Private Chef Inquiries

 
Meet Seaside Shallots' culinary creator, Abigail Houff, a 16-year resident of Key West, FL, and recent seasonal transplant to Long Island, New York.
Though a relative newcomer to culinary as a profession, the auto-didact full-time jewelry designer always had one foot in the kitchen. As a boutique owner in her twenties in her native Baltimore, Abigail took an un-needed part-time job as a line cook in a friend's small restaurant just to gain line experience. But the passion for food and cooking remained just that until, during COVID in Key West, a community kitchen volunteer job turned into a 3 month stint with Americorps. Cooking full-time was a dream, and the experience led Abigail to obtain a certificate from Cornell in plant-based nutrition. She gained her first opportunities to cook for an audience and the Key West community at Unity Table at Williams Hall, and the experiences have just gotten more interesting and plentiful in 3 short years. Interesting points include a gig on a catamaran yacht in the Bahamas, a sold-out pop-up series of produce-forward farmer's market dinners at a Key West wine bistro, and a local theatre/culinary collaboration that included serving 8 courses to 50 audience members a night. 
Abigail offers services for private in-home dinners (from 2 to 16 people), intimate weddings and retreats, meal prep services, boat chef services, or something delicious you dream up together.

 

She specializes in pescatarian, vegetarian, plant-based, and vegan cuisine, with a focus on bright, clean flavors. She has considerable experience cooking for dietary-restricted (dairy free, nightshade free, gluten free, allergen) clients. 

"I love learning about new regions and exploring new cuisines, but my culinary focus is usually on the best of what's around. Wherever I'm cooking, I'm trying to utilize the freshest local produce and protein. So give me a shout, and we can discuss what food adventure you're interested in!"

Cheers!

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