The Hidden Table

Chef Russ and his amazing staff catered a baby shower for us. From my first contact with Chef Russ he was prompt, professional, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful from menu selection to beverage and dessert service. He and his staff arrived at the event promptly as promised and setup a beautiful buffet and bar service. Throughout the evening food was freshly prepared, staff circulated through the room serving guests, plates cleared as guests were finished. Cleanup was efficient and thorough as promised. I would definitely use The Hidden Table and Chef Russ for any catered event that I plan in the future.

I just got off the phone with the owner who was very nice for the first 2 minutes of our conversation. I told him that my son was getting married in June and we were looking for a caterer for the event. I explained that the bride and groom are young college students and have a small budget for the wedding and we were looking to keep the food around $ 20 a person if possible. He then told me that I would have to go to The Olive Garden, pick the food up myself and serve it, to get that price. Wow, rude! A simple, «I’m sorry, I can’t do anything for that price» would have been sufficient! I’m sure the food is great but your attitude sucks!!! And for the record, I have talked to a handful of caterer’s and there ARE options in that price range, thank you very much!

Mind blowing food! The Hidden Table catered our wedding and I’m very impressed at their ability to prepare food that tastes the same for 150 people as it would for 1 person.
The owner (Chef Russ) invited us into his beautiful home for a private taste testing before the wedding and the quality/​taste was what you would expect out of a 5 star restaurant and it tasted just the same at the wedding.
Chef Russ is very professional and quick to reply – surprisingly rare, some of our vendors would go a full week before replying to our emails.
In summary – very impressed and could not recommend more highly!

A Review from The Bride:
CUSTOMER SERVICE. I knew Chef Russ was the vendor I wanted to hire for my wedding before even tasting the food. Why? Because I could tell from the first point of contact that he was passionate about his job and food, and someone so passionate is guaranteed to do whatever it takes to make your event spectacular and the food divine. He is quick to respond, which I liked, and very easy to work with. He is confident in his menu and in service so I felt I was able to just trust him from the get-​go.
TASTE-​TESTING. I let Chef choose the menu for the wedding because I trusted his judgement. We ended up taste testing the exact menu we’d be having at the wedding — from the Beverage Station to the Apps to the Main Meal to Dessert– all in the comfort of his beautiful home he welcomed me and my family in to. At this point, I have already signed the contract with Chef and this was the moment of truth– the first bite. And OH! BOY! We were NOT disappointed!!! We went with the mixed green salad with cranberries, goat cheese, pine nuts and a raspberry vinaigrette; grilled rosemary lemon chicken, marinated Tri-​Tip, and mixed grilled veggies with rosemary potatoes. Everything was… DIVINE. Rustic, fresh, flavorful. The infused waters and special garlic-​butter bread were memorable, too. Everyone left the Taste Testing raving about the food, and I will say we are a tough crowd when it comes to food; my family can cook, so the fact that we all left raving says A LOT about Chefs ability to prepare a delicious meal. Chef Russ even invited the pastry chef, Chef Tee, to bake up an array of desserts for us to test after dinner, each bite-​sized morsel better than the next! Chef Tee was amazing and sweet and had the same passion I valued in Chef Russ. It was difficult to narrow down the dessert bar because each item she presented to us was mouth-​watering. For an extra $ 50, she will also prepare a beautiful cake for you and your affianced to cut at your wedding (we chose Carrot, of course).
THE WEDDING. Chef cooks ON-​SITE! No disgusting pre-​heated airplane-​type crapola that usually gets served at weddings. What was amazing about Chef and his team? I DIDN’T EVEN SEE THEM OR HEAR THEM AT ALL– THE ENTIRE WEDDING. Very cool, in my opinion, that they were not invasive AT ALL despite the fact that they’re busting their butts off cooking a meal for 150 people right before it’s served! And did the delivery translate from the Taste Testing meal? You bet your ass it did! It felt good to have multiple guests during and weeks after the wedding STILL talking about how good the food was. I owe it all to Chef and his Team! And remember I told you how Chef Tee was so sweet? She surprised my husband and I with specialty desserts for just the two of us to bite into — white chocolate covered pretzels and Oreos on sticks drizzled with accent colors to match our wedding motif so we could enjoy something sweet while we were pulled away to take pictures.
I cannot say enough about The Hidden Table. And the cost, you ask? VERY. FRIGGEN. AFFORDABLE. If you are allowed to hire outside catering and want to enjoy the best meal of your life at your own wedding, and receive compliments from your guests, do yourself a favor and just sign the contract with Chef Russ before someone else books him! You will NOT be disappointed. Bravo, Chef. Bravo.
[I will post pictures as soon as I receive them from my photographer of the buffet, a plated meal, the beverage station, the appetizers, and their professional bartenders as soon as I receive them].

Historic Folsom Rotary Club recently attempted to engage the services of Hidden Table to cater its breakfast meetings, making arrangements well in advance. We not only looked forward to tasting the caterer’s food — we promoted and marketed our upcoming meeting mentioning the company’s name on more than one occasion as it is always our goal to promote local businesses. The day before the meeting, we tried to confirm the arrangement only to find that this caterer had no intention of following through with its commitment. We were subsequently left to scramble and find an alternate solution. When inquiring regarding the reason for the change of heart on this caterer’s part, we were told there would be too much trouble and expense involved for the return he would receive.
For this reason as well as lack of professionalism (we were told his business was so robust, it could weather losing us as a future client) we recommend anyone looking to hire this company to do so with caution and get everything in writing before proceeding. As for their food, we cannot respond… we never got to taste it.

I cannot say enough good things about Chef Russ + his incredible staff. I rented a house in Tahoe for a work retreat and we wanted a great dinner there our last night instead of going out. The whole experience with Chef Russ was lovely… from my initial email and phone call with him until the end of our dinner. He’s extremely personable, easy going, helpful and warm. Our group was out when he and his staff arrived… so I gave him the access code to get set up. When we returned, it smelled/​looked amazing, completely exceeded my expectations! Beautiful cheese /​fruit platters waiting for our team that tasted beyond delicious.
The menu was exactly what we had talked about and people were raving about how incredible and fresh everything tasted. Dessert was SO good… molten lava cakes dripping with ice cream and caramel, what a way to end the night! They cleaned the entire kitchen afterwards with warm & friendly smiles and left the house spotless. If you get a chance to book Chef Russ, do it! I know I’ll be looking for the next opportunity to!

Excellent Food and Terrific People. The Hidden Table catered my surprize wedding in December 2014. Chef Russ and his team are wonderful. They helped me make cohesive decisions and made everything easy for me, which allowed me to enjoy the party rather than stress about the details. The food was spectacular, everyone at the party said it was the best they had ever had and we had out share of serious foodies there. We did a heavy appetizer menu (Antipasta, Bacon Wrappep Chorizo Dates with Rasberry Chipotle HUGE HIT!!, Orzo Pasta salad, Mango Whiskey Pulled Pork Sliders, Artisian Pizzas and a Dessert Bar. Chef Russ did a great job of bringing out new and delicious items throughout the party, keeping everyone anxiously awaiting the next dish. The Antipasta Platter was devine, set out on the most beautiful wooden slab, it was a jaw dropping spread. Everything was fresh and cooked on site and Chef Russ and his team were so great with our guests. Many people commented not only that the food was delish, but also on what wonderful and nice people The Hidden Table team was. The Hidden table offers excellent food at a fair price, awesome service and I can not recommend them higly enough!

We attended a five course wine pairing dinner catered by Chef Russ last weekend. The menu included a warm-​mushroom hazelnut salad, Potato Leek Soup, Beef Wellington, and Molten Lava Cakes. Everything on the menu was delicious, especially the Beef Wellington! Chef Russ seems so into preparing high quality food, rather than pushing out mass amounts at a lower quality. The dinner had about 40 guests, and everyone was raving about the food! I will be checking back to see when the next catered dinner will be at the vineyard so that I can make sure to go again!
We have met with Chef Russ and are so happy that he will be catering our wedding in June 2015! I can not wait to taste the items that we have selected for that dinner!

The Hidden Table catered my wedding back in June, and they were absolutely FANTASTIC! Chef Russ did an amazing job and was very helpful from our very first phone call. Our wedding turned out to be perfect! The food was incredible, we were able to book everything through the Hidden Table, and everything went so smoothly! I highly recommend using the Hidden Table for any event, you will not regret it!

Chef Russ is awesome. We hired him to create a Tapas menu and cook/​serve 7 of us at a corporate retreat. Each plate that came out was better than the last and all of them exceeded expecatations. Russ’s menu covered everyone’s preferences and dietary needs (including one vegan) in such a way that everyone had options matching their preference — he even prepared two of the dishes two different ways to accomodate. No corners cut. He even selected multiple pariings of wine based on a budget we provided — all of which were absolutely on par. Everything including desert was prepared perfectly and he and his server executed the entire thing flawlessly while allowing us all to have fun and joining in when appropriate and also allowing us to have a very imortant discussion about our business without interuption. Just as importantly, the entire process from start to finish was great — calls and emails returned almost instantly and was receptive to our ideas and made even better suggestions.
Go ahead. You will not be dissapointed.

Working with Chef Russ for our company holiday party was super easy and a great experience. Chef Russ is detail oriented and had great customer service before the event.
The event (heavy appetizers of 22) was a huge success. He sent Chef Troi and Michelle to our house 2 hours before the event. They went above and beyond the requirements of the contract by bringing some extra things for decorating the serving area. The food was excellent and everyone was impressed with the presentation.
It was a great alternative to a typical caterer or a restaurant. I’d highly recommend using him for any kind of event!

We live in Denver, CO and were married in Davis, CA. Making plans long distance certainly complicates everything, however… We hired Chef Russ to cater our wedding reception dinner and he deserves the highest praise possible. Let’s start with what should be a given:
1. The pricing was very fair and reasonable
2. The food was delicious.
3. The service was efficient and attentive.
4. The set-​up and clean-​up was quick and thorough.
Here’s what is not a given but VERY important:
1. Chef Russ was VERY accommodating to our specific needs.
2. Chef Russ had GREAT ability to communicate both before and during the event.
3. Both he and staff were GENUINELY thoughtful and concerned for the success of the event.
4. Chef Russ took away our stress and gave us a wonderful evening.
5. I am confident you will be very happy with The Hidden Table.

We used Chef Randall for a private dinner/​weekend at Lake Almanor and he was fabulous. We worked with Chef Russ on menu planning and then Randall executed brilliantly. We loved the food and he was very professional. We would definitely use The Hidden Table again!

I was recently in a wedding on Lake Tahoe. Chef Russ and his team did a fantastic job. They served a cheese and meat appetizer plate, rosemary chicken, roasted vegetables, a gorgonzola salad and the most AMAZING smashed russet and garlic yam potatoes. They were so delicious! The whole team was fantastic and very nice. They even made the bride and us bridesmaids a little appetizer plate while we were waiting to go down the aisle. They cleaned up and even left us with all the left overs. YUM! Highly recommend this crew! :)

I have a different point of view from the other reviews here. I didn’t hire The Hidden Table for an event. I was a guest at a party catered by The Hidden table.
I went to a graduation party for some family friends. I was surprised to see the hostess of the party actually walking around and talking to people, instead of running around frantically trying to keep up with the appetizer table for the 80 guests. She is not the type of person to relax as the hostess. She is usually trying to get everything perfect for everybody, but not today, she was actually relaxed and enjoying herself. The catering staff was restocking the table constantly and picking up old plates, and empty drink cups left on the tables.
The food was served buffet style and included a large portion of rosemary chicken (leg and thigh still attached), asparagus, baby greens salad, pasta, fruit salad, and bread. Most buffet style food cooked in large quantity is just blah. This food was really good. The chicken was very flavorful, and super moist. The asparagus was still slightly crispy and well seasoned. The salad was well balanced with flavor, and not over powered by dressing. The pasta was over cooked but had a great sauce and still tasted great. The bread rolls were super soft and very fresh. The fruit salad was not provided The Hidden Table, but was assembled by them. I would give the food a solid 4 stars.
The things that really surprised me about The Hidden Table staff, and Chef Russ that made me give the 5 star rating: They prepared all the food on site, they kept the appetizer table, and dessert table well stocked even though they didn’t provide the items, they cleaned up the tables after the meal, and kept taking the garbage bags out to the trash cans (they were food caterers, not event caterers), they prepared the fruit salad which was added by the hostess, if I could add an additional star it would be for the berry crisp dessert that they did provide and made from scratch, I was told (It was so damn good!), they cleaned up the entire kitchen, even all the home owners dishes even though they didn’t use them at all.
If I ever need an event catered for any reason, I will call chef Russ for sure. Great job Russ and staff!

Chef Russ is AMAZING! We had an amazing ceremony and reception planned but the last thing we wanted to do was have boring food that sits in a chafing dish for hours before it is time to eat. Enter Chef Russ: He cooks food onsite as it is being served. At first this concerned me as I did not want people waiting around to eat while others were finished with their meal. I have to say this was NOT an issue. He has his timing down to a science and you need not worry. He is a little more expensive than what we had planned on spending for food but after going to the tasting it was worth EVERY penny! We had so many guests come up to us to specifically compliment the food. Even months later that is the most consistent compliment we receive and I can’t agree with them more!
Thank you Chef Russ!!!

Chef Russ and The Hidden Table Gourmet company that he operates is fantastic.
I have experienced his services as both a personal chef, and as a caterer for large events. In each category, he has received excellent reviews. His desire to please his clients is second to none. I truly believe that he will continue to polish his operation and organization as the opportunity to cater large events arises, while maintaining his «personal» touches and attention to his clients.
There are many choices for caterers in this area, each providing a different service, in a different style, at a different price point. Regardless of whether Chef Russ ends up being your choice, he and his team definitely deserve serious consideration.

Chef Russ and staff did an amazing job for our wedding! He made everything so personal and so delicious. He knows what tastes good together — food and drink. Our wedding was for about 80 people held at a private home. He came in took over the kitchen, cooked on the BBQ and it was all seamless and did i mention delicious!
I would highly recommend Chef for your next small dinner party or larger gathering!

Myself and friends had the pleasure of meeting Chef Russ a few months ago on a Living Social deal. He was great fun, cooked with us an amazing dinner and his side kick was a doll. We now have developed a great friendship with him and cooked some recipes he has given us for dinner. I would fully recommend his service if you want to join in cooking with him, or just sit back and have a great bottle of wine and watch him do his magic. He is a great guy.

I did some graphic design work for Chef Russ years ago and still had his number on my phone. I had a birthday coming up and thought it’d be a great idea to have him come and cook for a dinner party. I am so glad he still had the same number! He came in with an assistant and took care of EVERYTHING! It was delicious and beautifully presented! I’m a pescatarian, but the others were not so we had a choice of main dish & he accommodated our special needs well. I had the miso coated Sea Bass and it was melt in your mouth amazing!!! It was such a great evening because I really didn’t have to do a thing but enjoy the dinner party. When we were done, he was gone as was anything that would let you know he was there cooking up a storm… except for happy, full tummies!
I would highly recommend him and will hire him again.