Buffet Cook and Go Tenerife

Chef Roberto Medda brings the restaurant to your holiday home, cooking a generous buffet while you stay with your family or friends. The best part is the personal menu planning, with options for meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans, and diners avoiding gluten. I also like that Roberto leaves the kitchen clean and gives you time to enjoy the meal.

This is a particularly good fit for birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, and large family evenings. The main consideration is that this is a self-service buffet, not a formal restaurant meal with table service, and drinks cost extra.

Key points to know before booking

• Chef Roberto Medda cooks in your villa: You dine at home in Costa Adeje or another agreed Tenerife location instead of arranging a restaurant table.
• Menus can suit mixed groups: Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free needs can be discussed when planning the meal.
• The food is prepared for celebrations: Birthdays, family reunions, barbecues, retirements, and anniversaries are a natural match.
• Dinner lasts about three hours: The chef prepares and presents the food, then leaves you to serve yourselves.
• Drinks and table service are extra: Plan to buy your own wine, beer, soft drinks, or water.
• Book ahead for popular dates: The average booking lead time is 16 days, and one family had difficulty finding an open Friday evening.

A private chef instead of another restaurant night

Tenerife has no shortage of restaurants, but a private buffet solves a problem that many holiday groups face: getting six, nine, or more people out the door at the same time. Chef Roberto arrives at your holiday villa and prepares dinner there, so you can keep the evening centered on your own group.

I like this arrangement for families with different tastes. One dinner can include meat, seafood, vegetarian dishes, dips, salads, and dessert without forcing everyone to order from separate menus. It also saves you from splitting the group across several tables or trying to keep a long birthday dinner moving in an unfamiliar restaurant.

The service is private. Only your group takes part, and the activity begins and ends at the meeting point in Costa Adeje. The information provided also describes service in English, which makes menu planning easier for English-speaking groups.

The drawback is simple: this is not a staffed dinner party. The buffet is self-service, and drinks and table service are not included. If you want waiters clearing plates between courses or a sommelier explaining wines, choose a restaurant instead.

What the three-hour visit looks like

The advertised duration is about three hours. The evening is built around dinner preparation rather than sightseeing, so you should think of it as a private catering experience in your accommodation.

Before the meal, Roberto works with you on the menu. This planning stage matters. A group of six adults might include three vegetarians and three meat eaters, while another party may want seafood, barbecue food, or a birthday menu. The food can be adjusted to suit preferences, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets.

Roberto then prepares the meal at your villa. The descriptions of his service point to several hours of steady cooking, followed by a buffet presentation. He talks through what he has prepared, giving the meal a personal touch without turning the evening into a cooking class.

Once the buffet is ready, you serve yourselves. This makes the format relaxed and practical for a family celebration. It also means you control the pace. You can sit down when ready, return for another helping, and keep the evening going without waiting for a restaurant kitchen.

The kitchen cleanup is part of the appeal. Several accounts describe Roberto leaving the cooking area spotless or making cleanup easy. That detail has real value in a rented villa, where you may not want to end a celebration with a sink full of pans.

The menu: seafood, Spanish favorites, and flexible choices

The sample dishes suggest a Spanish and Mediterranean direction, with plenty of food for sharing. The opening choices include prawns with garlic, prawn salsa verde, chorizo salad with goat cheese and tomato, and seabass in salsa verde.

The main dishes include arroz caldoso de marisco, a brothy seafood rice dish, plus chicken salmorejo and patatas bravas. Hummus with mojos and bread adds an easy option for sharing and gives non-meat eaters something substantial to start with.

Dessert is Basque cheesecake, listed as a freshly baked tarta de queso vasca. That is a fitting finish for a Spanish-style meal and a useful choice for a group that wants one dessert rather than several separate plates.

The sample menu should not be treated as a fixed promise. The service is built around personal preferences, and the menu can be adjusted. When you book, give Roberto a clear list of allergies, dislikes, dietary restrictions, and favorite foods. Do this early, not on the day of the meal.

The menu also appears generous. Multiple accounts describe enough food for second servings and leftovers the next day. That can improve the value for a villa stay, since the extra portions may become an easy lunch.

Why a buffet works well for celebrations

This experience makes most sense when the occasion matters. A birthday dinner becomes easier when nobody in the family has to cook. A retirement gathering can stay at home, with the group talking around the table rather than watching the clock for the last bus or taxi.

It is also suited to milestone events. Roberto has prepared food for a 50th wedding anniversary, a 70th birthday, a brother’s birthday, a family retirement gathering, and a small barbecue with friends. One anniversary menu included both vegetarian and meat dishes for six adults, showing how the service can handle a mixed group.

A barbecue is another useful variation. Roberto has prepared a barbecue buffet for a small family and friends event, allowing the hosts to spend time together rather than managing the food. The same idea applies to a bachelorette party, where keeping the group in one villa may be more convenient than organizing dinner reservations.

The buffet format takes some formality away, but that is often a plus. You can eat in courses if you wish, or place everything on the table and let the evening unfold at its own speed.

Costa Adeje and the practical meeting point

The stated starting point is Costa Adeje in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and the activity ends back at the meeting point. Since the chef comes to your home, confirm the exact address and whether your villa is within the service area before finalizing plans.

The information describes the chef coming to your home rather than asking you to travel to a restaurant. That is the central convenience here. It also means you should make sure the cooking area and dining space are ready for the agreed arrival time.

No sightseeing is included. Tenerife and Costa Adeje appear as location markers, not stops on a sightseeing route. The itinerary also lists Private Chef Roberto Medda and Porto Cervo, but no separate visit to Porto Cervo or any other attraction is described. Do not book this expecting island touring.

Near-public-transport access is noted, and service animals are allowed. Still, because the chef comes to your accommodation, the most important practical detail is the address rather than a public meeting location.

Is $118.82 per person fair?

At $118.82 per person, this is not a cheap takeaway meal. It can be good value if you are comparing it with a large dinner out, especially once you factor in the time saved, the private setting, and the work of preparing food for a group.

The value improves with group size. A private chef preparing several courses for six or nine people can replace the effort of shopping, cooking, serving, and cleaning. For a special occasion, the convenience may be worth more than the price of a standard restaurant meal.

You should also account for the extras. Drinks are not included, and there is no table service. You will need to provide your own beverages and accept responsibility for serving yourselves. Ask about any other menu-related costs before confirming, particularly if you want a highly specialized menu.

The generous portions described in the service details may help the calculation. If dinner provides leftovers for lunch, you receive more than one sitting from the food. That is especially useful for families staying in a villa for a week.

The strongest part of the service: personal attention

Roberto’s role is not limited to cooking. He communicates about menu choices, arrives on time, explains what he has prepared, and handles the kitchen afterward. Those small details matter when you are trusting someone with a birthday or family milestone.

The personal planning is the biggest strength. A group can request a mixture of meat and vegetarian food rather than settling for one narrow theme. Vegan and gluten-free requirements can also be discussed, though you should provide exact details before the date.

The service is delivered in English, and the information describes Roberto as having more than ten years of culinary experience. His approach combines familiar Spanish dishes with a more polished presentation, based on the sample menu and the way the food is described.

I also like the fact that the chef does not dominate the evening. He explains the food, then leaves the group to enjoy dinner. That is the right balance for a private celebration. You receive professional cooking without having to spend the entire night in a cooking demonstration.

What to clarify before you commit

Ask for the final menu in writing. The sample includes seafood, prawns, chorizo, goat cheese, chicken, and bread, so diners with allergies or strict dietary needs should confirm every ingredient.

Clarify the service area if your accommodation is outside Costa Adeje. The experience is described as being in Tenerife, but the stated meeting point is Costa Adeje. An exact address check prevents confusion on the day.

Confirm the number of people and the type of occasion. Roberto can prepare a birthday buffet, barbecue, family dinner, or larger celebration, but the menu and amount of food may depend on your group size.

Plan your beverages. Since drinks are excluded, buy wine, beer, soft drinks, and water in advance. Also remember that buffet service means you will serve yourselves.

Book early for a Friday, holiday, or major celebration. The typical booking lead time is 16 days, and the information supplied suggests that Roberto can be busy. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time, but changes or cancellations inside that period are not accepted and are not refunded.

Who should book this Tenerife experience?

I would choose this for a family staying in a villa, a group celebrating a birthday, or friends who want a good meal without leaving their accommodation. It is especially useful when the group has mixed dietary needs or includes people who do not want a late restaurant outing.

It is also a smart choice for anyone who values leftovers. A restaurant dinner ends when you pay the bill. A generous villa buffet may give you lunch for the next day as well.

I would not choose it if you want a guided food tour, a cooking lesson, sightseeing, or formal table service. The experience is about a private meal prepared in your home, not about visiting several places around Tenerife.

Should you book Chef Roberto Medda?

Book it if you want the ease of a private chef, a menu shaped around your group, and a relaxed celebration at your villa. The strongest reasons are the flexible food choices, the large portions, the professional preparation, and the fact that Roberto handles the cooking and leaves the kitchen clean.

Think carefully about the self-service format and the extra cost of drinks. If those limits suit you, $118.82 per person can be reasonable for a three-hour private dinner that also saves you shopping, cooking, and restaurant coordination. For a birthday, anniversary, retirement, or family reunion, this is a practical way to make the meal feel special without making the evening complicated.

FAQ

Where does the private chef experience take place?

The activity is based in Tenerife, with Costa Adeje listed as the starting location. Chef Roberto comes to your home or holiday villa.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately three hours.

Is the experience private?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

Is dinner included?

Yes. Dinner and the buffet setup are included.

Are drinks included?

No. Drinks are not included, so you need to arrange your own beverages.

Is table service included?

No. The meal is served as a self-service buffet.

Can the menu be changed?

Yes. The menu can be adjusted to suit your preferences, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free requirements.

Is the service available in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the experience are not accepted and are not refunded.