Family Friendly Private Chef Services on Maui

Lotus Chefs is here to help you! We specialize in nourishing, family-style meals served right in your home or vacation rental. Our all-female team brings aloha, flexibility, and a heartfelt touch—whether you’re planning casual dinners, meal prep, full-day services, or something in between.

Absolutely. We’re parents, aunties, and caregivers too, and our menus are built with keiki in mind. Think build-your-own poke bowls classes, tropical fruit tasting platters, and gluten-free pasta nights that delight everyone from toddlers to teens. We have a variety of menu options that can all be customized for your family.

Yes! Lotus Chefs is mama-ownded, and we understands how real family dining works. We accommodate allergies and picky palates with warmth and creativity. No judgment—just joy!

Whenever possible, we try to match the energy of the “adult meal” by modifying items for children, such as leaving sauces and spice on the side or simplifying ingredients and cooking for picky eaters. That all being said, we’re always happy to make pasta with butter, quesadillas, mini sandwiches, steamed veggies, hand make chicken nuggets or grab organic dino nuggets. You just let us know what will get eaten with the least amount of fuss.

We love having little ones nearby! While safety is always our first priority, and actually being underfoot is not allowed, we truly enjoy connecting with children during meal prep. Unlike many chefs, we cherish the energy and curiosity kids bring. We often invite them to decorate menus, roll mozzarella dumplings, help with whipped cream demos, or build their own sprinkle-topped ice cream bowls. These small, joyful moments create lasting memories, and give kids a fun, gentle way to engage with food and family tradition (and the adults to relax during sunset). 

While private chef services in general can be all over the board in terms of costs, with variations for chef experience and menus, in general lower priced newer chefs will bill at $45/hour + food cost + assistants + fees, and higher end chefs bill up to $125/hour + food costs + assistants + fees. Hourly costs vary depending on service, menu, preparation time offsite, and logistics.

Rather than calculating custom hourly + food costs for each service, Lotus Chefs’ private chef services are packaged at all-inclusive rates, so you know when you book you’re locked into your price (like at a restaurant). We do this for ease and transparency. Lotus Chefs’ single chef services generally begin at $900 all-inclusive pricing to hit our minimums, and then go up from there based on group size, menu, and service tiers. Prices per adult range from $75-$200+ per person per meal, or $179-$300+ per person per full day service, depending always on group size and menu. It’s always more economical for larger groups. We do offer multiple day booking discounts, breakfast/brunch/lunch add-ons, and meal prep bundles are available at reduced rates. Children 5-11 are half off adult pricing, and children under 5 are free. We do bill the standard 4.7% Maui GET tax, a flat rate travel fee, and 2.9% processing fees, which can be omitted with payment by cash or check – along with a 20% adminstration fee. 

Maui is paradise, but it comes with real costs. Hawai‘i leads the nation in housing prices: median home costs are nearly 3 times the U.S. average, and rental rates reflect that reality. Groceries here are 30–70% higher than the mainland, and most pantry supplies must be transported to island kitchens. We prioritize fair pay for both our team and local purveyors, prioritizing locally grown, organic ingredients whenever possible—not just because they taste better, but because they sustain the land and the hands that tend it. Local purveyors, ranchers, and fishers often charge more than mainland suppliers, and we honor those prices as a vote for sustainability, equity, and community resilience. Your investment supports ethical labor, local farmers and fishers, and a sustainable culinary community rooted in aloha.

Once we align on your menu and service tier, we provide a transparent estimate and invoice. We require a deposit to reserve your date, with the balance due at service. We accept payment via card, bank transfer, or check for your convenience.

Gratuities are never expected but always appreciated as a gesture of gratitude for excellent service. Should you feel inspired to show extra appreciation for our chefs and staff, any additional gratuity will be graciously accepted and evenly distributed among the team based on hours. While Lotus Chefs is committed to competitive and fair pay, additional tokens of thanks directly support the hardworking individuals who bring love, intention, and flavor to every meal, creating experiences that align with your family and dining goals.

At Lotus Chefs, we don’t just drop off dinner, we bring a full-circle hospitality experience into your home. Every booking includes custom menu planning tailored to your family’s tastes and dietary needs, plus ingredient sourcing and shopping with a strong focus on local and organic producers. When we arrive, we come ready to create a seamless in-home dining experience: from setting the table to cooking and plating, activities for keiki, pouring still or sparkling spa water, telling stories about the food, and styling your meal with optional tablescape details. After the meal, we handle the full kitchen cleanup, leaving nothing behind but full bellies, good memories, and most likely some leftovers.

Every meal we serve is the result of deep planning, sourcing, and intention. While our team typically spends 4–5 hours onsite, from setup to cleanup, there’s much more behind the scenes. Each service includes another 5–8 hours of offsite work: curating your menu, sourcing local ingredients, driving across island farms and grocers, prepping specialty items, and navigating Maui’s unique logistics. This is slow food, done thoughtfully, with love, aloha, and a whole lot of heart.

We come fully equipped for in-rental cooking and service. This includes chef tools, aprons, serving platters, cutting boards, and what is needed. Before your booking we’ll gather information about your rental and kitchen, and plan accordingly. We’re experienced in adapting to vacation rentals, whether your kitchen is sleek and modern or modest and minimal, we’ve seen it all. We’ll confirm in advance if any large items (like cookware or ice) need to be supplemented. Do note that each new kitchen will have its own personality, and sometimes stoves, ovens, appliances, and grills may have a mind of their own! We’re fun and flexible, and ask that you return that grace to us 🙂 

We do need a real kitchen with counter space in order to cook, a dining area to serve, and basic kitchen equipment such as a refrigerator, oven, stovetop, sink, etc. For grilled items we do need an exclusive grill. We ask that your home or rental be supplied with a table, prep area, chairs, plates, flatware, cups, and any other items needed for service. We do provide specialized chef equipment, serving platters, cloth napkins, and little touches. We need parking and access to load our equipment and supplies in. Before service, we’ll ask that you have your kitchen clear of personal belongings, dirty dishes in the dishwasher, and ready for us to take over. If you need additional supplies, we can arrange or offer rentals.

Yes, beautifully. We honor girl scout rules of: leave no trace & leave it better than you found it. We handle the full cleanup including dishes, surfaces, sweeping, taking out the trash, etc so your kitchen sparkles and your vacation stays uninterrupted.

We always include still & sparkling spa water service, and while we do not provide any alcoholic beverages, but are happy to make you a mixer for dinner, a bloody mary bar for brunch, source fresh juice for mimosas, provide wine pairing suggestions, or give directions to your nearest local brewery. We can also make iced teas and drinks, tea and coffee.

We are accustomed to working in homes and rentals both while families are home, and while they are away. As long as we have a way to access the kitchen, you are welcome to spend your time while we cook at the beach, spa, zipline, or even Hana. We’ll be waiting when you return!

Yes – Lotus Chefs serves all of Maui for private chef services, including Southside (Kihei, Wailea, Makena), Westside (Lahaina, Kaanapali, Napili), North Shore & Upcountry (Paia, Haiku, Makawao, Pukalani, Kula, Huelo), Central (Kahului, Wailuku, Maalaea), and beyond. We do bill a travel fee, and some destinations, such as Hana, may necessitate lodging.

Yes, we’re fully insured and work regularly in vacation homes across Maui such as VRBO, and are featured on AirBnb. We respect the space, communicate with property managers when needed, and adapt to all kitchen types.

Yes, it is standard as long as your rental allows outside vendors (in our experience all do). We work as private service providers and are experienced with in-home chef setups that are seamless and low-impact.

While we’ve been asked this before,Booking.com doesn’t offer chef services directly. Booking with Lotus Chefs gives you custom menus, real-time coordination, and a direct line to your Maui-based culinary team.

Lotus Chefs is proud to be featured on Airbnb “experiences” – and while we greatly appreciate Airbnb and what they provide, the platform doesn’t give us a great deal of control over customizing services. Partnering directly with Airbnb guests gives much more ease and options for private, in-rental meals designed around your family. If you’d prefer to book us directly through Airbnb, just ask.

In our experience, platforms like VRBO, TUI, and Expedia Group focus on lodging. For chef services, it’s best to book directly with a trusted local team like Lotus Chefs or More Pleaze. We’re familiar with most vacation rentals across the island.

While we appreciate what they offer, Lotus Chefs is not associated with Take A Chef. Supporting local small businesses is part of our ethos, and Take A Chef is not local. We are a proud member of More Pleaze, a local and Maui County sanctioned private chef booking network, and you are welcome to book us through More Pleaze.

The best way to book Lotus Chefs is just to fill out our contact form! We’ll respond personally, generally within 24 hours. Thanks for asking, and for your support!