MEET DANNY KIEVIT
For Chef Danny Kievit, food has always been about connection. He says that as a child, Mr. Rogers taught him how to cook eggs in the microwave – and on Mother’s Day, he delivered his mom breakfast in bed. The care he took preparing the meal, and his mom’s positive reaction to it, were the impetus for Danny deciding to become a chef. It’s that feeling he tries to recreate with every meal he’s hired to make, now with high-profile clients, in beautiful homes, estates and events throughout Texas and around the country.
Danny, who’s called Austin home since 7th grade, began his culinary career at 15 years old as a dishwasher, working his way through restaurants to become a culinary director. Over more than two decades, he developed the discipline, leadership, and precision required to operate at an elite level and in 2019, just before his 43rd birthday, he stepped away from the restaurant world to launch Leave It to Kievit—a luxury private chef and events company built for clients who value discretion, excellence, and seamless execution.
At Leave It to Kievit, he offers a menu of seasonal, ingredient-driven dishes grounded in classic European traditions—Italian, French, and Mediterranean—while remaining entirely bespoke. In addition to multi-course plated meals he does family-style tables, live-fire cooking inspired by early experiences over open flame, pristine seafood, and refined techniques such as flambé desserts. He says, “My Filipino heritage also informs the food, creating a natural fluency with Asian and Latin flavor profiles. The result is cuisine that is elegant, expressive, and deeply intentional.”
He shares his dinner party sweet spot is six to twelve guests, which allows for the highest level of customization, service, and presence, but he scales comfortably and has executed private weddings for 100 guests, celebrations exceeding 200, and destination events in The Hamptons, Aspen, and Mexico. He and his team have also been part of elite culinary teams serving approximately 13,000 guests at major festivals such as Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza and support high-profile hospitality experiences at The Masters each year and at Formula 1 in Austin—environments where precision, timing, and discretion are essential..
He tells Austin Lifestyle, “My aim is to create immersive experiences that turn into lifelong memories for clients, while building a team that gives other chefs a platform to perform at their highest level. At its core, Leave It to Kievit delivers peace of mind. When guests can fully relax, trust the process, and remain present in the moment, the experience has achieved its highest purpose.”
Learn more at https://www.leaveittokievit.com/
“My aim is to create immersive experiences that turn into lifelong memories for clients, while building a team that gives other chefs a platform to perform at their highest level. When guests fully relax, trust the process, and remain present in the moment, the experience has achieved its purpose.”