Chef Eric Prister headshot

Versatile, professional private chef with top-tier NYC restaurant experience

I would love to work together on any of the below (and more!) in the NYC/NJ area:

  • Part-time or full-time personal chef needs (1-5 days/week)

  • Weekly meal prep for busy families, new parents, and more

  • Events such as group birthday dinners, anniversary dinners, Bachelor/Bachelorette parties, showers weekend retreats—at your home, vacation rental, or other locations

  • Short-term full-time personal chef needs for vacations, visiting family, etc.

  • Private cooking lessons at your home (For adults and/or kids!)

Eric Prister (left), Penny New York

ABout eric

Eric is a professional, friendly, and creative private chef who has a lifetime passion for food. He was most recently a Chef de Partie at Penny, a highly acclaimed seafood restaurant in New York City’s East Village. During his time there, Penny was a finalist for the national James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant award, ranked #7 on the New York Times 100 Best Restaurants in New York City list, and ranked #40 on the inaugural North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list, among many other accolades. Eric has also worked as a private and personal chef both for families on a regular basis and for a wide variety of events.

Prior to becoming a chef, Eric had a successful career in project management and event planning, working for education nonprofits as well as the largest hedge fund in the world. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2011, and lives in Jersey City with his wife and three-year-old daughter.

Reviews for chef eric

  • "far exceeded our expectations"

    “[Eric’s] communication, work ethic, professionalism, personality, and cooking skills far exceeded our expectations. All of our guests were raving about the food and the high level of service he provided.”

    Michael Hickey
    Private Chef Client

  • "a pleasure to work with"

    “Not only is Eric talented, he is extremely professional, intelligent, and a pleasure to work with.”

    Sharon Kessler
    Regular Private Chef Client

  • "took so much care"

    “I feel so incredibly lucky to have gotten to work with Eric for my event. He took so much care in working with me to prepare a menu that felt special.”

    Shanaz Gambardella
    Private Chef Client

  • "The food was outstanding"

    “Eric exceeded our expectations in every way. His impeccable timing was spot on, and the food was outstanding.”

    Marci Laderman
    Private Chef Client

  • "high standards"

    “Eric has been a reliable source of leadership and consistency in the restaurant. He’s a quick learner who has high standards for himself and the rest of the team.”

    Forrest Florsheim
    Chef de Cuisine, Penny

Let’s work together

Eric Prister (right), Penny New York

I’d love to hear more about what you are interested in, whether that is a private chef for a particular event, someone to cook for you on a semi-regular basis, or anything else—let’s chat!

You can also book my time directly and read more reviews on Thumbtack and Fash.