The dinner with INTUEAT chef Ben Schrank will go down as one of my best of the year. It was comparable to a seven-course eating extravaganza that I previously enjoyed at the hands of a two-star Michelin chef in Cabo San Lucas. A difference? In the case of the former, I was able to collaborate on choosing the menu with the chef, and it was prepared and served in my apartment for a party of four. It all happened because of INTUEAT, a luxury on-demand dining platform featuring private chefs in Miami and South Florida. 

Founded in 2019 in Denver, INTUEAT offers its private chef services in various locations in the country including South Florida cities such as Miami, Key Largo, Fort Lauderdale along with Denver and surrounding mountain towns in Colorado. Diners are able to choose from a portfolio of veteran and emerging chefs after checking out their profile, the kinds of cuisine they specialize in, and the rate the chef charges per person, which generally ranges from $100 to $300 per person. The price includes all groceries (beverage is additional). All chefs are fully vetted and undergo a background check. Chefs are recruited by a team of culinary experts. 

The INTUEAT chefs take care of the grocery shopping, bring the tableware, set the table (if desired) and bring any special cookware required. The chef also cooks, at minimum, a three-course meal, serves the food, and takes care of all cleanup.  

From the roster that INTUEAT offers, I chose Chef Ben Schrank, who is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Chef Ben previously owned a restaurant in Reims, France for several years and worked in various restaurants in Florida before becoming a private chef. For the menu, I requested American food for the appetizer and dessert, and French for the main course. 

Chef Ben arrived 90 minutes before the set cocktail hour to complete last-minute on-site preparation. Some dishes were prepped beforehand, to be finished on-site such as the rack of lamb, which was prepared sous vide and charred on site. When he arrived, my table was set, since setting an artistic table is a favorite thing with me. 

When my guests arrived, they were greeted at the door with a glass of champagne and potato chips topped with a dollop of caviar. Accompanying the beverages were some addictive roasted mushroom and corn quesadillas. One of the surprise highlights of the evening – pork belly on a skewer surrounded by maple cotton candy that had been made at my apartment with a mini cotton candy machine Ben brought. I’m still dreaming about that. 

In response to my request for an unconventional salad, Ben made Belgian endive with radicchio, pickled onion, grilled apple, hazelnuts and truffled goat cheese. It was one of those dishes where you marvel at how simple they are to make, yet delicious.

The main course was a rack of Midwestern lamb (much prefer it to Australian or New Zealand) with pomegranate molasses, Yukon Parisienne potatoes, asparagus and pickled walnut gremolata. The chops were large, flavorful and tender.  

Then came the palate cleanser – raspberry dragon fruit sorbet with textural excitement in the strawberry pearls.  

Dessert was one of my favorites: Baked Alaska. No ordinary baked Alaska this was, it was filled with malted vanilla gelato, topped with toasted meringue and flamed tableside. Everything was uniformly delicious and beautifully served. 

As my guests lingered and our conversation continued, Ben and Eduardo, his server, cleaned everything up, hand washing it all, even though I have a working dishwasher. The kitchen and dining room area were spotless.  

The price? $200 per person for Chef Schrank with his server, plus a 25% service charge. Pricey, but we all agreed, definitely worth it. (Gratuity is appreciated, but not required). It’s comparable in price to what you’d pay at one of the top restaurants in Miami these days.  

For more information on INTUEAT private chefs in Miami and South Florida, click here.