Welcome to Le Petit Eats! I’m Denisse. I’m always so grateful whenever someone stops by this space and tries out one of my recipes, because bringing people together through food is what brings me the most joy. The act of gathering over a meal has this incredible power to foster connection, which is the reason why I got into the business of food in the first place.

For the past ten years or so, I’ve worked as a private chef and own a boutique catering company in Santa Barbara, California called Le Petit Chef (if you’re curious, the name is a nod to my pint-sized stature). When I first created my blog, my intention was to share some of the vibrant recipes that my company is most recognized for. But for the past few years this blog has also allowed me to pursue a separate growing passion in this industry as a freelance food photographer and recipe developer.

Much of what you’ll find here on Le Petit Eats are seasonal dishes that I’ve found myself making over and over again, both at home and for my clients. My recipes tend to be wholesome, colorful and creative. I try to avoid using anything processed and like to let organic, locally sourced produce take center stage whenever possible.

Many of my recipes are also plant-based, gluten free, dairy free and/or refined sugar free. As a private chef I’ve become especially adept at accommodating every dietary issue under the sun, so my recipes can help you navigate new eating habits that you or your family members may have recently adopted!

Personally, I eat plant-based the majority of the time because I believe that it’s one of the most impactful ways that we can support the environment on an individual level. Occasionally I do consume small amounts of things like seafood, cheese, and desserts that contain dairy and/or eggs, however. I think indulging moderately is one of the keys to happiness, so you’ll definitely find some amazing splurge recipes on the blog, too- especially pasta (it’s my love language)!

I also love sharing what I’ve learned over the years working as a professional chef, so sometimes I like to dive into my best pro tips, kitchen essentials and time saving tricks! But I’ll share my biggest tip with you here: start with fresh, beautiful, seasonal ingredients and you’ll already have the foundation laid for creating a memorable meal– it really doesn’t have to be complicated or fussy.