Chef Hendrik Varju

Chef At Home In Erin

I have been cooking and eating Mexican and Hungarian food my whole life. I started offering cooking classes and cooking demos in 2007 and I now run approximately 100 cooking events per year, including cooking for private dinner parties in a client's home. I am the author of "Mexican Dinner Parties", a book that aims to teach others the joy of cooking and enjoying amazing Mexican food together.

For me, cooking is...

a passion, hence my business name "Passion for Food". Cooking is also my connection to family, friends and my culture.

I learned to cook at...

home as a young child with my Mexican born mother. I've also run hundreds of cooking classes for PC Cooking School, Longo's, Fortinos, etc.

A cooking secret...

is to turn a dinner party into a memorable event friends and family will remember for a long time.

My menus

An Evening in Budapest (Hungarian Menu)

STARTER

All inclusive

Lecso (Hungarian ratatouille) with sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions, paprika and Hungarian kolbassa

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Hungarian White Bean Soup with navy beans, carrots, onions, celery and Hungarian kolbassa

Shaved Cucumber Salad with garlic, vinegar and smoked paprika

Warm Bacon Potato Salad

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Veal Wiener Schnitzel with lemon wedges

Hungarian Mashed Potatoes with butter, sour cream, egg and parsley

Braised Red Cabbage with red wine vinegar, brown sugar, fried onions and thick cut bacon

DESSERT

All inclusive

Apple Cinnamon Strudel made with phyllo pastry, apples, walnuts and raisins

A Gourmet Trip to Mexico (includes the best Mexican music you’ve ever heard)

STARTER

All inclusive

The Best Guacamole You've Ever Had, served with freshly fried tortilla chips

Charred Corn Pico de Gallo

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Shrimp Ceviche with olives, shallots, avocado and jalapeño peppers

Queso Frito (fried cheese) in a charred tomato and poblano pepper broth

Frijoles Borrachos (drunken beans) with onions, serrano peppers, bacon and tequila

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Salmon a la Veracruzana (Veracruz style salmon) with pickled jalapeños, olives and capers (or flank steak tacos if you prefer)

DESSERT

All inclusive

Flan (a.k.a. crème caramel) (or creme brulee if you prefer)

Classic French Experience

STARTER

All inclusive

Black Olive Tapenade with Crostini

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Salade Nicoise

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Coq au Vin or Boeuf Bourguignon (choose one)

DESSERT

All inclusive

The Best Creme Brûlée You’ve Ever Had

Italian Experience (includes the best Italian music you’ve ever heard)

STARTER

All inclusive

Sicilian Caponata with crostini

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Homemade Ravioli

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Lasagna

DESSERT

All inclusive

Coffee Panna Cotta

An Evening in Budapest (Hungarian Menu)

STARTER

All inclusive

Lecso (Hungarian ratatouille) with sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions, paprika and Hungarian kolbassa

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Hungarian White Bean Soup with navy beans, carrots, onions, celery and Hungarian kolbassa

Shaved Cucumber Salad with garlic, vinegar and smoked paprika

Warm Bacon Potato Salad

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Veal Wiener Schnitzel with lemon wedges

Hungarian Mashed Potatoes with butter, sour cream, egg and parsley

Braised Red Cabbage with red wine vinegar, brown sugar, fried onions and thick cut bacon

DESSERT

All inclusive

Apple Cinnamon Strudel made with phyllo pastry, apples, walnuts and raisins

A Gourmet Trip to Mexico (includes the best Mexican music you’ve ever heard)

STARTER

All inclusive

The Best Guacamole You've Ever Had, served with freshly fried tortilla chips

Charred Corn Pico de Gallo

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Shrimp Ceviche with olives, shallots, avocado and jalapeño peppers

Queso Frito (fried cheese) in a charred tomato and poblano pepper broth

Frijoles Borrachos (drunken beans) with onions, serrano peppers, bacon and tequila

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Salmon a la Veracruzana (Veracruz style salmon) with pickled jalapeños, olives and capers (or flank steak tacos if you prefer)

DESSERT

All inclusive

Flan (a.k.a. crème caramel) (or creme brulee if you prefer)

Classic French Experience

STARTER

All inclusive

Black Olive Tapenade with Crostini

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Salade Nicoise

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Coq au Vin or Boeuf Bourguignon (choose one)

DESSERT

All inclusive

The Best Creme Brûlée You’ve Ever Had

Italian Experience (includes the best Italian music you’ve ever heard)

STARTER

All inclusive

Sicilian Caponata with crostini

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Homemade Ravioli

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Lasagna

DESSERT

All inclusive

Coffee Panna Cotta

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Chef Hendrik's reviews

4.97

•

5 services

Had a great time! Chef Hendrik Varju is amazing! I wanted to do a special dinner, but with a twist. We had spent so much time around home because of the pandemic I was hoping to do dinner out in a park setting. I wasn’t sure if I’d get any replies on my request but figured I’d give it a shot anyway. I received a couple replies, but chef Hendrik’s menu sounded delicious, and he mentioned he had done a lot of cooking while camping so I felt he would be familiar with the challenge of the dinner. We talked back and forth and ironed out the menu, he was very accommodating to any requests I had, even some recipe adjustments to keep an eye on the calories, lol. Come the day of the dinner, he came on time and ready to go and was very patient and professional as we were late arriving due to terrible traffic that day. Then the dinner, it was absolutely delicious! We started off with homemade tortilla chips along with pico de gallo, and the best guacamole ever! Then a delicious shrimp ceviche that was nicely presented in martini glasses. The main was flank steak tacos with an orange chipotle sauce, the steak was cooked over charcoal which added some great flavour! And for dessert we had the best creme brûlée I’ve ever had, even with the recipe being adjusted for less calories, amazing. I would happily recommend Chef Hendrik Varju to anybody, it will be a dinner you won’t soon forget. Thanks Chef!

Love the attention to detail and the personal touch shown by Chef Hendrik Varju. He always took the time to answer all questions, made the whole event a very fun and joyful event for all the participants.

Amazing all around!

Amazing. Highly recommended.

Hendrik was outstanding - we hired him for a special night in. His attention to detail and extraordinary cooking skills made it truly special. Unparalleled guacamole!

Amazing all around!

Amazing. Highly recommended.

Hendrik was outstanding - we hired him for a special night in. His attention to detail and extraordinary cooking skills made it truly special. Unparalleled guacamole!