Chef Stevan Novoa

Private Chef In San Diego

I am a professional chef of thirteen years experience working in kitchen's up and down the coast of california and in mexico with many different styles of cuisines. Working with local purveyors, for farming, livestock and fish. I was in the military 8 years and decided to make this career my new path in life. I want to make the best food possible and a most enjoyable experience.

For me, cooking is...

It is my passion, my life choice and what I just wake up and enjoy doing.

I learned to cook at...

I went to culinary school at the Art institute of san diego, multiple restaurants in San diego and mexico under different chefs and cuisines.

A cooking secret...

Ability to work in small settings. Coming up with new things on the fly

My menus

Local southern California

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Scallop aguachile

Yellowtail ceviche

Blue fin tuna , olive oil toast

Grilled shrimp with chimmichurri

Oyster bone marrow mignonette

Corn, calabrian chile butter and focaccia

Charcuterie board with cheeses and pickles

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Octopus with calabrian chili jam and beans

Bone marrow with scallops

Black cod, japanese pickles and mustard

Honey glazed carrots and walnut dukkha

Broccolini with cacio pepe burrata

Lamb with spring vegetables and roast potatoes

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Col Morada / grilled red cabbage, hibiscus honey mustard, fuji apple, red beets, queso fresco

Branzino ,herbs and polenta with roasted vegetables

Salmon , wild risotto and gold Oyster mushrooms

Halibut poached with local vegetables and risotto

Aged bavette , wild risotto and gold Oyster mushrooms

New york steak with truffles asparagus and lardo

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Chocolate cake and gelato

Baklava, rice pudding, date syrup, vanilla and lemon

Berry salad with sorbet and mint

Creme brulee with local fruit

Tiramisu and gelato

Modern french

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Strawberry gazpacho with guanciale,basil and pepper,

Asparagus with shrimp, almonds and milk snow

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pork belly ,peas, mint, cabbage

Honey glazed carrots and walnuts

Lamb with spring vegetables and summer beans

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pan roasted chicken , risotto and gold Oyster mushrooms

Dry aged bavette steak, french style mashed potato, grilled vegetables

Dry age cherry glazed duck and vegetables

Local fish , seared corn , chanterelles and yuzu

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Caramel.apple cake miso vanilla gelato

Chardonnay peach with rosemary and vanilla creme anglaise

Creme brulee with local fruit

Toasted hazelnut and grapes, meringue with raisin coulis

Socal seafood

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Yakitori chicken soy glazed

Assorted nigiri

Salmon poke, nori, crispy rice wonton

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Scallop aguachile

Beef tartar

Broccolini with cacio pepe burrata

Honey glazed carrots and pecan dukkha

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Miso glazed chicken and vegetables and sushi risotto

Miso glazed salmon dish sauce vegetables and yakisoba

Branzino ,herbs and polenta with roasted vegetables

Rockfish, grilled squash, risotto

Salmon , crispy brussels sprouts, zataar

Aged bavette steak , french potato and gold Oyster mushrooms

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Matcha caramel.apple cake miso vanilla gelato

Tiramisu and gelato

Macarons, gelato and hazelnuts

Tres leches with strawberries

Local surf and turf

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Scallop aguachile

Yellowtail ceviche

Blue fin tuna , olive oil toast

Grilled shrimp with chimmichurri

Oyster bone marrow mignonette

Cesar salad pickled onions, cotija, sardines

Beet and charred radicchio salad with parmesan, pine nuts arugula

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Octopus with calabrian chili jam and beans

Bone marrow with scallops

Black cod, japanese pickles and mustard

Tomato with brodo and pasta

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Col Morada / grilled red cabbage, hibiscus honey mustard, fuji apple, red beets, queso fresco

Branzino ,herbs and polenta with roasted vegetables

Salmon , wild risotto and gold Oyster mushrooms

Halibut poached with local vegetables and risotto

Aged bavette steak , french potato and gold Oyster mushrooms

Bavette steak, cavatelli pasta and mushroom broth

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Chocolate cake and gelato

Baklava, rice pudding, date syrup, vanilla and lemon

Berry salad with sorbet and mint

Creme brulee with local fruit

Local Italian

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Cacio pepe polenta cakes

Tomato arugual lemon tahini and kale salad

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Spinach radish roasted squash, carrots and cucumbers

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Salmon , white basmati rice, gold Oyster mushrooms and bok choy

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Chocolate budino with devils food cake

Flan

Modern Italian

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Focaccia with sardine butter

Flor di zucca

Crispy artichokes with mint and lemon sauce

Crispy shrimp with salsa begnetto

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Local tomato, burrata, arugula,red onion, lemon dressing

Red endive salad with yogurt, parm, rustica dressing

Bone marrow butter with gnocchi and parmesan

Corn and tortellini with sour honey and ricotta

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Branzino ,herbs and polenta with roasted vegetables

Aged bavette , wild risotto and gold Oyster mushrooms

Fennel braised pork and rainbow chard

Chicken marsala and risotto

Bavette steak, cavatelli and mushroom broth

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Tiramisu and gelato

Pistachio panna cotta, honey tuille candied lemon

Cherry crumble with pistachio, cake and gelato

Chocolate budino with devils food cake

Local seafood

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Scallop aguachile

Yellowtail ceviche

Blue fin tuna , olive oil toast

Grilled shrimp with chimmichurri

Broccolini with cacio pepe burrata

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Seaweed salad ,miso dressing, charred raddichio cherry blossom

Black cod, japanese pickles and mustard

Crispy potatoes, whipped feta ,chermoula, pickled peppers

Adobo Beets with charred kale, squash, mole

Honey glazed carrots and pecan dukkha

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Col Morada / grilled red cabbage, hibiscus honey mustard, fuji apple, red beets, queso fresco

Branzino ,herbs and polenta with roasted vegetables

Salmon , wild risotto and gold Oyster mushrooms

Halibut poached with local vegetables and risotto

Yogurt marinated chicken and roasted vegetables with pomegranate

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Chocolate cake and gelato

Baklava, rice pudding, date syrup, vanilla and lemon

Berry salad with sorbet and mint

Creme brulee with local fruit

Wafu Japanese

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Napa kimchi with brown butter miso, chilis

Cauliflower with yuzu, garlic and vinegar

Mushroom dashi risotto

Blistered Shishitos with furikake ranch and quinoa

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Pork belly with crab butter and bok choy

Lamb chops, lemongrass, chili and ginger

Ramen carbonara

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Sugar soy glazed flank with sushi rice and japanese sweet potato

Soy glazed Bone marrow with sashimi

Mazamen ramen chashu and vegetables

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Miso apple pie and vanilla gelato

Chocolate miso banana bread

Japanese cheesecake and plum sorbet

Matcha caramel.apple cake miso vanilla gelato

Local southern California

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Scallop aguachile

Yellowtail ceviche

Blue fin tuna , olive oil toast

Grilled shrimp with chimmichurri

Oyster bone marrow mignonette

Corn, calabrian chile butter and focaccia

Charcuterie board with cheeses and pickles

FIRST COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Octopus with calabrian chili jam and beans

Bone marrow with scallops

Black cod, japanese pickles and mustard

Honey glazed carrots and walnut dukkha

Broccolini with cacio pepe burrata

Lamb with spring vegetables and roast potatoes

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Col Morada / grilled red cabbage, hibiscus honey mustard, fuji apple, red beets, queso fresco

Branzino ,herbs and polenta with roasted vegetables

Salmon , wild risotto and gold Oyster mushrooms

Halibut poached with local vegetables and risotto

Aged bavette , wild risotto and gold Oyster mushrooms

New york steak with truffles asparagus and lardo

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Chocolate cake and gelato

Baklava, rice pudding, date syrup, vanilla and lemon

Berry salad with sorbet and mint

Creme brulee with local fruit

Tiramisu and gelato

Modern french

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Strawberry gazpacho with guanciale,basil and pepper,

Asparagus with shrimp, almonds and milk snow

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pork belly ,peas, mint, cabbage

Honey glazed carrots and walnuts

Lamb with spring vegetables and summer beans

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pan roasted chicken , risotto and gold Oyster mushrooms

Dry aged bavette steak, french style mashed potato, grilled vegetables

Dry age cherry glazed duck and vegetables

Local fish , seared corn , chanterelles and yuzu

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Caramel.apple cake miso vanilla gelato

Chardonnay peach with rosemary and vanilla creme anglaise

Creme brulee with local fruit

Toasted hazelnut and grapes, meringue with raisin coulis

Socal seafood

STARTER

Choose 2 dishes

Yakitori chicken soy glazed

Assorted nigiri

Salmon poke, nori, crispy rice wonton

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Scallop aguachile

Beef tartar

Broccolini with cacio pepe burrata

Honey glazed carrots and pecan dukkha

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Miso glazed chicken and vegetables and sushi risotto

Miso glazed salmon dish sauce vegetables and yakisoba

Branzino ,herbs and polenta with roasted vegetables

Rockfish, grilled squash, risotto

Salmon , crispy brussels sprouts, zataar

Aged bavette steak , french potato and gold Oyster mushrooms

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Matcha caramel.apple cake miso vanilla gelato

Tiramisu and gelato

Macarons, gelato and hazelnuts

Tres leches with strawberries

Local surf and turf

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Scallop aguachile

Yellowtail ceviche

Blue fin tuna , olive oil toast

Grilled shrimp with chimmichurri

Oyster bone marrow mignonette

Cesar salad pickled onions, cotija, sardines

Beet and charred radicchio salad with parmesan, pine nuts arugula

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Octopus with calabrian chili jam and beans

Bone marrow with scallops

Black cod, japanese pickles and mustard

Tomato with brodo and pasta

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Col Morada / grilled red cabbage, hibiscus honey mustard, fuji apple, red beets, queso fresco

Branzino ,herbs and polenta with roasted vegetables

Salmon , wild risotto and gold Oyster mushrooms

Halibut poached with local vegetables and risotto

Aged bavette steak , french potato and gold Oyster mushrooms

Bavette steak, cavatelli pasta and mushroom broth

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Chocolate cake and gelato

Baklava, rice pudding, date syrup, vanilla and lemon

Berry salad with sorbet and mint

Creme brulee with local fruit

Chef Stevan's reviews

4.65

•

44 services

Stevan did an incredible job and was very professional. The food was incredible!

Stevan was incredible! We had him cook for my mom’s birthday and the whole experience was amazing. He was engaging and the food was fabulous! He was very communicative while building the menu and he had great suggestions for menu swaps. We would absolutely work with him again! Hire him, you will not regret it.

I used TakeaChef as a unique experience for me and my wife for Valentine’s Day. The experience on the site was very intuitive. Once I selected Asian cuisine, Chef Stevan sent us a menu proposal, with multiple courses and dessert. We asked for some substitutions and he was accommodating Chef Stevan made us a delicious meal of blistered shishito peppers, pork belly bao buns, pork and chive Chinese dumplings. We really enjoyed the noodle dish he made and the perfectly cooked prawns they came with. We enjoyed the kimchee he had been fermenting, and an interesting cocktail that included gin, matcha, maraschino cherries, and honey. It was a great experience, and he left our kitchen cleaner that when he arrived. We had leftovers for days. I would have chef Stevan come cook for us again anytime.

Stevan created a wonderful inventive delicious dinner for the 8 of us. The whole evening went incredibly smoothly due to his professionalism. Fabulous and excellent.

We had a terrific experience with Chef Stevan - intimate group of seven for dinner. Chef worked with me on the menu and was very flexible with changes and suggestions. The guests really appreciated the presentation, quality of the ingredients and the taste of the food. The evening was a big success for us thanks to Chef Stevan.

Amazing experience! Booking again.

We hired Chef Stevan for a birthday dinner at our Airbnb and he absolutely exceeded our expectations. He was incredibly patient and accommodating throughout the menu planning process, working with me on all the details to make sure everything was just right. The food was outstanding—each course was beautifully prepared and so delicious that we were almost too full by the time dessert came around. It was a fantastic experience and I highly recommend him for any special occasion!

Stevan did an incredible job and was very professional. The food was incredible!

Stevan created a wonderful inventive delicious dinner for the 8 of us. The whole evening went incredibly smoothly due to his professionalism. Fabulous and excellent.