Chef Gabriel Piedra

Private Chef in Cañas

I am a professional chef with more than 15 years of experience, I have worked in luxury hotels, international restaurants, cruise ships and yachts, always looking to learn new concepts and techniques from other colleagues or from places I have traveled as inspiration in my creations, I like use different not so traditional flavors with a different and more indigenous twist

For me, cooking is...

What I enjoy the most and what I do with love, an escape from the monotonous as long as I have the freedom to create and give a vision of my knowledge

I learned to cook at...

I studied culinary arts in Buenos Aires Argentina when I was 21 years old

A cooking secret...

Always use the best quality fresh ingredients and let them shine on their own.

My menus

Latin flavors

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Catch of the day ceviche avocado roll with passion fruit sauce, cassava chips

Shrimp aguachile with totopos

Cochinita pibil tacos(slow cooked pork with achiote marinade) pickled onions

Sweet plantain empanadas filled with cheese

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Black rice , diabla shrimp or oyster mushrooms ( spicy), spicy cilantro sauce

Shrimp skewers with passion fruit sauce,yuca fries and cilantro mayo

Patacon(fried green plantain) with guacamole,ribeye steak with chipotle compound butter

Yuca croquettes filled with curry chicken and pejibaye sauce

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Mole chicken, heart of palm rice and pickle onions

Catch of the day wrapped with hoja santa, roasted potatoes,pejibaye sauce

Lemon sole wrapped with avocado,cilantro beurre blanc sauce,roasted pumpkin

Pork belly,tamarind jus,cauliflower purée,glazed carrots

Ribeye steak,onion gravy,potato pillows,grill asparagus

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Chocolate mousse,passion fruit coulis,cookie crumble

Piña colada panna cotta,coconut tuile,pineapple compote

Sweet plantain tart with vanilla ice cream

Dulce de leche flan with dark chocolate tuile

3 leches cake,baked meringue,cocoa powder

Latin fusion

STARTER

All inclusive

Catch of the day aguachile, crispy onions

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Arancini filled with goat cheese and octopus, smoked paprika aioli

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Pork belly,tamarind jus,cauliflower purée,glazed carrots

DESSERT

All inclusive

Sweet plantain tartlet with vanilla ice cream

Mediterranean Menu

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Portobello mushroom fill with goat cheese, parmesan truffle foam

Beef carpaccio with arugula salad and fresh parmesan cheese

Garlic butter clams with baguette toast

Focaccia bruschetta with fresh mozzarella,tomato and basil

Arancini filled with goat cheese and garlic aioli

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Octopus marinated with kalamata olives, roasted yellow potatoes with Parmesan,garlic aioli sauce

Salmon tartar cornet,cream cheese,Parmesan foam

Eggplant parmigiana

Greek salad with jumbo shrimp

Chicken skewers with tzatziki sauce

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Prawns risotto,coral tuile, watercress salad with lemon vinaigrette

Tenderloin with demi glace sauce,potato gratin,green pea puree, sauteed asparagus

Black spaghetti Frutti di Mare

Lamb chop's,demi glace sauce,green peas, butternut squash puree

Potato gnocchi, ossobuco sauce with bacon and almond crumble

Fresh ravioli pasta filled with ricotta cheese and spinach,salmon ,truffle butter sauce

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Sparkling wine mousse, raspberry coulis,chocolate tuille

Tiramisú

Crême Brûlée

Burnt cheese cake with pistachio and white chocolate ganache

Opera cake

BBQ

STARTER

All inclusive

Cheese and charcuterie board

Osobucco Argentinan empanada with chimichurri

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Seasonal salad

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Honey orange pork ribs

Chicken filled with cheese and spinach

Chorizo

Top sirloin or tri-tip steak

Roasted potatoes

Grilled vegetables

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Basque cheesecake with cookie crumble and dulce de leche sauce

Chocolate brownie, almond , vanilla ice cream,dulce de leche toffee

Dulce de leche flan with dark chocolate tuile

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Chef Gabriel's reviews

4.98

•

194 services

We hired Chef Gabriel to cater a milestone family reunion for a party of 18, and he delivered an absolutely unforgettable experience. From the first course to the final cleanup, the execution was flawless. Gabriel and his helper, Daniel—looking incredibly sharp and professional in their matching shirts—effortlessly managed cooking, serving, and cleaning for our large group, leaving the kitchen completely spotless every night. The food itself was a revelation. Chef Gabriel’s classical training in Argentina shines through in his impeccable technique, yet his approach remains wonderfully grounded. The menu was brilliantly veggie-forward, highlighting fresh, local ingredients in ways that felt simplistically complex. Every single dish was seasoned to absolute perfection, letting the natural flavors of the local produce take center stage while still feeling incredibly elevated. What truly set our evenings apart, though, was the narrative. Chef Gabriel didn't just serve meals; he told a story every night through his food, sharing the inspiration and heritage behind each course. Gabriel and Daniel transformed our large family dinners into an engaging, seamless, and deeply memorable shared journey. They are an absolute dream team.

Gabriel and his team did such a wonderful job for our group of 20 in La Fortuna! From the start, Gabriel is an effective and efficient communicator. He has excellent attention to detail and very responsive! The dishes were delicious and accommodated well for some of us that has food restrictions. There was a huge storm during dinner service, Gabriel and his team kept working to wash the dishes in the dark when there was a black out. We are so grateful for him and his team. It’s one of the best meals we had in Costa Rica!

Incredible and delightful!! We had such a lovely time and the entire dining experience was outstanding! Thank you, Gabriel! 5*

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10 Stars – If I Could Give More, I Would!) Our girls’ trip to Costa Rica was unforgettable — and Chef Gabriel Piedra was a HUGE reason why. From day one, he was professional, responsive, and incredibly patient. Planning a trip for eight women (with allergies and plenty of preferences!) can be a lot, but he asked thoughtful questions, accommodated every dietary need, and made the entire process seamless. By the time we arrived, everything was handled. I was able to fully relax. And the FOOD… absolutely spectacular. Every dish was rich in culture and flavor. The ingredients were fresh and intentional — nothing store-bought that could be handmade. Even the fruits for our nightly drinks were prepared from scratch. Each evening felt like a culinary experience. He shared stories behind his dishes, from authentic Argentine barbecue to the fresh catch of the day, to the most incredible sweet-glazed plantains that truly illuminated the senses. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were consistently outstanding. Beautiful presentation. Incredible flavors. Generous portions. Always on time. Always smiling. Beyond the meals, he went above and beyond — purchasing snacks for us, providing detailed receipts, and operating with complete transparency and professionalism. By the end of the trip, we were so impressed that the entire group insisted on contributing extra to his tip. That says everything. Chef Gabriel Piedra isn’t just a chef — he’s an experience. If you’re traveling to Costa Rica and considering hiring a private chef: BOOK HIM. Without hesitation. I would hire him again in a heartbeat.

We had a wonderful experience with Chef Gabriel for our new years dinner. From start to finish everything was thoughtful, professional and beautifully executed. Chef Gabriel worked to create a delicious menu with a focus on Costa Rican flavours and was extremely responsive and easy to communicate with. Each course was perfectly prepared and presented. It made our family celebration so very special. He was gracious, very friendly and engaging, organized and left the kitchen spotless. We couldn't have asked for a better way to ring in the New Year and would highly recommend this experience to anyone looking for something special.

Chef Gabriel was amazing. I would also say he went above and beyond, handling some additional requests by the guests. The food was impeccable and everything we could have imagined. Book Chef Gabriel, you won't regret it. We will use him again when in the

We hired Chef Gabriel to cook for our 9 day Costa Rica vacation and our experience was nothing short of incredible! Working with him was seamless from the day that we hired him to the very last meal. His communication and attention to detail was great and every single meal was thoughtfully curated, presented beautifully and absolutely delicious! Our entire family, including our five year old just raved about how it was some of the best food we’ve ever had! Not only was the food amazing but we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him over the course of our stay as well. He was easy to talk to, professional, organized and clean and even let our five year old help him prepare some sushi! If we come back to Costa Rica we will hire him again in an instant!

Chef Gabriel provided an amazing dinner for our final evening in La Fortuna. We were a group of 5 people and we had some dietary restrictions to manage as well. This was no problem for Chef Gabriel and he prepared a delicious feast for everyone to enjoy. The meal he prepared was the perfect way to celebrate and end our trip. He was easy to communicate with and his service exceeded my expectations. We highly recommend Chef Gabriel if you are considering a chef prepared meal!

We had an excellent meal of Costa Rican / Latin American seafood dishes beginning with the ceviche and shrimp kebabs. The fish of the day (white marlin) cooked sous vide was also excellent.

Extraordinary experience!! The food, the display, the service and quality of everything was outstanding!! I felt like a celebrity with the treatment we received from Chef Gabriel!! He went above and beyond with personal touches to make my birthday breakfast special. He’s definitely a 10/10. Book him now!!

We loved having Gabriel cook for us! The food was AMAZING. We booked the surf and turf menu, definitely recommend! One of my friends has a shellfish allergy and he accommodated accordingly. 10/10 ❤️

An amazing meal, one person had a food allergy and he accommodated so well. Would recommend to anyone

Gabriel provided an excellent experience for us at our Airbnb! He was flexible in traveling to our location and worked well with the kitchen we had. The menu he provided was delicious. We sat and talked with him the entire time he prepared it and learned about the country and his story while also learning about the dishes he prepared. We loved our experience!

Chef Gabriel was amazing. The food was delicious and was one of the coolest experiences.

Chef Gabriel was amazing! We had a family of 9 visiting Costa Rica and he made a delicious Costa Rican meal as well as other international flavors. My husband caught fresh fish and chef whipped up something on the spot using the fresh catch. The food was sophisticated and inventive. We had non-fish eaters in the group who devoured the fish and went back for seconds. Lots of variety in the menu including fish, steak, and chicken. He was communicative and professional. Chef Gabriel cooked for us twice during our trip and we would absolutely hire him again!

Gabriel was amazing. He was very professional and puntual. He responded to messages in a timely manner. The sous chef was also great. The meals were delicious. He nailed every dish. The presentation of every meal was amazing. We can tell he takes pride in cooking. Would definitely use his services again and recommend him to family and friends.

Gabriel offered the menu choices via email that most suited what our family members were looking for as dinner on Christmas Day in Costa Rica. He communicated well with me in the days leading up to our dining experience and arrived at the appointed hour to begin dinner preparations. Gabriel was professional and non-intrusive and when each course was served, he presented it with some background as to the choice, how he prepared it and in some cases, what he may have altered to make it his 'own'. This was our first time hiring a chef to come in and cook for us and it was a wonderful experience! The food was excellent, we were not responsible for any part of the dining experience other than providing our own cocktails/wine. It was a pleasure having someone of Gabriel's caliber looking after us, especially as it was Christmas Day. I wouldn't hesitate to hire Gabriel again!

This was a wonderful experience for my friends and I. The food was delicious, Gabriel was super cool and overall it was a great time for all. If back in CR I would certainly book again.

Gabriel was amazing! We couldn’t have ask for a better experience. He was very professional, yet gave us great conservation. The food was more than amazing, everything was made from scratch. We had a 4 course meal and every dish was made to prefection. This was a surprise dinner for my fiancé and she loved every bit of it. Definitely was our highlight of Costa Rica, we will be booking with him again.

Chef Gabriel was great and made sure my birthday was special.