Essential Questions to Ask Before a Private Dinner Event

The short list of questions that prevents most day-of surprises.

Date and start time, guest count, and venue address are obvious — but the questions that save events are the operational ones: When can the chef access the kitchen? What equipment is already there? Who is the day-of contact?

Menu questions should cover preferences and hard restrictions separately. Ask about allergies and dietary restrictions in plain language, and only collect what is needed to cook safely.

Cleanup expectations, parking and load-in, and whether someone else is paying are all easier to settle a week ahead than an hour ahead.

Whatever list you settle on, save it as a template. Consistency is what turns a good intake into a reliable system.