chef's selection
A relaxed evening from one of my seasonal menus: an amuse-bouche and three plated courses from good local produce. Pick a seasonal menu and swap dishes to your taste.
from €75 per guestan evening, paired to the people at your table.
I cook in your home or at a venue, each course paired to your evening.
come hungry.
stay a while.
real plates from past evenings.
how an evening
comes together.
six steps, one table
- 1start with the occasion
up to twelve of you, around your own table.
- 2tell me about your guests
I'll pair the menu to them, the drinks to the menu, the night to the mood
- 3I cook
your home fills with the smell of dinner
- 4I bring it to the table
and tell you what's in it: where it comes from, why these flavours belong together
- 5slow down
the next course comes when you're ready for it
- 6I leave your kitchen clean
still smelling of dinner, and one recipe from the night to keep
evenings, paired
to the occasion.
every menu is paired to its night: the place, the partner, the people at the table.
every evening,
one thing
stands out.
There's always one dish the table keeps asking about. I print the recipe on a card and leave it with you, to keep, and to remember the night by. This one is from past evenings: the sauce people asked for most. Make it yourself, and tell me how it went.
asked for at past dinners
recipe no. 01paired · take-home card
firecracker sauce
for the pew pew cauliflower · a past favourite, printed for you to keep
what's in it?
sriracha1 tbsp
soy sauce2 tbsp
fish sauce1 tsp
rice vinegar1 tsp
mirin1 tsp
tamarind1 tsp
lime juice2 tsp
sugar3 tsp
sweet chilli sauce1 tbsp
garlic3 cloves
mix everything for the sauce together. warm the garlic in a pan over low heat, pour in the sauce and let it cook gently.
pick a date.
I'll plan the rest.
plan your evening
dinner at home
a dinner party where you get to sit down.
Up to twelve of you, at your own table. I bring the shopping, cook in your kitchen and carry every course out myself. You stay where you belong: with your guests.
two experiences,
tailored to your evening.
from a relaxed sharing table to a full tasting menusignature evening
from three courses, designed for you and created from scratch for your occasion, with artisanal ingredients, home-baked bread and more.
from €120 per guest
add to any menu
a dressed table
Linen, candles and seasonal flowers, set before your guests arrive. Or ask for a table designed around the evening.
price upon requestEvery experience includes the menu, the ingredients, cooking and serving at the table. Wine is planned separately by our wine partner. You get a written quote for every evening.
what I bring.
from the shopping to a clean kitchen, in the order the evening goes.
- 1the shopping
everything, bought fresh and carried in.
- 2your kitchen
I cook there, so the house fills with the smell of dinner.
- 3every course, at the table
I bring each plate to the table myself and tell you what's in it: where it comes from, why these flavours belong together.
- 4a pairing
every course can have its pair: wine, or a beverage of your choosing.
- 5a clean kitchen
I leave your kitchen clean, still smelling of dinner.
- 6the recipe
A card with the recipe for the part everyone asks about. Usually the sauce.
good to know.
the questions people ask before an evening, in the order they usually ask them.
1 · before you book2 · the food3 · on the night4 · afterwards
anything else, just ask
1
before you book
how many guests?
up to twelve, depending on the experience.
how far ahead should I book?
at least two to three weeks; earlier for larger groups and during busy periods.
what does it cost?
See the two experiences above: each has a price per guest. You get a written quote before anything is booked.
can I give an evening as a gift?
Of course. Just get in touch and we'll arrange it.
which languages do you speak?
Chef Tommy speaks English and French. His partner Sander speaks English and Dutch.
2
the food
anything you don't eat?
Tell me when you book. I build the menu around it, so every plate is whole.
can you cook vegetarian, vegan or around allergies?
Yes. Tell me when you book and I'll build those plates with the same care as the rest.
what about drinks?
Every course can have its pair: wine from our wine partner, coffee, or something without alcohol. Wine is invoiced separately.
3
on the night
what do I need at home?
A hob, an oven and a little counter space, plus plates, cutlery and glasses for your guests. I bring the cooking equipment. If you miss any of those, we can always discuss options.
how long does an evening last?
about three to four hours, from first bite to last coffee.
can you dress the table?
Yes: linen, candles and seasonal flowers, set before your guests arrive. Or ask for a table designed around the evening. Price upon request.
4
afterwards
do I keep anything?
the menu, a recipe card, and any leftovers, to make your next day a little easier.
your experience, your kitchen.
let's plan it.
plan a dinner
chef's nights
one long table. thirty people, paired for the night.
A few times a year I pair a night with a place: their room, their wine or coffee, and a menu I write for them.
how a night goes.
about three to four hours, start to finish- 1
take a seat
one long table or several small ones, about thirty places.
- 2
course by course
every course is brought out and we talk you through the dish.
- 3
paired
each course has its pair, chosen with the night's partner: wine, coffee, or something without alcohol.
from chef's night no.1 at Curious Buds, Luxembourg · 2 minutes
the next table.
past nights.
each one titled Chef Donaghy × the partner it was paired withpair a night
with us.
chef donaghy × youEvery chef's night is a pairing: my menu with your room, your wine, your coffee or your bread. So far: Origins, Curious Buds and Taste of Africa. If you have an idea, we'd like to hear from you.
talk to us
atelier · classes and everyday cooking
cook it with me.
classes at the counter, and a chef on hand for the everyday: what to buy, what to cook, and the small things that make it taste good.
three ways to cook with me.
a class at the counter, a chef on hand for your week, or a kitchen set up so cooking gets easier.
1 · classes2 · a chef on hand3 · kitchen & pantry
anything else, just ask
1
classes
what a class is
A few people at the counter, one dish taken apart. I show you the technique behind it, you cook it on your own board, and we sit down and eat it together.
ideas for classes
knife skills and the basics · quick weeknight dinners · a cuisine, like a japanese table · seasoning: salt, acid and heat, and when to add them.
what you take home
the confidence to make it again on a normal tuesday.
2
a chef on hand
like a personal trainer, for your cooking
Not one lesson, but someone in your corner for the everyday. You cook; I help you cook faster, simpler and with more taste.
we talk first
what you like, what you cook now, who’s at the table, what your week looks like, and what gets in the way.
a plan for your week
Dinners that share ingredients, so one shop covers the week and little goes to waste. Simpler meals, one shopping list, and what to do ahead versus on the night.
small things, more taste
Toast the spices, brown things properly, lemon or vinegar at the end, a handful of herbs. The little habits that make plain food good.
then I’m on hand
Brainstorm dinner ideas with me, send me a recipe you make and I’ll suggest tweaks, ask what to do with what’s left in the fridge. We check in and adjust as your weeks change.
3
kitchen & pantry
the cupboard and the fridge
what to keep in, so a good dinner is always twenty minutes away.
the tools
which ones are worth having, and which you can skip.
one shop, a few dinners.
what a plan for your week can look like- sunday
one big tray of roasted vegetables
an hour in the oven while you do something else.
- monday
a grain bowl
the vegetables over rice or grains, a soft egg, something sharp on top.
- tuesday
pasta
half the vegetables blitzed into a sauce, a squeeze of lemon, parmesan.
- wednesday
soup
The rest into a pot with stock and a spoon of miso. Ten minutes.
want to cook
with me?
get in touch
hi, I'm thomas.
hi, I'm sander.
paired
Paired is the two of us. I cook; Sander looks after guests, venues and partners. Together we pair every evening: a menu with the people at your table, a dish with its drink, a night with a place.
one bite, and the world goes quiet.
One bite can pull you into the moment, and the flavour stays with you. That's what I cook for.
the kitchen
I didn't plan to be a chef. After a hard stretch at university I took a break and started working in a kitchen, and something clicked. Making something with my hands, something real you can taste, gave me focus and grounded me. I trained in French and Italian kitchens and now cook across cuisines.
the table
Connecting with people doesn't always come easily to me. With food it does. Bringing a plate out, telling you what's in it and how it was made, I'm in my element. It's the one place I don't hide. That's why I cook in people's homes: the table is where I'm most myself.
“I'm eight months pregnant and all I can think about is your tom kha soup.”
“It's been two years since your chef's night at Origins, and I still think about that firecracker sauce. Could I have the recipe?”
nukumori
温もり
There's a Japanese word, nukumori: the warmth something leaves behind. A warm bowl of ramen on a cold evening. Hot chocolate at the top of a mountain, held in both hands. Someone you love, held close in your arms. A home where you were looked after. That's what I hope you feel when the door closes. That's what I cook for.
tell me about
your evening.
— thomas & sanderA few details are enough to start. I'll write back, and we'll pair the menu to the occasion, together.