For my first time getting a private chef, I am so happy that it was Chef Cihan. It was an amazing experience. The food was so delicious and I couldn’t have asked for a better chef to cater my event!
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Nikeda M - May 24, 2022
A fantastic experience for us the meal was wonderful. Perfectly cooked and the dessert was out of this world. Would happily hire again anytime.
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William D - May 18, 2022
If you are in the Seattle area we highly recommend Chef Cihan. Wow!! Absolutely superb experience. Showed up exactly at the time we agreed on. Extremely organized and prepped. Polite, knowledgeable, and friendly! Everyone who attended repeatedly said that it was one of the best meals they have ever had! ❤️
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Michelee S - May 11, 2022
Chef Cihan provided a wonderful experience for a special dinner. He was extremely responsive in all communications. We wanted a nice restaurant experience but at home and Chef Cihan delivered. The food tasted amazing and the presentation was great as well.
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Matt M - May 4, 2022
This experience was one of the best we have ever had. We had pretty high expectations going into it, but didn't really know what to expect. Chef Cihan blew us away with his ability to create a menu to our dietary needs and present innovative and astonishing dishes both visually and on the palate.
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Steve N - May 1, 2022
This was a gift for my son and his wife. The Chef worked with me to understand more about them and what they might like. He then worked with them to fine-tune the menu which was great since my daughter-in-law is vegetarian and my son is not. Coming up with a menu for the two of them was a feat. Chef was great and kept in touch with me letting me know how things were going. The feedback from my son and daughter-in-law was that the food was fantastic, well presented and the kitchen was cleaner after he left than it was when he arrived. Overall a great experience.
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Douglas A - Feb 15, 2022
We hired Chef Cihan for our friends 40th birthday and he was amazing! Very communicative, professional and friendly. He made the most amazing 4 course Italian meal for us (we partnered on the menu ahead of time) and it was all we could have hoped for and more! We all want to schedule more events so we can have him back to be the chef!
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Eileen B - Feb 8, 2022
Chef Cihan was INCREDIBLE! We have nothing but positive things to say about our experience with his service. We celebrated my husband's 40th birthday and the meal and service he provided was something that would exceed any dinner out at a restaurant. He explained everything he served and we also learned some fantastic cooking tips and local recommendations for shopping and cooking. He was timely and left our kitchen sparkling clean. We highly recommend his service to anyone. What a treat!
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Katie F - Feb 3, 2022
We had Chef Cihan cook for our Bachelorette Party of 11 women from all over the country with high food expectations. Leading up until the event, he was an absolute pleasure to work with. He was very flexible on the menu and offered a lot of options based on a few details we provided him. The night of the event, he arrived promptly - with everything he could possibly need. He was a delight to be around and interacted with our party just the right amount. The food was delicious and creative and he left the kitchen even cleaner than he found it. 5/5 stars!
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P. Reddy - August 25, 2021
Chef Cihan was such a joy and created a very memorable experience! Would highly, highly recommend. He worked with us on some food allergies and made everything truly lovely!
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C. Saul - August 10, 2021
Chef Cihan did a wonderful job of proposing an initial menu, working with me to accommodate our dietary restrictions (including a pescetarian, a mushroom allergy, a "no steak" requirement and 8 yr old daughter) and then delivered on an amazing meal! He was prompt, fully prepared, engaging (but not intrusive) and thoughtful. The courses were as described, delicious and well prepared! When everything was done, he did a wonderful job cleaning up. Thank you, Chef Cihan! We will be inviting him back again!
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Mark C - May 18, 2021
My husband and I decided to try his service during the pandemic as a covid-safe way of celebrating our anniversary. We're so glad we did! Chef Cihan made our anniversary such a wonderful experience that I can't stop telling my friends about it. I adore cooking and am fairly good at it, but it was so nice to sit back in my own home and be waited on (my husband doesn't cook at all), and served next-level food that was beautifully tailored to my tastes. The presentations were like artwork on a plate! Plus, he cleaned up after! My goodness. I especially appreciated that Chef Cihan was generous about sharing his expertise. He happily explained how he achieved the results for each ingredient in the meal in terms of texture, technique, and ingredients, and was so fun to chat with! He really made me excited to push some boundaries with my own cooking, and I even wound up loaning him some of my cultural cookbooks. At the end he left us all the goodies that hadn't been used up in the meal, so we nibbled on luxury food for an entire week! I should also add, that the meal had wonderful pacing. Afterwards my husband and I agreed that it was a better value and experience than a night at Canlis. We'll absolutely be hiring him again, and can promise that you won't regret it if you book Chef Cihan for any event!
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Amanda S - Nov 12, 2021
Chef Cihan is really something amazing! Not only is he an incredible and inventive chef, he is one of the nicest and warmest people I have ever met. He made a very special dinner for my mother's 70th birthday and everything was beautifully presented and tasted delicious. I can't wait to hire him again for the next special occasion!"
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Tamina D - July 1, 2021
Chef did an amazing job working with us to create a wonderful menu. He was attentive to detail, a wonderful teacher, and the food was delicious!
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James B - May 10, 2021
We loved our experience with Chef Cihan! We were hosting a dinner birthday dinner party and everybody was so pleased with the food, presentation, and Chef Cihan in general. He was very communicative throughout the process and made sure everything went smoothly for us so that we could entertain without worrying about cooking or cleaning up. Everything he made for us was to die for! Even with 5 guests with different likes and even a couple picky eaters…. Chef Cihan was a hit with everybody! The guests continued talking about how delicious the food was for days after the event. I highly recommend Chef Cihan.
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Summer M - June 12, 2021
Fantastic. Chef Cihan was amazing. I asked him to come to my house and serve dinner to celebrate Mother's Day for my wife. It was so great! For various reasons, our family has to deal with being both gluten and dairy free and that wasn't an issue for the Chef. We got four incredible courses that looked and tasted amazing! He even made something special just for our five year old who is somewhat picky! Chef Cihan is personable, humble, and generous. He was excited to show us how he was preparing our meals and answer any questions we had. Did I mention how delicious the food was? We were so incredibly full by the end of the meal but were able to save leftovers for the next day! I simply cannot recommend Chef Cihan highly enough and when I'm able to, will absolutely be having him over again!
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Chris C May 11, 2022