On The Go Gourmet

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Introduction

I've been a Chef for 17 years and blessed Small Business Owner as a Gourmet Personal Chef for nearly 10 years. I tailor each culinary experience just for you...from meals prepared for the week, on your family vacation, romantic evening with your partner, family gathering, weddings and corporate events. I like infusing cultures, spices and ingredients in my cooking to bring your culinary experience full circle. I work with families, corporate offices and their clients and busy individual. I thoroughly enjoy being apart of some of the most important days and moments in their lives. Not only do I understand and love working with my clients, I've learned how to cook to please many palates, from picky eaters to robust taste buds who want to try new cuisine from all over the world. Food is my passion, I've dedicated almost 15 years to learning the latest techniques and trends. I love what I do and take great pride in my work. I pride myself in establishing worthwhile and long-lasting relationships with my clients, even if we only work together one time. My motto is...if you can't cook, won't cook or don't want to cook, let me be your solution! Cheers 🙂 *price include your budget pp, Gourmet Chef Services of $70.00 an hour for an minimum of 8 hours and traveling fee of $65.00

Overview

Hired 189 times

Background checked

1 employee

11 years in business

Payment methods

This pro accepts payments via Apple Pay, Cash, Check, Credit card, PayPal, Square cash app, Venmo, and Zelle.

Social media

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Top Pro status

Top Pros are among the highest-rated, most popular professionals on Thumbtack.

2023

Featured Projects

100 photos

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Reviews

Customers rated this pro highly for professionalism, work quality, and responsiveness.

Very good 4.6

104 reviews

5

85%

4

4%

3

3%

2

1%

1

7%

This pro's rating is a combination of reviews posted by customers both on and off of Thumbtack. Thumbtack cannot verify external reviews.

Read reviews that mention:

Tamber T.

May 10, 2021

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Hired on Thumbtack

I decided to hire a personal chef instead of the usual restaurant celebration for my husbands birthday! He was very surprised. I had never hired a personal chef before and vivian for sure didn’t disappoint. The food she cooked was delicious and she even made extra for my dad to try. I can’t believe she drove all the way from Tampa to Fort Lauderdale for us. She was so friendly and our kids loved her. We definitely connect because we are both moms of twins! We will definitely hire her again😉

Details: Special occasion (birthday, anniversary, etc.) • 2 guests • Dinner • Dessert • Cocktail hour / hors d'oeuvres • Premium (high end ingredients) • Dessert • Cold beverages (alcoholic) • French • Mediterranean / Middle Eastern • Halal • Meal prepared onsite • Only once • My home, venue, etc.

Personal Chef

Tricia D.

Apr 29, 2018

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Hired on Thumbtack

Vivian was EXACTLY what I was hoping for in a personal chef. Three long-time-ago college friends and I rented a vacation beach house and I wanted to treat them to something very special. Dinner was better than I had hoped. For appetizers she made avocado bruschetta with the most delicious heirloom tomatoes as well as potstickers that were just as delicious. The main course was salmon and pasta. Dessert was my favorite - she made THE BEST blueberry key lime pie with homemade whipped cream. OMG. Vivian chose the perfect wine for both appetizers and main course - so much so that my friend took a picture of the bottle to remember what it was. Vivian was very professional but also delightful in conversation. Great experience!

Details: Brunch / dinner party • 3 - 5 guests • Dinner • Dessert • Cold beverages (alcoholic) • Italian • Meal prepared onsite • Only once • $41 - $50 per person • The personal chef travels to me

Personal Chef

Kathleen R.

Jan 21, 2015

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Hired on Thumbtack

We hired Vivian for our 50th anniversary party at the beach. The event lasted from Thursday night until Monday morning and involved 11 children and 16 adults. Vivian cooked three meals every day for us. Each night was a special treat from Spanish night, fish dinner night, and for the anniversary celebration, she fixed filet mignon and salmon. Everything was delicious! She was very thoughtful in catering to special needs, likes and dislikes of the guests and was well liked by the group. Because we were not at a home, she brought all the dishes, tablecloths, glasses and silverware. I would highly recommend Vivian. she is a true Personal Chef and not just a caterer.

Wedding and Event Catering

Ariah E.

Dec 3, 2024

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Hired on Thumbtack

Food tasted good but if you do the "drop off" service, it is delivered cold. Delivery was an hour late, unprofessional, lazy, not a pretty presentation. When asked to deliver warm with tea lights, and a side bouquet of flowers instead of individual microwaveable containers, was denied and told these are things that only caterers do. We have used personal chefs MANY times, not "caterers". They have all done these small, yet effective things for a luxurious purchase such as a personal chef.

Details: Regular meal • 11 - 20 guests • Breakfast / brunch • Standard (basic ingredients) • American - casual • Meal prepared onsite • A few times per week • My home, venue, etc.

On The Go Gourmet's reply

Thank you for your feedback, Ariah. Your two-star review, while disappointing, is not entirely unexpected and seems to stem from unmet expectations beyond the scope of our agreement. Our contractual agreement was clear: Gourmet Personal Chef Services for breakfast delivery for December 2nd–4th. This included 16 individually packaged, COVID-friendly, grab-and-go meals, beautifully prepared for you and your guests. You mentioned past caterers who provided setups, decorations, flowers, and candles. I clarified multiple times that I am a Personal Chef, not a caterer, and I do not offer decorating or event setup services. What you requested (in-home catering-style services) and what you paid for are entirely different services. If there was confusion about the difference between a Personal Chef and a Caterer, I would have been happy to explain further during our discussions. However, the services provided were exactly as outlined and agreed upon.

Personal Chef

Ann H.

2 weeks ago

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Hired on Thumbtack

Our stomachs were filled with wonderful food! Every bite was delicious. Working with Vivian was such a joy.

Details: Regular meal • 11 - 20 guests • Dinner • Dessert • I'm flexible • Dessert • American - casual • Mexican / Latin American • I'm flexible • Only once • At the pro’s location • My home, venue, etc.

Personal Chef

Credentials

Background Check

Vivian Dodson

FAQs

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
My pricing includes food cost pp (your budget for each guest according to the menu choosen), gourmet services of $70.00 an hr minimum of 8 hrs, this is shopping, driving time, preparation/cooking, set up and clean up, and serving) and a traveling fee of $65.00 (fuel to and from). Servers are $100.00 for 4 hrs (they take care of you and the guest and help with cleaning up). Once your menu is finalized a contract is made to lock in the date.
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Every client is different so when I am contacted I like to have a sit down to really a good feel of what you're expecting from this experience.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a member of American Chef Federation. I went to Art Institute of Tampa, obtain my AA

On The Go Gourmet

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