• We service the greater Austin area and Hill Country including Leander, Pflugerville, Buda, Manor, Dripping Springs, New Braunfels, Fredricksburg, Canyon Lake, etc. If it’s within 1.5 hours from 78721, we’re there!

    For multi-day bookings, we also service locations that are further than 1.5 hours from 78721 such as Galveston, Padre Island, Port Aransas, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, et.

    The first 15 miles of travel from our commercial kitchen to your location are free. After 15 miles, we charge $4 per mile.

  • Yes, our minimum per dinner party service is $720 and our minimum per catering service is $1000. The minimum is what you will pay as your deposit when you book. It will go towards your final balance (due 1 week prior to your event). You’ll have the option during booking to select a variety of add-ons to help you meet the minimum if you have a smaller group.

  • We ask that all invoices be paid no later than 7 days prior to your event to keep your booking.

  • Our team can service inside or outside events. In either case, we will need access to a functioning sink, oven and stovetop onsite.

    If your party is outdoors and the weather is raining or over 90 degrees, please ensure your guests have a covered area for service.

  • No, our services focus on dinner parties, catering and brand events. We have a passion for making it easier for people to get together in person and share a memorable meal.

  • Click the “Book Now” button next to the service you’re interested in. It’ll bring you to our calendar, which shows available timeslots for that service.

    Note: If it’s the week of your desired date, the calendar will show us unavailable. Occasionally we can take on last minute bookings. Reach out to us at hello@happycookingatx.com.

  • We take allergens and dietary restrictions seriously, and we try our best to accommodate whenever possible. There is a question in the booking form where you’ll be asked to list all allergens and/or dietary restrictions. It’s ok to put your best guess at booking and update it later by emailing us at hello@happycookingatx.com.

    We'll confirm specifics prior to your booking.

    ALL ALLERGENS AND DIETARY RESTRICTIONS MUST BE COMMUNICATED AT LEAST 1 WEEK BEFORE YOUR SERVICE. WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCOMMODATE REQUESTS AFTER THAT TIME.

  • Please email hello@happycookingatx.com as soon as possible so we can make sure to bring the right amount of food. You can update your guest count up to 7 days before your booking.

  • We understand that plans can change. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please do so at least 7 days prior to your event to receive a refund or to reschedule at no additional charge.

    Service cancellations made at least 7 days prior to the event will receive a full refund minus the 3% processing fee.

    Cancellations made 4-6 days out from an event are eligible for a 50% refund or can be rescheduled for a 25% late rebooking fee.

    Since your chef begins grocery shopping and preparing your meal 72 hours in advance, cancellations made within 72 hours of your event are unable to be refunded or rescheduled. We are happy to still deliver your menu items at no additional cost.

    Thank you for understanding and respecting the time and preparation that goes into creating your dining experience!

  • Your chef will be assigned 1 week prior to your event. Learn more about the Happy Cooking chefs on our Team page.

See additional FAQs in the “General” section.

  • Yep! Feel free to build-your-own menu from items across our Dinner Party menus. Drop us a note in your booking form on which items you’d like to sub, and we’ll make it happen.

  • Yep! Fill out the custom Happy Cooking experience request form. We’ll be in touch within 48 hours.

  • Your chef will arrive at the start of your booking time. Your first course will be served ~45 minutes after your booking begins.

  • Your chef is typically onsite for about 3 hours.

    • ~45 mins: Arrival/load-in, “last mile” cooking

    • ~75-90 mins: Dinner service (length depends on the # of courses, party size and if you added on the Chef Party activities)

    • ~45 mins: Clean-up/load-out

    If you need to extend your total booking time (e.g. you’d like the chef to stay onsite to cut a cake, you have speeches or other activities planned, etc.), we charge $50 for each additional 30 minutes the chef is onsite.

  • A 20% large group gratuity is automatically added to groups of 8+.

    For smaller groups, tips are greatly appreciated! Our chefs work hard to give you a great experience. You can add a tip at booking or up until your booking date using your payment confirmation link. You also can bring cash to your event.

  • Many of our groups find that hiring a Happy Cooking chef is more affordable than going to a restaurant.

    • You can BYOB, saving significantly on alcohol costs.

    • There’s no transportation fees (rideshare, parking fees, valet costs, etc.).

    • For larger groups, you don’t have to pay to rent out a room in a restaurant.

    • You don’t need to hire a babysitter or pet sitter.

    We price our menus to be competitive and accessible while also maintaining quality of the experience.

  • Starters/Sides and Desserts: Everyone in your group will receive the same starters/sides and/or desserts. We’ll modify for dietary restrictions and allergies as needed at no additional cost.

    ‍Mains: We can accommodate up to two main dish options for your group. You’ll see the option to select the two choices when booking. We’ll just need to know how many guests will have each dish at least 1 week out from your dinner date. We’ll follow up with you via email to confirm this. As with the starters/sides and desserts, we’ll also modify main dishes for dietaries and allergies at no additional cost. For example, if you group chooses the Lemon Bucatini with Chicken Piccata and Spicy Rigatoni with Italian Sausage mains, and you have one vegetarian guest, we’ll sub the Chicken or Sausage for a vegetarian protein based on which dish the vegetarian would like.

  • Our Dinner Party service comes with a single printed menu with Happy Cooking branding that we’ll display in an acrylic sign holder by the chef’s workspace.

    With the custom menu add-on for $50 total, we’ll work with you to design a personalized menu card that matches your event theme (e.g. “Sarah’s Bach Dinner”). We’ll print one per guest on cardstock to include on their table setting.

  • Yes! For children 12 and under, we offer Mac ‘n Cheese and Chicken Tenders for $35 per child. Email us at hello@happycookingatx.com to add this to your booking.

  • Yes! For Dinner Parties, we offer a range of rental items (plateware, silverware, tablecloths, chairs, etc.) to help you have everything you need to host. Visit our Rentals Page for more info.

  • Hosts are expected to provide:

    -A clear pathway to the kitchen and a clean kitchen space for the chef

    -All tables and chairs, unless you choose to rent from us. See our Rentals page for more info.

    -All plates, bowls, silverware, cups and napkins- unless you choose to rent items from us. See our Rentals page for more info.

    -All post-event cleanup and trash bins/bags

    Bonus Points: Play music and offer to-go cartons for leftovers.

    For outdoor events, consider providing lighting for outdoor nighttime events, bug spray and/or fly deterrent .

  • One of the benefits of booking a Happy Cooking service is that you're welcome to provide your guests with any beverage you'd like. This keeps alcohol costs much lower than what you’d pay at a restaurant.

    We do offer a custom cocktail mixer service for $15 per guest, which includes your choice of two chef-made artisan cocktail mixers and garnishes. Your chef will let you know what alcohol to get to complete the drink. Day-of, your chef will prepare a drink for each guest before the service and one more mid-way through dinner. Add the cocktail mixer service to your dinner party in the booking form.

  • For dinner services with 12 or more guests, a chef assistant is required to ensure proper pacing, plating, and guest experience. This additional staff member will be added to your invoice at a rate of $100/hour for a minimum of 3 hours.

  • The Chef Party is part entertainment, part dinner and 100% a deliciously good time. You won’t find anything else like it! In addition to a personal chef meal service, the Chef Party includes:

    ✨ High Energy Fun: In between each course, your chef will lead the group in games. Each game provides a nod to the skills of a great chef: Communication (the “yes chef” challenge), Cooking Knowledge (culinary trivia), Refined Taste (blindfolded ingredient taste test) and Creativity (a drawing contest themed around the guest of honor or occasion).

    ✨ Special Touches for the Guest of Honor: The guest of honor will receive a chef’s hat signed by each guest. They’ll also be served first for each course.

    ✨ Memory Making Moments: The Chef Party is designed to guarantee your guests leave with full camera rolls, not just full bellies. Plus, your chef will get a group photo at the end of your event.

  • When booking any Dinner Party, you’ll see a question in the booking form that asks if you’d like to add-on a Chef Party. Select it there and we’ll make it happen! You’re welcome to add on a Chef Party up until 1 week prior to your event.

  • Nope, all of the Dinner Party prep suggestions listed in the Dinner Party FAQ above are the same for a Chef Party. Nothing additional is needed. Your chef will bring all required materials.

  • Chef Parties are a great way to break the ice and give your guests a unique, fun, engaging experience. They’re popular with:

    • Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties

    • Birthday Dinners

    • Team Off-sites

    • Holiday Parties

    • and more!

  • A typical Dinner Party service lasts around 90 minutes (180 minutes in total with prep and clean-up). A Chef Party usually adds around 30-45 minutes, bringing the total dinner to around 2 hours (and total onsite time to 210 minutes).

See additional FAQs in the “General” section.

  • Yes, our minimum for our catering services is $1000. We design our catering offerings to be for groups of 20+ (netting out to ~$50 per person for smaller groups). The minimum is what you will pay as your deposit when you book. You’ll receive your final invoice based on your menu, quantity and add-on selections when booking.

  • Yep! Fill out the custom Happy Cooking experience request form. We’ll be in touch within 48 hours.

  • Your chef will arrive at the start of your booking time. Set-up will take ~30-60 minutes to complete depending on the size and complexity of your service. We’ll work with you to finalize the exact timing about one week prior to the event based on what works best for your event schedule.

  • Each small bite offers about 2-3 bites packed with flavor. Our small bite service is great for an occasion where you want guests to have a variety of handheld, socializing-friendly options.

  • No, but you can add-on plates, napkins and plastic spoons, forks, and knives for $2/set. You’ll select this when booking.

  • Your chef will deliver your Catering order warmed in disposable aluminum tins with disposable serving tongs. Cold toppings and some smaller sides will arrive in paperboard containers with disposable serving spoons.

    If you'd like to provide specific servingware or platters, your chef is happy to use them for plating.

    You have the option to add-on sterno sets (+$50) at booking. If added, your chef will place warm items in disposable chafing pans over disposable sternos.

    Want us to style your catering buffet? Add-on a “tablescape service” when booking (+$150) and we’ll provide/set-up multi-level tiers, tablecloths, ikebana floral arrangements and fresh fruit to uplevel your catering aesthetic.

    Check out our Catering page or our social media (Instagram | TikTok) for examples of our catering spreads.

  • Each dish comes with a buffet card that lists the dish and any allergens.

    • Build-Your-Own Pizza Bar: Guests build their own pizzas from a buffet of artisan ingredients. Chef fires the pizzas onsite. Great choice if you’re looking for an interactive catering option.

    • Pre-Made Pizzas: Chef fires artisan pre-made pizzas onsite + serves them buffet style. Great if you want to provide guests with a live cooking experience without the time required for guests to create their own pizzas.

    • Pizza Dough Instructional + Build-Your-Own Pizza Bar (+$200): Chef provides a hands-on instructional to your group on how to roll out the dough followed by the build-your-own pizza bar. Perfect for groups looking for an interactive class-style activity.

  • The Build-Your-Own Pizza Bar includes:

    • All ingredients and garnishes to make 15 12” pizzas, as well as the bowls, servingware and tent cards for each ingredient

    • 15 servings of Italian Chopped Salad

    • Rental and transportation of the Ooni oven, propane, pizza peel, metal pizza rounds and pizza cutters

    • Cards & markers for guests to write their names on so chefs can match the pizzas to the guests

    • A personalized sign with instructions + sign holder

    • Two 6" tables (note: tablecloths and decorations not provided. these can be added on with our tablescape option (+$200).

    • Bar napkins, disposable plates, silverware and cardboard rounds for the pizzas to be served on

  • The Pre-Made Pizza Bar includes:

    • 15 artisan 12” pizzas. You’ll work with you chef to select 2-3 options.

    • 15 servings of Italian Chopped Salad

    • Rental and transportation of the Ooni oven, propane, pizza peel, metal pizza rounds and pizza cutters

    • A personalized menu sign + sign holder

    • Two 6" tables (note: tablecloths and decorations not provided. these can be added on with our tablescape option (+$200).

    • Bar napkins, disposable plates, silverware and cardboard rounds for the pizzas to be served on

  • In addition to the Build-Your-Own Pizza Bar items, the Pizza Dough Instructional includes:

    • a ~30 minute chef-led, hands-on tutorial to teach your group how to knead and stretch out their pizza dough like a pro

    • interactive games like a pizza toss-off as well as scratch-made pizza tips

    • One pizza station per guest with a pizza round, semolina flour and dough.

    Note: Hosts are responsible for providing chairs and aprons for guests.

  • The standard Pizza Bar experience is about 3 hours total:

    • 1 hour of load-in/prep time

    • 1 hour of guests making pizzas

    • 1 hour of load-out/clean-up.

    Additional service time is $100 per hour.

    The Pizza Dough tutorial adds ~30-45 minutes to your total experience time.

  • Our service minimum is $1000, which includes 15 pizzas. If you have less than 15 guests, we’re happy to package up the additional pizzas for you to re-heat later.

    We charge +$66 per person over 15 guests for the standard Pizza Bar or Pre-Made Pizza Bar experience.

  • Yes! We offer three dessert add-on options:

    • Centerpiece Tiramisu: Large format tiramisu served in a silver pedestal bowl with a custom dusted message. Learn more.

    • Individual Tiramisu Cups: Same flavor profile as the Centerpiece Tiramisu but without the dusted message. Great grab ‘n go option.

    • Dulce de Leche Cannolis with Toppings Bar:‍ ‍Served on a platter with a variety of topping choices for your guests including toasted coconut flakes, candied pistachios and mini chocolate chips.

  • For our Pizza Bar serice, the host is responsible for providing:

    • a 12ft x 12ft space for the Pizza Bar

    • an 8 ft x 8 ft outdoor space for the Ooni oven (if the Pizza Bar is not set up outside). If the weather is over 85 degrees, the host is responsible for providing fans and overhead cover. Overhead cover is also required if it will be raining.

    • two trash cans (1 for the chef, 1 for guests)

    • 2 tablecloths for the 2 6 ft tables provided by Happy Cooking

    • [optional] decorations for the Pizza Bar set-up. We offer a tablescape add-on for +$200 that includes tablecloths, ikebana floral arrangements, fresh decorative fruit and risers.

    • [Pizza Tutorial only] chairs for guests. We offer chair rentals. More info.

    • [Pizza Tutorial only- optional] aprons for each guest