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Affordable chef services LLC

1871 43rd Ave, Capitola, CA 95010, USA

(39)
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About

Whether you're searching for a caterer for a dinner party, birthday, anniversary, wedding reception. Chef Mark Gallagher of Affordable Chef Services LLC of Santa Cruz can custom cater a menu just for you. Please (VISIT) our website www.affordablechef.info

1 hire on Bark
3 hour response time

Reviews (39)

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4.5/5

39 customer reviews

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25 October 2023

Mark and his team were wonderful from the start. He was always prompt to respond, kind, and quickly provided any updates to the menu/guest count/linen color change/ etc. We felt so comfortable working with Chef Mark right from the start and that was even more confirmed when we were able to finally meet him on our special day. Mark was adaptable to our decision to move where we were hosting dinner with such a supportive response "It is your day, we are serving dinner where you would like to" with no complaint at all. He arrived a few minutes early to make sure he and his team knew the venue layout and quickly got to work! He was personable making many guests laugh and smile (and even gave them sneak peak tastes into dinner and dessert!). Chef Mark also came down while we were eating to make sure that all guests were satisfied and boy were their smiles on everyones faces! We started with an array of appetizers from olive tapenade to turkey meatballs (my fav!) to ceviche. Our dinner was delicious- chicken, salmon, rice, asparagus, salad, and for dessert, chocolate cake and cheesecake (we ate it all!). All of the food was so good that we were getting texts the next day about all the specifics to our menu from our guests. I would HIGHLY recommend booking with Chef Mark if you want comfortable, reliable, and good vibes on your wedding day! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

18 October 2023

Mark and his team catered our wedding this past weekend and we were very happy with his pricing and services! He was easy to communicate with and willing to adjust the menu to our liking. He provided linens, extra tables, place settings, and bar service in addition to the delicious food! I received lots of positive feedback from guests (more than one person said it was the best wedding meal they’ve ever had) and my husband and I are still enjoying leftovers 🤗 Definitely would use again and recommend to friends/family!! Thank you Mark!! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

11 October 2023

Mark and his team provided us with a wonderful evening and delicious food. Affordable Chef Services were amazing from the moment I emailed them to cater my 100 person wedding, always responded quickly and gave us a platter of amazing appetizers and entrees. They were very easy to work and had clear communication the entire time! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

11 August 2023

Mark and his staff were wonderful. Mark was very communicative throughout the process. He was flexible and easy to work with any time we needed to make an update to our event. The team was prompt and ready for our wedding. Everyone was kind and helpful to myself, my new husband and our guests. Our food was delicious. I would absolutely recommend Mark and Affordable Chef Services for another event. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

11 June 2023

Mark was ALWAYS responsive and more than willing to make sure he understood fully what it was I envisioned and then made that come to life on my special day. The food was key to what I wanted with my intimate wedding setting at Bargetto Winery, and he knocked it out of the park. In putting together a personal menu for both the appetizers and buffet style dinner, Mark was the perfect balance of allowing us to pick but gently guiding us on the "how" we could get there, so that our guests would get the best quality out of the rustic Italiano choices. Mark also allowed us to stay on budget and understood what I wanted to achieve in that department as well, which was more than appreciated by us. Mark and his staff killed it on the big day, it was seamless and our guests raved about the food. Thank you Mark for everything you did, we appreciate you!!!!! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

4 May 2023

At last! Mark (Affordable Chef Services) and I crossed paths at a mutual clients wedding and what a fabulous day it was to work with him and his amazing staff! From beginning to end the day ran smoothly, passed appetizers, dinner buffet, champagne (was poured table side) before toasts took place... I almost forgot to mention how fast Mark and his team were able to feed 100 guests! I couldn't believe that all our guests zipped through his buffet line in approximately 22 minutes & had time for seconds before the toasting festivities began. Mark's team are capable of offering full service catering & bartending staff too. His team worked tirelessly to ensure that the clients' rental items were safely returned to the rental tubs at the end of the dinner portion. I would absolutely jump at the chance to work with Mark and his catering staff once again; thank you Mark for making our clients, their families and special guests happy last Saturday. Anita- A STARR Events More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 April 2023

He did a good job, was response and his food was good. He was also half the price of other caterers. I would use him again!

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 February 2023

Mark Gallagher was a delight to work with. He was easy to communicate with, showed up on time, made the BEST dinner, served, and cleaned up. Cannot wait to have him again.

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 December 2022

Wonderful all the way around.

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 December 2022

I’m an event planner and enjoyed working with Mark and his team at a wedding this weekend. The food is amazing and him and his crew are on it!

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 December 2022

I hosted a dinner event and hired Mark to cook a meal. The meal was awesome even with 4 guests having dietary restrictions! The appetizers were great! He brought all the dishes / pans / silverware and glasses waste and served us all night and did all the clean up! He made the night awesome. It was less money than you'd spend bringing folks out to a nice restaurant, the meal was as good and the setting a whole lot more comfortable! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 November 2022

Mark and his team did an incredible job. He did everything that we agreed to on time and the food was great.

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 November 2022

I got the pleasure of working with Mark and his team for a wedding, and they KILLED it! They were amazing and professional, they got the job done and I couldn't have asked for a better vendor to work with, I will recommend them to any of my clients in the area.

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 November 2022

Mark Gallagher, Affordable Chef, gets 5 Stars for catering the Celebration of Life event at my home ...Prompt, All Service, Attractive and Delicious food and drink, Friendly, and Affordable.

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 October 2022

I had the great experience of working with Chef Mark and his outstanding team this last weekend. I was asked to help with my friends' wedding, from planning to day-of. Chef Mark was fast to reply to all emails, and made their actual wedding day seamless. His team was there setting up the moment the venue opened to us, and they were all professional and kind. The tables looked beautiful and the food was tasty. Everyone I talked to throughout the night raved about the appetizers being the best they'd ever had at a wedding! On a personal note- Chef Mark just came across as a genuine good guy who works incredibly hard to make your event run smoothly. I would recommend him and his team to anyone planning an event where you want to be able to trust that everything will get done, and be done beautifully. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 July 2022

80th birthday party catered by Mark and Michelle. Exceptional food and service from setup to cleanup. Food was outstanding quality. Highly recommended! We will definitely use Affordable Chef again. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

1 July 2022

Reviewed on Google Maps

30 June 2019

We hired Mark for our wedding May 2019 and we couldn't have been more happy with our selection. We wanted a more casual "food truck" style dinner and Mark delivered- everything was delicious. Mark returned all of my emails and calls promptly during the planning process and was very open to any changes we made to the menu. Mark and his team also handled glassware, dish-ware and linens as well which was one less thing we had to worry about. On the day of the wedding itself, Mark and his team were AUTOMATIC and everything went like clockwork. My wife specifically wanted grill cheese and tomato soup appetizers and we completely forgot to eat while greeting our guests- Mark overheard and made sure that all of the apps we missed were at our table so we could eat them. Finally, Mark did late night food for our guests- burgers, dogs and Mac and cheese - nothing better to soak up some booze.I can't recommend the affordable chef and his team enough from both a price point perspective but for quality of food and service.Thanks Mark! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

30 April 2019

Terrible services!

Reviewed on Google Maps

8 March 2019

I honestly cannot write and praise Chef Mark and his crew enough!! They made our day amazing. We did not have to worry about anything. They were so on their game, and went as far as sending one of the servers out to us while we were taking photos so we could try the apps.

They ran on time, and the food was delicious! They made the dinner for us at our venue (OVY Camp - San Greogrio, CA)and then also made a brunch for us that Sunday. They were the best we could have gotten. I so appreciated the fact that it truly was affordable. When compared to other caterers - they don't even come close to the quality and the amazing deal that you can get through Mark.

If your're planning a wedding -or just an event- I would hire Mark no doubt. He is extremely easy to work with, mellow, but will also reply very very fast. They went above and beyond our expectations.
More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

12 July 2018

Most important point first: THE FOOD IS DELICIOUS!

Mark came to our house in San Jose to let us sample the menu and it was good. Really all I wanted was the food to not be bad. Most people don't remember the food at a wedding, but they will remember it if it sucked. Everything we sampled was pretty good and our menu was set and on the day of... holy crap did he kick it up a notch. Somehow the food was EVEN BETTER at the wedding itself.

Personally, I loved Mark's personality. He's a Chef. And most of the Chefs I've known got their quirks and he is no exception. But if you're looking for good food at a great price, look no further. His responses can be curt, but hey! At least he responds. He also recommended a week before our wedding to switch from whatever beef dish we had originally chosen to a tri-tip. My wife was a bit worried at the last minute change, but I told her to just go with it. He's the Chef, he knows what's best and... of course it turned out amazing. I can't tell you how many people complimented us on the quality of the meat as well as the dining service in general.

All in all, Mark is a pro. My friends and I have been to several weddings around the Santa Cruz area that he has catered and none of us have ever been disappointed and neither will you!
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Reviewed on WeddingWire

21 May 2018

Mark is amazing. He appears to be laid back but he handles all the stress and delivers regardless. He catered my son's wedding 3 years ago and did amazing job in very small kitchen for 100 people. He has gotten even better since. His food is even better and he has the whole thing down from set up -- chairs, tables, dish and glass ware, and excellent servers. They jumped in and did everything. This time he catered a formal dinner party for 75 on Saturday night and the wedding on the beach with full sit down dinner the next evening. Due to high tides we had a lagoon on the beach between entry and set up. The guys all pitched in but Mark made it happen with full set up across the water. Again food and service was excellent. And menus varied from Saturday night to Sunday Wedding fare. AND the overall cost can NOT be beat. I don't even know how he does it. Thanks so much Mark for making it all work. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

6 December 2016

I was very happy with Affordable Chef Services. The food was great, the service exceptional and the price was impossible to beat.

Reviewed on WeddingWire

7 July 2016

I must say that Mark is a super laid back guy, so if you're a bridezilla and need reassurance, you can always email him and he is very responsive. Mark delivered all the food on time perfectly. He is very accommodating and has a wonderful staff on hand that made my wedding feel at ease and flow perfectly! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

21 May 2016

not a good service

Reviewed on Google Maps

8 December 2015

My husband and I really enjoyed working with Mark as our wedding caterer and received many compliments on the food at our wedding (especially Mark’s veggie lasagna). In addition to catering, Mark also provided the bartending staff for our reception. The staff passed appetizers, served drinks and re-stocked the buffet like pros and with 215 guests we were no easy wedding to cater to. I was told by multiple guests how much they liked Mark’s staff and how professional they all were and Mark made us feel at ease through the whole process while also being affordable. Mark provided my husband and me with a tasting at our home, which was great, and answered all of my questions in a timely fashion. Mark also provided us with all of our linens and serving needs for the evening (plates, glasses, utensils, etc). I wouldn’t hesitate to use Mark again for a future event. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

23 November 2015

Mark and his team were exceptional. Very friendly and the food was delicious.

Reviewed on WeddingWire

22 November 2015

There is much to be said about the skill level of Chef Mark and the quality of service found in Affordable Chef Services. Mark was the utmost professional, quick with his responses, helpful in decision-making, and actually MORE than made our wedding, he saved it ! My husband and I were upset to discover that the reception venue had not provided adequately functioning kitchen appliances as promised, but Chef Mark creatively solved every hiccup and thrilled our guests with fresh veggies and delicious hot food. Not one of our guests knew of the behind-the-scenes stress, and we heard so many rave reviews! The wait staff were excellent and helpful, going above and beyond in preparations! Our family can whole-heartedly recommend Mark's attentive services and delicious food, any client is sure to be pleased! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

22 November 2015

Mark was amazing. Not only was the price super reasonable, but all the services provided were exceptional. Food was great, staff were helpful and friendly, and everyone was super accommodating.

Reviewed on WeddingWire

22 May 2015

Sadly, I was sick on my big day and did not get the full experience, but I can still review with the following: Others loved the food. The displays were *beautiful*. Although communication was not always 100% easy with Mark, he responded very promptly every time. Everyone he brought had giant smiles constantly. No one from my 150+ attendees were lacking for food or drink the entire time. Even when I threw the schedule to pieces from my illness, they moved quickly and were spot-on.I would use Mark and his crew again and again (and kind of want to throw a party to do so). More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

22 March 2015

They were absolutely amazing! Mark let us completely customize our menu and was always quick to respond. We had a medieval themed wedding and the whole crew totally got involved. They came dressed as"serving wenches"!! So cute. All involved were beyond professional and the food was insanely delicious. Budget friendly, tons of tasty food, great to work with. I highly recommend this vendor. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

22 May 2014

We got married October 5th and were referred to Mark by a friend. Him and his team before and on the day of the wedding were amazing! Mark answered my emails promptly regarding any questions I had and was extremely nice in a very stressful time. His team was lovely! Guests from the wedding are still raving about how attentive and great they were. We had BBQ style dinner and it was delicious! I wish I could've eaten more, but was too busy to sit in one place for very long. Mark took care of so much regarding our wedding and checked in to see how we were doing throughout the party, it was really amazing. I will definitely refer Affordable Chef Services to any bride or groom. Thanks again, guys! xoxox More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

22 May 2014

My son lives in Santa Cruz and was getting married in August. I was in charge of the rehearsal dinner. I didn't start looking for venue until the end of May. I was panicking because I wasn't having any luck on such short notice. Reluctantly, I decided to have the dinner at the house I was renting on the beach. A house I had never seen. I searched the Internet and found Chef Mark's website. Afraid that I would come up against another, "no, we can't help you on such short notice", I called Mark with my fingers crossed hoping he would be my Hero. My needs were a little more complicated than just needing some food on a specific date. I also needed a menu for my vegetarian and gluten free guest, as well as, a satisfying selection for my meat eaters. Did I mention, to top it off, I hadn't seen the house I was renting except in pictures? In steps my Hero.Not only was his fresh menu ideas not your typical catered affair food; he went to the house to view it for me to make sure it would accommodate 25 people. He also, transformed the house to fulfill my vision of a casual, yet elegant indoor barbecue! He met me at the house when I got to town to assure me he had everything under control. That evening when we came back from the wedding rehearsal, his staff had transformed the great room into a beautiful dining room with white lines, glass ware, china and the gorgeous flower arrangement's I chose for the tables. All overlooking the ocean view. The staff started by walking around offering appetizers and ran the show all evening, including pouring the champagne for the toast at the end of the night. Everyone raved about the food and how beautiful everything looked. Mark took what could have been a very stressful situation for this out of state, Mother of the Groom, and made me look like a rock star! I have been raving about the Affordable Chef to everyone who has asked about the wedding. I attend catered events frequently in my line of work. Mark's food and service were one of the best I've had. THANK YOU AFFORDABLE CHEF! You customer service skills are exemplary and it's proof you love what you do! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

23 April 2014

We hired Chef Mark Gallagher after meeting him at a wedding show in Santa Cruz . It was the perfect fit that we were looking for , for our big day . . Guests as well as my family were very happy with the food as well as goodtime had by all .. Loved it all , but the meatballs are the bomb .. Thank you Mark and Erin .. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

30 June 2013

Marks crew did a great job at our wedding. People loved the food and the service was top notch. We were a little nervous to chose a caterer that we had never met or tasted, but it worked out great - just like the reviews we read from others that had used him.

Reviewed on WeddingWire

22 May 2012

Thanks Chef Mark and team! After a slightly hectic last minute venue change, you guys were all such great sports, and really made the day! The food all tasted great, and the guests loved it, more than anything all the service was fantastic. All the guests told us how much they loved the appetizers and the dinner, in addition, everyone said how nice all the staff was!I would highly recommend you for all types of events, and specifically weddings! If you are looking for an amazing chef, who keeps their cool, and makes sure your special day runs perfectly this is the man you want to hire! We can't say thanks enough for everything More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

22 May 2012

Chef Mark, Thanks for doing an AMAZING job planning the menu and executing on the day of the event. We loved all the fabulous food and you helped our celebration really take flight. Thank you!

Reviewed on Google Maps

9 December 2010

An excellent caterer. The price could not be beat and the food was absolutely delightful. He even provided the tables and chairs, as our location had none available. Very friendly and organized, my wife and I felt completely at ease. I didn't worry about anything. Mark handled it all and if we ever have an event that needs to be catered again, Mark will be the first person we call. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

9 December 2010

I can't think of the adjectives to convey how satisfied my husband and I AND everyone at our wedding was with Affordable Chef Catering. Not only is Marks food awesome but Mark and his staff are stellar as well. All of them went way beyond the call of duty. It is not overstating to say that when my husbands family was two hours late for the ceremony Mark and his staff saved our wedding with their finely honed problem solving and people skills. Everything was perfect. Hire Affordable Chef and you will cut your wedding planning and wedding day stress way back! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Q&As

Anything you would like .. it could be your favorites or something your great grandma made you while young ..

Basically we have a website events quote page which we will ask for any menu input client may have and we build around that .

The happiness it brings to a day ..
The building of an event and menu around someone’s vision ..