11 Tips to Plan the Best Birthday Celebration at Home
Updated: Nov 17, 2022
Every year millions of people get excited when their birthday falls on a Friday or Saturday. A Friday or Saturday birthday usually means dinner at a nice restaurant surrounded by your nearest and dearest friends. But yet billions of people have their birthday fall on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday! What to do when you want to celebrate a at home? The Chef & The Dish private cooking classes with chefs around the world make for a wonderful birthday celebration. Here are 11 tips to plan the best birthday celebration at home.
Psst: Don't miss scavenger hunt ideas and how to say birthday in multiple languages at the bottom of the article.
Plan Something Special
Does your wife love pasta? Maybe you visited Thailand and your husband can't get that green curry off his mind? Select a cooking class that speaks to your loved one, be it their favorite meal or destination. With classes offered by chefs who live in Italy, Thailand, Mexico, Morocco, Spain and more international destinations, you'll have the best Taco Tuesday birthday north of Mexico.
Let us in on the Secret
When you book your birthday cooking class, you'll meet with one of our Kitchen Assistants to get ready. Let your Kitchen Assistant know about your loved one's birthday. We will let your chef know to make it a special birthday class. If you have any special requests, just let us know. Our chefs are happy to buy a little dessert and light candles from their home country, alongside you, in the class.

Start the Birthday with a Secretive Card
Make a day of it! Give your birthday girl or guy a card that suggests you're going to have an amazing birthday at home. Suggest the cooking class or destination without giving away the surprise. If you chose a Thai class, write "let's Thai one on!" or if you're heading to Italy for a class, start the card with "Mi Amore". Heading to Spain for a Spanish birthday celebration? Wish your loved one a ¡feliz cumpleaños!
**See our whole list of how to say Happy Birthday in your chef's language at the bottom of this article
Have a Day Long Scavenger Hunt
A fun idea for a birthday at home is to give clues to find throughout the day. Send a text message during lunch that starts a scavenger hunt. For a Vietnamese cooking class perhaps you tell your loved one "Something smells fishy! Find an ingredient made with fish in the fridge and follow the next steps!" Put a note on the fish sauce with the next clue and instructions... "This country is the world's second largest exporter of coffee. Respond with your answer to get the next clue." When they respond with Vietnam, have them check the coffee pot for their next clue.
**See our whole list of scavenger hunt clues and questions to get you started at the bottom of this article. Each idea will start a themed scavenger hunt based on the region you choose for the birthday cooking class.
Buy an Authentic Dessert
Keep the birthday theme going with an authentic dessert from the country where your chef will be video calling you from. There are wonderful markets in every city that sell traditional baked goods. Perhaps you're taking a Japanese cooking class, pick up a Japanese cheesecake. If you're taking a Spanish cooking class, buy some churros to enjoy for the birthday dessert.
Don't Forget the Candles
While you're out, make sure to pick up candles. It's a birthday after all!
Give the Gift an Hour Before the Birthday Class Starts
An hour before the birthday cooking class starts, let your loved one know what you're up to! This will give them time to get excited to transport their kitchen! It also gives you time to get ready and enjoy the time preparing together.
RELATED: Highly rated cooking classes for a stay at home birthday celebration
Make a Regional Cocktail
No birthday is complete without a a cocktail. Each of our cooking classes come with suggested wine pairings, cocktail recipes and non-alcoholic drinks native to the chef's country. This is a wonderful way to kick off the birthday celebration!
Enjoy Your Birthday Experience
Once your birthday cooking experience begins, enjoy the time together and with your chef. This is a birthday at home you'll never forget. Two and a half hours with a private chef based in Spain, Vietnam, Turkey and more countries! You'll make a wonderful multiple course meal and one of the best dinners you'll have ever made at home.
Eat Dinner With a Themed Movie
Our cooking classes are virtual travel. Keep the birthday theme going with a themed movie playing in the background. Our Kitchen Assistants and chefs have movie recommendations that will be a perfect way to enjoy your birthday dinner.
End with a Sweet Treat
After dinner, surprise your loved one with that dessert you picked up from the market, and don't forget the candles! It's a wonderful way to end the perfect birthday at home.
RELATED: Cooking Class gifts for for foodies
Do the Dishes
Alas, all birthdays must come to an end. But before it does, make sure the birthday girl or guy wakes up to a clean kitchen. This is your final job to make sure it's the perfect stay at home birthday celebration.

How to Say Happy Birthday in Your Chef's Language
Depending on which country you choose for your birthday cooking experience, it's fun to learn the language of your chef. This is a fun way to build the anticipation for the birthday night at home.
COUNTRY | LANGUAGE | TRANSLATION OF "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" |
Brazilian Birthday | Portuguese | Feliz aniversário! |
Dominican Birthday | Spanish | ¡Feliz cumpleaños! |
Hungarian Birthday | Hungarian | Boldog születésnapot! |
Italian Birthday | Italian | Buon compleanno! |
Moroccan Birthday | Arabic | عيد مولد سعيد! |
| French | Joyeux anniversaire! |
New England Birthday | English | Happy Birthday! |
New Orleans Birthday | English | Happy Birthday! |
Peruvian Birthday | Spanish | ¡Feliz cumpleaños! |
Spanish Birthday | Castilian Spanish | Feliç aniversari! |
| Basque | Zorionak! |
Thai Birthday | Thai | สุขสันต์วันเกิด! |
Turkish Birthday |