Planning Meals For Your Retreat with The Lettered Shell
One of the best things about hosting a retreat at The Perch is that you get to choose how you want to eat. There’s no required caterer, no set menu, and no one-size-fits-all approach to dining. Whether you want a private chef for the weekend, a casual catered lunch, pizza around the fire, or to cook together with your group, you can create a dining experience that fits your retreat and your budget. When we are working with clients, we can’t help but recommend our culinary partner, Laura, from The Lettered Shell. Whether you are looking for buffet meals or to serve plated meals, she brings creativity to your plate and ease to your planning process!
Private Chef Retreat Services by The Lettered Shell
For groups looking for a truly special dining experience, our culinary partner, The Lettered Shell offers private chef and retreat private chef services.
Led by chef and writer Laura Guidry, The Lettered Shell can create a customized food experience for your group that ranges from a single memorable meal to full-service meals throughout your stay.
Services can include:
Private chef meals designed around your group and the occasion
Multi-day retreat meals with breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Family-style meals and Buffet-style meals to encourage everyone to gather around the table
Plated meals for a more elevated experience
Coffee Cart services featuring espresso-based drinks with custom syrups
Daily beverage and snack services
Custom menus built around your retreat's theme, preferences, and dietary needs
The Lettered Shell can work with your group to create a menu that feels intentional and memorable whether you're planning a writers' retreat, wellness weekend, creative workshop, celebration, or corporate gathering.
“If you get a chance to work with Laura - do it. I cannot sing her praises enough. I've worked with her now in multiple situations: cooking for my retreats, attending the supper club she hosts, having her cater an eight-person gathering at a friend's house — and regardless of the event, her food is ridiculously delicious and gorgeous. Laura is somehow able to easily assess what kinds of foods work best for everyone's diets and the situation and then put it all together into something that is not just some of the best food you've eaten, but also so pretty to look at! Each course is so lovingly thought-out and prepared, and the dishes are just the right amount of unusual mixed with familiar. And if that weren't enough, Laura herself brings such a joyful, fun presence that it elevates the entire event. It's so obvious she loves what she does, and that love comes out in everything. She makes the whole thing seem easy, like it's no big deal, which leaves you free to really just enjoy the food and your event. I've worked with a lot of caterers and chefs for my retreats, and it's not easy to find someone like that. The whole experience of working with her is truly a delight, in every way.” - Lori Snyder, Splendid Mola Retreats for Writers
