Chef Ana
Private Dining Portfolio

Private Dinner · Houston, TX

Surf & Turf Birthday Dinner

A surf and turf birthday dinner in Houston, with cocktail-hour appetizers, lobster tails with Béarnaise, rosemary-garlic filet mignon and a fennel and orange salad.

Date
Location
Houston, TX
Guests
14
Dishes
10
A birthday dinner table with printed menus, gold-rimmed plates and platters of lobster, broccolini and citrus salad.
The birthday table set for the surf and turf menu.
Sauced lobster tails on a wooden serving board beside a blue-and-white platter of broccolini.
Lobster tails and broccolini, ready for dinner.
A printed surf and turf menu on a folded napkin and gold-rimmed plate, beside a platter of broccolini.
The printed menu at a dinner place setting.

Behind the Scenes

In the Kitchen

Piping the cream base onto plates, preparing fruit and assembling strawberry vol-au-vents: a look at the chef team’s preparation in the home kitchen.

A chef wearing black gloves pipes a herb-speckled cream onto white dinner plates.
Piping the cream base onto individual dinner plates.
Two chefs work together at the kitchen counter while preparing the fruit presentation.
The chef team preparing the fruit board.
Chefs fill puff pastry vol-au-vents with cream and finish them with strawberries at the counter.
Assembling the strawberry vol-au-vents in the kitchen.

Event Menu

Surf & Turf Birthday Dinner

Cocktail Hour Appetizers

  • Strawberry Vol-au-vents

    Whipped ricotta cheese, fresh strawberries, basil & balsamic glaze

  • Cocktail Shrimp

    Charred tiger prawns, house cocktail sauce, fresh lemon

  • Caprese Skewers

    Mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, balsamic reduction

  • Artisan Cheese & Charcuterie Board

    Curated meats & cheeses, marinated olives, preserves, artisanal croutons

  • Fruit & Berries Board

    Seasonal fruits & berries

Main Course

  • Sous-vide Lobster Tails

    Tender lobster, classic Béarnaise sauce

  • Rosemary Garlic Beef Filet Mignon

    Prime sliced filet, Sicilian Salmoriglio herb emulsion

Sides

  • Truffle Potato Wedges

    Black truffle oil, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, horseradish-yogurt dip, chives

  • Charred Broccolini

    Marcona almonds, chili flakes, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil

  • Fennel & Heirloom Orange Salad

    Shaved fennel, heirloom oranges, crisp greens, citrus vinaigrette, smoked pecans

Menu created by Chef Ana

October 11, 2026 · Houston, TX

The Story

For this October birthday dinner in Houston, the menu paired lobster and beef for the celebration. Cocktail hour began with strawberry vol-au-vents, cocktail shrimp, Caprese skewers, cheese and charcuterie, and a fruit and berries board. Tiered stands and wooden boards gave the appetizers their own presentation on the kitchen counter.

The dinner menu centered on sous-vide lobster tails with classic Béarnaise and rosemary-garlic beef filet mignon with Salmoriglio herb emulsion. Truffle potato wedges, charred broccolini and fennel and heirloom orange salad accompanied the mains. Gold-rimmed plates, glassware and printed menus surrounded the shared platters on the table.

The kitchen photographs show the chef team piping a cream base onto plates, preparing the fruit presentation and assembling the strawberry pastries. The video and gallery connect those preparation details with the finished appetizer displays and the surf and turf dinner table.

Menu & Service Notes

  • Cocktail hour featured strawberry vol-au-vents, cocktail shrimp, Caprese skewers, a cheese and charcuterie board, and seasonal fruit and berries. The strawberry pastries were part of the appetizer menu.
  • The surf and turf pairing was sous-vide lobster tails with Béarnaise and rosemary-garlic beef filet mignon with Salmoriglio. Truffle potato wedges, charred broccolini and fennel and heirloom orange salad completed the menu.
  • The kitchen photographs show plate preparation, fruit-board preparation and strawberry pastry assembly. The gallery then records the appetizer presentation, printed menus and dinner platters on the home dining table.

Planning a Birthday Dinner?

Tell us the occasion, your guest count and the flavors you enjoy. We can plan a menu for your own private chef dinner in Houston.

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