See what it's like to eat a meal prepared by one of NJ's top private chefs

If you use YouTube, TikTok or Hulu, you've already heard of Joshua Walbolt. At the mere age of 29, the young chef has made waves on popular food television programs and social media platforms, most recently taking a top three spot on Hulu's "Secret Chef." If you're not active on streaming services, however, here's some quick background information to bring you up to date.

Walbolt is a fine-dining chef who was born and raised in Minneapolis. In 2019, after winning the Twin Cities Rising Star Chef Award, the millennial chef and his wife — pastry chef Jennalyn Walbolt — landed positions at Eleven Madison Park, then the best restaurant in the world according to The World's 50 Best Restaurants, and were thrilled to work in its lauded kitchen.

Until COVID hit — and the restaurant closed.

Launching a 'globally-inspired' private chef service in NJ

The Walbolts were suddenly confined to the stoves and ovens of their condo in Union. The unexpected lockdown, however, quickly revealed itself to be more of a blessing than a curse, when Josh, (thanks to newfound free time) began to make home-cooking videos that started trending on TikTok. With cameras, a production crew and the encouragement of social media, he began filming auditions for television shows. Before long, his entertaining content and innovative flavor pairings landed him a spot on David Chang's "Secret Chef."

Opening a private chef company in North Jersey

Although Eleven Madison Park eventually reopened, neither Josh nor Jennalyn chose to return to the world of fine-dining. Instead, the pair opted to open LoveFoodMore LLC., a private chef company committed to serving globally-inspired fare to the wealthy residents of New Jersey (and beyond) at their homes and parties.

With dishes such as Green Curry Crab Tortellini and Korean Chicken and Waffles with pepper-jack mornay sauce, LoveFoodMore is guided by the mantra of "introducing international flavors through familiar dishes."

And, eating those dishes? Top athletes and loaded businessmen. The cost of that service? Anywhere from $150 to $450 and beyond.

The other day, I visited the couple's home to indulge in a three-course meal by Josh.

Here's what that was like.

Inside the home of a top private chef

It was around 11:15 a.m. when I arrived at the couple's three-story condo. Josh welcomed me into his living space.

After climbing a flight of wooden stairs, I found myself in an open-concept kitchen that doubled as Walbolt's cooking studio. Microphones and lights hung just below the ceiling. Transparent spice containers lined the wall behind them. The set-up resembled a Food Network taping room — but in tiny, diorama form.

As he gathered the ingredients for the meal to come, he explained why he left one of the top restaurants in the world to pursue a career as a private chef.

"I've always loved being creative with food," he said, "And when I was in fine dining, I missed that freedom. When I opened LoveFoodMore, it was a way to be creative again — a way to have fun with food again."

A high-pitched, young voice attempted to count on the floor above us.

"Oh," he said, responding to the noise. "And we also just had two kids. So this lifestyle kind of just works for us right now."

He began to serve me my meal. This is what I ate.

The food

Course 1: Thai Larb Deviled Eggs

The first course Walbolt served me was Thai Larb Deviled Eggs, one of the dishes he prepared on Secret Chef. Featuring a layer of ground chicken and herbs (characteristic of larb) underneath a whipped yolk of a traditional American deviled egg, the dish was a prime example of "international flavors" delivered through "familiar foods." I polished off all three eggs, appreciating the texture and flavors the crumbled chicken provided.

Course 2: Hung Lay Pork Lettuce Wrap with Crispy Garlic

This course featured crunchy spears of romaine lettuce topped with curried pulled pork, rice, herbs and toasted garlic and shallots. Rich and flavorful (but still notably healthy and fresh), it was my favorite dish of the day. I loved the way the grease of the tender pork seeped into the steamed rice below it, and how both sloppily shot out the back of the lettuce each time I bit into them.

Course 3: Hand-Rolled Crab Cappelletti in Green Curry Sauce

One of Walbolt's signature dishes, the Green Curry Cappelletti with crab, was originally created by him after he was hired (at only 23) as the chef de cuisine at Lat 14 in Minneapolis. Creamy, indulgent and intelligently spiced, my favorite thing about this course was its thick green curry sauce — especially when it inserted itself into every crevice of the hand-folded pasta.

Hungry for some high-end, 'globally-inspired' fare?

As I finished my three-course, internationally-inspired meal, I thought about how nice it would be to have the wealth necessary to afford daily lunches and dinners by an in-home chef. But, let's be real, I'm a journalist. I'm not pulling $150 a head for a private meal anytime soon.

So, if you're rolling in the dough and are hungry for some refined, cultural fare, great. You can book Josh (and Jennalyn for dessert service) at their website linktr.ee/LoveFoodMore.

But, if you're a 20-something working on a passion project like me, the couple has a weekly LoveFoodMore booth at the Union Farmers' Market.

AKA, on Thursdays from 1-7 p.m., we ordinary folks can eat like investment bankers.

Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can't find her in Jersey's best restaurants, she's probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, join our NorthJerseyEats Facebook group, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ top private chefs: What it's like to eat their menus