Chef Lori Terry

Personal Chef In Sturgeon Bay

Chef Lori Terry’s journey is incredibly inspiring! From her roots in an Irish/Dutch family emphasizing healthy eating, to her emotional culinary awakening in Paris—it’s a story that blends passion, skill, and heart. The way she transitioned her love for food into a thriving career as a personal chef, then expanded her horizons to cater prestigious events, host cooking classes, and even write a cookbook is truly admirable.

Her travels to Europe, Africa, and beyond add vibrant layers to her culinary artistry, showcasing her dedication to learning and celebrating global traditions. Cooking alongside chefs in Tuscany, Valencia, and on the Amalfi coast—with the delightful lemons!—sounds like a dream for any culinary enthusiast. What an amazing embodiment of the idea that food brings people together and serves as a universal language.

Are you interested in diving deeper into her recipes, or maybe inspired to plan your own culinary adventure? Let’s create something incredible together! ????✨

For me, cooking is...

My passion and way of life. It allows me to express who I am while bringing people together and creating unforgettable food memories.

I learned to cook at...

I honed my cooking skills at my own pace, starting when I was 19. I launched a Sunday supper club in college that people paid to attend!

A cooking secret...

Using the freshest ingredients with care, learning something new everyday and taking the time to develop deep flavors.

My menus

Walk through Italy

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Antipasti ~ a selection from Eataly: cured meats, italian cheeses, olives & bread w/ extra virgin olive oil

Prosciutto Parmesan & basil puff

Whipped goat cheese and blueberry balsamic crostini

Crispy Polenta Bites with Ricotta and Truffle Honey

00 pizza with castelvetrano olives

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Arugula salad w/ shaved parmesan, roasted beets & sunflower seeds in champagne vinaigrette

Sicilian Grilled calamari salad with raisins, capers & roma tomatoes

Burrata with heirloom tomatoes and balsamic pearls

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Chicken thighs w/ orange, fennel & castlevetrano olives

Beef tenderloin w/ port red wine reduction, truffle parmesan risotto cakes & grilled asparagus

Handmade pasta with basil pesto topped with grilled shrimp

Seared seabass with lemon white wine sauce, roasted baby carrots, pea purée & roasted potatoes

Seared scallops over farro and wilted spinach with lemon basil sauce

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Dark chocolate-ginger tart w/ vanilla gelato

Flourless almond and coconut cake

Cardamom Pear Ricotta Cake

Gelato with chili and nutmeg dark chocolate bark

Mediterranean Vibes

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Fig, apple & onion jam crostini

Favosalata (yellow split pea dip w/ white wine & capers) w/ pita crisps

Bacon wrapped dates with manchego

Roasted Castelvetrano Olive and Feta Salad

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Tomato-cucumber-artichoke salad w/ hearts of palm, olives & pistachios tossed in lemon champagne vinaigrette

Lemon arugula salad w/ chickpeas, pickled shallots, tomatoes & dill- balsamic vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Greek chicken or lamb kabobs w/ cucumber-dill sauce, lemon garlic roasted potatoes & grilled zucchini

Lemon garlic chicken with roasted cauliflower & asparagus

Grilled lemon herb salmon with roasted garlic brussel sprouts and potato cakes

Rosemary baby lamb chops over spiced yam puree alongside grilled baby zucchini & squash ribbons

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Polenta olive oil cake with red grapes

Flourless almond and coconut cake

Gelato with chili and nutmeg dark chocolate bark

Door County Local Menu - Summer

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Wisconsin Grazing Table ~ a selection from local cheese makers, beef stick bites, local cherry preserves, pickled mushrooms, pickled asparagus & local bread

Crispy Polenta Bites with Ricotta and Truffle Honey

Farmers crostini w/ fresh ricotta & peach-sage compote

Parsnips Puree, Fig Jam and Smoked Duck Crostini

Savory cheesecake with roasted tomatoes & caraway crackers

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Arugula salad w/ shaved parmesan, cherries, roasted beets & sunflower seeds in champagne vinaigrette

Caprese salad w/ local mozzarella, basil & balsamic creme

Watermelon feta salad with pickled shallots & pistachios

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Airline chicken breast with mushroom creme, roasted brussel sprouts & chil lime yams

Beef tenderloin w/ cherry port red wine reduction, truffle parmesan risotto cakes & grilled local asparagus

Chili lime salmon with roasted parsnip puree & baby green beans

Local tri tip steak with chimichuri, roasted fingerling potatoes & maples glazed baby carrots

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Cardamom Pear Ricotta Cake

Banana pudding

Lemon cheesecake with Door County Cherries

Eastern Essence

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Steamed edamame w/ sea salt

Vegetable lumpia with citrus sauce

Seared tuna with microgreens and wasabi vinaigrette

Asian five spice pork meatball in pineapple glaze

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Hot & Sour Soup

Crunchy shaved vegetable salad with cilantro and lime soy vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Make your own sushi - tuna, salmon, crab & shrimp tempura. Inside out rolls, maki rolls & dragon rolls

Pad Thai - chicken & shrimp with edamame & bean sprouts

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Fresh Fruit w/ Ginger Sauce

Tiny bakery bites with mochi

Mango pudding

Celebration

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Caramelized onion flatbread w/ goat cheese, thyme & pears

Blinis with feta pâté and smoked salmon and caviar

Crispy Polenta Bites with Ricotta and Truffle Honey

Parsnips Puree, Fig Jam and Duck Confit Crostini

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Escargot in lemon butter sauce w/ herbs & toasted bread

Arugula salad w/ shaved parmesan, roasted beets & sunflower seeds in champagne vinaigrette

Mussels in garlic white wine with grilled crostini

Burrata with heirloom tomatoes and balsamic pearls

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Greek baby lamb chops over spiced yam puree alongside grilled baby zucchini & squash ribbons

Seared seabass with lemon white wine sauce, roasted baby carrots, pea purée & roasted potatoes

Seared scallops over farro and wilted spinach with lemon basil sauce

Bistro-Style Steak Au Poivre with French green beans & roasted potatoes

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Key lime cookies

Cardamom Pear Ricotta Cake

Gelato with chili and nutmeg dark chocolate bark

Bistro Nights

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Fig, apple & onion jam crostini

Caramelized onion flatbread w/ goat cheese, thyme & pears

Parsnips Puree, Fig Jam and Duck Confit Crostini

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Escargot in lemon butter sauce w/ herbs & toasted bread

Arugula salad w/ shaved parmesan, roasted beets & sunflower seeds in champagne vinaigrette

Baby greens w/ brie, pears & spiced nuts in a champagne-Dijon vinaigrette

Mussels in garlic white wine with grilled crostini

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Airline chicken breast with tarragon creme, roasted brussel sprouts & coconut lime yams

Lobster pot pie with roasted cherry tomatoes

Bistro-Style Steak Au Poivre with French green beans & roasted potatoes

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Creme brûlée w/ raspberry coulie and coconut creme

Flourless almond and coconut cake

Cardamom Pear Ricotta Cake

Walk through Italy

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Antipasti ~ a selection from Eataly: cured meats, italian cheeses, olives & bread w/ extra virgin olive oil

Prosciutto Parmesan & basil puff

Whipped goat cheese and blueberry balsamic crostini

Crispy Polenta Bites with Ricotta and Truffle Honey

00 pizza with castelvetrano olives

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Arugula salad w/ shaved parmesan, roasted beets & sunflower seeds in champagne vinaigrette

Sicilian Grilled calamari salad with raisins, capers & roma tomatoes

Burrata with heirloom tomatoes and balsamic pearls

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Chicken thighs w/ orange, fennel & castlevetrano olives

Beef tenderloin w/ port red wine reduction, truffle parmesan risotto cakes & grilled asparagus

Handmade pasta with basil pesto topped with grilled shrimp

Seared seabass with lemon white wine sauce, roasted baby carrots, pea purée & roasted potatoes

Seared scallops over farro and wilted spinach with lemon basil sauce

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Dark chocolate-ginger tart w/ vanilla gelato

Flourless almond and coconut cake

Cardamom Pear Ricotta Cake

Gelato with chili and nutmeg dark chocolate bark

Mediterranean Vibes

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Fig, apple & onion jam crostini

Favosalata (yellow split pea dip w/ white wine & capers) w/ pita crisps

Bacon wrapped dates with manchego

Roasted Castelvetrano Olive and Feta Salad

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Tomato-cucumber-artichoke salad w/ hearts of palm, olives & pistachios tossed in lemon champagne vinaigrette

Lemon arugula salad w/ chickpeas, pickled shallots, tomatoes & dill- balsamic vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Greek chicken or lamb kabobs w/ cucumber-dill sauce, lemon garlic roasted potatoes & grilled zucchini

Lemon garlic chicken with roasted cauliflower & asparagus

Grilled lemon herb salmon with roasted garlic brussel sprouts and potato cakes

Rosemary baby lamb chops over spiced yam puree alongside grilled baby zucchini & squash ribbons

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Polenta olive oil cake with red grapes

Flourless almond and coconut cake

Gelato with chili and nutmeg dark chocolate bark

Door County Local Menu - Summer

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Wisconsin Grazing Table ~ a selection from local cheese makers, beef stick bites, local cherry preserves, pickled mushrooms, pickled asparagus & local bread

Crispy Polenta Bites with Ricotta and Truffle Honey

Farmers crostini w/ fresh ricotta & peach-sage compote

Parsnips Puree, Fig Jam and Smoked Duck Crostini

Savory cheesecake with roasted tomatoes & caraway crackers

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Arugula salad w/ shaved parmesan, cherries, roasted beets & sunflower seeds in champagne vinaigrette

Caprese salad w/ local mozzarella, basil & balsamic creme

Watermelon feta salad with pickled shallots & pistachios

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Airline chicken breast with mushroom creme, roasted brussel sprouts & chil lime yams

Beef tenderloin w/ cherry port red wine reduction, truffle parmesan risotto cakes & grilled local asparagus

Chili lime salmon with roasted parsnip puree & baby green beans

Local tri tip steak with chimichuri, roasted fingerling potatoes & maples glazed baby carrots

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Cardamom Pear Ricotta Cake

Banana pudding

Lemon cheesecake with Door County Cherries

Eastern Essence

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Steamed edamame w/ sea salt

Vegetable lumpia with citrus sauce

Seared tuna with microgreens and wasabi vinaigrette

Asian five spice pork meatball in pineapple glaze

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Hot & Sour Soup

Crunchy shaved vegetable salad with cilantro and lime soy vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Make your own sushi - tuna, salmon, crab & shrimp tempura. Inside out rolls, maki rolls & dragon rolls

Pad Thai - chicken & shrimp with edamame & bean sprouts

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Fresh Fruit w/ Ginger Sauce

Tiny bakery bites with mochi

Mango pudding

Show me more

Chef Lori's reviews

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6 services

Chef Lori Terry was fantastic. The food was great and Chef Lori was a pleasure to work with. We asked for an Italian Steakhouse-style meal and Lori was flexible in adjusting the menu to suit our preferences. At our event, Lori was very nice and personable. She engaged our kids in making the fresh pasta which was a highlight for them and we all enjoyed watching her work. The food was excellent. Lori also brought additional off-menu appetizers which were a nice bonus. Everyone really enjoyed the meal and we'd love to have another opportunity to hire Lori. Thanks for a great meal.