Chef Marina Mellino

Private Chef In Canmore

Specializing in bespoke private dinners in client homes (including Airbnb locations), and offsite events; I bring years of experience from working in all kinds of kitchens in the world including Canada, USA and Argentina.

I ensure a very reasonable price for menu planning, shopping, prep, set up, take down and cleaning, and have a wealth of support available to expand your event to the size that you'd like, with connections to many top food and beverage professionals.

Working with your vision and your personalized tastes, I am well-versed in executing tasting menus, plated dinners, family-style service, canapés and hors d'oeuvres, and buffet-style events. Additionally, I am capable of executing a wide variety of cuisines, including Spanish, Italian, Mediterranean, Southeast Asian, Mexican and many more.

For me, cooking is...

passion with culture and flavour.

I learned to cook at...

Home! I used to shadow my Nonna (Italian grandmother) & auntie all the time, from them comes my passion & flavours.

A cooking secret...

Is passion & flavour, it needs to be tasty & memorable, that is all! Let your guests remember the meal, the experience.

My menus

One night in Asia

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Sushi

Samosas

FIRST COURSE

Choose 3 dishes

Nicoise Salad with fresh tuna

Kung Pao Chicken (or any meat/vegetarian)

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Gỏi Gà Bắp Cải)

Japanese Chicken Teryaki Bowl (or veg,)

Adobo Chicken

Insalata verde

Sushi Boat (platter)

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce (or any meat/veg)

Sesame Chicken Bowl

Thai Green Curry

Thai Cashew Chciken

Mongolian Beef

Katsudon (Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl)

Hunan Shrimp

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Matcha Green Tean Mochi

Japanese Sugar cookies

Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Mango Sticky Rice

Italy Amore

STARTER

Choose 3 dishes

Charcuterie board

Bocconchini

Broccolini

Cheese platter

Prosciutto & Melon

Focacchia & olive oil

Olives

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Caprese Salad

Insalata verde

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Linguini Pomodoro

Rib eye steak (6oz) with vegetables in season, herbs

Spaguetti Bolognesa

Grill fish & vegetables

Chicken Calabrese ( baked)

Ravioli gigante with cream sauce

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Tiramisu

Gelato

Biscotti

Cannoli

Panetone

GLUTEN FREE MENU

STARTER

Choose 3 dishes

Shakshuka- GF/Celiac

Cheese platter- GF/Celiac

Sweet Potatoe Hash- GF/Celiac

Calliflower Pizza Crust- GF/Celiac

FIRST COURSE

Choose 3 dishes

Ultimate Chicken Salad - GF/Celiac

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Zucchini Pasta With Lemon Garlic Shrimp - GF/Celiac

Tuna Salada - GF/Celiac

Broccoli - GF/Celiac

Egg Salad - GF/Celiac

Falafel - GF/Celiac

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Chicken Stir Fry - GF/Celiac

Creamy Chipotle Shrimp- GF/Celiac

Stuffed Peppers- GF/Celiac

Zucchini Lasagna - GF/Celiac

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Gelato

Fresh Fruit with real whip cream

Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Paleo banana Bread

Best Vegan Cheesecake

Mediterranean

STARTER

Choose 3 dishes

Olives, peanuts, or some sort of canape, or a small piece of toast with a flavorful topping

Cheese platter

Focacchia & olive oil

Olives

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Cheese: The French reputably eat more cheese than anyone else in the world. After the salad, and before (may also replace) the dessert they appreciate a selection of it served on a wooden board and only if you are a foreigner would you be offered bread

Insalata verde

Mixed Greens with Raspberry Ginger Vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Rib eye steak (6oz) with vegetables in season, herbs

Fish course garnished with vegetables comes between l'entree and the main course, though it might be considered the main course at home

Spaguetti Bolognesa

Grill fish & vegetables

Potatoe Gnocchi with fresh pesto

Ultimate BBQ (ask about this experience / seasonal)

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Chocolate profiterole, mousse, or an apple tart. A small demitasse of freshly brewed café usually accents the sweets

Gelato

Biscotti

Fresh Fruit with real whip cream

MEXICAN

STARTER

Choose 3 dishes

Charcuterie board

Cheese platter

Focacchia & olive oil

Mini Chicken empanadas

Fresh warm tortilla chips

Fresh guacamole, pico de gallo & salsa

FIRST COURSE

Choose 3 dishes

Adobo Chicken

Insalata verde

Arancini bites

Savory Argentina Beef Empanada with Chef’s Chimichurri

Perfect cheese & chicken quesadillas

Chicken Mole

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Linguini Pomodoro

Make your own taco STATION

Fajitas (shrimp/ steak/chciken/ vegetarian)

DESSERT

Choose 3 dishes

Gelato

Birthday cake

Chimichurri jar gift bag for your guests

Flan (custard)

Fresh Fruit with real whip cream

Latin American

STARTER

Choose 3 dishes

Charcuterie board

Olives, peanuts, or some sort of canape, or a small piece of toast with a flavorful topping

Cheese platter

Focacchia & olive oil

Mini Chicken empanadas

FIRST COURSE

Choose 3 dishes

Caprese Salad

Adobo Chicken

Insalata verde

Savory Argentina Beef Empanada with Chef’s Chimichurri

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Rib eye steak (6oz) with vegetables in season, herbs

Spaguetti Bolognesa

Grill fish & vegetables

PAELLA (seafood or vegetarian) with all the trimmings

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Gelato

Cannoli

Birthday cake

Chimichurri jar gift bag for your guests

Flan (custard)

Fresh Fruit with real whip cream

French

STARTER

Choose 3 dishes

Olives, peanuts, or some sort of canape, or a small piece of toast with a flavorful topping

L'Entree/Hors D’oeuvres:beef carpaccio to salmon mousse to French onion soup

Focacchia & olive oil

Fried Brie with peppered honey

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Nicoise Salad with fresh tuna

Insalata verde

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Linguini Pomodoro

Rib eye steak (6oz) with vegetables in season, herbs

Main Course: An elaborate meat or poultry dish, accompanied by a vegetable garnish, will be served next as the main course, or le plat principal. The vegetables will usually be served on the side, not on the same plate, and will likely be simple, seasonal

Grill fish & vegetables

Beef Wellington Grass Fed Beef, with a classic duxelles of mushrooms, herbs, Dijon mustard with a green peppercorn sauce

Scalloped potatoes

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Chocolate profiterole, mousse, or an apple tart. A small demitasse of freshly brewed café usually accents the sweets

Biscotti

Banofee pie (banana toffee)

Birthday cake

One night in Asia

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Sushi

Samosas

FIRST COURSE

Choose 3 dishes

Nicoise Salad with fresh tuna

Kung Pao Chicken (or any meat/vegetarian)

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Gỏi Gà Bắp Cải)

Japanese Chicken Teryaki Bowl (or veg,)

Adobo Chicken

Insalata verde

Sushi Boat (platter)

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce (or any meat/veg)

Sesame Chicken Bowl

Thai Green Curry

Thai Cashew Chciken

Mongolian Beef

Katsudon (Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl)

Hunan Shrimp

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Matcha Green Tean Mochi

Japanese Sugar cookies

Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Mango Sticky Rice

Italy Amore

STARTER

Choose 3 dishes

Charcuterie board

Bocconchini

Broccolini

Cheese platter

Prosciutto & Melon

Focacchia & olive oil

Olives

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Caprese Salad

Insalata verde

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Linguini Pomodoro

Rib eye steak (6oz) with vegetables in season, herbs

Spaguetti Bolognesa

Grill fish & vegetables

Chicken Calabrese ( baked)

Ravioli gigante with cream sauce

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Tiramisu

Gelato

Biscotti

Cannoli

Panetone

GLUTEN FREE MENU

STARTER

Choose 3 dishes

Shakshuka- GF/Celiac

Cheese platter- GF/Celiac

Sweet Potatoe Hash- GF/Celiac

Calliflower Pizza Crust- GF/Celiac

FIRST COURSE

Choose 3 dishes

Ultimate Chicken Salad - GF/Celiac

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Zucchini Pasta With Lemon Garlic Shrimp - GF/Celiac

Tuna Salada - GF/Celiac

Broccoli - GF/Celiac

Egg Salad - GF/Celiac

Falafel - GF/Celiac

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Chicken Stir Fry - GF/Celiac

Creamy Chipotle Shrimp- GF/Celiac

Stuffed Peppers- GF/Celiac

Zucchini Lasagna - GF/Celiac

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Gelato

Fresh Fruit with real whip cream

Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Paleo banana Bread

Best Vegan Cheesecake

Mediterranean

STARTER

Choose 3 dishes

Olives, peanuts, or some sort of canape, or a small piece of toast with a flavorful topping

Cheese platter

Focacchia & olive oil

Olives

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Insalata verde

Mixed Greens with Raspberry Ginger Vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Rib eye steak (6oz) with vegetables in season, herbs

Fish course garnished with vegetables comes between l'entree and the main course, though it might be considered the main course at home

Spaguetti Bolognesa

Grill fish & vegetables

Potatoe Gnocchi with fresh pesto

Ultimate BBQ (ask about this experience / seasonal)

DESSERT

Choose 2 dishes

Chocolate profiterole, mousse, or an apple tart. A small demitasse of freshly brewed café usually accents the sweets

Gelato

Biscotti

Fresh Fruit with real whip cream

Show me more

Chef Marina's reviews

4.57

•

24 services

Chef Marina provided us meals for our retreat. She was engaging, accommodating, enjoyable and served us incredible food. We felt she was a part of the group instead of being a stranger with us. We highly recommend her. We definitely would use her services again. Hopefully sooner than later.

I had Chef Marina for a family reunion dinner, and let me tell you, it was anything, except extraordinary, superb, and of course, very delicious ????. She even came with some extras like a bottle of wine for me as a thank-you gift and also a surprise. The surprise was very delightful. It's those delicate touches and attention to detail that I think sets her apart. From the moment she entered the house until she left, she was nothing but professional and very friendly with everyone. Having her at the house felt like she was part of the family. She arrived on time, prepared, and was punctual with her timeline. It was an experience, and it was amazing. I hope to have more opportunities to invite Chef Marina in the future. My family and I can't thank Chef Marina enough for the incredible food and the lovely time she spent with us.

A great evening!

Excellent! Amazing food and presentation