Arabella Cooks

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Arabella Cooks

Masterchef quarterfinalist. I'm a private chef and family cook based in the Somerset/Devon borders. Masterchef quarterfinalist 2015.

08/02/2026

A one-off catering job last night for nine young people - celebrating my daughter’s 18th birthday! 🎁 🎉🎂🎈On the menu (which I had created for her but wasn’t allowed to print out because it was “too formal” 🤪) were: haloumi fries with pomegranate seeds, mint, a dusting of za’atar and a harissa spiked yoghurt dip, pan-fried lamb loin fillet rolled in dukkah with tenderstem broccoli, garlic and rosemary roast potatoes and a lovely lamb jus, many (MANY) passionfruit martinis (pro tip, 18 year olds LOVE passionfruit martinis) and birthday cake (gluten and egg free chocolate) with chocolate chip and salted caramel ice cream. The butternut squash wellington was the veggie option, and her brother acted as waiting staff. Dad was the wine waiter and did a mountain of washing up (thank you !). She did some beautiful tablescaping, incorporating snowdrops from the verge outside our house. I knocked one of the vases over an hour before the guests arrived so here you can see me madly blow drying the tablecloth before she noticed! Given the brother turned 13 one week ago and I’m now working full time, I’m very glad there will be no need for any more celebrations until next year! 😴 It was so lovely to be able to do this for her though. Love you HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY 🎊😘

26/08/2025

And that’s a wrap - the last ever Dinner by Arabella. A lovely 60th birthday celebration for 22 family members in Wellington. Thanks to and Ellie for the charming support and to for the lovely chicken and pork. And thanks to everyone who’s liked and commented on here and to all the clients who’ve booked me to cater for them. It’s been a pleasure!

But I have now hung up the chef’s whites.

I’ll still be posting on here though so don’t go away!

X

04/08/2025

A few shots of the amazing food (and drinks) I enjoyed recently on a little flying visit to Palma de Mallorca.
1. Prawn risotto at Momo (Italian style) on the Passeig Portitxol
2. Daughter’s steak with mash and asparagus (also at Momos)
3. Daughter likes her steak mooing 😬😆
4. Galician style Octopus at Pesquero (traditional Mallorquin) near the Marina
5. Three of the delicious but slightly small scallops (I couldn’t resist slurping one before I remembered to take a photo) at El Camino (smart, traditional tapas) in the Old Town
6. Sweet gem lettuce with anchovy and pancetta (El Camino)
7. Seafood rice (El Camino)
8. Daughter’s lamb cutlets and french fries (also El C; probably the best dish of the evening)
9. Gluten free vegan chocolate brownie from Nata the Cook Pastry Shop (everything there was gluten free, vegan and DELICIOUS. Daughter also had the best chocolate cookie of her life there :)
10. Fuchs de Vidal Cava at ‘The Duke’ (a fusion restaurant with influences from all over the world specialising in ‘flavour’, in the hipster ‘Santa Catalina’ area). Best cava I’ve ever tasted (I’m not usually a cava fan but this was sublime).
11. My seabass with cucumber and black rice (The Duke)
12. Daughter’s steak and chips (The Duke; she costs a fortune to take out as mostly will only eat steak :)
13. Espresso Martini (Duke)
14. Mini chocolate and olive oil truffle spoon (Duke; we probably liked the food here the most. Also lovely cosy atmosphere and fab service. I also had the most incredible dorado ceviche which I completely forgot to photograph).
15. Back to that prawn risotto with wine and view, at Momo’s. Our last meal before we jumped in the taxi back to the airport.

We really, really enjoyed eating in Palma. Also v good for dietary requirements and super awareness of things like cross contamination. Also the only place I’ve ever come across a 100% gluten free vegan bakery. Can’t wait to go back!

22/06/2025

The penultimate Dinner by Arabella event. Bittersweet as my son Gabriel worked with me for the first time which was lovely, but 1) it was ROASTING in that kitchen (as I always say you can set your watch for a heatwave by my catering bookings) and 2) it was the last time I got to work with the phenomenal sisters and as they’re not available for my last job in August. Guys you have been exceptional - so reliable and hard working, making every job that much easier and successful. Thank you so, so much! The clients yesterday were effusive in their praise: “Thanks to you and the team. A SUPERB lunch”. So, a celebration lunch for 40 people in the fabulous starting with a trio of canapés - Asian prawn cocktail cups, feta, cherry pepper, olive and Serrano ham skewers and caramelised onion houmous, roasted pepper, pine nut and balsamic glaze crostini. Then a delightfully summery buffet spread. Sadly no pics of the chicken Marbella or beetroot salad as service, as always, was frantic. Thanks for the fabulous meat and fish, as always, to and Jonas Fishmongers, thanks again to my fantastic support team and to the and the lovely couple Fran and Ian for the opportunity. Glad the rain stopped and the sun held for a wonderful afternoon. Am sure we are all taking things easy today!

27/04/2025

One of the last few jobs I’m doing as a private chef 😢 I’m winding ‘Dinner by Arabella’ up as I’ve started a full time job at The University of Exeter, doing their Alumni events. Just two more catering commitments, then from the end of August that will be it. I’ll still post the odd bit of food on here though DON’T WORRY :)

But about last night…..lots of fun cooking for a group of very appreciative hens at beautiful Haygrass House near Taunton, on behalf of . Just two courses meant an early exit which is always a bonus :) Special thanks to and for excellent support work, and to for excellent meat. Penultimate job coming end of June…..stay tuned! (Sorry for the blur on the first pic :) cheflife

16/02/2025

Drinks party to celebrate a milestone birthday for a lovely client in London! Such fun. Thank you to my amazing helpers .halll (who is also my darling God daughter!) and . Absolutely fabulous. Canapés were: Mexican chicken on mini tostadas with guacamole and salsa; Thai spiced salmon skewers with sesame seeds; Brie and cranberry brioche puffs with pecan and rosemary; garlic mushrooms on cheesy polenta squares; Lamb koftes with tzatziki dipping sauce and honey and mustard cocktail sausages. All went down VERY well 🥰🥳.

10/02/2025

An intimate birthday dinner in Somerset at the weekend; the first of two 50th celebrations for a very lovely regular client. Fabulous was reliably excellent as my right hand person; the beautiful venison was from . Canapés were honey mustard glazed cocktail sausages, smoked salmon with sour cream, cream cheese and chives on rye bread and pear, Gorgonzola and Prosciuto rolls. The last pic is the only piece of food left on any plates 🥰

09/02/2025

Two layers of gluten and egg free chocolate sponge with the best chocolate frosting ever. Rainbow sprinkles and rainbow ribbon for colour. Edible gold powder for glitz.

13/12/2024

Back last night but this time in the light 😁 A corporate Christmas party complete with a ‘real’ murder mystery! Lots of fun :) Thanks to for the superb venison and chicken, to and for super service and to and the guests for having us. Over and out for Christmas now!

08/12/2024

The advantage of using a very local private chef: when a storm cuts the power in your holiday house and the back up generator can’t power the ovens but your chef suggests they can still deliver your dinner party by cooking it at home then whizzing it up to you in the car because they only live 10 minutes away 😇 Last night I fed 24 people by lamplight with just a gas hob and a microwave (and lots of tinfoil, insulated bags and several thermos flasks) and basically SAVED CHRISTMAS 😂 Had to ditch the starter but still managed to serve 24 plates of hot lamb rump with salsa verde (mushroom pithiviers for the vegans) with pommes Anna, broccoli and lamb jus, followed by sticky toffee pudding or vegan lemon tendercake with blueberry compote, coconut yoghurt and the toasted cashews which should have accompanied the duck salad starter. I also served the Spanish stuffed aubergines which were the vegan starter alongside the mains and the watermelon from the duck salad as a palate cleanser. Probably the most challenging conditions I’ve ever catered in but happily it all worked out beautifully and the guests were very happy! Thanks to for the beautiful lamb and to my amazing support and for not batting an eyelid and just getting stuck in!

02/12/2024

A few things which went out to a fabulous 60th birthday party in Somerset at the weekend, including this rather fine (if I say so myself) coffee and walnut birthday cake. Everything 100% vegan and all delivered personally (all part of the service!). Other pics Thai green curry, the finished product and production line for 24 portions of vegan lasagne 😅.

24/11/2024

Some classics from the canon last night for a very lovely group at the very lovely , kicking off with a few canapés (smoked salmon pate croustades with paprika and chives; Gorgonzola, rocket and pear rolled in prosciutto and mini tortilla tarts with guac, tomato, bacon and feta) and ending up with double puds! Everyone had some of both the sticky toffee pud and the Eton Mess. Given my portions are on the ‘healthy’ side it was quite a feast! Beautiful beef and lamb from in Somerset and beautiful bream for the ceviche from Jonas Fishmongers in Newton Abbott, Devon. Thanks to for being splendid and as ever to and to the lovely guests for inviting us! 🙏 Also a massive thank you to storm Bert for waiting until today to cut the power to my house so I could finish cooking all this yesterday!

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Taunton
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http://arabellacooks.com/

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