Private Chef Christmas Dinner in Lisbon

A private chef Christmas dinner in Lisbon keeps the celebration at your home or villa while menu planning, ingredients, cooking, service and cleanup are handled as one agreed service. The menu is designed for your group, and every date remains subject to availability.

What the Christmas service includes

Single-event service includes custom menu design, ingredients, cooking at the client's location, plating and service, and cleanup. High-quality ingredients are freshly sourced according to the agreed menu.

• A menu planned around the occasion, guest preferences and the property kitchen
• Ingredients for the agreed menu
• Cooking at your Lisbon home, apartment or villa
• Plating and service
• Kitchen cleanup after service

Wine-pairing recommendations are available. Wine purchasing, opening, decanting and pouring are included only when an agreed wine-pairing or beverage package is part of the quote. Servers, bartenders or sommeliers can also be included when the event scope requires them.

A festive menu built for your table

There is no fixed public Christmas menu. During consultation, the menu is shaped around the style your group wants, the kitchen available and any dietary needs. That can mean preserving familiar family dishes, drawing on Portuguese Christmas traditions, choosing an Australian-influenced celebration, or building a modern multi-course dinner.

Possible directions are discussed as ideas, not as preset packages. A Portuguese-inspired brief might reference bacalhau, octopus or rabanadas. Another group might prefer a roast-led menu, seafood, seasonal vegetables or a lighter tasting format. The final dishes and ingredients are confirmed in the custom menu and quote.

If a family recipe matters to the occasion, share it during planning. Justin can assess how it fits the menu and the equipment at the property. The purpose of the consultation is to create one coherent dinner, not to force every group into the same festive template.

Guest numbers and smaller groups

As a general rule, events are for eight or more guests. Smaller groups may be possible, subject to a minimum booking value that varies with the event date, season and current demand. The applicable minimum booking value is confirmed in a custom quote.

Justin specialises in events for 8 to 100 guests. There is no fixed maximum guest number, and larger groups are scoped individually. Additional service staff are included in the quote when required by the event format.

Christmas pricing in Lisbon

Single-event private chef service starts from €85 per person. The same public starting price applies every day of the week, including weekends and holidays. The final custom quote reflects the menu, guest count, staffing, beverage service and other details in the agreed brief.

There is no travel charge in Lisbon or Cascais. A custom travel charge may apply in other approved service areas and is confirmed in the quote. No fixed travel fee is published.

For a fuller explanation of inclusions and quote factors, read the private chef cost guide for Lisbon.

When to enquire

Book as early as possible. At least four weeks is recommended for normal dates and at least eight weeks for peak dates and seasons. The shortest accepted notice is seven days, subject to availability.

Availability confirmation, custom menu and quote are provided within 24 hours, often sooner. The same response commitment applies across all seven days of the week, including weekends and holidays.

These lead times are planning guidance, not a claim that a particular Christmas date is open. Availability is confirmed only after the enquiry details have been reviewed.

Kitchen and property checklist

The property should have a working oven, working hob, pots and pans, and a working sink with hot and cold running water. Justin brings his own knives, specialist chef equipment and cold-box storage for short single events.

A small amount of preparation space is workable, but clearing as much kitchen bench space as the property allows helps service run smoothly. Short events generally do not require client fridge space because ingredients are held in cold-box storage.

Plates, cutlery and glassware needs are discussed during consultation. Table-setting hire and missing cooking equipment can be included in the quote when arranged in advance. The private chef kitchen and equipment guide provides a more detailed checklist.

Dietary planning for a mixed group

Justin has extensive experience in allergy and cross-contamination avoidance. During consultation, he discusses allergies and preferences directly with the client and caters accordingly.

Dietary requirements are assessed during menu planning, and an allergen-free environment is not promised. Share requirements early so the menu and kitchen workflow can be assessed before the event is agreed.

How the planning process works

1. Send the brief. Include the date, Lisbon location, guest count, preferred service style and dietary requirements.
2. Confirm suitability and availability. Kitchen needs, staffing and any tableware or beverage requirements are reviewed.
3. Review the custom menu and quote. The agreed scope records what is included for your event.
4. Host the dinner. Justin cooks at the property, plates and serves the agreed menu, then completes the kitchen cleanup.

Experience behind the service

Justin Jennings has more than 25 years of culinary experience and won the TV cooking competition The World Cook. He owns Downunder by Justin Jennings, which was selected for the MICHELIN Guide in 2024, 2025 and 2026. He is also the Australian Embassy preferred caterer.

These credentials describe the experience behind the service. They do not imply that Justin personally holds a Michelin star.

Christmas dinner FAQs

What is included in a private chef Christmas dinner?

Single-event service includes custom menu design, ingredients, cooking at the client's location, plating and service, and cleanup. Requested beverage services or additional professionals are included only when agreed in the custom quote.

How much does Christmas dinner cost?

Single-event service starts from €85 per person, including weekends and holidays. The final quote reflects the agreed event brief. Fixed add-on prices and minimum spends are not published.

How early should I book?

Book as early as possible. At least eight weeks is recommended for peak dates and seasons. The shortest accepted notice is seven days, subject to availability.

Can dietary requirements be accommodated?

Dietary requirements are discussed directly and assessed during menu planning. Justin has extensive experience in allergy and cross-contamination avoidance, but an allergen-free environment is not promised.

What does the kitchen need?

The property needs a working oven, hob, pots and pans, and a sink with hot and cold running water. Justin brings knives, specialist chef equipment and cold-box storage for a short single event.

Can I enquire for fewer than eight guests?

Yes. Events are generally for eight or more guests, but smaller groups may be possible subject to a variable minimum booking value confirmed in a custom quote.

Related planning: Dinner party chef service in Lisbon · Dietary planning · Other winter celebrations