Contact Me
I will personalize your event
So I have to get this Information.
You may fill out the forum on this page or email me directly at chefcollinsevents@gmail.com
In Email Please Include:
Contact Phone #
Location/Address:
Potential Date:
Number of Guests:
Number of Courses:
Food Allergies/Aversions:
Wine Pairing/ Cocktails:
Any Particulars Or Special Details:
I will follow up with a txt letting you know I replied
Please respond via email
My response typically ends up in a spam or update folder
I would recomend searching “chef collins events” or another keyword to find it once you recieve my txt confirmation.
Any problems just give me a call.
Please Reveiw FAQ below Forum, It answers almost everything you need to know.
Please See Below for Frequently Asked Questions It Will Answer Most Concerns You May Have
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Photography
https://www.startmonday.media/
Mostly Shot on a Iphone (Its Actual Served dishes)
Press inquiries
Matt Collins
chefcollinsevents@gmail.com
+1 (732) 239 1218
FAQ /Additional Info
Subject to Change 1/1/2026
I provide all of my Cookware as well as Plateware, Flatware per course and a Coaster,Waterglass,Grey Dinner Napkin and printed menu Per Guest (If you desire a tablecloth or wish to use your own napkin that is fine , just leave it on table and we will help set it under your chargers/ flowers /centerpiece/candles etc)
Larger gatherings may require tents/tables/chairs need to be provided by the host. Your kitchen will be used and cleaned and restored to as closely how it was upon arrival.
The goal is to have the best experince with everything needed to provide the meal - outside of the actual kitchen the dinner table & chairs. Events can take place in your home, at someone else’s you are celebrating at ,a local farm, event space, a seasonal rental, vrbo or airbnb etc. As long as there is a space for the event, if there are any concerns or anything out of the ordinary we can discuss and see what the option is.
If you wish to provide you own plates etc just let me know so we can make sure everthing is covered. I only recomend this for dinners above 24 guests where I make it mandatory to do so, I can make rental suggestions or can purchase high end desposibles but this is at your descrection.
Printed menu will have Header of “LASTNAME Dinner” if you wish to have something else please confrim before paying deposit menus are typically printed a few days prior to event so some last minute updates may not happen. You are welcome to provide your own menus just please let me know so we can conserve paper.
I will use the info from the forum such as Allergies-Themes- Prefrences- Requests- Style of Cuisine etc to create a menu for you to approve or suggest edits until you are happy. Once approved the deposit can be made to scheduale youre event. If you have any particulars or situations that concern we can discuss via email or phone. Some things are just better communicated before arrival. The menu will be streamlined for all guests and there will be a minor substitutions that are communicated during the booking process for allergies,vegan,vegetarian etc. These would be almost the same dish entirely minus ingrediant guest is allergic to, so a vegetarian version would be a larger vegetarian version without the proetin. Proetin subs or another dish for the same course are very last resort and are a upcharge this is only recomended for larger dinners 24+ and wedding style events.
If a guest is served something they dont wish to eat and it wasnt arranged beforehand there will not be a substitution/refire.
Fish Requests will always be written as “Market Catch” If you prefer something that is not in season a close subsitute will be selected to avoid using frozen.
There will be a “Seasonal Chefs Selection Menu” Winter-Spring-Summer-Fall, these are 5course for Last Minute Event or If you wish to be suprised.
Passed Apps are a List of Crowd Pleasers I send over and you may make a selection of (2) at the same price of a seated course. This can be expanded upon at a addional cost.
If doing a “theme” I am more than happy to curate some custom ones for you. Please Mention if you would like predominently Vegetarian/ Pescatarian or Dairy Free. Regular Listed Apps must be altered and decided on before event.
This Option is not encouraged for Dinners Smaller than 12 guests.Cocktail Party Only Events start at selection fo (6) and Lasts 2 hours at base price.
Passed App /Cocktail Hours go for 45min-Hour.
There is a $150 booking fee per event. This is a administration fee and isnt deducted towards balance. I am here to adjust guest counts, menu adjustments and other situations up to 7days before your event, it is compensation for this as well as unforseen expenses that may arrive and is not discounted towards the balance..
Travel to Monmouth County is Free of charge. Antyhing outside is subject to a small charge , I service all of New Jersey, and have done New York & Pennsylvania, Maryland & Georgia. Outside of New Jersey starts at $500 and Anything over 2 hours to the nooks and crannies of NJ may require a stipend for sleeping accomidations. Time of year and location may affect this due to heavy shore traffic. It is recomended you book anything outside of NJ as far in advance as possible, at least a few months.
Wine Pairing Recomendations & Service is a Flat Fee of $150 for Partys of 2-6 then $200 for 7-12 , $300 for 12-18 $350+ for 18+ This does not include alchohol , I provide Clickable Links to Chamber st wines (processing and shipping takes a bout a week) for you to order what is right for your meal at various pricepoints, you can recomend regional prefrences and dollar amount. And I can tailor to prefrences but goal is to elevate the experience. After you select them email back and I can add to printed menu.
Wine should be ordered at earliest convience before arrival, if in monmouth county can send you list to a Court Liquors in Long Branch.
A signature cocktail is also a option that can be selected by spirt or season. There is lso the ambitious combination of both for larger events to cover all your guests needs at a slighlty increased price.
My team does not have knowledge of wine / ingrediants in your home, Service is based around streamlining. If you wish to bring in a bartender or take custom orders on your own, you are more than welcome to.
25% Staffing Fee will be applied for hiring servers on party’s of 6 or more. This is not gratuity, everyone hired puts forth a great effort and apprecites your generosity. If unsure or you wish to have me handle it for you just ask when paying balance and I can distubute for you. Please do a even number for the amount of staff.I do not automatically charge for gratuity, it is at your own descresion. Dinners above 24 guests will require billing for addional cooking staff in addition to Serving Staffing Fee.
Dinners for Under 6 people will only be offered Sunday-Wednesday. All Dinners under 10 guests are Mandatory 5 course menu.
I Arrive One Hour Prior to Load In & Set Up, Turn on Oven, Set Table Etc, For Larger Events or Special Sitations It May A little earlier this will be comminicated.
Dinners will be given a 30 min grace period to agreed upon start time at which point we will ask you to sit, So Please Gather Your Guests to Dinning Room and Have a Seat at Requested Start Time. if you need to delay a fee starting at of $200 will be applied to balance. Please be respectful.
Passed App /Cocktail Hours go for 45min-Hour.
Seated Meal Takes from 1hr 15mins - 2 Hours Depnding on Courses/Menu & Guestcount. If Trying to Be finished by a Certain Time Please Communicate & We Can Make That Happen.
When you reach out to hold a date, there is a soft hold for 7 days to finalize the menu and go over anything needed. I will do my best to follow up but the date is opened back up for other inquries once a week of silence goes by. I will also let you know if there is other intrest in the date and follow up one time via email. If you do not get back to me the date my be filled.
Deposit is only requested once everyhing is set up, at this point once paid the date is confirmed and yours.
On events approaching in under two weeks (based on my scheduale) a different timeline may be laid out. If you dont confirm by paying deposit in a timely manner the dinner may not be scheduled.
A 50 % deposit is required after you are invoiced to lock in the date. While Guest Count can be adjusted up to 7 days in advance that will be reflected in balance due night of dinner. If Guestcount drops below Minimum it will not be adjusted below Minimum. Deposits are nonrefundable/trasnferable.
If Dinner is $500 it will need to be paid in full at time of deposit.
Check by Mail or CC transation via Square is option for deposit. Deposit is due at time of billing. If event is two weeks away or less upon billing a CC deposit may be required to ensure timely delivery. Balance due night of is Cash or Credit card Transation. All Credit Card prossessing is a addional 5%. Venmo/Zelle/Paypal are not accepted but can do Cash App when partnered through the square system. A check written out to “cash” is not cash.
Dinners typically need to be planned more than two weeks out. So menu can be written by me and approved by you. And enough time to arrange for staff if needed. For something very small and last minute feel free to reach out (just give me a call) and if my schedule allows I will do my best to make it work. There is a mandatory “Seasonal Chefs Selection Menu” these can not be altered. These are subject to a rush fee starting at a addional $200 so please reach out ASAP.
I can make plenty of desserts and I’m getting better all the time. But if you wish to provide a cake or dessert it is a $5/per guest cake cutting & service fee. Please communicate in advance so I may bring plateware and communicate to staff. You are more then welcome to take a intermisson let us clear the table and then sit down again after for dessert or anything else you wish. I would just like to clear all of my things from table so we can contiue to clean your kitchen and allow you to spend time with your guests.
Here are some Baker/Bakery Recomendations in Mounmouth County @’s are for instagram.
@the_mentalbaker_ - Michael Rivera of Talula’s
The Bakers Grove- Lincroft
Confections of a Rockstar - Asbury Park
Giftcards
Giftcards can be done directly through me and are valid for 6 monhts these are all inclusive offerings but can be added on to by recipiant during booking with the option of reserving a date before you pay. These cannot be redeemed once expired. Booking must be locked in before expiration.
Or you can buy a digital giftcard of a smaller $ dollar amount that can be purchased through square Here. These do not expire but are recomended for a gift that do not cover the cost of a dinner but can be used towards a event in the future.
Please reach out before purchasing to make sure you buy a dollar amount that suits the gift you wish to give. I can also recomend a custom amount based on what you are looking for, which is recomended to cover all costs of a private event. These will be valid until the end of the year when pricing change unless I grandfather you in with a stipulation to use the giftcard by a certain time but it needs to be discussed on a case by case basis. Please dont hesitate to ask any questions if not covered on this page.