Coachella 2026 High Steaks Weekend 1 ... Chef Serves VIPs, Banks $11K

Published April 14, 2026 5:00 PM PDT | Updated April 14, 2026 5:53 PM PDT

Chef Croux Koplin isn’t just cooking up a storm at Coachella … he’s cashing in big time!

The private chef tells TMZ he and his tight-knit crew of six -- including another chef, an assistant and three helpers -- pulled in a sizzling $11K during the first weekend … all while bouncing between luxe desert estates and influencer-packed homes.

Croux says he locked down three separate gigs … starting with a marathon booking to cook for 15 to 17 German influencers from Wednesday through Monday across three different private homes.

On the menu were brunch staples turned bougie ... think huevos rancheros, quiche, and prosciutto with asparagus.

But that was just the appetizer.

He also catered a 23-person brunch at a private estate in Indio -- with none other than former Disney star Kyle Massey in attendance -- serving up fresh-baked fruit tarts, pastry puffs, and steak for the VIP crowd.

Another nearby estate brought in Croux for a 20-person spread, where things got even more decadent … guests feasted on truffle scrambled eggs, goat cheese eggs, French toast, chicken apple sausage, hickory bacon, Mediterranean grilled veggies, and a homemade feta whip dip.

And get this ... one of those gigs basically came out of nowhere. Croux says a homeowner saw his crew in action while they were cooking for the German influencers … flagged down one of his team members mid-shift, and locked them in for a booking right then and there.

At Coachella, it’s not just the artists getting paid -- the chefs are eating, too!