Chef Juan
Welcome
Inspired by family, rooted in faith, creating memorable meals that bring people together.
Chef Juan's Specialities
The Gathering Table: A Farm to Table Experience
Chef Juan
Starting at $65 Per Guest
Minimum $499 to book
Fire & Carve: The American and Brazilian Steakhouse Experience
Chef Juan
Starting at $150 Per Guest
Minimum $700 to book
Southern Roots: A Charleston Lowcountry Experience
Chef Juan
Starting at $65 Per Guest
Minimum $599 to book
About
Chef Juan
I’m Chef Juan, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate with more than 16 years of professional culinary and hospitality experience. Born in New York and raised in Florida, I come from Black and Puerto Rican roots that continue to shape the flavors, warmth, and personality of my cooking.
My career has taken me through restaurants, luxury hotels, private clubs, and highend private dining. I have worked in Italian cuisine at Disney Springs, helped open Sotto Terra at Streamsong Resort, served as Executive Sous Chef at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh, and later became Executive Chef of the Harbour Club at WestEdge in Charleston. In that role, I led culinary operations for a private club serving approximately 1,200 members while strengthening consistency, controlling food costs, developing menus, and creating memorable member experiences.
Today, I am the chef and owner of Plates & Thyme Private Chef Experiences, where I create customized privatechef experiences throughout the Charleston area. My services include intimate dinners, chef’s tables, vacationrental dining, cocktail receptions, corporate gatherings, celebrations, brunches, meal preparation, and small events. I have experience accommodating vegetarian, pescatarian, glutenfree, dairyfree, nutfree, shellfishfree, and other dietary needs without sacrificing the quality of the experience.
My culinary style combines seasonal Southern and Lowcountry ingredients with Puerto Rican and Spanish influences, French technique, and my background in Italian cuisine. I enjoy creating food that is refined yet approachable—beautiful enough for a special occasion but still soulful, generous, and familiar.
What distinguishes me is that I provide more than a meal. I bring hospitality, professionalism, energy, and genuine personal connection into every home. From menu development and ingredient sourcing to preparation, service, and cleanup, I want guests to feel completely cared for. My goal is to transform an ordinary evening into a memorable experience centered around great food, meaningful conversation, and the joy of gathering together.
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How to Hire a Private Chef for Your Event
Reserve Your Chef- Use our streamlined booking system to schedule your chef, menu, & more!
- Feel free to reach out to your chef to discuss dietary needs and specific instructions.
Your Chef Does the Work- Your chef sources the ingredients of your meal, ensuring they strictly adhere to your dietary needs.
- Make any adjustments or requests via our easy-to-use host dashboard.
Sit Back & Relax- Your chef shows up with all the food and necessary cookware to create the perfect meal.
- The only thing left to do is enjoy the all-inclusive cooking & cleanup service.
Prefer to speak to someone to customize your event? Click here
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