Fresh food. Good company.
Private Chef Maria Leggett
Scratch-made food, a table full of friends, and a little fun along the way. Every menu made just for you.
Based in Traverse City, Michigan · travelling across the state
Plan your event
About Maria
A little heart. A lot of flavor.
I'm Chef Maria Leggett. I cook the way I love to eat: seasonal ingredients, sauces and breads made by hand, and nothing on the plate that doesn't need to be there.
I grew up in Traverse City and graduated from Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute in 2018. Traveling and cooking in Italy in 2017–2018 shaped my simple, flavor-first approach.
My 10+ years in the kitchen span private chef work, catering, butchery, culinary instruction and restaurants. In 2024, I received the Hospitality High Five Award for Back of House (All Venues), representing Broomstack Kitchen & Taphouse.
I’m based in Traverse City and travel anywhere in Michigan to plan your event around you and your guests.
I love the joy around a table as much as the food on it: the stories, the laughter, the moment everyone reaches for another bite.
No two menus are the same. We start with a conversation about your guests, your occasion and what you love, then build every course from there.
Allergies, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan or simply picky, every dietary need is accommodated with the same thought as the rest of the meal, never as an afterthought.
Services
Ways to gather
Based in Traverse City, travelling anywhere in Michigan to plan your event around what you and your guests need.
Private chef dining in Traverse City
Intimate Dinner Parties
From $125 / personA multi-course evening in your home, designed around your guests, your season and the story you want the table to tell.
Private Events & Boutique Gatherings
Up to 50 guestsCelebrations, milestones and gatherings served plated, family-style or as a flowing grazing experience.
Wine & Pairing Dinners
Featured experienceCurated wine pairings for every course, guided tasting notes along the way, and cellar consultation for your own collection.
Charcuterie & Grazing Tables
Standalone or add-onArtisan cured meats, cheeses, scratch-made jams and pestos, fresh bread and seasonal fruit, arranged to gather around.
Cooking Classes
Hands-on groupsLet’s cook together. I offer hands-on classes for groups and have taught a garden focaccia class at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Tell me what your group would love to make.
Retreat Weeks & Weekends
Multi-day serviceNourishing, thoughtful meals from morning to night, so your group can rest, reconnect and simply be fed well.
Beyond the plate
Pull up a chair.
A peek at the food, the people, and the moments that make this work so much fun.
Around my tableInquire
Let's plan your table
Share a few details and Maria will reach out to design your menu together. Based in Traverse City, she travels anywhere in Michigan — tell us where you'd like to gather.