Testimonials
Spotlight Article: Newport Beach Magazine
Check out the latest article about our Executive Chef Stephanie Miller in the Newport Beach Magazine: Dinner Delivered.
Culinary by Design creates dishes like tomato soup with herbs and goat cheese; Chinese chicken salad with mixed baby greens, chicken, jicama, orange segments and toasted almonds, all tossed with ginger dressing; wild salmon with pesto, tarragon butter or citrus glaze...
Spotlight Article: Visit Newport Beach Blog
Check out another great article about our Executive Chef Stephanie Miller in the Newport Beach Blog: Falling in Love: Planning a Perfect Autumn Wedding in Newport Beach.
Another Newport-Beach-based catering company, Culinary by Design, can also offer up a wide swath of comforting menu items...
Spotlight Article: VoyageLA
Check out the great article about our Executive Chef Stephanie Miller in VoyageLA magazine: Meet Stephanie Miller of Culinary by Design.
Culinary by Design focuses on personal chef services tailored to fit our client’s specific needs. Today’s world is filled with busy schedules, ho-hum restaurants, daunting amounts of grocery choices and flooded with an infinite amount of recipe websites. Our goal is to simplify and bring tailored, quality meals directly to the comforts of your own home on your schedule.
The food was fantastic and the presentation was spot on
"Stephanie put on a beautiful holiday cocktail party for myself and my colleagues at our home. Her and Patricia came in swiftly, set up and prepared perfect bite sized items for our guests to enjoy. The food was fantastic and the presentation was spot on. They kept us full and happy and the evening went off as I would have hoped leaving the place spotless and a seamless enjoyable experience. Loved having them in our home and would absolutely use them again!"
- Amy (December, 2023)
She gets fresh, quality ingredients from only the best markets
"I want to sincerely acknowledge the terrific work which Stephanie Miller did for me in an expeditious and seamless manner. I can attest that she is an excellent cook and will prepare virtually anything that you want to have made. She delivers the food to you on a weekly basis along with simple and straight forward heating instructions. Her mashed potatoes were the best I've ever tasted. She gets fresh, quality ingredients from only the best markets available. It's without hesitation that I recommend Culinary by Design and I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed with her culinary expertise."
- John (November, 2023)
They made our pre-wedding party effortless!
"You won't regret choosing Stephanie! Her food is amazing, she is very prompt and organized and her staff was over the top. Stephanie and team made our pre-wedding party effortless and all of our guests were impressed."
- Kathy (October, 2023)
Stephanie was Amazing!!!
"Her dishes were Amazing!!! The best chef EVER! She came for my Brother's Birthday dinner in Newport Beach and I couldn't have asked for better! I live in Colorado and she is so good that I would fly her out to Colorado for my next event. Thank You so very much Stephanie for making my brother's birthday so special!"
- Cindy (June, 2023)
Highly Recommend...
"Stephanie prepared a family dinner for us. It was very easy to set-up, a great menu was selected and the food was amazing. I would love to have the opportunity to have Stephanie prepare another meal and highly recommend anyone looking for a chef to work with her."
- Mike (May, 2023)
Outstanding surf and turf dinner...
"Hired Stephanie and her team of two servers / bartender for my wife's birthday. The evening went off seamlessly with great appetizers and an outstanding surf and turf dinner of sea bass and short ribs which was cooked to perfection. Highly recommend Culinary by Design.... we can't wait to have Stephanie back again."
- John (February, 2023)
Stephanie was wonderful and flexible...
"We had a big 40 person holiday party at our home and had it catered by Stephanie. I heard for weeks from guests how incredible the food was. We had short ribs and sea bass that were both just amazing - the Chilean sea bass especially was a major hit with a yummy citrus sauce. Stephanie was wonderful and flexible with the various food restrictions of the guests in planning the menu, the need to be creative with the space involved for her and the staff and just made everything special and fun. The staff are incredible also - everyone loved interacting with them as well. I had read wonderful reviews about Stephanie and they were absolutely correct!"
- Leslie (December, 2022)
The food was spectacular and the service...
"Chef Stephanie and her team are amazing! They made my 40th birthday one to remember! the food was spectacular and the service was on point. Look no further if you're trying to host a dinner party, she's your gal!"
- Michelle (November, 2022)
She has a high standard for the dining experience
"Chef Stephanie was a big step above other caterers we've used. I've never had such delicate, delectable appetizers before. Her food is inventive, with unusual and interesting flavors like tiny, artful pieces of lemon (including the peel!) on the salmon appetizers, and hoisin for Asian pizzas. She has a high standard for the guest dining experience, and everybody was very impressed. Her servers were wonderful, always anticipating what we needed, and her presentation was also impressive. We feel lucky we got her. She left us with a fridge full of delicious leftovers! We'll be calling her again next time we want an elegant, invigorating dining experience for our guests! Thanks, Chef Stephanie!"
- Laura (November, 2022)
She made the "chef experience" a highlight of our weekend
"Stephanie couldn't have been a better choice for our girls weekend reunion! From the beautiful Charcuterie platter and salad she dropped off Friday to the amazing Asian themed dinner she and her team prepared for us on Sunday, it was a wonderful culinary experience. We had a few dietary restrictions that she handled like a pro, not to mention she's super fun and made the "chef experience" a highlight of our weekend! I would highly recommend Culinary by Design!"
- Tracy (October, 2022)
It was a delight to have her with our family for this meal
"Chef Stephanie came to our vacation house and made my special birthday dinner spectacular!! It was a delight to have her with our family for this meal. And each thing we ate was incredible and took into account all of our tastes and dietary needs! She is very professional and her presentation was impeccable. It was absolutely the most perfect evening! I would hire her again and again if we were in the same city!"
- Renee (August, 2022)
I wish there were more stars to give! We simply loved Chef Stephanie!
"Her energy, her cooking, her presentation, and her explanations of each course made our night one our entire family will never forget.
Chef Stephanie prepared an amazing and delicious traditional Italian meal structure with its 7 traditional courses, al fresco dining style, for our family's very special celebration.The theme was what I had requested, but it was Chef Stephanie's delicious recipes and menu selections that made the dinner party so wonderful! Every course was absolutely perfect; from the Aperitivo, Antipasti, and Primi, through the Secondi with the Contorni, and then the Insalata, finished with the Formaggio e Frutta and the Dolce and then the digestivo. Perfect. Perfect.
Absolutely exceptional! Chef Stephanie worked closely with me to get a sense of the type of evening dinner party I envisioned and she created the perfect menu and paced each course throughout our special evening under the stars. Her presentation and explanation of each course made the dinner so enjoyable as well. Patricia, Chef Stephanie's server and bartender, was extraordinary as well and interfaced beautifully with our family, just like Stephanie. Our family of 9 adults and 3 children gathered for an intimate long and relaxing evening dinner party celebration and Chef Stephanie contributed immensely to a special evening we will always treasure. Many thanks. Highly Recommend. Exceptional."
- Marie (June, 2022)
Stephanie makes the most delicious food
"She will go over with you what your preferences are and accommodate your menu accordingly. Just knowing that she's got it all handled and we don't have to stress over meals is so worth every penny. We feel like we hit the jackpot. She's such an amazing chef and a lovely person to work with. I cannot recommend her enough."
- Jackie (May, 2022)
The filet was to die for
"We had Chef Stephanie come to our home to cook a birthday dinner for my sis in law, for her birthday/bachelorette party. It started with a stunning charcuterie board and signature cocktail. From there it didn't disappoint, fabulous courses and the filet was to die for. Chef Stephanie's presentation was on point and fabulous. The you for the beautiful memory!"
- Stacey (May, 2022)
We had a fabulous special anniversary dinner
"We had a fabulous special anniversary dinner last month thanks to Stephanie. She helped me plan the perfect menu that included fresh seafood appetizers, a beautiful charcuterie platter and butternut squash ravioli for a starter, followed by beef tenderloin with a pomegranate port reduction, delicious sides and am amazing salted caramel budino for dessert. Upon arrival Stephanie and her server Lucy took over the kitchen and went to work, leaving us to sit back and enjoy the evening with our family. They found serving pieces I didn't even know we had! The meal progressed slowly and flawlessly, and at the end of the night the kitchen was spotless. We couldn't have had a more perfect evening - I feel so fortunate to have found Stephanie and can't recommend her highly enough!"
- Jane (June, 2021)
The creativity of food combinations was fantastic!
"We had a large family gathering over several days, and Stephanie along with her very capable helpers made our visit to Newport a fabulous experience! Her flexibility and easy manner are wonderful attributes to pair with very excellent culinary skills!
Every evening we enjoyed beautifully prepared and delicious meals. The creativity of food combinations was fantastic! The food was fresh and the highest quality. If we ran out of anything , Stephanie made sure we had it the next day.
Our family would highly recommend Stephanie! We cannot wait for our next visit and tasting her Delicious Food!"
- Kristin (March, 2021)
I can't say enough positive about Stephanie
"I can't say enough positive about Stephanie. She was on time, excellent communication prior to the event. Her food was great, and she was very kind to our party. I would highly recommend her for your catering needs."
- Shane (January, 2021)
If I could give more stars I would!
"If I could give more stars I would! Started off with a lovely and tasty salad. Followed by Perfectly cooked Chilean Sea Bass and just as perfect and flavorful short ribs! Beautiful and tasty roasted asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes. Finished off with a budino that could have stolen the show if everything hadn't been so amazing. Stephanie and Lucie were professional and left my kitchen cleaner than they found it. The best catered meal I have ever had!!!"
- Carri (December, 2020)
Stephanie and her assistant were incredible
"We spent a week in Newport Beach and celebrated my husband's birthday while there. I asked Stephanie to prepare a relaxing casual Mexican meal complete with margaritas - my husband's favorite. What an amazing feast she prepared for 8 of us from appetizers to a wonderful cerviche dish and then a main dish consisting of Chilean Sea Bass with a Mango Sauce and Carne Asada Prime rib with delicious sides - then topping it off with a yummy dessert of cinnamon tostada chips with ice cream, fresh fruit and a chocolate sauce. The meal couldn't have been more perfect and when I went into the kitchen later that evening it was if no one had even been there. Stephanie and her assistant were incredible and I will definitely call upon her again during our next stay in Newport. Thank you for a wonderful evening Stephanie!!"
- Roxi (July, 2020)
Everything was cooked to perfection and her presentation was flawless
"I hired Stephanie for my 40th birthday dinner. She was not only extremely professional and nice, her food was amazing! Everything was perfect. The charcuterie board, the peach salad, the filet mignon, and the dessert! Everything was cooked to perfection and her presentation was flawless. She also left the kitchen as if she had never been there! She is amazing!"
- Sarika (July, 2020)
Stephanie is so personable and easy to work with!
"Stephanie is awesome! We hired her to make healthy meals for our family for a few months after our third baby was born. We were sick of having food delivered for almost every meal and were longing for fresh, healthy, home-cooked meals. We met with her and she asked all about our food preferences, allergies, and aversions and had some great meal ideas already during our initial meeting. She had her work cut out for her with our family - two vegetarian kids, dairy intolerance, nut allergies, onion aversions, etc. - but she was able to make every one of us happy at every single meal! Every meal truly knocked it out of the park. Since our kids are vegetarians, she would come up with a meal for me and my husband and then make a vegetarian twist for the kids. It was also great for introducing our kids to new meals and foods and they definitely got used to eating a wider variety of foods. Stephanie is also so personable and easy to work with and really wants to make sure her clients are genuinely happy. She was very responsive and flexible with any suggestions or feedback we had. We also used her for a dinner party for 5 couples and she put together a delicious meal for all of us. We will absolutely use her again and would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone."
- Courtney (November, 2019)
She made his birthday dinner unforgettable...
"I recently threw my husband a surprise birthday party. I did my research and found culinary by design. I met with Stephanie and she was so helpful in figuring out a menu that would please everyone. Every single dish she prepared had all the guests asking for more. She made his birthday dinner unforgettable and I will definitely continue to use her for many dinner parties to come. If you are looking to elevate any event, holiday or dinner culinary by design is simply the only choice!"
- Denna (November, 2019)
Everything was just PERFECT!
"Everything was just PERFECT! All our guests loved the food, and felt that everything was better than expected! Thanks again for such a great evening! We will absolutely be in touch again!"
- Lauren (June, 2019)
The kids in the group liked watching her work...
"We hired Stephanie to cook a dinner for our family of 11 while vacationing in Newport Beach. Stephanie was easy to work with, friendly, patient, flexible, and quick to respond. We had several dietary preferences and constraints to accommodate, and Stephanie guided us through menu planning with ease. She put together a multi-course dinner that sounded fantastic on paper and tasted even better in person! When we met Stephanie in person the night of our dinner, she was easygoing and quickly figured out the best way to handle some of our rental kitchen's limitations. The kids in the group liked watching her work, and she handled their attention and questions with ease as she prepared the group's dessert. The dinner was a delicious and fun event, and easy to plan. I would absolutely recommend Stephanie and Culinary by Design!"
- Patrice (January, 2019)
Chef Stephanie was phenomenal!
"Chef Stephanie was phenomenal! She put together an amazing meal for our company Holiday Party and the service was just as good! There were nothing but compliments through out the evening and days following. We will absolutely have Chef Stephanie cater any and all of our future events! Highly recommend!!"
- Garrette (December, 2018)
FABULOUS!!
"After our fabulous and hugely successful sit down, four course, dinner for 18 this past Thanksgiving I would not call on anyone else but Stephanie for future events! She is a true talent in the kitchen and a joy to work with! Her professional service and attention to detail along with her delicious recipes helped make this year one of the best Thanksgiving dinners that we have ever had - which says a great deal considering that we have a professional chef in our family! Not only did she plan and prepare the meal, she organized the servers, the table and chair rentals as well as the dishes and silverware. Everything went seamlessly and upon finishing up at the end of the day, there was hardly a thing to do but put a few glasses in the dishwasher! I'm still getting compliments from everyone as to how wonderful and delicious the dinner was! Thank you Stephanie for a simply wonderful and hugely successful dinner!! "
- Garrette (November, 2018)
All four courses were delicious...
"Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Wow! You truly made it an unforgettable night and the food was AMAZING! All four courses were delicious and I’m so excited you’re sharing your recipes. It’s hard to impress everyone in this group and you definitely did! Next time we’re back in town I’ll be giving you a call. "
- Sharen (October, 2018)
The food was a 10 out of 10!
"Thank you for making the night perfect. The food was a 10 out of 10! We’ll definitely be using you again. Thank you!"
- Tom (August, 2018)
The food was delicious and prepared to perfection
"For my parent's 50th wedding anniversary we wanted to give them something more than just a gift - we wanted to give them an experience. And Stephanie really helped us deliver! During our visit to Newport Beach from Tucson, AZ she came to our rental and prepared and served cocktails, appetizers, dinner, and dessert for an intimate little dinner party for six. The food was delicious and prepared to perfection. Stephanie is professional, personable, and followed through on every detail. Cannot recommend Culinary by Design more highly!"
- Drew P. (July, 2018)
I have dreams about the butternut squash ravioli...
"When you want to create a memorable moment- that event that can never be replicated, you pick all the elements that will deliver the best memories. We had that moment because we hired an outstanding Chef who picked a great menu and delivered everything flawlessly. From the incredible selection of cheese and charcuterie, to the rack of lamb cooked to perfection; everything was perfect. I have dreams about the butternut squash ravioli in brown butter sage sauce. The cauliflower purée and asparagus were crazy-delicious. To finish - the best cream brûlée! We also want to give kudos to the service and plating provided by Stephanie and our server, Stephen. Oh, and don't forget the champagne signature cocktail!! Magnificent! Magical! Thank you for helping us create a wonderful memory for our family to talk about and treasure. We can't wait to celebrate with you again!"
- Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (June, 2018)
Stephanie and her team are incredibly professional
"I initially used Stephanie for a family event and it was so fantastic that I followed it up with a larger work party. The food was excellent both times but, as or more importantly, Stephanie and her team are incredibly professional and easy to work with. They made everything extremely easy for me and both parties were great successes. I recommend her highly."
- Andrew S. (June, 2018)
Try her out! You will be very happy!!
"Stephanie did an awesome job for a birthday we planned this past weekend. She just came in and took over and made everything so easy for us. We had ceviche (awesome), crab cakes (awesome), salad (awesome), tomatoes soup (awesome), filet mignon, potatoes and grilled asparagus (awesome awesome awesome). Try her out! You will be very happy!!"
- Tom Porter (May, 2018)
All the food was delicious
"We had Stephanie Miller design a gourmet menu for a Cinco de Mayo themed dinner party. All the food was delicious and the service was outstanding. Received lots of compliments the entire evening. Would absolutely retain Stephanie again for another dinner party."
- Lorrie Mumford (April, 2018)
Stephanie and Lucie were awesome
"I have never had a personal chef cook for a dinner party, mostly because I love to cook. Stephanie and Lucie were awesome. We had an amazing holiday party. I would highly recommend and can't wait to do it again."
- Karin Harmon (January, 2018)
ABSOLUTELY LOVE STEPHANIE!!!
"Back in September, we had Stephanie make a dinner for a very special occasion. SHE WAS INCREDIBLE! THE FOOD WAS INCREDIBLE!! Stephanie planned an exquisite menu, even with a gluten allergy! She was so comfortable in our kitchen, did not even need a "tour". All the food was literally PERFECT!! I would have Stephanie over again in a second!! She was an absolute addition to the evening an never "got in the way". It's like she wasn't even there, except that an incredible meal just kept coming out, course by course!!! There was NOTHING left over, even those who said they "never eat dessert" devoured Stephanie's creation. A night we will NEVER forget, because of Stephanie!"
- EM L. (December, 2017)
Price was reasonable and they even did the dishes!
"I hired Stephanie to help with a post Thanksgiving, Friday afternoon dinner for extended family! She worked hard on planning a wonderful meal that everyone would enjoy, including accommodation for a vegetarian and three small children. She and the server she brought with were phenomenal. The food was tasty, courses were well-timed, presentation was outstanding, price was reasonable and I couldn't believe it when I walked into the kitchen and they had even done the dishes! Stephanie is a delight to chat with and very personable. I have hired chefs in the past and there was this awkwardness... Not with Stephanie! I love that she just dives right in and looks for what she needs and gets going. She was very flexible with a last-minute change in timing, and we are still enjoying the food a day after. Overall we had a wonderful experience and I am excited to invite her back to my home and chaos once again if she will have me! Thanks for a delicious meal and allowing us to enjoy each other’s company instead of cooking!"
- Dani Babb (November, 2017)
Excellent customer service and planning
"Stephanie and her team did an excellent job planning and preparing our 6 Course Thanksgiving wine dinner. Everyone loved the food and Stephanie was a true professional during the planning and prep phase for the evening. I especially want to commend Stephanie for her excellent customer service; she was a true professional with a great service attitude."
- Arnie Weniger (November, 2017)
Stephanie is amazing!!
"Stephanie is amazing!! Beyond professional and super on top of everything. Her food is amazing. I told her exactly what I wanted and she exceeded my expectations. You will not be disappointed. I am looking for an excuse to hire her again!"
- Vanessa Fraijo (September, 2017)
The food was excellent!
"Stephanie helped my husband and I with a dinner in our home. We hosted three other couples for the evening and Stephanie was amazing. The food was excellent. We went with her recommendations and weren't disappointed! Tomato soup with puff-pastry, fresh mixed green salad, Italian chicken over pasta, and a delicious chocolate soufflé to top it all off! It was such a treat to be able to visit with our guests and not be tied to the kitchen. Thanks Stephanie! We're looking forward to trying out your weekly meal deliveries too!"
- Amy Schroder (August, 2017)
Wonderful dinner party experience
"I am writing to thank Stephanie for such a wonderful dinner party experience. After setting the date and time, we locked in the menu and she was accommodating to my food preferences. We had 10 people total, and we all started the night with creative cocktails (pineapple jalepeno margaritas, and champagne grapefruit/basil Bellinis). Starting off at the dinner table we had a "fresh Mexican" theme to our dinner, and as we were served, Stephanie came to the table and spoke about each dish. We had hired a server/bartender to help as well. Each meal was flavorful and portioned perfectly. No one was disappointed and many asked for her information. At the end of the dinner, Stephanie cleaned the dishes, cleaned their work station, and left. Stephanie was professional and her food was delicious. I will definitely be using Culinary by Design again in the future. Thank you!!"
- Chanel Schweer (August, 2017)
Mouth watering chocolate dessert
"We had the most wonderful dinner last night, thanks to Stephanie! When another chef had to cancel at the last minute, Stephanie stepped in and put together a dinner for five of us in record time. She is delightful to have in your home, very friendly and positive. Her food was delicious, especially the filet mignon! She added a touch of elegance to everything she did from preparation, to serving and to the a mouth watering chocolate dessert. I highly recommend Stephanie and look forward to seeing her again soon!"
- Rich Harris (July, 2017)
