Reviews

We were part of a group of 5 couples from Texas and stayed in Hacienda Pinilla. I can say without any hesitation that Chefs Garret and Marcela prepared the most delicious and visually stunning meals we had in all our time in Tamarindo area. We ate out several times at the areas highest rated restaurants, and Garett/Marcela beat them hands down every time. Seriously, do not hesitate to book them for the meals that you want to be the most special, delicious and memorable! Worth every penny and more. Garrett/Marcela are also a complete delight to be with. Professional, engaging and fun. They are a must!!!!

Garrett and his wife were amazing! We booked them 4 nights when we were in Costa Rica and it was one of the highlights of the trip! Very personable and the food was amazing! Will for sure book him again when we return.

We had Chef Garrett & Marcela over twice over the three weeks we stayed in Playa Negra. They were OUTSTANDING!!. Service, Food, Professionalism, and expertise were unbelievable!

They entire crew are still talking about it. (Had a chance to surf with Garrett at Witches Rock – he’s a great surfer too, endless endurance) I wish I had my camera for that surf session.

Thanks again for two amazing nites of bliss.

Pura Vida,

GBRO & The TITANS & Cardiff Crew

Garrett prepared a delicious Costa Rican meal complete with a yummy appetizer, Mahi Mahi fish, and the best chocolate lava cake you have ever had!! It was so good that we had him come back a second night and make another meal for our group of 6. Of all the fun experiences that we had in Costa Rica, these meals were the best by far!! He also gave us recommendations of other places to eat and things to do in the area. Highly recommend having Garrett prepare your next meal in CR!!

Excelente atención del chef y el mesero, puntuales, serviciales, la comida deliciosa y buenas porciones, el arreglo de la mesa muy bonito también, super recomendados!!

Can’t say enough about Garrett and his wife’s implementation of two catered meals. Most delicious food served to perfection on top of very easy personalities. Taste of Costa Rica started our trip and a taste of the Hawaiian Islands ended our trip. Exceptional!

Do not hesitate to book Garrett. The food was sophisticated and delicious. We enjoyed every morsel. He handled every detail.

Garrett and his family are amazing. Great food, great company and great fun. Fantastic to watch the process of prepping, cooking, serving and, of course, consuming. We have had them cook for us many times and they never disappoint.

We used Pura Vida Catering for our group of 7, and did the “welcome package.” Chef Garrett and his wife prepared a fantastic meal so we did not have to stress about our first night at the house where we stayed. In fact we were running late due to our driver’s flat tire, and Garrett coordinated with our house’s manager to get in and get started. The food was deliciously seasoned and fresh. He even surprised us by preparing fish for everyone except my one “refuses to eat seafood” daughter—making her a chicken breast instead. I had emailed him that we would all just do the chicken for that one meal for her. Breakfast the next morning was delightful and again, so good to not have to worry about getting out to the store first thing. Will definitely use Pura Vida Catering the next time we are in their catering area!! Loved it, and them!

Garret and his team cooked us a fantastic Costa Rican meal during our stay in Guanacaste. It was so fresh and cooked to perfection. Our group of 6 girlfriends were ecstatic and wished we could have had him cook another meal for us again. If I am in CR again, I would defintley hire him for his culinary delight!

Chef Garrett was extremely kind and patient despite having to wait almost an hour before we could let him into our Airbnb. After that he cooked a delicious traditional Costa Rican meal

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!