+(506) 8436-3684 • ingredientspersonalchef@gmail.com

Chef Services

Personal Chef

What to expect when hiring a personal chef? The chef and waiting staff arrive at your house or the preferred location. They will create and serve a meal of your choice to you and your guests. You can sit and relax or watch them in action. If you have questions, Our chef loves talking about their passion. Afterward, they will clean, wash up and leave your kitchen looking immaculate.

Catering Services

Catering a big event for friends, family, work celebrations, or even a remote wedding in the tropics! Allow us to create a mouth-watering meal to enjoy with everyone. Appetizers, multi-course meals, tapas & wine, etc. We can also supply all the tables, cutlery, and everything else needed. All you need to do is sit back and enjoy the event!

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Serving Only Passion

Emerson Centeno

“My amazing story started when I moved to Quebec, Canada, in 2013. I went to study professional cooking at L’Ecole Hôtelière de la Capitale. Since I graduated, I had the opportunity to work with many well-known chefs, from which I kept improving my techniques and knowledge. 2020, the year of changes, my wife and I decided to create our own personal chef service; here we present you with Ingredients Personal Chef.”

The Experience

I know that preparing food for others can bring joy, which is even more fulfilling than eating. Happy and successful cooking doesn’t rely only on know-how. It comes from the heart, make great demands on the palade, and needs enthusiasm and deep love of food to bring it to life. Good cooking does not depend on whether the dish is large or small,expensive or economical. If one has the art, the piece of carrot or red cabbage can be made into a marvellous delicacy. Ingredients Personal Chef is all about providing the best quality in-home dining and personal chef experience. We are passionate about what we do, and the food we serve. We create and implement menus based on your needs. Using the best possible local and international ingredients across all of our menus. Our food is as simple or as complex as you wish to make it, but always on the highest quality.

What we do? From breakfast, lunch, dinner to tapas. We will come to your place and make it easy for you. We are clean,tidy, professional and discreet. Ingredients Personal chef is all about you.

Check out our latest creations on our social media!

Creating Plates of Art

Past Experiences

We recently had the pleasure of having Chef Emerson cook for us while we were on vacation in Jaco. We were four adults (my husband and I and my in-laws), and three kids (ages 7, 9 and 12). Chef Emerson made the evening very easy, fun and delicious. My only request was that we like to experience local foods and cuisines. We live in Boston and have access to great food at home, but Costa Rican food is a rare find. Chef Emerson created an outstanding three course dinner, that can be best decribed as elevated Costa Rican. The fruits and flavors of Costa Rica were all there, but his technique very much reflected his fine dining training. Chef Emerson made an amazing shrimp appetizer with a shrimp reduction that all my kids cleaned their plates of, a crusted mahi mahi with a mango chutney, and an apple tart tatin. The most special thing about the evening was Chef Emerson himself. He was friendly and personable, and we learned a lot about Jaco from him. He even gave us advice on where to find the best beach for our next day’s adventure. If you are ever in the area, we highly recommend hiring Chef Emerson and his team for as many meals as possible!

Bernadine Tsung-Megason,

Just wanted to say it was awesome to meet you and thank you so much for sharing your culinary talents with us.

Food was amazing!!!

Jody Peters,

My girlfriend and I’s experience with Emerson was incredible! Emerson asked us a few questions beforehand about what type of meal we’d like him to cook for us, and we were absolutely blown away with each plate during our three course meal. Emerson is also just such a likeable guy and we truly enjoyed his company while we hosted him at our Airbnb. Highly recommend!

Trent M,

Beyond amazing. Emerson is profesional, creative and an amazing chef. Not only is the food beyond delicious he leaves everything so clean and organized. We have had Emerson create amazing dinners for us many times and it is consistently delicious. Just perfect I highly recommend him. Really. One of a kind.

Sherri Lee,

Emerson, it was so delicious. We can see you are not just a chef! You are a phenomenal chef, and not only is the food perfect, but you plate it beautifully. I really pray for you and your family to prosper at this business!! God has blessed you with the gift of cooking.

We have eaten all over the world and at some very high-end restaurants. Your dinner both nights were flawless.

Kenisse,

Estuvimos muy contentos, agustos y satisfechos, con la cena. Muchas gracias

Anonymous,

Chef Emerson was incredible! We booked personal chef services with him while visiting Jaco, Costa Rica. The food was mouth-watering and served so professionally. We heard all the great reviews and the food exceeded our expectations! Outstanding! Do yourself a favor and book today!

Dzifaa,

We had Emerson come to our house to cook an amazing high end version of a traditional Costa Rican meal for us and 4 friends. It was an amazing experience that we will definitely do again next year when we return for vacation! Personable chef, artful presentation and very tasty!!

Mark & Carmen

Fine dining experience!!! What an experience that was. Emerson Centeno Badilla, our private chef for the night, did such a great job and magically served us an outstanding 4 course dinner. Thank you so much Kim Giannone and Timothy Giannone for that amazing Christmas/birthday present for my husband. Wished I could keep Emerson in my closet. Ha Ha

Sunny,

For sure thanks again for coming through and showing me your talents brother you’re fucking killing it the raw dolphin was amazing and you blew all 4 of my buddies minds

Thank you!

Anonymous,

Hi just getting back to normal life! You guys are so great! Always make Costa Rica feel like home for us

Anonymous,

BEST DINING EXPERIENCE ON THE CENTRAL PACIFIC OF COSTA RICA. Our family has had the pleasure of Chef Emmerson’s private dinner on a number of occasions and his culinary talent is next to none in Costa Rica. As foodies, he has never left us disappointed from the appetizer to desert. He does amazing French and Italian but I’m a personal fan of his Asian creations.

Shawn Fletcher,

Emerson, the experience that our family had with you the last two nights will be with our family forever!!! Both meals were so delicious and decadent!! We can see that you are not just a chef! You are a Phenomenal chef that cooks with passion! Not only is the food perfect but you plated it so beautifully. We are true “foodies” and have eaten all over the world at #1 restaurants. The meals that you created for us last two nights are untouchable and flawless!! I really pray for you and your family to prosper at this business!! God has truly blessed you with the gift of cooking. Next time we are in Costa Rica we hope you will cook for us every night. Now we have to go home and get on a diet!!!

Kennis,

Tout simplement Fabuleux !

Dominique,

I had the pleasure of of meeting chef Emerson I’m Costa Rica for my birthday trip. He was OUTSTANDING all around! Communicative, understanding, kind, knowledgeable, and most importantly he can COOK SOME GREAT FOOD! I highly recommend booking him if you’re ever in Costs Rica. I booked him for dinner and brick and he did not disappoint. He knows we will be back!

Aniria,

Fantastic meals with even better service. This pair will make any vacation to Costa Rica even better with their terrific dining experience!

Alec,

Chef Emerson made our family an absolutely incredible three course dinner this week at our rental house in Playa Hermosa. Our only regret is that we didn’t hire him for more meals as it was a highlight of our trip. Chef Emerson is friendly, very professional, and a talented chef. He even went above and beyond for us by recommending other local places— he even called ahead to let them know we were coming. We would highly recommend Chef Emerson.

Jane,

You guys always make our trips so wonderful so thank you!

Anonymous,

I had the opportunity to try a few meals by Emerson, and honestly, he delivered more than I could imagine. The taste and presentation were out of this world! And when I thought it couldn’t get any better, he started preparing dessert, which was the cherry on top! Amazing job! Ingredients Personal Chef is highly recommended!

Johnathan,

Emerson was absolutely the best. Kind, easy to work with and the dinner was outstanding.

Mark Hatch,

Espectacular! La presentación, el Sabor y el servicio nota 100%.

Geovanny,

I recently met Emerson on a fishing trip to Costa Rica and Panama. He came onboard my friends boat and provided his services for 5 days. He did a fantastic job! Food was wonderful, great presentation, excellent menu selection for the entire trip. He was working in some tough conditions because the sea was rough. He has a wonderful attitude and was a joy to be with all week. Even helped out the crew on other items. Really hope to get the chance to enjoy his food & personality again!

Ian,

We had an amazing evening with Emerson! His meal was outstanding from start to finish! We chose a delicious seafood menu and it was truly wonderful!

Suzanne Hatch,

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We believe that Great Food Experiences aren’t just about great ingredients (as that’s a given). We believe that how everything Looks is just as important as how it Tastes. We live for what Happens At The Table – the gathering of friends, old and new, and respect how food has the power to make it Memorable. Good cooking is an art and a form of intense pleasure. A recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation.
– Ingredients Personal Chef

Get In Touch

+(506) 8436-3684 • ingredientspersonalchef@gmail.com • Jaco Costa Rica
Service available in English, French, & Spanish

Jaco Real Estate by Dominique Brousseau