
Vacation Personal Chef in North Carolina
You finally got everyone to the cabin, the lake house or the retreat. Then somebody has to plan the meals, shop in a town they don’t know and spend the trip at the stove.
It doesn’t have to be you. The Travelling Cafe is a collective of personal and private chefs based in Chapel Hill. We cook all over the Triangle and beyond, and we come along for vacations, retreats and family gatherings in the surrounding areas.
What we cook on vacation
Right now Chef Crene is in Boone cooking for a multi-day women’s retreat: daily meals plus evening dinner parties. We have also cooked on Bald Head Island and at the lakes between here and Virginia. That is the kind of week we plan with you.
- Daily meals for the whole stay, or just the meals you want covered.
- Evening dinner parties at the house or venue.
- Every dietary need in the group, from GLP-1 and AIP to low-FODMAP and allergies.

Where we cook
We come to vacation homes across North Carolina. Pick your area:
- NC Mountains: Boone and the mountain towns
- NC Beaches and Islands: Bald Head Island, the Outer Banks and the coast
- NC Lakes: Lake Gaston, Lake Norman, Lake Lure and more
What it costs
Vacation cooking is the same rates as when we cook at home, plus travel and accommodations when necessary.









How it works

- Tell us about the trip. Where you are staying, how many people and how many days.
- Plan the menu. We gather every diet and allergy in the group and build the menu with you.
- Enjoy the trip. Your chef shops, cooks, serves and cleans up.
Reserve your Date Now Tell us about your trip
Your $500 deposit holds your date and goes toward your final bill. The rest is invoiced once the days, travel and lodging are set.

Without a chef, vacation turns into another week of grocery runs and dishes. With a chef from the collective, everyone sits down to the table and comes home rested.

Frequently asked questions
Where do you travel?
We cook across the Triangle and in the surrounding areas, from Boone in the mountains to Bald Head Island and the lakes between here and Virginia. Tell us where you are headed and we will let you know.
How much does vacation cooking cost?
The same rates as when we cook at home, plus travel and accommodations when necessary.
Can you cook for a retreat or a group?
Yes. Right now Chef Crene is in Boone cooking for a multi-day women’s retreat, with daily meals plus evening dinner parties.
Can you cook for everyone’s dietary needs?
Yes. Every chef in the collective cooks for medically restricted diets and allergies, and every dietary need is the same price. We cook the plan your care team set. We don’t give medical advice.
