Extraordinary Dining,
In Your Own Space

Private Chef & Dining Events

20 years of professional cooking. One mission — to bring extraordinary dining experiences directly to your door, across Essex and the South East.

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Fully Bespoke Menus
Essex & South East England
20+ Years of Hospitality
Dietary & Allergy Friendly
Chef Mike Sutton
Lemon tart with lavender
20+ Years in
Hospitality

Our Story

Where Passion Meets the Plate

Hi, I'm Mike Sutton — chef, host, and the person behind Tipsy Squirrel Events. With over 20 years in hospitality and a decade running my own restaurant, food has always been at the centre of everything I do.

Tipsy Squirrel Events was born after I sold the restaurant. The name? That's my wife — I've always called her Squirrel. She's the heart of this business as much as I am, and naming it after her felt like the most natural thing in the world.

My mission is simple: to bring the kind of cooking and care you'd expect from a top restaurant directly to you — in your home, your garden, your venue — wherever you want to make memories. Every menu is written from scratch, every event treated as if it were my own.

Start Planning

What We Offer

Crafted Experiences for Every Occasion

🕯️

Private Dinner Parties

From an intimate dinner for two to a table of twenty. A fully bespoke menu, beautifully presented, in the comfort of your own home.

🥂

Birthdays & Celebrations

Make your birthday, anniversary, or milestone moment truly unforgettable with a personal menu designed just for you and your guests.

👑

Hen Do Dining

Treat the bride-to-be and her crew to something far more memorable than a restaurant booking — a private dining experience made just for the occasion.

🔥

BBQ & Garden Events

From relaxed summer garden parties to show-stopping BBQ feasts — fresh, seasonal food cooked live and served with real flair.

💼

Corporate & Client Dining

Impress clients and reward your team with private dining that goes far beyond the ordinary restaurant booking or boardroom lunch.

🥗

Canapés & Receptions

Elegant hand-crafted canapés and small plates for drinks receptions, pre-dinner gatherings, or standing events. Always made from scratch.

The Process

Your Evening, Effortlessly

From first conversation to final bite, we take care of everything.

01

Tell Us Your Vision

Get in touch and share your occasion, guest count, dietary needs, and any ideas you have. No brief is too simple or too ambitious.

02

We Design Your Menu

Our chef crafts a personalised menu proposal built around your tastes, the season, and the spirit of your event. We refine it until it's perfect.

03

We Arrive & Set the Scene

On the day, we arrive early to prepare. Your kitchen becomes our kitchen — we handle shopping, prep, cooking, and service.

04

You Simply Enjoy

Sit back, savour every course, and make memories. When dinner is done, we clear up and leave your space as we found it.

Verified Reviews

100+ Five‑Star Reviews & Counting

★★★★★

"Mike cooked for 19 of us on a hen do & we absolutely loved it. We had a BBQ and the food was incredible. He was friendly, chatty and very professional. Huge portions too!! Thank you Mike"

L
LucyHen Do BBQ · March 2026 · 21 guests
★★★★★

"Wow, what a chef!! Mike cooked amazing food, was great company and left the kitchen completely spotless. He also went above and beyond to help us make cocktails when we realised we didn't know what we were doing!"

F
FrankiePrivate Dining · April 2026 · 29 guests
★★★★★

"Chef Mike was fantastic. We were a group of 12 with 3 different dietary needs and the menu we agreed on was suitable for everyone and amazing — who knew gluten free pasta could be so delicious!?"

I
IsabelPrivate Dining · April 2026 · 12 guests
★★★★★

"Chef Mike absolutely nailed it. Clean, balanced food with real attention to detail and proper respect for the ingredients. Everything tasted intentional and beautifully executed."

C
ChrisDinner Party · February 2026 · 6 guests
★★★★★

"I could not recommend Mike more. Before, during and after the dinner he was nothing but professional; the food was spectacular."

G
GeorgeDinner Party · December 2025 · 12 guests
★★★★★

"Mike was super flexible, attentive and supportive from briefing, to menu development, to delivery. My guests loved the food and the experience. I'd definitely use Mike again."

P
PaulaPrivate Dining · January 2026 · 18 guests
★★★★★

"Amazing Chef, food & service. We will definitely book Mike again — food was amazing, he's a really talented chef, left clean with excellent service. Would 100% recommend him."

R
RosePrivate Dining · December 2025 · 8 guests
★★★★★

"Amazing experience with Mike. Food was truly excellent and he was so engaging with everyone. We all loved it and will be recommending him to friends. Brilliant. Thank you so much."

A
AdamDinner Party · October 2025 · 10 guests
★★★★★

"We hired Chef Mike for a hen do and he was amazing! The four-course meal was delicious, beautifully presented, and a real 11/10. He stayed professional and even handled a last-minute issue seamlessly."

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LaurenHen Do · September 2025 · 14 guests
★★★★★

"Excellent food well presented. Quick to adapt to some unexpected dietary issues. All round an excellent evening."

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NickDinner Party · October 2025 · 6 guests
★★★★★

"Mike was excellent throughout – great communication, accommodated all dietary requirements and tweaked the menu accordingly. Food and service was outstanding and wouldn't hesitate to use Mike again."

M
MichelePrivate Dining · August 2025 · 12 guests
★★★★★

"We had the most amazing evening with Chef Mike! The food was exceptional and he made the evening truly unforgettable! I cannot recommend enough!"

S
SarahDinner Party · July 2025 · 16 guests
★★★★★

"Excellent service, food quality was amazing & Mike offered a friendly & personal approach. I would definitely recommend Mike & plan to book him for future events. 5 stars."

K
KatePrivate Dining · June 2025 · 30 guests
★★★★★

"Chef Mike was perfect for our hen do this weekend where he catered for 17 of us! The food was delicious. I would definitely recommend."

R
RebeccaHen Do · June 2025 · 17 guests
★★★★★

"Gorgeous food, beautifully presented. A very special experience and great value."

N
NickiPrivate Dining · May 2025 · 12 guests
★★★★★

"Mike is a great chef to have around – he is friendly, interactive and very willing to share his skills. We hosted a corporate event and he set a pasta making challenge which was a great success."

R
RickCorporate Event · May 2025 · 12 guests
★★★★★

"Mike was an amazing chef, he cooked wonderful food which we all enjoyed very much. The presentation was lovely, he really worked so hard, was on time & explained what he had cooked very well."

M
MargaretPrivate Dining · April 2025 · 16 guests
★★★★★

"We had an amazing evening. Mike interacted with us all, cooked us a feast and did all the cleaning up. Win win. I cannot recommend him highly enough."

V
ValPrivate Dining · October 2024 · 12 guests
★★★★★

"Incredible experience and made the night very memorable. The food was great and Mike was great at engaging with the group. Left everything immaculate. Would definitely book again."

L
LilyDinner Party · October 2024 · 7 guests
★★★★★

"Wow! The Italian menu food was beautiful and exceeded our expectations! The portions are very generous and chef Mike even made us some cocktails! Thank you Chef Mike!"

T
TamannaPrivate Dining · August 2024 · 8 guests
Bespoke Dining

Personalise Your Menu

Tell us what you're dreaming of and our AI chef planner will craft a bespoke menu around your taste, dietary needs and budget — with 5 options per course.

Get in Touch

Let's Plan Your Perfect Evening

Tell us about your occasion and we'll be in touch within 24 hours to start designing something truly special.

📍 Essex & South East England
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