One of the most common reasons people move to Lake Murray is to relax and enjoy more of life. The likely pairing of friends and food is not too far behind. Certainly, our region has some fabulous restaurants. However, sometimes you just want to enjoy your home on the lake with the company of a few close friends. But the thought of preparing, cooking and cleaning up a gourmet dinner may be a little more than you want to tackle. Luckily, Nick Yaggie and his partners at PrivaChef has an answer for that!
David and Cheryle Hayth recently experienced PrivaChef for themselves. The process was ridiculously simple. It started with inviting some friends – Sandy & Bob Marshall, Lisa & Randy Musselwhite, Gigi & Mark Oelhafen, and Barb & Greg Tiller.
Next, David and Cheryle selected one of the PrivaChef featured 5-star executive chefs - Jonathon Mitchell. Jonathon is considered one of the most talented Chefs ever to come out of Lexington, SC. Jonathan previously served as the Executive Chef at Ruth's Chris steakhouse. In addition to PrivaChef, he now works for Primal Gourmet. Born and raised in Lexington, Jonathon attended Johnson & Wales Culinary School in Charleston, SC. He was the former Executive Chef at the Woodcreek & Wildewood Country Club and the former Executive Sous Chef at the Forest Lake Country Club. And his proposed menus for PrivaChef definitely whetted the appetites of David and Cheryle!
After making the final selections for the four-course meal, David and Cheryl prepared for the evening by stocking their bar with a variety of beverages and setting a welcoming table for their guests. A mere 45 minutes before dinner was to begin, Chef Jonathon and his sous chef arrived, loaded down with fresh ingredients and all the pots, pans, and utensils needed to prepare the meal. David, Cheryle, and their guests gathered in the kitchen to chat with Jonathon and witness the dinner come together. Their mouths were watering by the time the first course was served.
The course featured Petite Charleston Crab Cakes. And Sandy was quick to note that theseared lump blue crab cake simply melted in her mouth. Each crab cake was paired with citrus aioli served atop a bed of mixed greens. Everyone commented on its freshness!
The second course was an Apple-Arugula Salad. Fresh arugula tossed with granny smith and pink Alice apples, candied pecans, bacon, red onion, goat cheese, and roasted lemon vinaigrette was a favorite around the table. Gigi raved about how the creamy goat cheese was the perfect addition to make the salad pop.
For the entrée course, each guest had pre-selected one of four options. Barb had the Braised Chicken Thighs and Risotto. She was amazed at how well the slow-roasted herbed chicken thighs paired with the creamy parmesan and mushroom risotto. Bob settled on the Cast Iron Filet, and was glad he did! It featured a cast-iron seared petite filet of beef topped with sun-dried tomato maitre’d butter accompanied by whipped potatoes with spinach, and roasted asparagus. Bob said, “This may have been the most tender beef I've ever tasted!”
David could not pass on the Southern Shrimp and Grits. He loved every bite of theJumbo Gulf shrimp, andouille sausage, tasso ham, peppers, and onions that were sautéed in a white wine cream sauce. However, his favorite component was the bed of perfectly cooked jalapeno stoneground grits! Lisa tried the Salmon and Spinach Orzo, and was not disappointed. The pan-roasted Atlantic salmon topped with wholegrain honey mustard served on a bed of sautéed orzo pasta, spinach, red bell pepper, shallots, and garlic was exactly what she wanted.
No gourmet meal is complete without dessert. Chef Jonathon’s Peach Cobbler and Bourbon Ice Cream was a crowd favorite. ImagineSouthern peach cobbler topped with homemade vanilla ice cream infused with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, and at your dinner party, you may want to start with dessert!
The evening was a raging success. Scrumptious food and delightful conversation made for an unforgettable dining experience. There was only one little moment when Cheryle began to dread the evening coming to an end. Her thoughts drifted to the clean-up she would need to do after her guests departed. She was already thinking about the glasses, china, and silverware that would have to be hand-washed, and the food splatter that was likely lining her counters and backsplash. She took a quick peek into the kitchen to assess the situation and make her game plan. Much to her surprise, Chef Jonathon had already done all of the work for her. Clean-up is part of the overall PrivaChef experience – a big part!
Dinner with friends is a favorite pastime on Lake Murray. PrivaChef brings that experience into your home so that you can enjoy that pastime on the lake itself. David, Cheryle, and all of their guests are eager to do it all again soon!