Personal Chef in Fuquay-Varina, NC

Fuquay-Varina is two old towns, Fuquay Springs and Varina, that joined in 1963. Today it’s one of the fastest growing places in southern Wake County, and a lot of people here drive north to work every day.

When the commute eats the evening, dinner gets skipped or bought. Our chefs come to your kitchen once a week and cook the week’s meals so they’re there when you get home.

The Travelling Cafe is a collective of personal and private chefs based in Chapel Hill and cooking across the Triangle and beyond.

Life in Fuquay-Varina

Fuquay-Varina was named for its mineral spring, which once drew visitors for its healing waters. Today it has two historic downtowns with shops, galleries and restaurants, and breweries like Aviator, Mason Jar Lager and Fainting Goat.

Out in southern Wake County, a chef who comes to you saves the drive into town on a weeknight.

What we cook in Fuquay-Varina

We also cook dinner parties at home in Fuquay-Varina: birthdays, anniversaries, family in from out of town. Our chef cooks, serves and cleans up while you sit with your guests.

Weekly meal prep. Out in southern Wake County, a chef comes to you once a week, shops, cooks a week of meals to your plan, labels everything and cleans up. One all-in price. Groceries are included.

Dinner parties. A milestone dinner at home, planned with you and cooked, served and cleared by our chef.

Private cooking classes. Hands-on lessons in your own Fuquay-Varina kitchen with one of our chefs.

Special diets. We cook to the plan your clinician or dietitian set, for GLP-1, AIP, low-FODMAP, diabetic, paleo, keto, athletes and more. Every dietary need, same price. See all the special diets we cook.

Meet some of our chefs

Chef Kim used to live in Fuquay-Varina and knows it well. Leslie, who founded the collective in Chapel Hill, and Chef Crene from Raleigh cook here too. Every chef in the collective cooks all over the Triangle and beyond, so the chefs on this page are a few of the many who can cook for you. We match you with the one who fits your household.

Chef Kim Calaway
Based in Durham

Nine years spent in Germany sparked Kim’s culinary curiosity as she traveled throughout Europe.

Leslie Chartier
Founder, based in Chapel Hill

Leslie founded The Travelling Cafe. Her gift is translating global cuisines into limiting diets, so anyone with food allergies or health conditions can still enjoy the food of the world.

Chef Crene Manishimwe
Based in Raleigh

Born in Tanzania to Burundian parents, Crene’s passion for food began in a small kitchen alongside both parents.

How it works

1. Tell us how you eat. Fill out our food questionnaire: your plan, any restrictions, and what you love.
2. Meet your chef. We match you with a chef from the collective.
3. Open the fridge. Your chef shops, cooks in your kitchen, labels everything and cleans up.

Start with the food questionnaire

Frequently asked questions

Do you cook in Fuquay-Varina?

Yes. Fuquay-Varina is in our service area.

Do I need to be home while the chef cooks?

Tell us what works for your household on the food questionnaire and we’ll set it up with you.

Can you cook for a special diet?

Yes. Every dietary need, same price.

How much does it cost?

Weekly meal prep is one all-in price with groceries included, and every dietary need is the same price. Fill out our food questionnaire and we will send the plan that fits your household.

We also cook in Raleigh, Apex, Cary, Wake Forest, Morrisville, Pittsboro, Durham, plus Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough.

Questions? Get in touch.

With you at the table.