Private chef on 30A and the Gulf Coast
Dinners in your rental, bonfires on the sand, bachelorette brunches and quiet weeks of meal prep. We shop, cook, serve and leave the kitchen spotless.
What we cook
Everything is cooked fresh in your rental's kitchen and planned around your group: the food you love, the allergies you mention and the pace you want.
Dinner at the house
Plated or buffet, with three levels of service.
From $55 a guest, plus food
Dinner Under the Stars
A long table on the sand under string lights.
Setup $2,800 for up to 20
Bonfire & Buffet
A beach fire, chairs around it and a buffet beside it.
$1,600 setup, plus $55 a guest
Bachelorettes
Brunch, sushi night, the bonfire and the big dinner.
From $55 a guest
Brunch & lunch
Coffee on before anyone surfaces.
$65 a guest, plus food
The Mahjong Table
A lesson, a host and eight small courses.
$1,200 for eight
Cooking classes
Sushi, pasta, gnocchi or pizza, then dinner.
From $140 a guest, plus food
Weekly meal prep
Three meals and a snack a day, cooked twice a week.
$700 a week, plus foodAlso: family dinners and nanny care · weddings and rehearsal dinners · retreats and long stays · Catch & Cook · Paint, Sip & Eat · special diets · corporate groups
Meet your chef
Hi, I'm Jojo.
I was born in Michigan, grew up in Gulfport, Mississippi, and landed on the Florida Panhandle after Hurricane Katrina. I trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando, cooked my way through restaurant kitchens, and then risked everything to do the work I love most: cooking in people's homes while they make memories.
My food is fresh Gulf seafood, Southern comfort, and the Caribbean and Mediterranean flavors I love, cooked with plenty of fresh herbs and bright citrus. I always say I cook with a secret ingredient, and that's love.
Today I have a team of chefs, servers and bartenders I've trained myself, so your night feels like mine even on the busiest Saturday in June.
Real nights, real photos
Every photo on this site is from one of our own events: our food, our team and our guests. We never use stock photos.
How booking works
Build your event
Choose the experience, the guest count and the menu. Your quote appears as you go, and it takes about four minutes.
We plan it with you
A real person confirms your date within 24 hours and sends your menu, invoice and agreement. A $500 deposit holds the date.
Enjoy the night
Your chef arrives three to five hours early, cooks, serves and clears up. You won't come down in the morning to a sink full of pans.
What guests say
We hired Chef Jojo for a bachelorette dinner in 30A and she went above and beyond! The menu was incredible, and she took the time to walk us through every detail. Pricing was clear and upfront, her team was professional and kept everything spotless, and the food was amazing. We finished every single plate. She also accommodated our pregnant guests and dietary restrictions perfectly.
Chef Jojo was absolutely amazing! I felt like we made a new best friend and her food was phenomenal. She took care of everything from prep, cleaning, and putting away leftovers. We felt like we were at a five star restaurant (definitely recommend the yogurt parfait) while in the comfort of our house.
Chef Jojo was a joy to work with! I booked an intimate at home sushi class and dinner for my sister and brother in law. She was promptly on time and took care of everything from the prep and table set up to the cooking and clean up. They had the best time.
The menus
Gulf seafood, Southern comfort and a little sunshine
Blackened grouper over cheese grits. Butter-poached lobster tail. Bacon-wrapped filet with a bourbon demi. My Signature Ube Key Lime Pie. Choose a set menu or build your own course by course, and change any dish for allergies and diets.
- Signature menus: four plated seasons, one of them gluten-free
- Cuisine menus: Louisiana, Moroccan, Indian and Southern
- Beach buffets: seafood boil, fiesta, sushi, BBQ and luau
- Holidays: Thanksgiving and Christmas at the beach house
Where we cook
There's no travel charge from Inlet Beach to Destin and Panama City Beach. Further along the Gulf Coast, from Pensacola to Port St. Joe, we're happy to come and will quote the travel.
Questions guests ask first
What does a private chef on 30A cost?
Dinner starts at $55 a guest for chef service, plus food from $45 a guest for three courses. There's an $800 minimum before food, plus Florida sales tax (7%), a 20% gratuity for the team and a 3% card fee. Your exact quote appears as you build your event.
How do I hold my date?
With a non-refundable $500 deposit, once you've approved your quote and signed your agreement. Beach permits are added to the deposit because we buy them for your date. The balance is due 30 days before your event.
What if we have to cancel, or a storm comes?
Cancel more than 30 days out and the deposit is kept, with nothing more owed. Within 30 days of the event, or once the balance is paid, your booking is non-refundable for any reason, including weather. That's why we offer travel insurance when you book, for peace of mind.
Can you work around allergies and diets?
Yes. Every allergy, intolerance and preference goes on your event order before we shop, and those guests get their own plate. We cook in your kitchen on shared equipment, so we can't promise an allergen-free environment, but we take every precaution there is.
Do you bring the alcohol?
You provide the alcohol, and we bring the mixers, the recipes and the service. A bartender can be added at $50 an hour.
Our sister company
Planning a trip somewhere else?
My team also cooks in Nashville, Scottsdale, Charleston, Orlando and more than a dozen other cities through BookThatChef. Same menus, same standards, same easy booking.
Let's plan your table
Build your event and see your quote in about four minutes. Nothing is charged until you've seen it, and a person reads every request within 24 hours.
Questions first? Email admin@chefjojo30a.com.