Tulum Villas With a Private Chef: How It Works and What It Costs
A private chef is the single upgrade that changes a Tulum villa trip most, and it costs less than most people assume. Here is how it works, what it costs, and when it is worth booking.
What it costs
Zuna's private chef pricing starts at $45 per person for breakfast, $55 for lunch and $60 for dinner. The final price depends on the menu, and seafood or premium cuts sit above the starting rate. That covers the chef, the shopping, cooking in your villa's kitchen, service and cleanup.
For a group of ten, a chef-cooked dinner lands near the cost of a mid-range restaurant meal in Tulum once you add taxis both ways, and you eat it at your own table, in swimwear, with your own music on.
Add a bartender at $75 per person for a three-hour open bar with alcohol included if you want cocktails made rather than poured.
How it works
Tell us the day and the headcount. A week's notice is comfortable; we can often do less.
We send menu options. Mexican and seafood menus are the most requested. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free are all straightforward.
Tell us the allergies and the dislikes. This is the part guests skip and then regret.
The chef arrives with everything, usually two to three hours before service.
You eat when you want to eat. There is no table to make, no reservation to keep, and no drive home.
The kitchen is left clean. That is part of the service, not an extra.
When a chef is worth it
Arrival night. Everyone lands tired and hungry at different times. A chef at the villa solves the worst logistics of the trip.
Any group of eight or more. Getting a dozen people into a Tulum restaurant on a Saturday takes a reservation made weeks out and two taxis each way.
Birthdays and celebrations. A long table at the villa beats a restaurant where half the group cannot hear the other half.
Families with small children. Dinner on your own schedule, near the bedrooms.
The night before an early flight. Nobody wants to be out at 11pm.
Villas that suit chef dinners
Any villa we manage can host a private chef, but these have the kitchens and tables for it:
Caimán — a private chef is included with the villa. 5 bedrooms in Los Santos, sleeps 10, with padel, gym and clubhouse access.
Casa Kuk — two kitchens, which matters when a chef is working and guests still want coffee.
Casa Apapacho — the largest house we manage, sleeping 21, with the outdoor space for a long table.
Villa Imperia — 8 bedrooms, sleeps 20, rooftop pools and room for a proper dinner service.
Casa Soulbox — a tiki bar and gym, so dinner turns into the rest of the night.
The rest of the food question
Grocery stocking. We can have the fridge filled before you arrive, which is worth it on any stay over three nights.
Tastings. Tequila and mezcal tastings at the villa, guided, from $65 per person.
Chef for the week. Breakfast every morning and dinner three nights is a common pattern for longer stays, and we quote it as a package.
Restaurant bookings. If you want to go out, the concierge holds tables at the places worth going to, which in high season is not something to leave to the day itself.
Arranging it
Private chef service is available to every Zuna Stays guest and is arranged through our concierge before or during your stay. See the private chef experience, browse villas, or email concierge@zunastays.com with your dates and group size.