What A Lucky Find!

I was looking to do something special for my wife’s 50th birthday and thought hiring a personal chef to cook for my wife and me and 6 of our closest friends would be fun. I found Chef Matthew on Thumbtack, a site I had never before visited. Wow, did I get lucky. His reviews were universally positive and he was prompt with his replies and easy to communicate with via email. Matthew helped me navigate through the various options of how to structure the nighttime event. It was clear that he was a professional and for the most part, I asked him to “make it special and surprise me”. He devised a menu and sent it to me to review and approve.

He planned a fun cocktail hour with tasty appetizers on our lower patio where we were able to relax and unwind as Vinny, the server, provided excellent service. After two appetizer courses we were ready for dinner that we had in our formal dining room. We had giant prawns and a petite filet. I was shocked that our kitchen could produce such a “Top Chef” meal. Of note, Matthew and Vinny cleaned the kitchen completely by the end of the evening and left it spotless with everything returned to its proper place.

Our friends have each contacted us since with glowing praise for a wonderful and relaxing evening. Most importantly, my wife’s 50th Birthday gathering was a complete success.

Thank you Matt and Vinny!

Anthony Visco
Chapel Hill, NC

An amazing Mother's Day brunch

I discovered Chef Matthew on Thumbtack as I was looking to surprise my wife with a brunch for her first Mother's Day. He reached out to me very quickly and after initial introductions he began to ask about what type of food she liked. He was very personable and spent a good amount of time with me on the first phone call getting an idea of my vision for the occasion. Over the next few weeks, he stayed in constant communication. He gave his feedback on a few ideas that I had and also made some wonderful suggestions that in the end, we implemented into the meal. While he was cooking, he shared some amazing stories about the experiences that he had while working all over the world. The food was amazing. My wife couldn't have been happier because he was able to create a meal custom tailored to her liking and executed perfectly. He takes immense pride in his work and pays very close attention to detail - even down to the floral arrangement in the dining table. It was an amazing experience and we definitely plan on using Chef Matthew again in the future.

Matthew S. -

Saved my life!!

So, I am always last minute with everything. I was hosting a direct sales cocktail party for Nerium International and no one would do my party because I only needed beverages and a server and all of the other catering companies would do it ONLY if I got food with it. Well, Matt answered immediately and was so sweet and accommodating and told me of course he would help me out. Later to find out as I'm reading his website I see that he is actually a chef that does private parties, yachts, weddings and gourmet type of cooking. This man went out of his way to make sure that I would have a setup with decorations that he brought himself which I was not expecting and my price did not go up. ( and his price point was half of what the others wanted to charge me). Had a server ready for me 5 mins after my phone call and did all of the cleanup. I was so so impressed with his generosity to help someone who was in need when beverage service is not what he normally does, on a Saturday night when he could have been at home. Even packed up the extra alcohol for me in his personal bin and told me to take it home. I will always refer him and always use him for any event I will ever have. It's nice to know there are people still out there that are genuine and willing to go the extra mile when they don't have to. THANK YOU MATT!!!

Ashley DeVaughn
Ashley Grey Salon

Can't Thank You and Your Team Enough

Chef Matt,

I can't thank you and Lisa, Vinny and Matt enough. The food was the definite highlight of the party and EVERYONE raved about it!!! I wanted to write another review for you to use on your website and if I can get it on Thumbtack again, I will. Just not sure about that because I didn't use them to book you this time.

But, again, many, many thanks!!! Let me know when you want to use the condo!!

"We hired Chef Matt to cater my parents 50th Anniversary party and December and he made such an impression we hired him again to cater our daughter's graduation party. This was a much different party. Over 100 people and Chef Matt must have made at least 15 different dishes and they kept coming for the duration of the 4 hour party. The food and service was the thing EVERYONE was talking about last night and into the next morning. There was very little leftover except for the Bison Sliders because everyone was too full to eat by the time those came out!!!!! The were delicious for breakfast the next day. I would not hesitate to hire Chef Matt for ANY sort of event I would have! He and his servers are amazing!!!!"

Nikki Shafer -

Wife's Birthday

Matthew has a great personality and made the whole evening for my wife's birthday an experience. Each course that he prepared left us wanting more and eagerly anticipating the next one. A great time by a great chef.

Charles -

Valentine's Day Dinner

I wanted to have a special Valentine's Day dinner to remember and was fortunate to find the gifted Chef Matthew Hoyes. Friends joined us for a truly elegant evening of great tastes. Chef Matthew placed significant thought and planning on our night which made it very special. The table and food presentations were only topped by the amazing courses. My wife and I really enjoyed spending time with Matthew, getting to know him and learning from his incredible knowledge of food and cooking. It was a great experience!

Jeffrey and Laura Marquis
Cary, NC

40th B-day Party for the ages

I found Matthew through Thumbtack and working the complex (10 course), tapas-style menu based on my wife's favorite flavors, I was confident we found the right chef for the job. Matthews attention to artistic detail is only outdone by his passion for making great food. He left our kitchen looking better than when he arrived, the food was brilliantly presented and delicious, and he delivered a party treat at that end of the evening that made the evening an 11. A no brainer when you are entertaining.

Jim/Kirsten
Raleigh, NC

50th Anniversary Party

Chef Hoyes catered my in-laws 50th Anniversary party at my home. The food was amazing and Chef Hoyes and his servers were very professional and friendly! He customized a menu inspired by all the places the Anniversary couple had lived and even made "Teen Twist" from Hot Shoppes in D.C. which is what they had on their first date! Everyone was so amazed how good the food was. As the homeowner, I was amazed at how efficient they were. My kitchen was left cleaner than they had found it!! I highly recommend Chef Hoyes for any event you may have!!!

Nikki & Jeff Shafer -

He's so good, I don't want to share!

Let me start this by saying that I'll probably regret writing this bc Matthew may now be too busy for me to book him! He is simply AMAZING! He cooked up a surprise valentines dinner for my wife. He was detailed, prompt, and the food was magnificent! Thanks to Matthew I am now a fan of fried green tomatoes(who knew someone could make fried green tomatoes so delicious, yet fancy). Matthew did everything from set the ambiance to serve one of the most delicious meals I've ever had. He was a one man team. He is my go to for ANY special occasion from now on. Safe to say I was a lucky man on valentines day!

Marcus/Nikki West
Raleigh, NC

Wonderful To Work With

Recommended by a friend, I contacted Chef Matthew Hoyes to entertain clients of mine for the PGA 2012 on Kiawah Island, SC. He was easy to work with, very organized, friendly, and his attention to detail is grand. For the entire 9 days he continued to indulge my guests with a beautiful and delicious menu. I would greatly recommend him to anyone looking for the best. It's always a pleasure to hear from him and I look forward to working with him in the future.

Patricia
Kiawah Island SC

passion that shines through

I can not say enough about Chef Matthew he did a fantastic job. Above and beyond what I expected from an in-home chef. His experience shines through and his passion brightens up the room. A must for those seeking a unique dining show in the comfort of your own home. He will be back again very soon.
Huge Thanks

David S.
Chapel Hill, NC

Fabulous!!

Every now and then you have to have a tea party with some old friends. I found Chef Matthew on Thumbtack and we started talking about options for my idea of a tea party. We spoke about when he lived in England and told stories of an afternoon tea he attended and the rest is history. We went classic and it was so much fun and my girlfriends were so amazed and my idea was turned into reality.
God Bless You

Lindsey Saunders
Wake Forest, NC

Attention to detail is over the top

It was my wife's birthday and this year I really wished to try something new. So after doing some research I decided to hire a private chef to come into our home for a romantic evening. This was the best experience that we have had in a long while. King and Queen for the evening. From the time Chef Matthew walked through our doors to when he departed, first class all the way.
He did everything flowers, candles, music, lighting of the fireplace, to the food he created. OMG! I told him romantic and he brought it to another level. Worth every penny, My wife was mine for the night and had a smile from ear to ear.
Thank You Again

Patrick McKee
Raleigh, NC

What a Find!!

We came across Chef Matthew on Thumbtack. After connecting over the phone my wife and I decided to have Chef Matthew over to create for our parents 40th wedding anniversary. What a fabulous evening, between the stories that came along with Chef Matthew, to the menu he created for all of us to enjoy. One word, Unbelievable.
Thank you again and we will be in contact soon.

Leo and Bethany Fritz
Cary, NC

Five Star Service at home and abroad!

Chef Matthew Hoyes came aboard our Yacht for a two week trip around the Abaccos. It was unbelievable. I have dined in some of the finest places in the word, and Chef Matthew surprised us every night with something I literally had never tasted. My friends were impressed, my wife was pleased and I was always left looking forward to the next night! We enjoyed him so much, we hired him again to do a small banquet at our home in London the following month! Thank you Chef Matthew, you are an expert at your craft!

Eric B.
London, England

Leave a Review

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email

    Company / Location

    Phone

    Review Title (required)

    Your Review (required)


    [/row]