A birthday, anniversary or proposal dinner they will never see coming — a private chef cooks the 3-course Imperial Menu in your own kitchen.
A surprise dinner is a private chef evening planned in secret — one table, one party, one evening, with a restaurant-level Persian fine-dining menu cooked in your own kitchen by Chef Ari.
Some gifts you open. Some you taste. A surprise dinner is the second kind: the guest of honour walks in expecting an ordinary evening at home, and sits down to a three-course Persian fine-dining menu cooked in their own kitchen.
You plan the evening with us in advance — the date, the occasion, the guest list, and who knows what. We only ever speak with you, the organiser, so nothing slips out. Each guest picks their own appetizer, main and dessert, and the menu is built around a short questionnaire about tastes, allergies and dietary needs. Surprise birthday, anniversary and proposal dinners at home are one of our most popular bookings. Message us with the plan and we will keep the secret.
The signature menu of our private chef evenings in Toronto and across the GTA — ten dishes composed for one table at a time, cooked and served by Chef Ari in your home. Made for anniversaries, birthdays, date nights and small dinner parties: a restaurant-level menu, without leaving home. For 2 to 6 guests · Served in your own home · Reserved in advance · $250 per guest for 2 guests · $200 per guest for 3–6
Wood-smoked eggplant, sun-ripened tomato, garlic, crispy fried garlic-egg, melted mozzarella
بادمجان دودی‌شده با هیزم، همراه با گوجه‌فرنگی و سیر، پوشانده‌شده با تخم‌مرغ طلایی معطر به سیر برشته و موزارلای ذوب‌شده‌ی مخملین
Chilled avocado and cucumber cream, Greek yogurt, dill, lime, toasted almond, olive oil
کرم خنک و ابریشمی از آووکادو و خیار تازه همراه با ماست یونانی، شوید و لیموترش؛ تزیین‌شده با خلال بادام برشته و روغن زیتون بکر
Velvety cream of roasted wild forest mushrooms, infused with garlic, thyme, and black truffle oil; finished with a dusting of charred mushroom powder and crispy croutons
سوپ قارچ جنگلی و روغن ترافل — کرم مخملین قارچ‌های جنگلی برشته، معطرشده با سیر، آویشن و روغن ترافل سیاه؛ کامل‌شده با پودر قارچ ذغالی و کروتان‌های ترد
Toasted ciabatta, creamy cheese, walnuts, basil & mint, avocado, sun-dried tomato, olives, lemon, homemade basil oil
Seedless watermelon, feta, walnuts, pistachio, almond, sunflower seeds, mint, basil, arugula, basil oil
Kashk-e bademjan on toasted ciabatta — eggplant, crispy onion, meat stock, lentils, dried mint, microgreens, garlic yogurt
Crispy rice paper bowl on avocado purée, beet yogurt, microgreens, walnuts, sunflower seeds, dried rose petals
Butter-seared lamb chops, saffron basmati, roasted pistachio, Persian garnish
دنده‌کباب بره‌ی مرینیت‌شده و برشته‌شده با کره، همراه با سس زرشک و خامه، برنج عطری زعفرانی با خلال پسته‌ی برشته و مخلفات اصیل ایرانی
Slow-braised chicken roll, saffron and citrus glaze, silky rice, rose-scented barberries
رول مرغ آرام‌پز در عصاره‌ی غلیظ زعفران و مرکبات، سروشده روی بستر برنج ابریشمی همراه با یاقوت‌های زرشک کاراملی و معطر به گلاب
Prime tenderloin, buttery northern kateh, saffron-garlic jus, toasted pistachio
فیله‌ی گوساله‌ی مرینیت‌شده و کباب‌شده، سروشده بر بستری از کته‌ی کره‌زعفرانی شمالی همراه با سس عصاره‌ی گوشت و سیر و خلال پسته‌ی برشته
Atlantic salmon, saffron and extra virgin olive oil, herb rice, caramelized citrus
فیله‌ی سالمون برشته‌شده با روغن زیتون بکر و زعفران اعلا، سروشده همراه با سبزی‌پلوی معطر و خلال پوست مرکبات کاراملی
Saffron-marinated chicken fillet, pan-seared, avocado purée, garden vegetables, saffron rice
فیله مرغ مرینیت‌شده با زعفران، تابه‌ای‌شده، پوره آووکادو، سبزیجات تازه باغی، برنج زعفرانی قالبی
Garden vegetables, linguine, soy-garlic sauce, boiled egg
سبزیجات رنگارنگ باغی، لینگوئینی، سس سویا و سیر، تخم‌مرغ آب‌پز
Julienne beef tenderloin, saffron-tomato glaze, barberry, green pea purée, saffron rice
فیله گوساله خلال‌شده با لعاب زعفران و گوجه، زرشک، پوره نخودفرنگی، برنج زعفرانی قالبی
Shell-off shrimp, spaghetti, garlic-butter parmesan cream, arugula salad
میگوی بدون پوست، اسپاگتی، سس خامه‌ای سیر و پارمزان، سالاد آرگولا
Seared chicken breast, garlic cream sauce, spinach, mushrooms, ciabatta, olive salad
سینه مرغ برشته‌شده با سس خامه‌ای سیر، اسفناج و قارچ، نان چاباتا، سالاد زیتون
Norwegian salmon, saffron marinade, avocado-spinach purée, asparagus, saffron rice
سالمون نروژی با مرینیت زعفران، پوره آووکادو و اسفناج، مارچوبه، برنج زعفرانی قالبی
Hand-formed beef luleh kebabs, yogurt-dill sauce, Shirazi salad, saffron rice
کباب تابه‌ای دست‌ساز گوشت به سبک لولی، سس ماست و شوید، سالاد شیرازی، برنج زعفرانی قالبی
Sliced beef tenderloin, mushroom pasta, cherry tomatoes, spinach, parmesan
فیله گوساله ورقه‌شده، پاستای قارچ، گوجه گیلاسی، اسفناج، پارمزان
Shredded saffron chicken, kateh rice, green peas, little gem salad cups
مرغ ریش‌شده زعفرانی، کته قالبی، نخودفرنگی، سالاد در کاسه‌های کاهوی لیتل جم
Tender beef tongue cubes seared in butter, creamy mushroom sauce, toasted ciabatta, shallot yogurt, arugula, baby spinach
زبان گوساله ترد سرخ‌شده در کره، سس خامه‌ای قارچ، نان چاباتای تست‌شده، ماست موسیر، آرگولا و بیبی اسفناج
Saffron rice pudding, rosewater, cardamom
اکسیر لطیف و ابریشمی برنج و زعفران اعلا، معطرشده با عصاره‌ی گلاب و هل کوبیده
Clotted-cream, honey and saffron ganache, biscuit base, rose petal, gold leaf
گناش غلیظ و فاخر از سرشیر، عسل طبیعی و زعفران با عطر هل و دارچین روی پایه‌ی بیسکویتی ترد؛ تزیین‌شده با گلبرگ‌های معطر گل‌محمدی و ورقه‌ی طلای ۲۴ عیار
Layers of rich hazelnut chocolate ganache, aromatic roasted pistachio butter, and crispy golden kunafa pastry, served in a crystal glass; infused with cardamom, rosewater, and 24k gold leaf
دسر ابریشمی پسته، نوتلا و شکلات تلخ — لایه‌هایی از گناش غنی شکلات و فندق، کره‌ی پسته‌ی برشته‌ی معطر و رشته‌ی کنافه‌ی طلایی و ترد، سروشده در گیلاس کریستال؛ معطرشده با هل، گلاب و ورقه‌ی طلای ۲۴ عیار
Every evening is priced per guest, with no minimum booking and no hidden fees. Ingredients, cooking, serving and cleanup are all included, with no travel charge inside the GTA.
A table of two is $500 in total.
A table of three to six guests, priced per guest.
Book for two guests or six — the price is per guest, with no minimum spend.
Evenings outside the GTA carry an extra travel charge. For longer stays, multi-day private chef service is $300/day, all-inclusive.
Send your date below — your reservation comes straight to us, and we reply within 24 hours.
To help us tailor your menu, please also complete our short Client Questionnaire — tastes, allergies, dietary needs, plus how you found us. (Required for multi-day bookings.)
Tell us your date and how many are at the table — then, below, each guest picks their own appetizer, main and dessert from the Imperial Menu. Hit send and your reservation comes straight to us — we reply within 24 hours.
We reply to every reservation request within 24 hours.
Client Questionnaire
Tell us about your tastes, allergies and kitchen — it takes a few minutes.
Message us with your date, the occasion and the plan — who the surprise is for, who knows, and the cover story. We confirm availability and plan every detail with you, and only you.
We send a short questionnaire about tastes, allergies and your kitchen. The menu is built around your answers — and the guest of honour never sees it.
Chef Ari arrives discreetly, cooks in your kitchen, serves each course, and cleans up — usually about 3 hours. The surprise lands when the first course reaches the table.
Surprise birthdays, milestone birthdays, anniversaries and proposals — any celebration where the guest of honour should not know in advance. It also makes an unforgettable gift: instead of another present, give them an evening. One table, one party, 2 to 6 guests at home.
Chef Ari cooks in homes across Toronto and the GTA — including North York, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan, Markham and Newmarket — with no travel charge inside the GTA. He also travels to cottage country, up to 2 hours from Toronto, including Muskoka, the Kawarthas, Haliburton, Prince Edward County and the Blue Mountains. Halal options are available on request.
One chef, one team, one standard: food cooked like it matters — because at your event, it does.
Chef Ari built his career in professional kitchens and hospitality. His training is in hotel and restaurant management, and it shows in how an Ari’s Table event runs: the food is only half of it; timing, presentation and service carry the other half.
The menu is deliberately international, rooted in Persian technique — saffron, slow braises, live grilling — and finished with the polish of a fine-dining kitchen. Everything except the grill is prepared in advance and set at your venue; the grill station is cooked live, on site, so the centrepiece of the meal comes off the fire in front of your guests.
Today all of it lives under one name: Table Group — one kitchen, three tables. Ari’s Table is the catering table: a booked-events-only service with no restaurant overhead and no shortcuts — just a set menu done properly, for gatherings of 20 guests and up. Private Table is the private chef table: Chef Ari cooks the Imperial Menu in your own home, for 2 to 6 guests. And Shahan Table is the fine dining table — one table, one party, one evening — arriving soon.
Registered Ontario business — Ari’s Table — Caterers · Food Handler certified — Canadian Institute of Food Safety — to 2030 · Smart Serve certified — Ontario — to 2029
Arash (Ari) Afshan is a private chef and restaurant consultant, Smart Serve and Food Handler certified. He has helped launch dining concepts for hospitality brands in Toronto and abroad, and is based in Oshawa.
He helped launch them — and helped them grow.
As a launcher and consultant, Ari helped some of the best-known restaurants and hotels of Tehran, Kish Island and Toronto grow — the standards he now brings to your table.
Ajoudaniye Complex — Aghdasieh, Tehran · Mamounia — Velenjak, Tehran · Kanka Restaurant — Niavaran, Tehran · Westeak — Opal Complex, Tehran · Roomeroon — Jordan, Tehran · Cafe Tehroon — Iranshahr, Niavaran & Kish · am:pm — Niavaran, Tehran · Marina Restaurant — Kish Island · Ziafeh Restaurant — Niavaran, Tehran · Wisteria Hotel — Darband, Tehran · Royal Lounge — Esteghlal Hotel, Parkway, Tehran · Roses Senso Café — Yonge & 16th, Richmond Hill · Roses New York — Yonge & Steeles, Toronto
Surprise birthdays, milestone birthdays, anniversaries and proposals — any celebration where the guest of honour should not know in advance. Surprise dinners are for 2 to 6 guests at home, one table, one party.
You plan the evening with the chef, and we only ever communicate with you, the organiser. Chef Ari arrives discreetly and cooks in your kitchen, and the surprise is revealed when the first course is served. Tell us the cover story and who already knows, and we will play along.
Surprise dinners serve 2 to 6 guests at your home — one table, one party, so every plate gets the chef's full attention. For larger gatherings, event catering is coming soon — it is not bookable yet.
A surprise dinner costs the same as a private chef evening: $250 per guest for a table of two ($500 total), and $200 per guest for tables of 3 to 6 guests — there is no minimum booking. Ingredients, cooking, serving and cleanup are all included, with no travel charge inside the GTA.
Evenings are booked in advance, by appointment only — the earlier you message us with your date, the better, especially for milestone birthdays and proposals. If your date is soon, ask anyway and we'll check.
Yes — you plan the evening with the chef, and we only ever communicate with you, the organiser. Tell us the date, the occasion, who knows, and the cover story, and we will plan every detail with you.
No — the menu is planned with you, the organiser, from a short questionnaire about tastes, allergies and dietary needs. The guest of honour finds out when the first course is served.
Message us as soon as you know — we will adjust the plan with you, whether that means a new cover story or a new date.
Yes — Chef Ari arrives discreetly before the guests, so the kitchen is set up and the cooking is underway before anyone sits down. We agree the arrival time with you when you plan the evening.
Message us about decorations for your surprise — tell us the occasion and the plan, and we will talk through what is possible.
Surprise dinners are evening occasions — dinner is usually served between 4 and 10 p.m. If you would like a daytime surprise, message us and we will talk through what is possible.
Tell us how the chef gets in when you plan the evening — the questionnaire asks about access to the house, and we will agree the arrival with you.
We agree the timing with you when you plan the evening — the guests arrive before the guest of honour, and the first course is served when the surprise lands.
Yes — a surprise dinner can be at a cottage or holiday rental, up to 2 hours from Toronto, including Muskoka, the Kawarthas and the Blue Mountains. Tell us the location when you plan the evening.
Tell the chef — the courses are served when the surprise lands, so a late arrival just moves the first course later. We agree the timing with you when you plan the evening.
Message us about a gift for the guest of honour — tell us the occasion and the plan, and we will talk through what is possible.
Yes — a surprise dinner is a private chef evening, so the full Imperial Menu is served: three courses, ten dishes, and each guest picks one appetizer, one main and one dessert.
We agree the timing with you when you plan the evening — when the guests arrive, when the guest of honour arrives, and when the first course should be served. The chef cooks in your kitchen, so the timing follows your plan.
Message us as soon as you know — we will talk through the options with you, including moving the evening to another date.
Message us about splitting the cost — tell us who is organising, and we will confirm how payment works when you book.
Yes — tell us when you plan the evening if you would like the reveal photographed. The questionnaire also asks about food photos, so tell us what you are comfortable with.
The organiser fills in the questionnaire — tastes, allergies with their severity, and dietary needs — so the menu is planned around every guest, including the guest of honour, before the evening.
Yes — tell us the plan, the cover story and who knows, and we will help you plan the reveal, including when the first course should reach the table.
Tell us in the questionnaire — the menu is built around the guest of honour's tastes, and the Imperial Menu is Persian fine dining with dishes every guest can enjoy. If there are dishes to avoid, tell us when you plan the evening.
Usually not — the questionnaire asks about your kitchen, so the chef arrives prepared. If your house needs a visit first, message us when you plan the evening.
That cannot happen — the surprise is planned with the organiser, and the guest of honour does not know. If the guest of honour contacts us, we will play along and message you.
That is your call — some organisers tell the other guests, and some keep the whole table in the dark. Tell us who knows when you plan the evening, and we will play along.
The cover story is the reason the guest of honour comes to the table — an ordinary dinner, a quiet night in, or whatever you choose. Tell us the story when you plan the evening, and we will play along.
Tell us in the questionnaire — it asks about diets, including vegetarian and gluten-free, and the menu is planned around every guest, including the guest of honour.
Message us about a cake for the guest of honour — tell us the occasion and the plan, and we will talk through what is possible.
Tell us your date, the occasion and the plan — we confirm availability and plan the evening with you, in secret.
Email arashafshan@gmail.comCall 647-463-8204