Private Dining
& Culinary Experiences
by Chef Kayla Elias
ABOUT CHEF KAYLA
Food has always been my love language. I grew up experimenting in the kitchen, inspired by the flavors of my Syrian heritage. Though I once followed a more traditional path in the corporate world, it was in the kitchen – baking pita and preserving my family’s recipes – where I found my true calling.
I completed my formal training at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, one of the world’s leading farm-to-table programs. There, on the school’s 100-acre organic farm, I expanded my repertoire and gained confidence in the kitchen, but also developed a deep understanding of the full lifecycle of food. From soil health and harvesting produce to milking cows, making cheese and yogurt, butchery, and fermentation, it was an immersive experience that shaped my approach to ingredient-driven, seasonal cooking.
Now back home in Truckee, I’m deeply committed to sourcing ingredients locally and seasonally whenever possible, working closely with nearby farms and producers to highlight the best of what our region has to offer.
Through Chef Lulu’s, I blend my Middle Eastern roots with a thoughtful, ingredient-first approach – creating not just meals, but experiences that bring people together. Whether it’s an intimate dinner, group celebration, or a larger gathering, my goal is to craft moments that feel personal, memorable, and rooted in the stories behind every dish.
HONORING FAMILY,
FEEDING YOURS.
OFFERINGS
The Tahoe dining scene can be inconvenient – and at times downright unapproachable – for larger groups. After a long day on the slopes or out on the lake, the last thing anyone wants is to navigate a crowded restaurant. That’s the beauty of what we do. We bring the entire experience to you – handling everything from prep to beautifully set tables, complete with printed menus – so you and your guests can gather, relax, and enjoy an exceptional meal in the comfort of your home. When the evening winds down, we take care of the cleanup too, leaving your kitchen even better than we found it.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
LULU'S KITCHEN
Laurice – lovingly nicknamed “Lulu” (meaning pearl in Arabic) by her husband, Elie – was my great aunt and the closest person I had to a grandmother. When I moved to Lebanon during college, Laurice and Elie welcomed me into their home in East Beirut, offering not just a room, but a connection to a culture whose roots had begun to fade after my family’s assimilation in the United States.
Laurice lived through the Lebanese Civil War and, like most Lebanese, carried the quiet weight of that experience – but you would never have known. Her resilience was expressed not through words, but through the way she lived: with joy, grace, and an unwavering generosity of spirit. Her cooking reflected that strength – creative yet simple, abundant yet unpretentious, always rooted in a deep love for nourishing others.
In her kitchen, I found the heart of my heritage. She taught me the family recipes – a duty that would have traditionally belonged to my grandmother, her older sister – and with each dish, she passed down more than technique. She shared stories, history, and a way of life defined by love and endurance. I would sit and watch her move gracefully through the kitchen, cooking by instinct, by memory, and by heart. Those moments shaped me. Chef Lulu’s is my tribute to her – to her warmth, resilience, and the enduring legacy of food as love.
A SMALL COLLECTION OF MY WORK
![Hot [un]Crossed Buns [and loaf]](https://scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/645847905_18085833041238747_4975612273368164176_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=RNd3RscJAMsQ7kNvwHPAx0h&_nc_oc=AdoQcblGf4UaVNMKok_J7tV1VFVM2lLvdiggt3t9gRVSVS04KhNnctHVAF_D0QVNVNw&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=LYyZrxthvQsIMqddGmqsSg&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQH8rY3nR_GNbwIrdLGvSlGt4W0-RVFz8touJDmXXUVte9p7wFzcMTht5pznIJ3w6CqGZC-AyeyM&oh=00_Af_lk5QftEOjgSxZ4b0BpPxQwdvRVA1ELYqsrQXEfyPp_A&oe=6A256EEF)
