Santa Ynez · Ojai
Santa Barbara
Private Chef
I don't cater. I cook. Like any restaurant chef, I write a menu that reflects who I am, thirty-four years in kitchens, and what's best in Santa Barbara right now. You're not hiring someone to fill a request. You're invited to my table, set in your home or rental.
born &
bred
I'm Mattias
I started as an apprentice in a German restaurant in Sweden at 12 and had my first kitchen job at 15. I've called Santa Barbara home since 1991. Before I started cooking privately, I spent 18 years in restaurant kitchens across California and Europe.
My cooking is seasonal California rustic food with a Scandinavian–Japanese sensibility. The flavors are honest and robust, shaped by my mother and grandmother, two of the best cooks I know.
Three ways to dine
Farmhouse Menus
three or four courses
Choose a menu as it is, or mix and match starters, a main and a dessert. Four courses come with house bread and housemade butter.
see the menus → 02Shared Table
family style
Generous platters set in the middle of the table and passed around, for a relaxed, social evening.
see the menus → 03California Tasting
tasting menu
A longer evening of smaller courses, served one after another, built around what is best this season.
see the menu →An evening, start to finish
I arrive
I bring all the cookware. All I need is counter space and a working stove and oven.
The table is set
My own plateware, chargers, linens, glassware, candles and decor.
Course by course
Each dish is served and described at your table, restaurant style.
All clean
Your kitchen is spotless before I leave. You just enjoy the night.
Across Santa Barbara County
Private homes, estates, ranches and vacation rentals, from the coast to wine country. Pick your area to see what a dinner there looks like.
Best for 6–14 guests; larger groups considered.
Simple, no surprises
Pricing
One all-inclusive quote on a sliding scale by guest count. No hidden costs, locked 6 days before.
Cancellation
Full refund, no questions asked, up to 7 days before your dinner.
Always me
No substitute chefs, and only one reservation per day.
Discretion
Privacy always. I never share the names of past or future clients.
Want cocktails? A bartender can be added.
Beyond the dinner table
Farmhouse Bento
Planning a wedding or a corporate event? My mobile cart sets up at your venue with the best of crudo, sashimi and the farmers' market.
Book the cart →
Mattias Blom Consulting
Kitchen expertise from a chef. There is a better way and a better design, with results that make your kitchen your favorite place.
Book a kitchen conversation →