1. How is The Dining Alternative unlike "catering"?
2. How is The Dining Alternative unlike a "private chef"?
3. How is The Dining Alternative unlike a "personal chef"?
4. Is the food prepared 100% in my own kitchen?
5. Will I do any grocery shopping?
6. Will I need to clean up my kitchen and dining area after the event?
7. Who will be serving my guests?
8. Do you provide multi-course tasting menus for special diets?
9. Do you use your own silverware, dinnerware, glassware, and cooking equipment?
10. How long will my event last?
11. Can you recommend wine pairings and provide a sommelier?
12. Do you have sample menus?
13. Do you have references we may contact?
14. What additional amenities do you offer?
15. What are Chef Peter Ungár's qualifications?
16. What types of deposits do you require and what forms of payment do you accept?

1. How is The Dining Alternative unlike "catering"?
Catering usually involves food prepared and cooked in one location, which is then transported to the event location where it is reheated and served. This severely diminishes the quality of the food. Dishes prepared by The Dining Alternative are prepared and cooked in your home, and immediately plated and served to you and your guests, just like a restaurant.

2. How is The Dining Alternative unlike a "private chef"?
A private chef has one client with whom arrangements have been made to provide a number of meals during certain days of the week, such as lunch and dinner from Monday through Friday. Private chefs cook, plate, and serve dishes, as The Dining Alternative does, but do not necessarily provide special occasion dining. Private chefs are for those who do not wish to provide meals for themselves. Just as you would not dine at your favorite restaurant every day of the week, you would not enlist the services of The Dining Alternative every day of the week.

3. How is The Dining Alternative unlike a "personal chef"?
A personal chef has several clients for whom food is cooked in advance. Meals are vacuum packed, zip-locked, or put into containers, which are then frozen or refrigerated to be reheated later, each with their own labeled instructions. This severely diminishes the quality of food, and requires the clients to heat, plate, and serve the food themselves. Dishes prepared by The Dining Alternative are cooked, plated, and immediately served to you and your guests, just like in a restaurant. The Dining Alternative is not "home meal replacement" (HMR), but rather special occasion dining within the comfort of your own home.

4. Is the food prepared 100% in my own kitchen?
Absolutely! This is exactly what sets The Dining Alternative's service apart from any other dining service. Your entire meal is prepared from start to finish in your kitchen. Every dish is cooked, plated, and immediately served, which is the only way to ensure complete quality control. You are receiving five-star service where nothing is ever reheated, re-plated, or compromised.

5. Will I do any grocery shopping?
NO! The Dining Alternative is a full-service dining provider who will supply everything necessary to make your fine dining experience complete. Just as when you visit your favorite restaurant, you simply sit down and order from a menu. Likewise, all you are required to do is relax within the comfort and privacy of your own home and enjoy your meal. The menu, however, will be pre-set to your specific tastes based upon the initial consultation with our chef.

6. Will I need to clean up my kitchen and dining area after the event?
NO! In line with The Dining Alternative's full-service policy, there is nothing required by the clients other than to enjoy their fine dining experience. Although some minor adjustments may be necessary to accommodate the dining event, kitchen and dining areas will be returned to their original setting.

7. Who will be serving my guests?
Servers are available to accommodate up to twenty guests for a seated dinner. Each event is unique and requires individual assessment, which will be determined following the initial consultation. Regardless of the number of servers required to accommodate your event, you will never be charged additionally for service (see FAQ #16 for further information).

8. Do you provide multi-course tasting menus for special diets?
Absolutely! Our menus are carefully tailored to meet your exact requirements, regardless how stringent. This includes vegetarian, vegan, low-carb, low fat, or any other restrictions. One standard remains constant, however, which is The Dining Alternative's commitment to hand selecting the finest ingredients and providing you with absolutely the best dining experience within the comfort of your own home.

9. Do you use your own silverware, dinnerware, glassware, and cooking equipment?
During the initial consultation with our chef, a full inventory is performed of your dining and kitchen facilities, taking stock of all available dinnerware and cookware. Part of the "dining out at home" experience is using your own table settings. It is your decision to use your everyday dishes, cutlery, and glasses, or opt for special occasion porcelain, silverware, and crystal, as done by most clients. If circumstances prevent the use of your personal wares, The Dining Alternative shall provide the items needed. Electrical appliances and cooking knives will be provided by The Dining Alternative to ensure reliability and minimize liability. Cooking equipment (pots and pans), however, shall be supplemented based on your personal inventory.

10. How long will my event last?
Typically, dining events may last several hours, but as the client, you are in complete control of your evening. Clients are free to speed up or slow down the dining process as the night progresses, since everything is cooked á la minute. The Dining Alternative staff is also very intuitive to the needs of our clients and your guests. Your complete and total satisfaction is our ultimate goal.

11. Can you recommend wine pairings and provide a sommelier?
Absolutely! The Dining Alternative is always prepared to suggest complementary wine selections with every dish offered. Just as each dish is carefully tailored to meet the client's culinary desires, each wine is selected to perfectly match that dish. During the event, our sommelier will explain to your guests before each course why that particular wine was chosen. We offer many hard to find and unique wines from an extensive list through our wine distributor, available to our clients at nearly retail cost. There is no additional cost for this service and is the ultimate way to enjoy The Dining Alternative's services!

12. Do you have sample menus?
Yes. Menus have been posted from past events on the Chef's Table page. Please note that there are no set menus to choose from. Individually tailored menu options shall be provided following the initial consultation, based on an assessment of the client's wishes. The client will then decide on a final menu from these options, as if ordering from a restaurant menu. This superior level of customization, for each client and every event, sets The Dining Alternative above all other private dining services.

13. Do you have references we may contact?
Yes. See the RAVES section of this web site to decide whom you would prefer to contact based on their comments, or we may simply provide you with three recent clients whom you may contact. All references are facilitated via email unless otherwise noted.

14. What additional amenities do you offer?
Services such as pairing wine selections, flower arrangements, custom printed menus, calligraphy seating cards, and personally addressed invitations to your guests are available. Simply ask! We always work with our clients to create a unique and personalized event.

15. What are Chef Peter Ungár's qualifications?
Peter has over a decade of professional experience cooking in fine dining establishments in the United States and France. The Dining Alternative has been in business since 2003. Peter also maintains the National Restaurant Association ServSafe' Food Safety Manager Training Certification, which is done to further ensure your confidence in The Dining Alternative's safe food handling awareness and procedures.

16. What types of deposits do you require and what forms of payment do you accept?

• To secure The Dining Alternative for a specific date, a $200 reservation deposit is required to guarantee availability. This deposit is NON-REFUNDABLE, but is applied to the final total cost. If client cancels the event at least three weeks (21 days) prior to the proposed date of the event, the reservation deposit may be applied as a credit to a future event with The Dining Alternative, which must be used within one year (12 months). If client cancels within three weeks (21 days) of the event date, the $200 reservation deposit is forfeited.
• We accept major credit cards, personal checks, and cash.