Lilly prepared an amazing meal for my friends and I at our Air B&B after a day of wine tasting in Dundee. It was a fabulous! She was extremely professional, outgoing, taught us all a lot and made a delicious meal! We had been wine tasting and had bought wines that she paired with our food that evening so it was extra special. This was a wonderful experience and I would highly recommend bringing Lilly in to cook if you are in the area! Cheers!
Lilly Gray - Chef, Sommelier, Farmer
In high demand
- 7 hires
- Based in Chapel Hill, NC
- 18 years in business
- Background checked
About Lilly Gray - Chef, Sommelier, Farmer
I am a North Carolina native specializing in fine dining, focusing on healthy cuisine while utilizing local ingredients. I have worked as a chef for over 15 years and during the last 10 I have also worked simultaneously in the wine industry. I started in restaurants, working as a butcher and a sous chef; then evolved into doing pop-up events, in-home cooking lessons and freelance work. I moved to the Willamette Valley of Oregon in 2016 and worked harvest making wine for a small production winery and farm specializing in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. During my time there I worked my way up in responsibilities and skills earning the first ever title of Cellar Master in their company's history. Since the winery was so small, I also worked as a farm hand in the slower months. Helping build electric fenced pastures, tending to the herd of Irish Dexter cattle, raising American Guinea Hogs, chickens, goats, and taking care of the two draft horses. The experience at the farm and winery kept me humble and opened my mind up to the slower paces of life that enjoy and respect nature as a practice in daily life. I currently live in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area, where I have a homestead raising ducks and am preparing for a small flower farm. I grow a lot of my own food in the garden and butcher larger cuts of meat raised on farms nearby. My food is the story of my life and my home. Each dish I prepare bares some significance to my roots in the South and my professional standards from working in fine dining for over a decade. Every meal has a story and a deep connection to my heart and life experiences that lead me from my home to my 8 years of life in Oregon and back again. Thank you for the opportunity to share them with you and the people you cherish most around your table.
Reviews
We can’t say enough great things about our dinner with Lilly Gray! From our initial email exchanges - I knew that Lilly Gray would be a great fit for our girls trip dinner. Lilly Gray was so flexible in providing multiple menu options for our dinner. Lilly Gray got to our house while we were still wine tasting and started setting up. When we got home - we were met with the awesome smells of dinner coming from the kitchen and some beautiful fresh flowers on the dining room table. Lilly Gray was there perfect balance of being friendly and conversational while also allowing us to relax and catch up. Our dinner was amazing - a fresh salad and salad dressing from her garden, fresh steak and mashed potatoes and then the most delicious chocolate dessert. Lilly Gray helped us choose wine from the bottles we had that went best with the meal. She was impeccable with her clean up too! We very much enjoyed getting to know Lilly Gray during the meal. We all agreed we made the right decision to hire Lilly Gray for our meal!!
My husband and I stayed in Yamhill this past weekend with three other couples and we were fortunate to have found Lilly. She crafted a beautiful menu for us with multiple breakfasts, lunches and a spectacular dinner! The food was incredible and lovingly packed in picnic baskets for our winery day adventures. If you're considering a private chef for a special evening (or multiple days like we did) chose her! The food she prepared for us was in part from her own farm. Thank you Lilly for everything! You and Pepper (her beautiful dog) made this trip one we will never forget!!
Services
Lilly Gray - Chef, Sommelier, Farmer★ 5.0
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