Let Someone Else Cook: Outer Banks Private Chefs and Home Catering

Vacation means vacation for everyone. It’s not a true vacation if you’re spending hours cooking and cleaning in someone else’s kitchen.

Rest assured: There are countless people who will cook meals and even clean them up right in the comfort of your own home. And many of the local restaurants prepare family-style meals that take all the effort out of planning and preparing, and you can even have them delivered right to your door.

If you’re already ready to book, this blog will make it easy. Here is a list of some, but definitely not all, of the people who will make your vacation a whole lot more relaxing, whether it’s for one dinner or a whole week’s worth of meals.

Photo above: The UNC basketball team enjoying a meal catered by Chefs on Call | Red Sky Catering. Photo credit: Celeste Rafferty of Edible Photography

Chefs on Call

Chefs on Call, an exclusive service from the owners Red Sky Catering, Red Sky Casual Dining & Cocktails and NC Coast Grill and Bar in Duck, caters to gatherings of all sizes, from intimate dinner parties to epicureans seeking a stress-free evening. Their skilled chef arrives at your doorstep, armed with premium ingredients and expertly crafts each dish in your kitchen. From serving to cleanup, they handle every detail, allowing you to savor the essence of fine dining without stepping foot outside. The Chefs on Call menus are available to peruse online. Red Sky Catering caters wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners and other special events.

Fat Crabs Rib Company & Seafood Shack Catering

A small restaurant in Corolla, Fat Crabs serves Carolina barbecue and seafood favorites under one roof. You can dine in and they offer everything for takeout, including steamed seafood. They also offer catering, so if you have a big group in Corolla, this is a good option. They will bring you platters for gatherings of any size, and they even deliver to the 4-wheel-drive area.

Photo: In-home steamer pot catering from Fat Crabs Rib Company & Seafood Shack in Corolla. Photo credit: Celeste Rafferty of Edible Photography

Duck Deli Catering

Duck’s favorite place for Southern barbecue and comfort food, Duck Deli is a great place for dine in or take out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But if you have a big crowd and want to make it easy, consider their Beach House BBQ Feast catering option. With one-day notice, they will prepare a feast of barbecue, whole meats, jumbo wings, sides and buns for 15 to 30 people.

High Cotton Catering

High Cotton BBQ in Kitty Hawk offers delivery and set up of catered barbecue, fried chicken and ribs and all the favorite sides for parties and dinners large and small. For parties of 50 or more, High Cotton’s Whole Hog Catering, aka a pig pickin’, is a crowd-pleasing event.

La Fogata Mexican Restaurant Kitty Hawk Catering

If you’re looking for an inexpensive and crowd-pleasing option, let La Fogata Mexican Restaurant in Kitty Hawk cater your next meal, from large events to small family dinners. Everyone loves their authentic Mexican fare, and you can choose your in-home catering menu.

Outer Banks Boil Company

With locations in Corolla, Kitty Hawk and Avon, Outer Banks Boil Company serves the entire Outer Banks with steamer pots and low country boils with seafood and all the fixings. You can pick up pots to go, or they will come to you, from the four-wheel-drive beaches of Carova to Hatteras village. They bring the food and the appropriate tables, set it all up at your home or chosen venue and clean up when you’re done. Outer Banks Boil Company | Outer Banks

Black Pelican Catering & Events

Sister business to the popular Black Pelican Oceanfront Restaurant, Black Pelican Catering is one of the most popular on the Outer Banks. From large events to small gatherings, their team makes every event special with tasty coastal cuisine and top-quality service. They offer full-service catering as well as drop-off catering.

Photo: A catered family-style meal from Kill Devil Catering. Photo credit: Celeste Rafferty of Edible Photography

Kill Devil Catering  

For more than two decades, Kill Devil Grill has been a favorite on the Outer Banks dining scene, and the opening of their second location, South of KDG Kitchen and Bar, has proven equally popular. Now, that same spirit is available beyond the restaurants. Kill Devil Catering brings the familiar flavors, service and personality people have come to love from Kill Devil Grill directly to your event with an elevated touch. They offer full-service catering and drop-off catering for events large and small, from rehearsal dinners to backyard barbecues to family dinners. The drop-off catering is like ordering from a menu, so everyone is happy.

Kelly’s Outer Banks Catering

If you have been coming to the Outer Banks for a long time, you surely remember Kelly’s Restaurant. It’s no longer open as a brick-and-mortar establishment, but its perennially popular catering business is still going strong. Kelly's Outer Banks Catering caters events of every size, from huge parties and weddings to simple family dinners. Choose from steamer pots and boils as well as a full menu of family meal choices, from fried chicken to meatloaf to crab cakes to lasagna to a taco bar. Yes, they still make sweet potato ham biscuits to order.

Basnight’s Lone Cedar Café Catering and Personal Chefs

Lone Cedar Café Catering and Personal Chefs, based at Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe in Nags Head, offers in-house (aka your house!) meals planned and catered by professional chefs. They shop, cook, serve and even clean up. This is an option for celebratory dinners as well as simple meals of fresh, local foods. They can even serve the kids first while the adults enjoy a pre-dinner beverage on the porch. They also offer catering for off-premise events of any size. 

Photo: Basnight's Lone Cedar Catering knows local seafood and will prepare it just right. Photo courtesy of Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe.

Salt & Cypress Kitchen + Cocktails Catering

One of Manteo’s newest restaurants, Salt & Cypress offers full-service catering for all-size events, from large parties to private home gatherings. Their menus are rooted in fresh, local ingredients, and they’ll ensure that everything is done to perfection. Choose from a menu for plated service, buffet service or family style service.

Modern Coastal Cookery Personal Chef Services

Chef Virginia Miller of Modern Coastal Cookery offers in-home chef services, personal chef services, event catering and cooking classes for children and adults. She and her expert team serve the Outer Banks from Corolla to Hatteras village.

Chef Nate Robinson

A native of Hatteras with decades of experience in local restaurants, Chef Nate is a personal chef who specializes in fresh, local seafood and offers fully customized menus for events across the Outer Banks, including Corolla, Duck, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Roanoke Island, Hatteras Island and Currituck. Chef Nate emphasizes creativity, presentation and accommodating dietary preferences for a memorable dining experience.

Photo: Chef Shruti preparing an in-home four-course Thai dinner. Photo courtesy of Facebook

Chef Shruti, Food through Color

Chef Shruti is a private chef offering customized meals for clients in locations all along the Outer Banks. In addition to providing meals, she will offer your group cooking classes too.

Ten O Six Beach Road Bistro Personal Chef Services

Ten O Six Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills offers personal chef services in the comfort of your home. Leftovers are then packaged, labeled and stored in the refrigerator or freezer to eat later. They also offer catering and clam bakes.

Lynn Flowers Personal Chef

Longtime local chef Lynn Flowers is known for crafting casually elegant in-home dining experiences. She knows the regional cuisine and can tailor a menu to your personal tastes and wishes. Whether it is an intimate dinner for two, a weeklong beach retreat or a small family get-together, she and her team create experiences to remember.