Affordable Chef Services LLC

Catering services pricing

Food starts at $26 per person.

About Affordable Chef Services LLC

Chef Mark Gallagher

Chef owner

Whether you're searching for a caterer for a dinner party, birthday, anniversary, wedding reception, holiday, company picnic, or other event, personal Chef Mark Gallagher of Affordable Chef Services of Santa Cruz can custom cater a menu just for you. Our highly trained professional staff have the experience and passion to cater your special event.

Affordable Chef Services uses the highest quality meats, fish and local Santa Cruz County Our highly trained professional staff have the experience and passion to cater your special event. Multi-course plated wine pairing dinners or buffet-style meals are available; Affordable Chef Services is also available for cooking classes and team building .

Sample catered weddings

(Passed and stationary apps) Pastry wrapped Brie with baguettes-Cajun meatballs-Artichoke and pepper crisps-Black olive tapenade with balsamic reduction-lobster bisque shooters-Ceviche. ADD on - Large 12 ft Grazing table with assorted fruits veg meats cheeses breads dips and crackers. Lemon aid and iced tea station (Buffett style event) Organic field greens salad with tomatoes ,cucumbers ,Sesame ginger vin and feta - Over baked chicken breast with a tart on cream sauce - Roasted organic veggie lasagna with bechemel- Wild rice pilaf with roasted veg - Marinated asparagus spread - Dinner rolls and butter.

Guest Count

120

Total Catering Cost

$7,714

Menu Highlights

  • Buffet
  • Passed appetizers
  • Stationary appetizers
  • Wedding cake service
  • Dessert service
  • Cocktail hour apps then a Double sided buffet meal .

Services Included

  • Gratuity
  • Chef(s)
  • Service Captain(s)
  • Service Staff
  • Setup / Breakdown
Set up almost completed
Grazing
Ceviche spoons
Down the street - Felton guild

Services

Services

  • Bartenders
  • Cleanup and breakdown
  • Consultations and tastings - for a fee
  • Delivery and setup
  • Rental coordination - directly invoice couple
  • Rental coordination - does not invoice couple
  • Serving staff

Cuisines

  • American
  • BBQ
  • Farm-to-table
  • French
  • Italian
  • Mexican
  • Seafood

Dietary accommodations

  • Dairy-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Halal
  • Kosher
  • Nut-free
  • Organic
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian

Meal types

  • Breakfast/brunch
  • Buffet
  • Dessert service
  • Family-style meal
  • Food stations
  • Passed appetizers
  • Seated meal
  • Stationary appetizers
  • Wedding cake service

Beverage services

  • Bartending
  • Beverage servingware rentals
  • Provides liquor license

Drink types

  • Coffee service
  • Non-alcoholic

Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 3.0

3.0 out of 5

8 reviews

  • MW

    Michaela W.

    Rating: 1
    •Jun 16, 2026

    PLEASE CHOOSE SOMEONE ELSE

    TLDR: NO SHOW, rude, thief, 0/5 stars Hey, gang! Please do not book these “services” - he no showed my wedding (5/25/26) after being booked for food, beverages, dessert, bartending, and all of our rentals (tables, chairs, dinnerware, etc.). No call, text, email or anything. He still has not even attempted to reimburse us, and has only supplied us with excuse after excuse. All this after he was non-communicative, and rude throughout our planning process, including with our other vendors, as well as requesting that we pay in full nearly two months before our final payment was due. He’s also been flagging any negative review so it gets taken down! I beg, plead, and implore you to reconsider if this is your pick for catering. Not AI, I’m a real, disappointed, and upset bride :(

    Mark Gallagher•Jun 18, 2026

    Thank you for youe input. I owe you and the couple a profound apology. On the weekend of this event I experienced a sudden family emergency that led to a personal heath crisis. I was incapacitated and failed to communicate or activate a backup plane. There isno excure for leaving you with our services. That was my responsibility and I failed.

  • MR

    Micaela R.

    Rating: 1
    •Jun 10, 2026

    Do not hire

    We now know this man has no call no showed at least two weddings in three weeks. In the most basic of terms, no matter what emergency occurs, it is not okay to not give notice. Being a no call no show means that you are waiting and waiting and waiting assuming the best in the person-- hoping they got lost. Hoping there was a misunderstanding. Hoping god forbid they are okay if there was a car accident or a medical emergency. If someone calls and tells you they are having an emergency, even on the morning of (!!) the event, you could activate a plan and save the wedding. But when you are expecting them to come you wait until the last possible minute... which is what happened to us. Activating a back up plan DURING the ceremony. I will let you imagine what that felt like to be up a mountain 30 mins deep in the Santa Cruz mountains trying to get someone to save our 120 person wedding. It had a huge impact on our day as there was no bartender, no appetizers, no food, no staff, no tables, no NA drinks, no ice. Then- to find out he won't pay you the back. I don't care if you have 9 bad days in 20 years. How you handle your business on your worst days shows your integrity- of which this man has none.

    Mark Gallagher•Jun 18, 2026

    Thank you for youe input. I owe you and the couple a profound apology. On the weekend of this event I experienced a sudden family emergency that led to a personal heath crisis. I was incapacitated and failed to communicate or activate a backup plane. There isno excure for leaving you with our services. That was my responsibility and I failed.

  • S

    Sierra

    Rating: 1
    •Jun 9, 2026

    BEWARE

    If I could give zero stars, I would. Chef Mark did not return any calls or texts on the day of the wedding, leaving us to scramble to find tables, dishes, food, bartending, servers, etc for 150 guests and venue staff. As for communication, two days after the wedding, he sent an email that actually begins "I'm sorry I flaked on your event." There have been several convoluted, ungrammatical emails and disrespectful texts sent since, but all fail to explain why no one besides Mark expected to provide service, food or bartending for this wedding which was arranged and paid for months in advance. This is very clearly a person who is not professional, and should not be able to practice business. There is no words for how this irrevocably harmed what should have been a joyous day, and there is no getting that back (though sending the money back would help). The bride sent an email with contractual info demanding a refund, or she will seek legal counsel, since he still has yet to send the money back. His response; "see you in court". He had time to respond to reviews, but not work through a refund process, then holds refund hostage until people remove their negative reviews. In addition, since then, he has flaked on 2 more wedding events at minimum that we know of. Please beware!!!

    Mark Gallagher•Jun 18, 2026

    Thank you for youe input. I owe you and the couple a profound apology. On the weekend of this event I experienced a sudden family emergency that led to a personal heath crisis. I was incapacitated and failed to communicate or activate a backup plane. There isno excure for leaving you with our services. That was my responsibility and I failed.

  • TN

    Tina N.

    Rating: 1
    •Jun 9, 2026

    No service. No food. No bartender. No call.

    Beware! Mark Gallagher signs contracts, takes money and disappears. I wish I could report that my daughter and son in law also had “great communication” and that their wedding guests enjoyed delicious food and seamless service at their wedding Memorial Day weekend, but Mark didn’t show up at all. He did not return any calls or texts on the day of the wedding, leaving us to scramble to find tables, dishes, food, bartending, servers, etc for 150 guests and venue staff. Thus, I cannot comment on the quality of the food or service because THERE WAS NONE. As for communication, two days after the wedding, he sent an email that actually begins “I’m sorry I flaked on your event.” I’m afraid I find that communique a bit lacking. There have been several convoluted,, ungrammatical emails and texts sent since, but all fail to explain why, apparently, no one besides Mark expected to provide service, food or bartending for this wedding which was arranged and paid for months in advance. It seems that no one in his employ had access to an address, phone number, email, or vehicle to attempt provision of services. He has intimated that our family’s 1 star reviews are somehow to blame for his inability to even attempt to make this right. I’m confused as to how many stars he feels are warranted in this situation. The families of the bride and groom were stressed and distracted during what should have been a joyous day, and that can’t be recovered. In this case, the one star reviews matter far more than the fives.

    Mark Gallagher•Jun 18, 2026

    Thank you for youe input. I owe you and the couple a profound apology. On the weekend of this event I experienced a sudden family emergency that led to a personal heath crisis. I was incapacitated and failed to communicate or activate a backup plane. There isno excure for leaving you with our services. That was my responsibility and I failed.

  • MH

    Meghan H.

    Rating: 5
    •Mar 28, 2026

    Love Mark

    Our wedding day with Affordable Chef Services LLC was incredible, and Mark made it that way. If you want a caterer who actually cares about your day, Mark is your guy.

Simply visit our website and fill out provided event quote page. Or feel free to call.
Cake cutting is Included with an event booking.
Yes, we do if need be. Event quote page asks all those questions to give you a decent event quote.
For summer and fall weddings, we recommend at least 10 months in advance.
Yes, we can just tell us what your needs are.

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