Frequently asked questions

Our chef arrives about 30–45 minutes before your scheduled dinner time to set up a professional teppanyaki grill. Once set up, the chef puts on a high-energy, entertaining show — complete with fire, juggling, and comedy — while cooking an unforgettable meal right in front of your guests. Plan on roughly 90 minutes of cooking and performance once the chef begins.

You provide tables, chairs, plates, silverware, napkins, and whatever beverages your guests would like. We bring all the cooking equipment, the private chef, the raw ingredients (rice, vegetables, proteins), and side salads.

Because our grills produce open flame, smoke, and steam, we cook outdoors only. Standard locations include backyards, patios, driveways, decks, or highly ventilated open garages. We cannot cook inside houses, apartments, or fully enclosed screened structures under any circumstances.

Standard pricing is $60 per adult and $30 per child (ages 12 and under), and every booking carries a $600 minimum spend — the equivalent of 10 adults. If you have fewer than 10 adults you can still book, but the subtotal reflects the $600 minimum. Travel fees and gratuity are separate. Package pricing starts at $45 per person; see our packages page for the full comparison.

Our chefs cook rain or shine, but the cooking station must be completely under cover to protect the grill and the food. Hosts need to provide shelter such as a tent, canopy, gazebo, covered patio, or open garage. If no shelter is available and severe weather prevents cooking safely, we will help you reschedule.

We take allergies and dietary preferences seriously. Note any restrictions when you book — gluten-free, peanut allergy, shellfish allergy, vegetarian, and so on. For gluten-free guests we bring organic Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) and cook their portions with clean utensils on a cleaned section of the grill. Organic tofu is always available as a vegetarian protein.

Travel is free within a 20-mile radius of our home base. Beyond 20 miles, a travel fee of $2 per mile applies, calculated and confirmed on your final booking once a chef is assigned.

A refundable $50 deposit locks in your date. The remaining balance is paid on-site after the event. We accept cash, credit cards, or Venmo. An 18%–20% gratuity is standard and goes directly to the chef who performs for your party.

Roughly a 5′ × 8′ flat, open area works — a patio, deck, driveway, or backyard. It must be outdoors or under an open, well-ventilated cover, never fully enclosed. Keep the grill clear of low branches, umbrellas, and anything flammable.

We recommend at least 1–2 weeks ahead, since weekends and holidays fill quickly. For a last-minute date, call (858) 420-8888 and we will do our best to fit you in.

Yes. Every guest picks their own proteins from your package, so the table can be a mix of chicken, steak, shrimp, salmon, and tofu without any extra coordination.

Yes — we carry a $2,000,000 liability policy, so you can relax and enjoy the party.