With the exception of the tortilla soup, the food received very good feedback from the guests, however we were disappointed in the execution, major delays, and poor communication.
The Kitchen Door
Great value
- 504 hires
- 5 similar jobs done nearby
- Based in Santa Barbara, CA
- 13 years in business
- 8 employees
- Responds in about 1 hour
- Background checked
About The Kitchen Door
*please note that we are currently not accepting any more weekly meal prep clients and only booking special events based on availability* We are endorsers of the slow food/farm to table movement. We make dietetic/paleo/keto/vegan taste insanely good. We purchase the same day we cook so it is daily menu...so no, we don't have a set menu as we show up daily for earth's bounty We are a personal chef, catering and culinary education service that comes right to your home, office, or event!
Reviews
I would give this company 0 stars if I could. We hired them to bartend our wedding welcome party, and I was unbelievably disappointed with the service from start to finish. Communication leading up to the event was difficult. Bettina was extremely hard to get ahold of, which in hindsight should have been my first red flag. I had spoken with her directly about our event, our signature drinks, what they would provide, and how everything would be handled. I was also under the impression that Bettina herself would be onsite. Instead, two bartenders I had never spoken with showed up and seemed completely unprepared and LATE for what had been discussed beforehand. They arrived late and, before the party even started, were texting me (the bride) asking me to help get the wine and beer chilled. This was our wedding welcome party. The entire reason we hired a bartending service was so that we would not be worrying about things like chilling drinks and setting up the bar while trying to get ready to welcome our guests. Once the event started, things unfortunately did not improve. They didn't know how to make one of our signature drinks, an Aperol Spritz, despite the drinks being discussed in advance. They were also making our margaritas with margarita mix rather than preparing them the way we had previously discussed. Most shockingly, they did not bring WATER. Providing water was specifically one of the main things we had discussed and were expecting them to handle. At an event serving alcohol, I cannot understand how a professional bartending service could arrive without something as basic and essential as water. They also ran out of ice VERY quickly and we had to have one of our coordinators run to the store to get more. Thankfully, the staff at our venue stepped in and went above and beyond to help. If it weren't for them, I genuinely don't know how the bar service would have functioned. They ended up solving problems that the bartending company we actually hired should have been prepared to handle. I put a lot of trust into our vendors for our wedding weekend, and this was by far one of the most disappointing vendor experiences I've ever had. There seemed to be a complete disconnect between everything I had discussed with Bettina beforehand and the people who actually showed up to work our event. For something as important as a wedding or special event, I unfortunately cannot recommend this company. I wish I had paid more attention to the communication issues beforehand, because they ended up being indicative of the service we received on the day.
Great experience overall. Great food and pleasure to work with.
Unfortunately, I did not have a great experience and would not recommend The Kitchen Door for a large wedding or event. Betty has many positive reviews, which is one of the reasons I hired her, so my assumption is that smaller events may be a better fit for her business. However, based on my experience with a wedding of over 100 guests, I would not hire her again. The overall customer experience, communication, staffing, and execution did not meet expectations. Positives: • Betty was very helpful during the initial planning process. I originally reached out looking for bartending services, and she was able to provide catering, dinnerware, linens, and other items that reduced the amount of rentals I needed. • She created a beautiful custom menu and was accommodating when guest counts needed to be updated. • The appetizer presentation looked great and was well received by guests. • The enchilada soup was good. • She provided a cake knife for our cake cutting. • Food service itself was not excessively slow despite the size of the event. Negatives: • The staffing and service provided did not match what was outlined in our contract, and there was never any acknowledgment, explanation, or follow-up regarding those issues. • Our contract included two bartenders, but only one actually showed up. While the bartender who was present had a good attitude, I was told by guests that he arrived approximately an hour and a half late. I did not even realize until afterward that my friends were pouring me drinks, and guests were serving themselves drinks while waiting for bar service. • We ran out of food, despite six guests from my final headcount not attending, 14 of the guests being children, and three people that I know of not eating due to there being no food available. • There were no plates available when appetizers were first being served, which created confusion for guests as they were trying to eat during cocktail hour. • We also did not have enough utensils for guests, and plastic utensils had to be used. This was not the setup I had planned for or been led to expect. I had been told that the plates, utensils, and other necessary items would be set up beforehand, but not all of the needed items were available. • Communication became increasingly stressful after booking and I often felt uncomfortable asking questions or making updates. • I was contacted for final payment before the payment date outlined in our contract, which created unnecessary stress as I had intentionally planned my RSVP deadline around the contract timeline. • a little bit before the wedding, concerns regarding the venue change were raised. I had previously asked what would be needed at the venue and was told that power was the primary requirement, so that was my understanding going into the event. There appeared to be a miscommunication regarding additional needs, including concerns about water access that had already been discussed prior to the wedding. While a solution was ultimately worked out and water was available on the wedding day, the way these concerns were communicated created unnecessary stress during an already busy and emotional time.
Betti and her daughter bartended for a family event for 65 people. I was so impressed with all aspects of their work. We didn’t want to serve alcohol, and Betti worked with us and created an extensive and delicious mocktail menu, and included lemon water, lemonade, and tea and coffee service. There were a couple last minute ‘hiccups’ on my end and Betti and her daughter were professional and understanding and able to roll with it and not miss a beat and still provide amazing service. I’m so grateful they were part of our event and would hire them again in a heartbeat.
The experience was amazzzing! Betti showed up early, left late and sculpted an awesome menu. My partner and I were very appreciative. Def will contact again and refer to friends. Thanks Betti!
We had a 5 star experience with Chef Betty. She went above and beyond and was able to adjust when needed. I highly recommend and will for sure request her services in the near future.
A pleasure!
We hired The Kitchen Door for our Christmas party on December 20 and they exceeded expectations. Betty and her staff were professional, friendly, and incredibly attentive. The food was delicious — my guests kept raving about it all night. Her staff even jumped in to help with things like taking out the trash, which was above and beyond. Next time I’m also hiring them to bartend. I wouldn’t hesitate to book them again — you’ll be so glad you did!
Bettina and The Kitchen Door did an awesome job for our post wedding brunch! They were prompt, provide outstanding service, and the food was excellent. We would definitely recommend them to anyone for their event!
I can’t believe i waited this long to write this! Our cooking class with Bettina from The Kitchen Door was amazing, truly one of our favorite family memories on this trip. The kids still talk about it, and we’re definitely doing it again next time we’re in LA. Bettina was awesome. Super organized, on time, and so patient not just with the kids but with the adults too!! She had everything set up perfectly, with stations for everyone, and again, she was so patient walking us through each step. Even when we messed up a little, she made it fun and easy. If you’re looking for something unique and fun to do as a family, I can’t recommend Bettina enough. She’s kind, thoughtful, and really knows how to make it a great experience for everyone.
Betty was amazing, the scheduling process was very smooth and she was extremely helpful with helping me create a cocktail menu and even shared a grocery list of ingredients we needed to purchase for those cocktails. Deanna was a super sweet bartender, she was great with the guests and even gave a few guests a little lesson on how to make a cocktail. She did unfortunately show up to set up about an hour later than expected. Overall good experience.
Very easy to work with. Thank you!
She was amazing with explaining all the questions we had
We had the most amazing experience with Betina! I needed a private chef for my friend’s bachelorette trip and she delivered. Her and her assistant set up the table for us- which was beautiful and aesthetic. The food was phenomenal, her and her assistant were lovely, and they made the whole experience so much fun. We will be using her if we go back. 10/10 would recommend.
Betti and her team absolutely blew us away. From accommodating our dietary quirks to obsessing over every last detail, they turned dinner into an event. She made gluten-free dessert that was mind-blowingly delicious. Add in gorgeous tableware, friendly faces, and fresh incredible tasting food, and you’ve got a private-chef experience that’s hard to top. Highly recommended!
Bettina and The Kitchen Door were fantastic for our wedding! The team arrived early to get familiar with our venue and helped with planning, even assisting with shopping lists. They ensured the buffet-style dinner ran smoothly, with desserts timed perfectly, and put together a delightful coffee bar for guests at the end of the night. The Kitchen Door team’s attention to detail and top-notch service made our celebration unforgettable!
The Kitchen Door is the ultimate private chef/catering experience. We booked them for a bachelorette party In Cayucos. The chef’s were so much fun and carried our evening. The food was exquisite, and they left the kitchen sparkling. If you want classy/fun/amazing chefs book THE KITCHEN DOOR
Bettina was fantastic. So professional. The food was incredible and she was so kind. She took our food allergies into consideration and was so on top of everything. I highly recommend!
Wonderful service
Services
The Kitchen Door★ 4.7
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