Chef Ben Mastracco

Personal Chef In Oceanside

I am a professional chef with a wide variety of professional experiences. I have a BA in nutrition, I'm an award winning recipe developer, a former food scientist, and plant-based cooking expert. While I cook with mostly plants, my cuisine is more "flexitarian," meaning my meals are wholesome and nutritious, with an emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables, but I will oftentimes use some dairy and animal proteins to complement and enhance a meal.

For me, cooking is...

Everything. It's what I think about from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep!

I learned to cook at...

I learned to cook originally from my mother, a fellow culinary professional, but I have MANY professional experiences that have shaped me and my food.

A cooking secret...

Focusing on finding complimentary flavors and textures to make a meal special without relying on overly processed foods or unhealthy ingredients.

My menus

Gourmet Mexican Dinner

STARTER

All inclusive

Roasted Garlic and Tomatillo Guacamole - blackened tomatillo, lime, cilantro, local tortilla chips

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Mexican Caesar Salad - cumin spiked Caesar dressing, pepitas, Cotija cheese, romaine

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Chipotle Braised Pork Tacos - pickled red onion, queso fresco, fresh salsa, guajillo-cherry tomato salsa

DESSERT

All inclusive

Fresh Churros - served with warm chocolate dipping sauce

Italian Summer

STARTER

All inclusive

Farinata "Garlic Bread" - Crispy GF chickpea flatbread, baked with Parmesan and fresh herbs

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Peach Balsamic Salad - avocado, arugula, red onion, toasted pecans, honey-dijon balsamic vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Gnocchi with Pancetta and Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce - toasted hand-made gnocchi, garlicky burst cherry tomato sauce, crispy pancetta, fresh basil

DESSERT

All inclusive

Chocolate Torta - flourless chocolate cake with note of vanilla, cocoa, and coffee

Mediterranean Oasis

STARTER

All inclusive

Chickpea Walnut Falafel - classic falafel with a nutty twist, served with a creamy spicy harissa sauce and a lemon tahini sauce

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Creamy Red Lentil Soup With Lemon and Herbs - red lentils, leeks, carrots, finished with a swirl of EVOO, heavy cream, and micro cilantro

Mediterranean Mixed Greens - crispy fried chickpeas, Feta, golden raisins, creamy tahini dressing

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Pan Seared Chicken Thighs with Spanish Romesco Sauce - seared bone-in chicken thighs, creamy red pepper almond romesco sauce, served with turmeric rice, topped with microgreens and pomegranate arils

DESSERT

All inclusive

Salted Chocolate Tahini Truffles - rich chocolate truffles, served with a tahini caramel sauce

Mexican Fiesta

STARTER

All inclusive

Chips and Guac - roasted garlic and tomatillo guacamole, local tortilla chips

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Oaxacan Empanadas - fried masa empanadas, stuffed with melty Oaxacan cheese, served with roasted cherry tomato salsa

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Beer Braised Pork Tacos - savory shredded pork, pickled red onion, roasted cherry tomato salsa

Rice and Beans - seasoned pinto beans, Spanish rice

Mexican Mixed Salad - romaine, pepitas, corn, red onion, creamy cilantro green chile dressing

DESSERT

All inclusive

Fresh Churros - served with warm dulce de leche dipping sauce

Fresh and Flavorful Thai

STARTER

All inclusive

Seared Tofu Spring Rolls - seared and marinated tofu, mixed herb salad, crispy fried shallots, award winning peanut sauce

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Papaya Salad - shredded green papaya, cherry tomato, chopped peanut, fried shallots, fresh mint

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Seasonal Thai Green Curry - chicken thighs, seasonal vegetables, rich coconut green curry broth

DESSERT

All inclusive

Mango Sticky Rice - sweet sticky rice, coconut caramel sauce, fresh mango

Mediterranean Delight

STARTER

All inclusive

Roasted Garlic and Artichoke Hummus - the smoothest creamiest hummus ever! Served with crudite and pita

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Roasted Cauliflower Salad - seasonal greens, paprika spiked cauliflower, crispy fried chickpeas, red onion, mustard vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Spanish Romesco Chicken - marinated roasted chicken thighs, creamy red pepper romesco sauce, served with oven roasted potatoes and blistered green beans

DESSERT

All inclusive

Salted Chocolate Tahini Bliss Balls

Gourmet Mexican Dinner

STARTER

All inclusive

Roasted Garlic and Tomatillo Guacamole - blackened tomatillo, lime, cilantro, local tortilla chips

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Mexican Caesar Salad - cumin spiked Caesar dressing, pepitas, Cotija cheese, romaine

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Chipotle Braised Pork Tacos - pickled red onion, queso fresco, fresh salsa, guajillo-cherry tomato salsa

DESSERT

All inclusive

Fresh Churros - served with warm chocolate dipping sauce

Italian Summer

STARTER

All inclusive

Farinata "Garlic Bread" - Crispy GF chickpea flatbread, baked with Parmesan and fresh herbs

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Peach Balsamic Salad - avocado, arugula, red onion, toasted pecans, honey-dijon balsamic vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Gnocchi with Pancetta and Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce - toasted hand-made gnocchi, garlicky burst cherry tomato sauce, crispy pancetta, fresh basil

DESSERT

All inclusive

Chocolate Torta - flourless chocolate cake with note of vanilla, cocoa, and coffee

Mediterranean Oasis

STARTER

All inclusive

Chickpea Walnut Falafel - classic falafel with a nutty twist, served with a creamy spicy harissa sauce and a lemon tahini sauce

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Creamy Red Lentil Soup With Lemon and Herbs - red lentils, leeks, carrots, finished with a swirl of EVOO, heavy cream, and micro cilantro

Mediterranean Mixed Greens - crispy fried chickpeas, Feta, golden raisins, creamy tahini dressing

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Pan Seared Chicken Thighs with Spanish Romesco Sauce - seared bone-in chicken thighs, creamy red pepper almond romesco sauce, served with turmeric rice, topped with microgreens and pomegranate arils

DESSERT

All inclusive

Salted Chocolate Tahini Truffles - rich chocolate truffles, served with a tahini caramel sauce

Mexican Fiesta

STARTER

All inclusive

Chips and Guac - roasted garlic and tomatillo guacamole, local tortilla chips

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Oaxacan Empanadas - fried masa empanadas, stuffed with melty Oaxacan cheese, served with roasted cherry tomato salsa

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Beer Braised Pork Tacos - savory shredded pork, pickled red onion, roasted cherry tomato salsa

Rice and Beans - seasoned pinto beans, Spanish rice

Mexican Mixed Salad - romaine, pepitas, corn, red onion, creamy cilantro green chile dressing

DESSERT

All inclusive

Fresh Churros - served with warm dulce de leche dipping sauce

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Chef Ben's reviews

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7 services

Our experience with Chef Ben was beyond my expectations. He was organized and professional, yet fun to be around. He did a brunch for our family and the food was delicious. He brought all of the food and equipment with him so we did not have to do anything but enjoy each others company. He even cleaned up afterwards, leaving the kitchen better than how he found it. I would highly recommend Chef Ben for any occasion that you may need a private chef.

We absolutely loved having Chef Ben cook for us! Not only did he make an incredible brunch (my fav was the chorizo) but he was so fun and fit right in with our friends. We felt like we were dining like royalty with a private chef and the group said it was the highlight of their weekend. We will absolutely be booking Ben as our private chef for future stays!

Chef Ben was a hit with both the adults and the kids. Ben collaborated with us in pulling together a menu for each night that met all of our needs. Each dish was planned with attention and detail. Wish we could stay in the city longer so we could enjoy more of Chef Ben's meals!

Chef Ben made us feel like royalty. Ben is extremely kind and QUICK!

We had a wonderful experience with Chef Ben! He was very nice and accommodating. He showed up on time, cooked everything, served us appetizers while we waited for dinner, and he even cleaned up everything afterwards. Oh and he saved us leftovers!Everything was so delicious but I especially loved his balsamic walnut salad and hazelnut truffles. We loved it!

Ben was amazing. He modified the menu to suit our dietary restrictions. The food was amazing, presentation was perfect and Ben was friendly. We were celebrating a milestone birthday and everyone was more than happy with the food and completely in love with the experience. Thank you Ben!

What a fun time for me and my guests. Great food, conversation, and learning about the thought and design for the meal, added to the experience. Ben was fun, educational and made it seem effortless. This will be my go-to experience for all of my future house gatherings, regardless of the group size, as I know Ben will work his magic for one and all.