Rent-A-Chef

05/28/2026

✨ A table full of smoke-kissed flavors, laughter, wedding dreams, and one very important answer: “YES to the chef!” ✨

This week we had the absolute pleasure of hosting a wedding tasting for Joanna, Adam, Joanna’s mom, and sister, and what a feast it was. 🍽️🔥
The tasting menu featured:
• Sweet chili brussel sprouts
• Elote cups
• Goat cheese bruschetta
• Our signature charcuterie favorites: smoked cream cheese & candy coated bacon 🥓
And for the main event:
• Beef brisket
• Smoked chicken
• Pulled pork
• Pork chops
• Smoked gouda mac & cheese
• Garlic parmesan roasted potatoes
• Grilled vegetables
• Our signature BBQ sauces poured like liquid gold 😮‍💨🔥
One of the best parts of what we do isn’t just the food. It’s getting to sit around the table, hear the story of how two people fell in love, watch families connect, and earn mom’s approval one bite at a time. ❤️

Wedding tastings feel less like meetings and more like the opening chapter of the celebration to come. We are so excited to be part of Joanna & Adam’s big day!
The countdown to “I do” officially comes with brisket. 🤠💍

05/18/2026

Back in January, we made a 2026 business bingo card. Some squares felt ambitious. Some felt easy. But one square sat in permanent marker right in the center of our hearts:

“Have our son’s elementary school hire us for an event.” ❤️

This Thursday, that square gets crossed off.

Today, our son came home carrying the school picnic flyer announcing that Rent A Chef will be selling BBQ at the end-of-the-year picnic for all of the school families. Apparently he also made sure his classmates knew that “my dad makes the best mac and cheese around.” 😂🧀
We’ve catered weddings, corporate events, tournaments, and private parties all over Chicagoland.

But this one hits differently.

There’s something special about serving food to the teachers, parents, classmates, and community that help shape your kid every single day. Watching him light up with pride over what we’ve built together is worth more than any big booking on the calendar.

Thursday’s menu comes with a side of smoked meat, mac & cheese, and full-on proud-parent feelings. 🔥🍖

05/17/2026

From tasting table conversations to wedding day happy tears, we’ve loved being part of Chip & Chloe’s story. 💍✨
One of the best parts of what we do at Rent A Chef is getting to know our couples before the big day. What started with a wedding tasting turned into celebrating alongside two genuinely wonderful people as they officially said “I do.”
Their custom menu brought together the best of both worlds with a full pasta bar 🍝 and taco bar 🌮, creating a wedding meal that felt completely them… warm, fun, flavorful, and unforgettable.
Chip & Chloe, congratulations on your beautiful union. Thank you for trusting Rent A Chef to be part of such an important day in your lives. Wishing you a lifetime filled with love, laughter, and late-night tacos.

05/11/2026

We’ve been a little MIA on social media lately, but for a very good reason… we’ve been deep in the BBQ trenches feeding hundreds of amazing families at a school event, a 3-day baseball tournament, and a rugby tournament. 🔥🍖⚾🏉
Black Betty barely got a break. The mac & cheese was flowing like liquid gold. And honestly? We loved every second of it.
One of our favorite parts of events like these is getting to bring our son along with us. Watching him run around in his matching Lil Chef shirt, bouncing between baseball diamonds and rugby fields, making friends and living his absolute best life while we do what we love… that’s the kind of stuff that makes all the exhaustion worth it. ❤️
This business has always been about more than food for us. It’s family, community, chaos, teamwork, smoke, sauce stains, and creating memories while serving great BBQ to great people.
Thank you to everyone who supported us this past week. Your support keeps this crazy little BBQ dream rolling. 🤘🖤
Now excuse us while we go take a nap. 😴😴

04/29/2026

12 years ago today… this was the post that started it all. 🤯
Back then, Rent A Chef was just a spark—an idea, a side hustle, and we were out here using a personal AOL email address 🤣. We were figuring it out as we went, cooking for a few parties here and there, and dreaming about what this could become.
For years, we ran Rent A Chef part-time… building, learning, growing—one event, one client, one relationship at a time.
Then 2020 hit, and we took the leap.
And WOW… what a ride it’s been since. From backyard BBQs to weddings, corporate events, pop-ups, and unforgettable experiences—we’ve grown in ways we couldn’t have imagined back then. The opportunities, the people we’ve met, the places we’ve gone… it’s been nothing short of incredible.
Same heart. Same passion. Just a whole lot more fire (and a smoker named Black Betty 🔥).
Thank you to every single person who has supported us along the way. You’ve been part of this journey from day one—or day 4,380—and we don’t take that lightly.
Here’s to how far we’ve come… and everything still ahead. ❤️

04/27/2026

🔥 You asked, we listened… “Where can we get Chef Matt’s BBQ?!” 🔥
Well, here’s your answer… COME GET SOME! 🍖🔥
From pulled pork, smoked chicken, and award-winning beef brisket smoked low and slow on Black Betty, to smoked gouda mac and cheese, elote corn, coleslaw, and all of Chef Matt’s Signature BBQ Sauces… we’ve got your cravings covered.
We’ve got a full lineup of public events for the rest of this month and next month, and we can’t wait to serve you! Whether you’ve been a longtime BBQ fan or you’ve been waiting for the perfect chance to try us for the first time, this is it.
Catch Rent A Chef out in the wild at breweries, special events, pop-ups, festivals, and community favorites all summer long ☀️🍻🎶
Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your appetite… and yes, extra napkins are highly recommended 😏
Follow along for event dates, locations, and weekly updates because trust us… you do NOT want to miss what Black Betty is cooking next.

04/27/2026

What a fantastic evening at Flight Bottle Shop in Yorkville serving heavy appetizers for the Kiwanis Club of Yorkville event! 🎉🍽️
Guests enjoyed a delicious spread of BBQ meatballs, beef brisket sliders with Chef Matt’s Signature BBQ Sauces, margherita flatbread, goat cheese bruschetta, veggie spring rolls with soy ginger sauce, and warm pretzel bites.
The live auction brought so much energy to the room—fun, lively, and all for an amazing cause. It was incredible to see the community come together to raise money and support the mission of Kiwanis International.
For over 100 years, Kiwanis has been dedicated to improving the lives of children by creating opportunities for them to learn, grow, and thrive. Their mission is simple but powerful: making lasting differences in the lives of children and strengthening communities one child at a time. From local service projects to worldwide initiatives fighting poverty and disease, Kiwanis proves that when people work together, amazing things happen.
We were honored to be part of such a meaningful night filled with great food, great people, and a whole lot of heart. Thank you for having Rent A Chef be part of it! ❤️🔥

04/26/2026