Reviews

WOW!! We celebrated my husband’s 60th birthday with an “Endless Summer” trip and the highlight was a beautiful dinner for 18 of us by the pros, Chef Garrett, Marcela, and Gustavo! We opted for the “Taste of Hawaii” and added on a salad. It was all insanely good, and our guests kept saying this was the best dinner experience they’d ever had. The ribs fell off the bones and the Ahi was perfect. All of the flavors were amazing. The Mahi Mahi was out of this world, and the pineapple upside down cake…the BEST…(and I’m a chocolate person!) Everything was so professional as they came in, set up up in the kitchen, cooked while we had our cocktails, set the table beautifully, served us, and then cleaned up in no time. All in all it made for a very special night, Garret and the crew were fun and friendly, and we only wish we had booked them for more than one night! Cheers and Pura Vida!
~Nicole and Bill

We had Chef Garrett and Marcela out last year for my boys and grandkids, brother and his wife + my old UCLA roommate and his buddy.
OUTSTANDING!!! I’m embarrassed that I did not post this last year. Can you imagine 3 grandkids (4/6/8 years old) cleaning their special plates and in sugar shock slowly downing their lava cake and vanilla ice cream deserts! The adults had time to enjoy everything while the kids were chillin.
This year, no kids, all adults, we thought we’d catch some Mahi-Mahi the day before but got skunked. Told Garrett that nite and no problem, he is dialed in with some incredible fish sources (not to mention the ABSOUTELY fresh tomatoes/etc. for the BEST Pico de Gallo on the planet), I’m a big fan of the Mongolian Ribs and his Mac crusted Mahi-Mahi puts Maui’s Mama’s Fish House to shame…no shopping, no cooking, tried to help clean up, but no. Everything was incredible again!!! I highly recommend Chef Garrett Hurley and Marcela!!!
Pura Vida,
GBRO

Pura Vida Catering provided the most delicious meals and incredible service for our group of 14. Everyone raved about the food! Next time I am back in Costa Rica, they will be my first call!!!!

I honestly cannot say enough great words about Chef Garrett. We had a group of 7 adults and he came and cooked for us for two dinners. The first night we had calamari, surf and turf , and crème brûlée. The entire dinner was delicious. And this was the best calamari we have ever had. The second night he cooked for us we had tuna, mahi with fried rice and molten lava cake. Again, dinner was amazing ! Everyone cleaned their plates. He also made two birthday cakes for us and both were equally delicious. Another reviewer, said they felt like friends in your home while they cooked. And this is a great way to explain it – they felt like part of our group. We had a neon theme night on the second night and they even got in theme with the glow bracelets and made a neon cake. My only regret is not having them prepare all our meals! You definitely won’t regret booking them. Thank you again for everything ! Our group is still talking about how good the food was.

It was our first time in Costa Rica and we brought our kids (teens/adults) with us to celebrate our wedding. Garrett and Marcella cooked three meals for us, including our wedding dinner, and we are still talking about the food. In addition to cooking great meals, it was fun to get to know Garrett and Marcella while they cooked and served. It felt like we were just hanging out with friends who happen to be fantastic cooks. I can highly recommend having Garrett and Marcella cook for you while you are in Guanacaste, Hang 10! Pura Vida!

I hosted a yoga retreat for 14 guests in Tamarindo, where we had 3 dinners that were nothing short of amazing! Garret and Marcella felt like old friends by the end of the first dinner. Truly exceptional! I’m coming back this year with a group of 23 and we scheduled to include lunch as well as 3 dinners this time. Can’t wait to see our dear friends again and be spoiled with their exceptional cooking and presentation! 💖

Garrett and Marcela designed and delivered another incredible dinner and breakfast for our two families in Feb 2022 at our vacation home in Pinilla. Our flight was very late coming into Liberia, and they prepared a wonderful dinner for two families (with children with serious nut and seed allergies). When we arrived to the vacation home late at night we were met with a delicious spread. The next morning they came to our home and prepared a wholesome and delicious breakfast. This was our 4th dinner with Garrett and Marcela as every time we visit Pinilla, they cook for us. Another reviewer mentioned that they feel like friends in your home and I can’t agree more. They also made excellent recommendations about restaurants, excursions and partners in the area we appreciated. The only thing that could be better is that we wish they lived in Toronto, so that they could cook for us more frequently!

We enjoyed a handful of Garrett’s custom menus, lovingly prepared and served by him and Marcela while in-residence. I can’t even choose a favorite! This is a must-have part of the Cost Rican experience.

Garrett and Marcella were simply amazing. After our host recommended their Welcome Package, we booked two more dinners with them them the first night. Garrett was easy to work with and explained all the meals in great detail. A member our party was lactose intolerant, and he worked every meal around that without compromising any taste or quality. Garrett and Marcella quickly became more than service providers, they became friends we enjoyed talking with as they worked. There is no doubt will use them again on our next trip to Costa Rica.

We had scheduled a dinner with Garret and Marcella and it was nothing but amazing! From the moment they walked in they were both very warm and friendly and started prepping the food immediately. We had the surf and turf for 8 people with appetizer and dessert included! It was delicious and I can’t thank them enough! If you are staying in the area and are looking for an amazing dinner prepared for you in your own place Garrett and Marcella are the ones for you 😉 Pura Vida!!!

First time in Costa Rica and Garrett & Marcella were recommended as our chef. They prepared three outstanding dinners for our family of seven, accommodating everyone’s palate with fresh ingredients served in the manner of a five star restaurant. You won’t be disappointed by Garrett’s cuisine. You will want them for every night of your Guanacaste visit!

Garrett and Marcela hit it out of the park!! They were super flexible and laid back when we spontaneously added 6 more guests to our already party of 8. They were very friendly, professional, and easy going! They came prepared, setup and served an out of this world meal! And even cleaned up super tidy!! Our party chose the Hawaiian inspired meal and we couldn’t rave enough about each course…including Garrett’s signature hot sauce!! We seriously finished the bottle! Everything was made from the freshest ingredients, blended into mouth watering deliciousness!! They’re both delightful people creating insanely good meals! I one hundred percent recommend having them take the reins in the kitchen 👌🏼

Can’t speak highly enough of what a great experience this is. Garrett and Marcela are like having good friends over for dinner – if your good friends can cook a world class meal! We had the Welcome Package on arrival and it was absolutely a great decision. And so good that we asked Garrett and Marcela to come back a second time during our week’s stay. The food was truly outstanding and the their company was just as good. In fact, we took advantage of every recommendation that Garrett and Marcela made on other dining and experiences during our stay – all were tremendous. You will not regret this outstanding catering experience!

Garrett and Marcella served three dinners to our family of 7, and I wish we could have had them serve us more delightful dishes. Fresh fish, vegetables, starters, unique desserts–we were treated to unique menus with lovely table service. Thanks for your attention to detail–Pura Vida for sure!!!

Garrett and Marcella were wonderfully talented and a pleasure to meet. My family of 7 was lucky to have their services for three wonderful dinners when we visited Villa Diosa del Mar. All three dinners were phenomenal with appetizers, main course and dessert. They did all the prep, table setting, cooking and cleanup. Not cheap, but you get what you pay for and it was worth every penny. A delightful couple. Don’t miss the opportunity.

We planned for two dinners to be catered by Garrett and his wife during our week-long stay in Costa Rica. They were so accommodating to our meal requests and made for a such fun and comfortable dining experience! Our full group of 8 friends all agreed that these were easily two of the best dinners we’ve had in our lives. We all wished we had at least one more meal catered by this team to look forward to – and you will too.

My family and I were lucky enough to have three dinners with Garrett and Marcella and they were absolutely amazing. We would talk about the meals the next day, and talk about how excited we were for the next one! Fresh ingredients, cooked fresh and prepared really thoughtfully and well. And Garrett and Marcella are just great Pura Vida vibes. It was fun getting to know them. Was a really memorable part of a memorable trip. Cheers.

Vacationing family of 7 and our first time in Costa Rica. Shortly after we arrived at our villa, Garrett and Marcella arrived and prepared a fabulous dinner with local fresh ingredients. My son-in-law actually said “that was the best meal I have had in my whole life”. It truly was a wonderful experience. I highly recommend the welcome package which includes not only a wonderful dinner, but also a beautiful breakfast the next morning. It was nice not having to rush out upon arrival and think about what we were going to feed our family. What a great start to vacation!!

We recently visited PN and contacted Garrett based on a friend’s recommendation. We planned to do the welcome package and then explore the area the other days. The experience and food were so outstanding that we booked Garrrett for every night that he was available. We cannot recommend it highly enough. One of the highlights of a great vacation in PN. Can’t wait to do it again !

Everything about the two meals we enjoyed was perfect — from Garrett & Marcella’s kind presence, to the insanely delicious 3 courses, to the ease and comfort of the entire experience. I couldn’t have asked for more. I am forever dreaming of the macadamia nut crusted fish + pineapple rice. Thank you Garrett! I hope to be back in the area, if only to enjoy another one of your meals!

If you are staying in the Playa Negra area, treat yourself to an amazing meal! Garrett and Marcella provided us an amazing meal, the freshest ingredients and beautiful presentation! You will not be disappointed, just sit and enjoy!

In short Garrett & his wife Marcella are fantastic! We had them prepare 3 meals during our week in Costa Rica as we were so impressed with the quality of the food and engaging conversation starting on day one with the Welcome Package. Our group of 8 (teens included) raved about each of our meals and Garrett’s home made hot sauce. We can’t say enough about how amazing Pura Vida is and recommend it highly. We will be back to CR and this will be our first call after booking our house rental. Thank you both so much for everything as we didn’t lift a finger.

Garrett and his wonderful wife Marcella cooked amazing lunches and dinners for us for 5 days. Every meal was incredible, and we enjoyed spending time with them! They were incredibly flexible, and very reliable. His food far surpassed the restaurant that was highly recommended to us. Do not hesitate to book with them. It will be the highlight of your trip! We will hire them again the next time we go to Costa Rica!

Looking to maximize the relaxation of our recent trip to Playa Negra, we reached out to Garrett to provide three dinners for our family. It was one of highlights for us. The food was amazing and the interaction with Garrett and Marcella was excellent. Pura Vida Catering will always be a part of our adventures in Playa Negra.

We recently had Garrett and his beautiful wife, Marcella, come to our vacation home to cook for us. They were so kind, efficient, clean, and most of all-made the most amazing meal we had ever had! We started with a Caprese salad, lobster and fillet with veggies and roasted potatoes and to finish, a delicious chocolate lava cake! It was mouth watering good! We will definitely be booking them on our next trip to CR! We may even book them more the. 1 night! Thank you so much for an amazing night! Pura Vida!

We originally scheduled Garrett and Marcella for a couple meals and after our first experience we immediately booked for more. Such a fun and delicious experience and well worth the value. Laid back, informative, and fun. Don’t hesitate! Thanks Garret and Marcella for making our trip memorable.

Guys surf trip, wives tagged along. Decided to find a chef to cook a nice dinner for us since there isn’t a lot of restaurants in Marbella. I found Pura Vida Catering on the internet and thought we would give him a try, sent emails to Garrett to arrange the dinner about a month before our trip. Garrett was great on getting back to me and recommending what was in season. We decided on the surf and turf and planned it the night before we left, kinda like a farewell dinner.
Garrett and Marcella were such a delight to be around and the food was amazing!!! So fresh and cooked to perfection. I wish we would of booked him in the beginning of the trip so we could of tried all his dishes.
If you are planning a trip to Costa Rica I would highly recommend booking out Garrett for some delicious food you’ll be talking about for days.

We were connected to Garret by our host and had the taste of the Pacific menu on one of the last nights of our stay in CR. Each of the 3 courses was the best of the trip. When we all reflected on the trip highlights, it was unanimous that the meal prepared by Garret and his wife was the highlight ànd best meal we have had in or out of Costa Rica in a long time. Even the vegetarian said it was the best! It was prepared at our rented house so we didn’t have to worry about anything. Communication with Garret was great, he was prompt and did everything without any assistance. I would choose this over zip lining any day. If you haven’t tried this type of service before, you can’t go wrong with Garret.

Garrett and Marcella prepared a wonderful Costa Rican dinner and breakfast for us at our rental in Hacienda Pinilla. It was our first time to Costa Rica and they shared a lot about the culture and places to see. It was a perfect evening.

We had Garrett cater our wedding buffet and the food, service and just everything was outstanding. The food was just incredible! So delicious and cooked to perfection. Garrett made the whole process so easy with his amazing recommendations. The staff were incredible and as I had no wedding planner the team were so organized it made the whole process was so easy. I can’t thank Garrett and his team enough and have the highest recommendation for him.

Garrett and Marcella went beyond our expectations in both meals that they prepared for our group in the comfort of our VRBO home. They were knowledgeable to speak to about Costa Rica, fun and engaging. We thoroughly enjoyed their company and conversation, and the meals were delightful. Both presentation and taste were perfect! We highly recommend Puravida Catering. They are genuinely nice people and extremely talented. We had many delicious meals while in Costa Rica, but the ones they prepared were the best.

We recently had Garrett and Marcella cook a FABULOUS meal for us during our annual CR trip. I can’t say enough wonderful things about the meal they made, which consisted of patacones with guacamole and fermented hot sauce, homemade, gluten-free pasta with mushroom cream sauce, green beans and local lobsters, as well as molten lava cake. Every morsel was outstanding and I honestly haven’t stopped raving about him to our Junquillal family since. Both Garrett and Marcella are a pleasure to welcome into your home as they are genuinely lovely human beings. We will definitely be calling Garrett again in the future and I would encourage anyone reading this to do the same.

I was visiting from the states and our host had her party catered by Pura Vida catering. Garrett and his wife were so nice and the food was absolutely delicious!! I hope we get invited back to Costa Rica and are able to try more of their food!!!

We booked from a recommendation of our Airbb Host and were slightly concerned over how it might be. However we need not have worried. We had two wonderful and delicious dinners which apart from being the culinary highlights of our two week stay in CR, were worth every penny. We also much enjoyed our conversations with Garrett and Marcella. Can not recommend them highly enough!

We have known Garrett and Marcella for many years and this is the first time we’ve used them to prepare a dinner for about 20 people (a small celebration for the completion of our casa). They came to the house completely prepared to complete a delicious dinner for us! It was so nice to be able to sit back and visit with our guests while Garrett and Marcella took control.They are both very accommodating in addition to being really great people and team! Will definitely use them again!

We loved having Chef Garrett and his wife come out to our vacation rental and cook a birthday dinner. We chose items from three of the sample menus and thoroughly enjoyed each course that was prepared. They explained each dish and enjoyed engaging in conversation with the group. They were accommodating of food sensitivities as well. There was plenty of food in each course, portions were just right. The homemade hot sauce was a favorite! When it was done the whole kitchen was cleaned up – a great treat for our group.

We recently asked Garrett to prepare 2 meals for us: 1 lunch and 1 dinner. What a treat that was! We selected the Hawaiian menu for dinner and Garrett was kind enough to accommodate our request for an extra course. I dream about those baby back ribs! For lunch, we selected the fish tacos which were so fresh and tasty. In hindsight, we would’ve likely arranged more meals by Garrett. We really enjoyed talking to Garrett and his wife, and not cleaning up after ourselves was kind of nice, too!

Garrett and Marcella were FANTASTIC!!! The food was so good and were so much fun to talk with. There was 10 of us and everyone just loved it. We would definitely do it again! Thank you so much!!

What a wonderful, delicious experience! Garrett was so gracious and accommodated some additional request, his food was the best we had while in Costa Rica! The Hawaiian Dinner was a favorite! I highly recommend him! He was responsive to questions, and made the planning so easy! We will definitely use him again on our next trip!

I went to Costa Rica with girl friends and Garrett and his wife were fantastic! We did the dinner breakfast package and I wouldn’t have changed anything. It was so good we asked them to come back one more night! This is a must do on your trip!

For our Ladies 40th Birthday trip, we booked Garrett & Marcella for the Welcome Package (dinner your first night and breakfast the next morning). BEST DECISION EVER! What a way to start a vacation. Amazing flavors! Presentation was 5-star level. Garrett accommodated dietary restrictions deliciously. We all enjoyed it SO much that we had them come back the night after our 10 hr+ day of adventure. Being mostly mothers…to come back to the house to find dinner already being prepared was TOTAL HEAVEN. The service they provide is beyond and so much more relaxing than heading off to a restaurant. LOVE THEM #PuraVida

If you are looking for a chef to come to your home, prepare a DELICIOUS meal and take care of EVERYTHING so you can enjoy the evening with your guests then look no further…

Spent 6 wonderful days in Costa Rica with a group of 12 celebrating my Best girlfriend’s 40th. Hired Garrett and his lovely wife to cook dinner for us on 2 separate evenings. I can’t say enough about the service. They arrived at our AirBNB at the agreed upon time and got to work! The food was AMAZING, 3 course meal cooked to perfection. We had “ taste of Costa Rica”. The group was not disappointed. Garrett And his wife served our meal and then patiently waited until we were done to clean up!! On another night we had “ taste of France”. Again, deliciously prepared, our only regret was that they didn’t cook for us the entire time we were there. We had such an amazing time in Costa Rica and part of that was because of Garrett and his wife! I cannot say enough about them. Definitely hire them if you are looking for a personal chef to cook freshly prepared delicious meals- you will not be disappointed!

Garrett and Marcella are truly awesome. The food was spectacular and we loved every second of the experience! We had them come twice over the week we were there and would have had them come more if we could! When we go back to Costa Rica we will definitely be calling Pura Vida catering again. Would recommend to anyone in a heartbeat. Amazing experience!!!

We booked Garrett to cook for us/ family of 9/ on a Sunday night. He didn’t disappoint. Three courses of delicious!!
A taste of Costa Rica means fish which is what we love so we were delighted with tuna poke, mahi-mahi, and chocolate lava cake for dessert.
Garrett and his wife are professional, personable and knowledgeable making the evening enjoyable all around.

The night was wonderful- we arrived in CR & were pleased with everything the chef & his team presented us. We walked into our home to find him & his team I’m our kitchen., they were preparing a fabulous 5 course meal for us! We were tired from our travel day so cooking for ourselves was not an option. The food, the conversation, the history, the friendships & the wines were soothing for our souls! We had an amazing first night with delicious food & even better company. Thank you got everything! We will expect you everyday of our next trip! We all said we wish we had hired you for everyday.,,

Our group was fortunate to use Garrett and Marcella for 4 nights over our vacation. The most important thing was that his food was amazing. Just an added bonus that they both had wonderful personalities to go along with the cooking talent.

Garrett cooked a surf and turf meal in our villa for our party of 14 and it was fantastic. He was very responsive when we were creating the menu and even made us crab cakes which weren’t on his menu. The food was all amazing and him and his wife did a great job serving and cleaning up after. It was my son’s birthday and he even made him his own personal ice cream cake which was perfect. This was definitely a meal we would do again when we return to Costa Rica!

The welcome package Garrett provided was brilliant! It brings the perfect start to any vacation or routine stay in the area to get everything started off easy and right. The mahi mahi was terrific and shared with the kids. Morning breakfast was delicious and fresh. I wish I had the foresight to book even more meals in advance with him.
Pura Vida, Garrett!

My party and I (8 adults) decided to go with the Welcome Package. After a long day of travel the thought of a prepared meal the first night was very enticing. This went well beyond our expectations. Not only was the meal just fabulous, but Garrett and his wife, Marcella, could not have been more hospitable, and so friendly. Even better, this packages then included breakfast the next morning. A traditional Costa Rican breakfast that include amazing fruit (that was so well presented). Garrett is a wealth of information about the area. I wish we could have had him over for more meals. He not only is a talented chef, but someone you feel like you hang out with. I cannot recommend his services more!!

We were introduced to Garrett via our Air bnb host. Despite our several hour travel delay, Garrett still met us at our home and had the most amazing food and energy for us. We had special requested and he exceeded them all. After tasting his delicious food, we attempted to book him for more dinners! Such an incredible way to start our vacation.

Recently had Garrett and Marcella prepare and serve a 3 course Valentine’s dinner of surf ‘n’ turf at our casa rental. They arrived early, prepared and served the delicious meal and cleaned up after. Very personable and we wish we had booked another dinner with them. Highly recommended!

My husband and I visited Costa Rica for Christmas along with 12 members of our family. Garret and his team catered our Christmas Eve dinner and it was absolutely amazing. I can’t say enough how fantastic the food was and the experience was just as incredible. I worked with Garrett in the weeks prior to the dinner and he helped me prepare the menu. I am so glad I went with his suggestions as the food was delicious. I don’t believe anyone in our group had anything left on their plates as we devoured the meal. My sister-in-law is traveling to Costa Rica in the Spring and plans to have Pura Vida cater a meal for them during her trip. I would recommend Pura Vida Catering to anyone. Thank you Garret and team! You made our trip to Costa Rica and our Christmas Eve memorable.

We arranged for Garrett to cook for us our first night in Playa Junquillal. What a wonderful way to settle in and relax! Garrett cooked the Taste of Costa Rica menu which was delicious from start to finish. He also gave us good advice and info on the area. Thanks, Garrett!

Garrett and Marcella prepared an unbelievable meal for my husband and me. We were staying in a beautiful home in Rancho Playa Negra for our honeymoon and we had Pura Vida catering come after a day relaxing at the pool and beach. We chose the Taste of Hawaii menu and everything was delicious. We also decided to do the wine pairings and we got 3 full sized glasses of wine to go with each course. The wines were paired wonderfully with each course. The food was delicious, perfectly cooked and and beautifully presented. Garrett and Marcella were warm and friendly. We wish we could’ve stayed longer and had them cook for us again! We would absolutely recommend Pura Vida Catering for your stay in Costa Rica.

we loved our experience with Garrett. it exceeded our expectations! We had a meal with 4 services. The dishes were really well presented, with the attention to detail! TOP QUALITY! He is very professional. He provided excellent service (accompanied by his wife) and everything is perfectly cleaned when he leaves. We will definitely use his services again if we return to Tamarindo!

Our group of 10 was made up of 2 grandparents, 4 kids and 4 grandkids. We stayed in a home in Hacienda Pinilla near Tamarindo and ordered 2 meals from Pura Vida (they were recommended by our host, Joel). We asked for our dinners to be served at 7 pm, and in both cases Garrett and Marcella arrived promptly at 5:30 to prepare the food and set the table. We especially admired how friendly and organized they were, as if we weren’t hovering around the kitchen island, asking questions about the food and watching them work! The adults had the Taste of Costa Rica dinner with mahi mahi one night and the Taste of North America dinner with filet mignon the other night. The dinners were absolutely delicious and beautifully presented (all 3 courses). Garrett gave us some background on each course as it was served. Our grandkids had smaller meals from the Children’s Menu. They were also delicious — not quite enough food for them, but the adults had plenty to share. Garrett and Marcella cleaned up everything. It was so nice eating at home and having this experience. One more thing: Because we enjoyed their food and company so much, we asked for a third meal. They were already booked up, but were gracious enough to recommend a restaurant and help us get a reservation even though the restaurant seemed to be booked up. That was going above and beyond. Thank you, Garrett and Marcella, for all you did to make our time in Costa Rica so great!

We cannot stop talking about what an incredible experience it was to have Garrett and Marcella prepare meals for us during our recent trip to Playa Negra. We were a group of 7 adults and 2 children. We booked the Welcome Package for the day we arrived and it was so nice to arrive at our rental house with dinner waiting for us. As part of the package, Garrett and his wife came back the next morning to cook breakfast for us – it was delicious and such a treat to have breakfast prepared for us in our home. We then had Garrett and Marcella come back on our last night to prepare The Taste of Hawaiian Islands meal – it was amazing! Given the quality of the food, the incredible service, and the comfort of being able to stay at the house and eat, Garrett’s meals are a steal cost-wise. Absolutely worth it and, in our view, less expensive than going out given what you get. We’re already talking about going back to Playa Negra and, if we do, we will definitely book Garrett for multiple meals again. We can’t recommend Garrett highly enough!

Having Garrett come in and cook for us was one of the highlights of our trip. We had an extended family of 10 of us. Garrett and Marcella took care of everything – and took great care of us.

The food was delicious. We were sad that we did not book them for more than one night.

I would highly recommend Pura Vida Catering for your visit to Costa Rica.

Garret and Marcella’s meal surpassed our expectations. We had a large party with kids and adults and we all agreed that it was our favorite meal of the trip. The Taste of Costa Rica meal was truly exceptional. Wonderful experience. Worth every penny!

We were a large party (10 adults) staying in Playa Negra over the Christmas holidays. We arranged to have two dinners provided by Garrett and the team at Pura Vida Catering. The first was the night we all arrived (from 4 points of origin). We arrived a bit later than expected and Garrett accommodated us by postponing the original dinner time to let us settle in. What a treat to arrive and have an AMAZING meal (the taste of Costa Rica with fresh spiny lobster) prepared upon our arrival. They prepared the meal, set the table, and did all the clean up. It was a wonderful welcoming evening! Our second dinner was a celebration of several birthdays and the Taste of the Pacific Rim did not disappoint. Thank you Pura Vida for helping to make our trip to Costa Rica memorable!!!

Garret and Marcella were amazing. We felt just at home with them and then when the food came we were floored. The freshness of the ingredients, presentation, quality and portions totally surpassed our expectations.
Our Christmas dinner was one we will remember for ever.

We went to Costa Rica for an adult vacation. We hired Garrett and Pure Vida catering to come in and do many of our meals. We loved the service and the fellowship we shared with him and his family as he cooked the meal and answered our questions. His food was amazing in every way, we used him over and over again and I cannot recommend him more! We love the fact that he was from California (like us)and moved to Costa Rica, so he could answer all of our questions and was familiar with what kinds of foods we like to eat. Pura Vida catering was one of the best decisions we made for our vacation! Waking up and having breakfast homemade in your house was a true delight and we will be using him again when we come back to CR! Pura Vida!

While planning our stay at a home in Playa Negra we decided to contact Garrett about preparing a meal for our family. His menus were so amazing that we couldn’t decide on just one! We spoke a few times via email before our trip and settled on a meal for our first night and our last night. PERFECT. I cannot put into words how outstanding our experience was and in the month since we’ve been back home, when describing our vacation, we have told everyone about the dishes he prepared for us. Marcela and Garrett brought everything they needed….all they asked me for was the location of the barbecue grill:) We chose the ‘Taste of Costa Rica’ (of course!) for the first night and were treated to out of this world Patacones, Macadamia-encrusted Mahi-mahi and to-die-for chocolate lava cakes. My children (15, 19 and 22) were thrilled that Garrett and Marcela would be coming back at the end of the vacation. The service was so incredible. They went about their tasks with such precision, but then in between our conversations made us feel like we were all old friends. And meeting them at the start of our week in Costa Rica was perfect; we told them what our activity plans were and they were so helpful in giving us ideas of things to do. Of course, every meal we had during the week was compared to what Garrett prepared for us….and I have to say while the food was delicious everywhere we went, nothing tasted like our first night. We chose the ‘Taste of the Hawaiian Islands’ for our last night there and we were not disappointed. I didn’t think anything could taste as good as the lava cake, but the pineapple upside-down cake came close! What a way to finish up our vacation. If you are planning a trip to the Guanacaste area, definitely consider contacting Garrett and Marcela. You will be as amazed as we were and your taste buds will thank you!! Pura Vida!!

Garrett and Marcela are AMAZING!!! They provided our family of 5 the most extraordinary dining experience. We ended up using them for every dinner and many of our breakfasts. It was truly one of the best parts of our vacation. Some of our favorite dishes were the patacones (I still crave them), arroz con mariscos and the cold soba noodle salad. Honestly everything blew our minds. They also provided delicious “kid food” for my 3 young children. Traveling with a 1, 2 and 4 year old can be challenging to say the least. We were actually quite nervous about the entire experience. Garret and Marcela made it SO easy. As the sun was going down we’d enjoy the sunset and a cocktail while they prepared our feast. After dining we continued to relax and enjoy our kids since they did all the clean up. They are wonderful people and we truly enjoyed their company. With the help of Pura Vida Catering we nailed this family trip!

First things first: Garrett & Marcela can cook! We invited them to cook for us for our first family dinner in Costa Rica and we were more than impressed. Not only was each dish perfectly prepared, the presentation was beautiful! The Patacones were incredible, Italian Menu was so delicious with well balanced flavors and Chocolate Volcano Cake disappeared in seconds.
Beyond the tasty food, Garrett was great at communicating and perfecting our menu leading up to our trip. I appreciated his working with us on our dietary needs and mixing up the menus to appease everyone 🙂
He and Marcela arrived on time, were fun to have around and left the place squeeky clean (they even hand-washed the dishes!).

We loved the special atmosphere that having a private chef created and would not hesitate to have them cater in the future!

We had an amazing birthday dinner thanks to Garrett! We were down there for a family reunion and he had been recommended to us. And we can understand why! He and his wife showed up on time, were very easy to communicate with, the food was outstanding, and the service perfect!! There were 9 of us, and everything went smoothly. They were very friendly and fun to talk with, knowledgeable about the area. Only downside was we only scheduled one meal instead of all of them with Pura Vida catering! Awesome job and highly recommend!

Garrett and Marcela were absolutely fantastic. We had them come 2 nights. They provided a complete private dining experience. From Marcella’s special touch of cutting flowers from the yard and making a center piece, to Garrett’s presentation of the food. We had 4 adults and 4 kids, Garrett prepared an adult dinner and separate dinner for the kids. The ingredients were super fresh and prepared perfectly. Garrett was very flexible and allowed us to mix and match items, even created an off the menu desert for us.

Was a great experience and would absolutely do it again.

We had Garrett and Marcela prepare two meals for us while renting a home in Playa Negra. One was on our first night there, and after a long day of travel it was such a relief to sit down to his culinary creations. Our children (21, 19 and 15) said ‘What’s for dinner?’ when we told them and we said ‘You’ll see!’…. I’ve never seen them eat like that! Each dish was more incredible than the next. Patacones–unbelievably good! Garrett’s explanation of each dish was something we loved. The fact that they brought everything they needed and the kitchen was spotless when they left was so greatly appreciated. I think our kids dreamt about the chocolate lava cake that night…and then each night’s dinner was a comparison to what Garrett prepared for us:) We were very fortunate to have them come back for us on our last night at the house and provide us with another amazing meal. While venturing to the local restaurants during the week was fun and almost as delicious; we are so glad we had Pura Vida catering to provide us with our first and last meals in Costa Rica! If you are planning a vacation here, then DEFINITELY use Pura Vida:)

Garrett and Marcela made us an amazing Costa Rican gourmet dinner during our stay in our lovely villa. We enjoyed the evening and being able to learn more about Costa Rica from Garrett and Marcela. Each course was explained and using the freshest local ingredients. It was a true treat to be able to sit back, relax and enjoy such an amazing meal. I would highly recommend them for your catering needs!

I contacted Garrett to cook for our family group, 13 adults and 3 children. We went back and forth on email several times and Garrett was always responsive with great options. The meal was simply marvelous. We’re from San Francisco and are accustomed to fine sea food. Garrett and Marcela really out did themselves. The Patacones melted in your mouth. The Mahi-mahi was tender and juicy. And the Chocolate Volcano Cake with Vanilla ice cream was to die for. Garrett and Marcela were fun and answered questions regarding the preparation and cooking of the meal. Finally, considering the ease and joy of eating in a beautiful vacation home and not having to cook or clean up, Pura Vida Catering is The way to go. Thanks Garrett and Marcela!

Garrett prepared 3 separate dinners for our group of 7 during our stay in Costa Rica. Every meal was outstanding! Although we chose our meals in advance, he surprised and delighted us with his originality and delicious flavors for all 3 meals. Having him and Marcela prepare our meals was one of the highlights of our trip. We didn’t have to do anything. They brought everything, cooked everything, set the table beautifully, and cleaned up so there was nothing for us to do except enjoy our fabulous view and relax. Garrett and Marcela kept out of our way during the meal prep process, but if we went to talk to them, they were a delight to have around, interesting to talk to about culinary options in Costa Rica, and also offered advise on local restaurants and attractions. When planning our trip, we split the various dinners amongst a couple different chefs, but Garrett was by far the best. When we go back, we will only use Garrett for all nights. It was like eating in a 5 Star restaurant but in the comfort of your home. Excellent!

Garrett and Marcela made us a wonderful Pacific Rim Feast that was delicious, healthy, and locally sourced. And served in the best location ever, our own home. Treat you and your guests right and hire them to cater your next evening in or event! I can’t wait to return and keep working through their extensive menu.

Garrett and Marcela have fine tuned their catering service to make the most enjoyable meals you will experience in Costa Rica. We (group of 4 adults and 2 teenagers) used Pura Vida Catering for 2 dinners prepared at our rental house. Being lovers of all foods, we chose the Hawaiian and French menus. Garrett is super friendly and passionate about cooking, and his wife Marcela assists the cooking, sets the table and even cleans up afterwards. Loved that Garrett sources out local fish, and produce etc., and adds Costa Rican freshness magic to every meal. He even accommodated my son’s lactose intolerance! All courses were explained to us and wow were they fabulous. Fine details such as presentation were never overlooked. Even a vase of flowers from our garden adorned our dining table thanks to Marcela. We will be sure to use Pura Vida again and highly recommend their service to all.

Garrett is a true genius – from food preparation to presentation to clean up – everything was artfully and divinely done. Kudos to you Garrett – I wish we could clone you and Marcella and bring you home. We really enjoyed both outstanding dinners you prepared for us and would highly recommend Pura Vida Catering over a sit down restaurant hands down.

My experience with Garrett and his crew was outstanding. His seamless production of an amazing dinner for what was supposed to be far fewer people (!) made for an incredible kick off to my son’s wedding week in Costa. He handled the overflow with the best attitude and made me feel totally at ease with my party. The food was delicious and artfully presented. The staff was diligent, professional and all smiles. I wish I could have brought Garrett and Marcella and Amy back to the states with me!!

Right off the bat our experience was totally seamless.
We went with one of the menus online, exchanged a couple of e-mails & had 20 people over for dinner – it was that simple.
As a couple that has run a catering business in NY for 25yrs we understand the teamwork needed to run an event flawlessly & Pura Vida Catering delivered.
Garret –Relaxed & easy going
Marcella – so charming & efficient
Roger – mojitos ( hint of coconut to soften the acidity)
Appetizers including patacones & local caught jumbo ( & I mean JUMBO ) shrimp cocktail, fresh fish cooked on our grill & the evening topped off with Garrets spin on crème brulee. Clean up- as if a party never happened in the house.

The next day we hired Garret & the crew to prepare hors d’oeuvres for part of a local celebration for roughly 150ppl, & as expected everything was ‘spot on’.

We couldn’t recommend Pura Vida Catering more highly.

It was such a treat to have Garrett and Marcela of Pura Vida Catering prepare an outstanding dinner for us upon our arrival to Costa Rica. We were delayed arriving and Garrett was very accommodating with our schedule. We chose the Costa Rican dinner and loved every bite, along with excellent wine paring choices! The Patacones with Guacamole and Tuna Poke were awesome. The seafood was very fresh and abundant in the Arroz Con Mariscos. Garrett and Marcela were so warm and friendly throughout the evening, sharing their knowledge of the area . They both were very professional serving and cleaning up. It was truly one of our best meals during our stay in the Guanacaste area in Costa Rica. It was a pleasure working with them and would highly recommend using Pura Vida.

We are residents of the area and have followed Garrett since he was the chef/owner at Amigos Restaurant. Last week we had some friends for dinner and asked Garrett and Marcella to cater for us. They came completely equipped and settled in while we enjoyed the sunset. He was efficient and unobtrusive, announcing the menu at each course. Afterwards he quietly cleaned up and exited without causing a stir. The food? Fantastic! Give him a try. It is part of the pura vida experience. I recommend the volcano chocolate cake (gluten-free), a specialty of Garrett.

It was an absolute highlight of our family vacation in Costa Rica to have Garrett cater several dinners for us. Everything about our experience with Pura Vida Catering from planning to dessert was awesome. Garrett is a truly professional trained chef and also an incredibly nice guy loves what he does. He was very responsive to my emails setting up menus for our dinners. He arrived on-time with everything he needed to prepare fabulous meals. The night we arrived we had Garrett leave us a Costa Rican dinner that could be eaten room temp or reheated, because we knew we would be exhausted after a long day of travel. Two other nights we enjoyed the Taste of France and Taste of Italy menus. Marcela accompanied Garrett both nights. She is absolutely lovely and made serving and cleanup look like a breeze. Garrett and Marcela are fun and engaging and we all really enjoyed our time with them. We could not recommend them more highly, and we hope to get back to the Tamarindo area and have the pleasure of working with them again. Pure Vida!

If your birthday is two days after Christmas (like mine is) when everyone is usually so tired….including me…nobody wants to bother with another party until the New Years Eve one..!

So, up until now, my birthdays have been more or less uneventful and often not celebrated at all. . WELL…this year I planned, with the help and encouragement of my wonderful husband, my own Happy Birthday To ME Party and it turned out to be quite the event because of Garrett and Marcella..!!

I told them what we all wanted from their dreamy menu choices and they completely took over and created a birthday party for me that I will remember always..!!

We started off with a lovely Mimosa toast to ME ;D and then Garrett and Marcella began to work their magic in the kitchen…!! They showed up completely prepared, organized and maintained their professionalism throughout the night. Their menu choices are very diverse and varied and all our food was prepared exquisitely…!! My lobster literally melted in my mouth and my steak was cooked to perfection…!! We all had the Caprese Salads to start and then the Surf and Turf, Macadamia Encrusted Mahi, Herb encrusted Mahi as the main courses…..The food was not only prepared perfectly but served so lovingly as well and Garrett educated us about our food choices and the specific way everything was prepared…!! As an educator and a foodie, I really appreciated this part of the night..!! Then for dessert, we all had the Volcano Chocolate Cake (mine with a candle) with Vanilla Ice Cream…!! It was one of the BEST Birthday Parties I have ever had thanks to the professional attention of Garrett and Marcella.

If you have not had a catered dinner party by Garrett and Marcella in the privacy of your own home, TREAT YOURSELF JUST BECAUSE…you don’t have to wait for a birthday…!! Garrett and Marcella and my wonderful husband made my birthday SO SPECIAL this year..!! I was treated like ROYALTY and I loved and appreciated every minute of it….!!! It’s good to be the Queen if even just for one night…!!

YUMMY….YUMMY…YUMMY…..!! We were all SO contented and satisfied with the entire evening and will definitely be treating ourselves on other occasions in the future….!! P.S. My kitchen was left in excellent condition which I also appreciated because I love it when I don’t have to cook or clean up after parties, don’t you..??

THANK YOU, GARRETT and MARCELLA SO MUCH..!!! ;D

Rented a house near Tamarindo in March of this year with another family.
Garrett was recommended by the property manager and he did not disappoint!
We booked Garrett and Roger for two meals during our stay. The food was awesome and the company even better. Real delight in chatting with Garrett and Roger during the evening.
Would highly recommend Pura Vida.
Thanks Garrett for some great meals and company.

Garrett made us a four-course dinner that was easily the best meal we have eaten since moving to Costa Rica nine years ago. He is an extraordinary chef and his creations are always a perfect combination of great flavor, impeccable preparation and creativity.

Words can’t describe how amazing this way from start to finish
Perfect for families with kids! We had a chef that cooked food that was out of this world. We can’t wait to go back!

Our crew can’t say enough about Garrett’s culinary skills! We had 3 families and 5 little kiddos in a home in Playa Negra. None of us wanted to cook so we pre-planned and booked Garrett out in advance. Travel plans changed with the weather and Garrett & Marcella were more than accommodating. They fit right into our crazy crew and the food was WOW, phenomenal, over the top! We loved the experience so much we were lucky to find out he could possibly accommodate us again the following day and we booked him on the spot. We even had a Dad, who does not like seafood and he was in love with Garrett’s tuna poke. Day one was surf and turf with filet mignons and mahi and day 2 was Mongolian glazed ribs and so much more we were in culinary heaven! We highly recommend Garrett for your in-home fine dining and we definitely look forward to booking Garrett for his services when we go back to Costa Rica every year! 🙂

I was looking at Garrett to have a special dinner for my wife’s Birthday. I live in Marbella and have for over 15 years, I’m an expat that has a really good taste for exotic meals. I’m going to tell all of you that this young man opened the Tiki Hut Restraunt on the beach in Marbella with me. His professionalism and cuisine is exceptional, great personable person who I highly respect. He decided to go out on his own and opened up Amigos Restaurant which was a great success and I visited often with my Real Estate clients and Family.
1st class food and service is his way of life. So happy to see the catering business is underway and very excited to have him in my home to treat me and my family to another wonderful meal.
Sincerely
Jeffrey Allen

Garrett prepared an awesome feast for my girlfriend Lisa’s birthday, we loved it. Each of the dishes from appetizer to desert was 5 star. He was on time, prepared, and very professional. I highly recommend his services!

Recently contracted Garrett and Marcella for a group of 18 staying in Guanacaste area. The menu and head count fluctuated daily but Garrett rolled right through every hurdle quickly and professionally. The food was out of this world. My kids are still comparing everything we cook to “Garrett’s…”. The vacation wouldn’t have been complete without them. Highly recommmend anyone and everyone to experience the same perfection we all did.

Garrett and his wife were great–they blended in like they were part of our group vacation! They cooked for 8 of us, and everything was presented well and communicated!

Garret was such a pleasure to have in our house & quickly created a wonderful atmosphere and dining experience. He was completely self sufficient! Our food was exceptional, fresh, and beautiful. He completely took care of us and it was a treat!

Garrett prepared the most amazing dinner for all of us on Mother’s Day. We had the steak & seafood menu which I would highly recommend. The food was of the highest quality and prepared just right. Garrett was very accommodating for our non-meat non-seafood eater as well. We would definitely call him to come over to cook again!

The food was amazing and the wine pairings were spot on. Besides preparing and serving great food, Garrett and his assistant Roger were very helpful telling us about interesting places to go while we were in Costa Rica.

We had a great dinner with Garrett and his assistant. They arrived on time, were friendly and professional, and made a delicious dinner. They made healthy kids’ meals (and also dealt with kids who had been traveling all day very well!)

We had a wonderful meal with Pura Vida Catering. They took care of all the details, and served some amazing food. Will definitely be calling them again! Thanks Garrett!