Chef Wade Loucks carrying a plated dish to the table

Private chef, within 150 miles of Yosemite

Taste Life
On The Edge

Take the leap — and never land.

Dine with us

Every dish felt intentional, thoughtful, and full of love. I would 1000% hire Wade again.

Lauren D., San Diego

Crispy-skin duck breast with baba ganoush and jicama-peach relish

Chef VS Chef, Fresno

One on one. Judged blind. Wade won his round.

Crispy-skin duck, baba ganoush, jicama-peach relish. The competition supports My Homies Kitchen, a Fresno nonprofit.

Special occasions.

Most of us keep a dinner like this for a birthday or an anniversary. Two evenings out of 365.

The other 363 go by.

But any evening can be the occasion.

No reason needed. Pick a date, and let Wade cook.

Pick your evening

Chef Wade Loucks

A Marine who found his calling in the kitchen.

Wade learned to cook from his grandmother, who cooked for the school district. As a kid he cooked out of necessity, and phoned her for substitutions. In the Marines, he fell back in love with it.

Military service taught him discipline, precision, and what it means to serve. In the kitchen, those values took on a new mission.

Professionalism · Communication · Leadership · Adaptability · Dedication

Wade finishing plates at the counter — Finishing the plates.

Wade slicing focaccia on a board — Focaccia for the table.

Four menus. Any evening.

Every menu is a starting point. Wade shapes the dishes around the season, your tastes and any allergies. The price per guest stays the same.

Vegetable carpaccio with mint and microgreens — Vegetable carpaccio, mint and microgreens

Pepper-crusted filet, plated for service — Pepper-crusted filet

Salmon cakes with microgreens — Salmon cakes, microgreens

Charred okra with whipped feta and basil oil — Charred okra, whipped feta, basil oil

New York strip, sliced for the table — New York strip for the table

Brownie with vanilla ice cream and mint — Brownie, vanilla ice cream, mint

Focaccia with cherry tomatoes — Focaccia, cherry tomatoes

Cheesecake with berry sauce — Cheesecake, berry sauce

Clear consommé with tofu and a sunflower — Clear consommé, tofu, sunflower

Tomato soup with croutons — Tomato soup, croutons

Beef tartare with a tomato rose — Beef tartare, tomato rose

Pear with goat cheese and candied walnuts — Pear, goat cheese, candied walnuts

Seared filet with spring onion and chimichurri — Seared filet, spring onion, chimichurri

Beets with walnuts and edible flowers — Beets, walnuts and edible flowers

Shishito peppers blistered in the pan — Shishitos, blistered in the pan

A dessert with whipped cream, crumble and edible flowers — Whipped cream, crumble, edible flowers

Braised carrots on a wooden board — Braised carrots

A puff pastry dessert with a sunflower — Puff pastry dessert, sunflower

Flexible dishes

Swap a course, plan around allergies or cook with the season. Wade writes the final menu with you.

Fixed prices

Per guest, with cooking, plating, service and cleanup included.

Half holds the date

A 50% deposit reserves your evening once the menu is set.

4 courses

Family Dinner

$100a guest

Four courses around one table: bread, a soup, a main and dessert.

For example

The Secret Ingredient Bread and Butter
Butternut Squash Soup
Salmon and Quinoa
Pecan Pie, Vanilla Ice Cream

50% deposit holds your date

5 courses

Five Courses

$150a guest

Bread, a starter, a soup, a main and dessert.

For example

Bread and Butter
Roasted Pear with Feta and Local Honey
Wild Mushroom Soup
Engler Farms New York Strip, Potatoes Pavé
Banana Bread Pudding with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

50% deposit holds your date

6 courses

Six Courses

$200a guest

An amuse-bouche, a starter, a seasonal course, bread, a main and dessert.

For example

Pomme Soufflé, Chive and Crème Fraîche
Steak Carpaccio with Capers, Pickled Red Onions, Olive Oil, Salt
Seasonal Wild Mushroom
Bread with Seasonal Butter and Seasonal Spread
Choice of Beef or Fish with Seasonal Vegetables
Fudgy Brownie with Homemade Marshmallow and Banana Ice Cream

50% deposit holds your date

8 courses

Eight Courses

$250a guest

Eight courses designed with you, around your tastes, your story and your celebration.

50% deposit holds your date

Hosting something bigger?

Private events and larger tables are written with you, course by course.

Wade in the kitchen with plates set out for service — Plates set, ready for service.

You sit down.
Wade does the rest.

1

Pick your evening.

Choose a date, your guests and a menu below, then send it to Wade.
2

Wade writes your menu.

He reviews everything personally and follows up with a custom menu and a quote, with room to make adjustments before it's final.
3

Half holds the date.

Once the menu feels right, a 50% deposit locks in your evening.
4

The evening is yours.

Wade arrives with everything he needs. He cooks, plates, serves and cleans up. You host.

Questions

Do we need an occasion?

No. Any evening with people you love is reason enough. Birthdays and anniversaries are welcome too.

How far does Wade travel?

Wade is based near Yosemite and travels up to 150 miles for evenings across the region, including Fresno, Clovis, Madera, Merced, Oakhurst and Mariposa.

What's included?

Wade plans the menu with you, cooks in your kitchen, plates, serves and cleans up. Preparation, plating and service are part of the per-guest price.

Can we change the menu?

Yes. Every menu is a starting point. Wade adjusts the dishes for the season, your tastes and any allergies, and the price per guest stays the same.

Do you accommodate dietary needs?

Yes. Vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, and pregnancy-related needs, as well as food allergies, are all part of what Wade asks about and plans around.

Plated or family style?

Either. Let Wade know your preference and he'll build the evening around it.

Can children join?

Of course, just let Wade know how many and their ages so he can plan portions and the menu.

Which evening is yours?

Tap a date, set the table and choose a menu. Your card fills in as you go. Send it to Wade and he'll reply personally.

Your evening

Any evening works

Guests

Name on the card

Taste life on the edge. Take the leap — and never land.

Prepared for your table

A table of 4

Example menu

The Secret Ingredient Bread and Butter
Butternut Squash Soup
Salmon and Quinoa
Pecan Pie, Vanilla Ice Cream

Just an example. Wade writes your menu with you.

4 guests × $100 = $400

$200 deposit (50%) holds the date

Taste LifeOn The Edge

One on one. Judged blind. Wade won his round.

Special occasions.

The other 363 go by.

But any evening can be the occasion.

A Marine who found his calling in the kitchen.

Four menus. Any evening.

Family Dinner

Five Courses

Six Courses

Eight Courses

Hosting something bigger?

You sit down.Wade does the rest.

Pick your evening.

Wade writes your menu.

Half holds the date.

The evening is yours.

Which evening is yours?

Family Dinner

Taste Life
On The Edge

You sit down.
Wade does the rest.