How to book a private chef

koti hakone doesn't serve meals, but you can invite a private chef to cook for you in the kitchen at the house. Restaurants nearby close early, and hardly any can seat a group of around 20. With a private chef, there's no getting around and no reservations to worry about: just gather at the big table and enjoy a warm, freshly cooked meal.

A large group dining at the big table (at night)

Three easy steps

1. Ask us on LINE: Send a message to our LINE official account (@koti-hakone) saying you'd like to book a private chef (出張シェフを頼みたい), along with your dates and number of guests.
2. We introduce three recommended chefs: We'll introduce three chefs who have cooked at koti hakone before. Some can even handle the grocery shopping for you.
3. Arrange everything directly with the chef: We'll pass along their contact details. Please work out the date, menu, price and payment directly with the chef. koti hakone doesn't act as an intermediary.

We recommend asking at least a month ahead

There's no deadline, but chefs' schedules can fill up, so we recommend getting in touch at least a month in advance. Saturdays are especially busy, so please ask early.

Typical prices

Most chefs take bookings for "6 or more guests, from ¥8,000 per person," and you can choose between a course meal or family-style platters. The chef's travel costs are added on top to make up the total (about ¥20,000–40,000 for a chef coming from central Tokyo). If you share a budget, such as "¥10,000 per person for 10 people," the chef can suggest a menu within that range.

The kitchen your chef will use

The commercial-grade kitchen is well suited to cooking for large groups.

• Three-burner induction (IH) cooktop, microwave oven, large dishwasher

Three-burner IH cooktop

• Rice cooker that makes 10 go (cups) of rice
• Tableware for 20 of each kind, including Japanese, Western and antique pieces
• The big table on 1F seats 16, or up to 20 with the corner table added

A detailed list of cooking utensils is on Kitchen & dining. Sharing it with your chef makes it easy for them to check what to bring.

The kitchen Sink and large dishwasher

Things to decide in advance

Settling these points with your chef ahead of time makes the day go smoothly:

• Arrival time, and when to start serving
• Number of guests, plus any allergies or foods people don't like
• Whether the chef will do the shopping or you'll have ingredients ready
• What to do about drinks (bring your own, or ask the chef)
• How much of the cleanup and dishwashing you'd like the chef to handle
• How and when to pay

Great for gatherings like

• Company trip and training get-togethers
• End-of-camp celebrations on the last night of a training camp
• Three-generation or multi-family celebrations and birthdays
• Large group gatherings You can also mix it up with BBQ and self-catering: BBQ on the first night, a private chef on the second.

If you'd rather cook for yourselves

Places to shop and grocery delivery services are covered in the Area guide and Kitchen & dining.