A private chef turned the Coachella Valley into his personal kitchen during the festival's opening weekend, earning a staggering $11,000 by catering to a roster of influencers and VIPs.
Chef Croux Koplin, along with a six-person team, navigated between luxurious desert estates and influencer-packed homes, securing three major catering gigs that showcased both his culinary skill and business savvy.
"At Coachella, it’s not just the artists getting paid—the chefs are eating, too!" Koplin remarked, highlighting the lucrative opportunities that exist beyond the festival stages.
His first assignment was a marathon engagement cooking for 15 to 17 German influencers across three private homes from Wednesday through Monday. The menu featured elevated brunch classics like huevos rancheros, quiche, and prosciutto with asparagus.
The chef's visibility during this gig led to an impromptu booking. A homeowner, observing Koplin's team in action, approached them mid-service and secured their services for an immediate event.
Koplin also catered a 23-person brunch at a private Indio estate, attended by former Disney star Kyle Massey. Guests enjoyed fresh-baked fruit tarts, pastry puffs, and premium steak cuts.
Another nearby estate hired him for a 20-person spread featuring truffle scrambled eggs, goat cheese eggs, French toast, chicken apple sausage, hickory bacon, Mediterranean grilled vegetables, and a homemade feta whip dip.
The successful weekend demonstrates how Coachella has evolved beyond music into a full-scale luxury experience where private chefs can command premium rates for catering to the festival's elite attendees.