Hiring a villa chef for a large group stay in Bali
How a villa chef works for a big group in Bali: guests per chef team, how the day rate splits, groceries, extra staff and when a party night needs catering.
A big villa group in Bali is easiest to feed with one chef team on a full-day booking, plus extra staff only on the nights the table gets bigger. Book a full-day villa chef for bigger groups for daily meals, and add catering for the one event night. That keeps cost per guest low, cooking fresh, and every meal on one timeline.
This guide is for friend groups, extended families and teams sharing a large villa. It covers how many guests one chef team covers, how the day rate splits across a group, how groceries work, and when a party night needs its own catering booking.
- One full-day chef team is a chef plus a dedicated assistant for about 10 guests.
- The day rate is IDR 2,700,000++ before groceries, about IDR 270,000++ each across 10 guests.
- Larger tables and party nights get extra staff, quoted in writing first.
- For 20 to 200 guests at one event, book event catering with full staffing.
- Weekly and monthly stays drop the day rate.
How many guests one chef team covers
The full-day booking is built around a chef and a dedicated assistant, sized for about 10 guests. The team plans the menu around your tastes and allergies, handles grocery sourcing and market runs, cooks, plates, serves at the table and cleans the kitchen after every meal. You get three meals in the day, and you decide which ones: breakfast, lunch or dinner.
When the group is larger than that, or a night calls for formal plated service, we add service staff before you commit. Extra staff is quoted in writing, so nothing is sprung on the night.
What the day rate looks like across a group
A full day of the chef team is IDR 2,700,000++. Because the rate is per day and not per guest, it gets cheaper per head as the group grows. Prices are shown ++, which means 11% government tax and 10% service are added on top.
| Stay length | Day rate for the chef team | Across 10 guests, before food |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 6 days | IDR 2,700,000++ | About IDR 270,000++ each |
| 7 days or more | IDR 2,430,000++ | About IDR 243,000++ each |
| 28 days or more | IDR 2,160,000++ | About IDR 216,000++ each |
Stays of 7 days or longer also include Chef Rotation at no extra charge. For the full rate card, see myCHEF pricing.
Planning three meals for a big table
A big group rarely eats on one schedule. Some guests surf at dawn, some sleep late, some are out on day trips. The simplest plan is one shared meal that everyone attends, usually dinner, and two flexible meals built for the people who are home.
- Breakfast as a spread guests can join when they wake up.
- Lunch as shared platters on the days most of the group stays in.
- Dinner as the fixed meal, served at a time the whole group agrees.
- A night off from the chef when the group wants to eat out.
For a full week, read how to plan a week of villa meals with a chef. Families with children can also look at our kids menus.
Groceries for a large group
Groceries are charged at cost with receipts and no markup. Before your stay you get a written food estimate, so the group knows roughly what the kitty needs. We shop to the menu on the rhythm the food needs: daily for fish and greens, every second day where it makes sense. Premium items such as imported meat or seafood are approved with you first, and alcohol can be sourced at cost.
A shared grocery fund with one person holding the receipts keeps the maths simple when the group splits costs at the end.
Planning a group villa stay?
Send your dates, guest count, villa area and any diets. We reply with a written plan for the chef team and a food estimate.
When the group needs extra staff
Daily meals for a big group usually run well with the standard chef team. The nights that change things are the ones where the table grows, the service gets formal, or the evening turns into a party. On those nights we add service staff, a bartender or a butler, quoted in writing before you confirm. See in-villa service for the staff we can add.
Party nights and bigger events
If the stay includes one big night with invited guests, treat it as its own event. For 20 to 200 guests we recommend event catering with full staffing rather than a single daily chef. Popular choices are a villa BBQ or a buffet for a larger crowd, booked on the same WhatsApp thread as your stay chef. For ideas, read whether a private chef can cater a party for 50 or more.
Booking a long stay for a group
A few days ahead is enough for most dates. For July, August and the Christmas and New Year period, book two to four weeks ahead. We check your villa kitchen before confirming, and a 50% deposit confirms the dates, with the balance due the day before. For a month or longer, the 28-day rate applies.
What to send us
- Your villa area and dates.
- The number of adults and children, and how many will be home for each meal.
- Allergies and diets, guest by guest.
- Any party or event night, with the expected guest count.
- The meals you want each day.
FAQ
How many guests can one villa chef team cook for?
The full-day booking is a chef plus a dedicated assistant for about 10 guests. For larger tables, formal plated service or party nights, extra service staff is added and quoted in writing before you commit.
What does a full-day chef cost for a large group?
The full-day chef team is IDR 2,700,000++ per day before groceries. Split across 10 guests that is about IDR 270,000++ each for the day. Stays of 7 days or more are IDR 2,430,000++ per day, and 28 days or more are IDR 2,160,000++ per day.
Are groceries included in the day rate?
No. Groceries are charged at cost with receipts, and you get a written food estimate before your stay. Premium items are approved with you first.
When should a big group book catering instead of a stay chef?
For 20 to 200 guests at one event, event catering with full staffing is the better fit than a single daily chef. Many groups keep the stay chef for daily meals and book catering for the one big night.
How far ahead should a large group book?
A few days ahead works for most dates. For July, August and the Christmas and New Year period, book two to four weeks ahead. A 50% deposit confirms the dates.
Can we use the chef on some days only?
Yes. The minimum is one full-day package of 3 meals, and the 3 meals can be used on different days of your stay.
Your next step
Read how the full-day chef works on our private chef page, then send your group details on WhatsApp. You get a written quote before any deposit.
