5.0/ 5
“They did an incredible job! The food was amazing and they were extremely professional. Our group was very impressed, and I would definitely recommend them.”
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Diane M.
Private Dining, Crafted Around You.
A private chef for your villa, Airbnb or home in Porto and the Douro Valley. A menu designed around you, cooked and plated on site, kitchen left spotless.
Thyme
More than a dinner.Your menu. Your place.
Private dining in Porto and the Douro Valley. We bring the ingredients, cook in your kitchen and serve each course. You stay with your guests.
- Menus created from scratch
- Hand-picked ingredients
- Private, discreet service
- An experience shaped around you
- Attention to detail
- Kitchen left immaculate
How it works
The Private Chef Experience
Tell us what you have in mind. We take care of the rest.
01
Discover
Share your date, location and guest count. Tell us what you like to eat.
02
Create
Receive a menu built around your tastes, dietary needs and occasion.
03
Prepare
We shop, cook and plate on site. Your kitchen is left spotless.
04
Experience
Enjoy dinner with your guests. We handle the service and clean-up.
Experiences
A table for every occasion
Dinner for two, a villa stay or a celebration. Choose your occasion.
About the experience
Restaurant dining. At your place.
Looking to hire a private chef in Portugal? Thyme brings a restaurant-level, in-home dining experience to Porto. Your personal chef shops, cooks, plates and serves. You stay at the table. We leave the kitchen spotless.
Book a private chef in Porto, Portugal, for your vacation rental, Airbnb or home. Staying at a villa in northern Portugal? We also serve the Douro Valley and locations within approximately 150 km of Porto. Every private dining experience starts with your tastes.
A birthday dinner in Porto. A bachelorette dinner with friends. A wedding in the Douro. Your chef designs the menu for the occasion, from Portuguese classics to Mediterranean, Brazilian, French or Italian cooking. Allergies and dietary needs are part of the plan.
Plated dinners for 2–20 guests. Event catering in Porto and the Douro Valley for larger celebrations. Buffet catering for up to 200 guests. The format fits your group.
Gastronomy
A Menu Without Limits
Start with your favourite flavours. We build a menu around them, using seasonal produce and a format that suits your evening.
- Seasonal tasting menus
- Mediterranean cuisine
- Contemporary cuisine
- Fine dining
- Fish and seafood
- Vegetarian experiences
- Fully bespoke menus
The chef and team
Meet the chef
Chef Murilo Lima founded Thyme. A Brazilian chef based in Porto with more than a decade in professional kitchens, he designs the menus and leads each event with his team.
Mediterranean roots. Contemporary technique. Produce from the Porto region. Every menu is designed for your table.
Based in
Porto
Service
Private
Cuisine
Signature
Gallery
From prep to the table
Guest reviews
Memorable evenings. In their own words.
08 / guest stories
5.0/ 5
“[…] There were 8 of us and all 8 were amazed by everything — spectacular food, complete warmth, divine presentation, availability and a smile throughout the whole service. Praise on every level. 5 stars! […]”
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Carlos P.
5.0/ 5
“[…] They made us feel truly at home with all the meals - extremely attentive to the details and food preferences/allergies! I couldn't recommend them more, truly incredible!”
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Valéria S.
4.8/ 5
“[…] The variety of the dishes they prepared and the quality were fantastic. They even made some adjustments for a picky eater in our group. Professional and charming at the same time. Would highly recommend.”
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Cameron V.
5.0/ 5
“[…] They were extremely organized and dinner went seamlessly. Presentation of the food was outstanding and flavours delicious. […]”
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John S.
5.0/ 5
“Perfect communication with Murilo. The experience was incredible, with excellent dishes beautifully showcased by their presentation.”
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Cayot
4.7/ 5
“Great experience! Professional, kind, attentive, and super tasty food Will definitely repeat :)”
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Augusto G.
4.8/ 5
“Excellent, thoughtful, attentive and delicious. Highly recommend.”
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Kimberly K.
Private Chef Manager
01 / 08
Where we serve
From Porto, up to 150 km.
Based in Porto. Serving the Douro Valley, Aveiro, Braga, Guimarães and Viana do Castelo, within 150 km. Staying further away? Ask us.
Porto District
- Porto
- Vila Nova de Gaia
- Matosinhos
- Espinho
- Póvoa de Varzim
Braga & Guimarães
- Braga
- Guimarães
- Barcelos
- Amarante
Aveiro
- Aveiro
- Ílhavo
- Costa Nova
Viana do Castelo
- Viana do Castelo
Douro Valley
- Vila Real
- Peso da Régua
- Pinhão
- Lamego
- Private homes
- Villas
- Luxury apartments
- Holiday homes
- Exclusive venues
Frequently asked questions
Before you book
From 2 guests. Up to 20 guests we serve a full plated menu. For larger events, up to 200 guests, we work as a buffet or catering.
We recommend at least 7 days, but we accept requests up to 1 day before when we have availability. For weekends, holidays and summer, earlier is better.
Every menu can be adapted: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, no pork, halal-friendly, allergies. Tell us when you request your menu and we design around it, without losing the identity of the dish.
Yes, we bring our professional equipment and the tableware needed for the service, and we cook in your kitchen. If there is no kitchen on site, tell us in advance so we can adapt the logistics.
Menu planning, ingredient shopping, cooking at your venue, plated or buffet service, and the kitchen left as we found it. Drinks are not included.
Yes. We can send pairing suggestions for each course, or bring and serve the wines at the table as an add-on. Ask for a quote.
A deposit confirms your date, and the remaining amount is paid on the day of the dinner. We send a short contract with all the details.
The deposit is non-refundable. You can move your date once if you tell us more than 7 days before the event. Within 7 days of the event, the full amount is due.
We are based in Porto and travel across the north of Portugal, up to about 150 km, including Braga, Guimarães, Aveiro, Viana do Castelo and the Douro Valley. For longer distances, contact us.
Book
Request your menu
Share your plans. We will reply with availability and a personal menu proposal.
Your next private dinner starts here.
Choose the place. Invite your guests. We take care of dinner.
