Private Chef Service at a Jamaican Villa: How It Works & What It Costs

Before you arrive

Once your dates are confirmed we send a menu questionnaire: how many meals a day you want, dietary restrictions, allergies, kids' preferences, and whether you'd like Jamaican dishes, international cooking, or a mix. The chef builds a menu from your answers and shops locally the morning of your arrival.

A typical day

Breakfast is served when your group wakes up rather than at a fixed hour — fresh fruit, callaloo and eggs, saltfish fritters, coffee from the Blue Mountains. Lunch is usually light and served by the pool. Dinner is the set piece: grilled snapper caught off the cove, jerk pork, curry goat, or whatever you asked for, plated at the table you choose.

What it costs

Chef service is priced as a daily fee, with groceries billed at cost on top. That separation keeps things honest: you see what the food actually costs, and you can book the chef for some days and eat out on others. Current pricing is listed on our services page.

Dietary needs and allergies

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy-specific menus are routine — the only requirement is telling us in advance so ingredients can be sourced before your arrival, as specialty items are not always available locally at short notice.

Questions guests ask

Is the private chef included in the villa rate?

Chef service is an optional add-on at Villa Alma, quoted separately from the nightly villa rate so you only pay for the days you want it.

Who pays for the groceries?

Groceries are billed at cost on top of the chef's daily fee. We share an estimate before arrival based on your menu and group size.

Can the chef cook Jamaican food?

Yes. Ackee and saltfish, escovitch snapper, jerk chicken, curry goat, rundown and fresh-caught fish from the cove are all standard. International and lighter menus are equally available.

Can the chef handle allergies and dietary restrictions?

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, pescatarian and allergy-specific menus are all accommodated when you share requirements before arrival.