4 Tips On Hiring A Personal Or Private Chef

Every busy, career-driven man and woman is aware that eating healthy food is one of the keys in battling pressures in the workplace and struggles at home.

Nourishing food boosts our energy, keeps us strong, and gives us that extra “edge”. However, when life becomes busy we tend to neglect nutritious and healthy meals.

Time and health are some of the most important things in life. Cooking might not be your strength, or your kitchen might not be equipped for delicious, nutritious meals, or at the end of the day, it might simply just take too much time to think about what to feed the family. Did you ever consider that hiring a private or personal chef might be a good idea?

Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna, Jim Carrey, and Marc Jacobs are known for hiring private chefs. Beyond celebrity means, private and personal chef services are now growing in many parts of the world. Before, it was only available as an elite service in luxury households but today, having a private or personal chef is much more accessible and affordable. In fact, according to the American Personal and Private Chef Association, these services are in high-demand and expected to double in the next five years.

Furthermore, with many of the middle-class families in the Middle East and Asia hiring domestic help to cook and clean, there is a growing demand for private and personal gourmet chefs.

“In parts of Asia, business executives are also hiring private chefs for one-off meetings and events,” said Crystal Chua, owner of My Private Chef, a Singapore-based agency that allows customers to hire chefs for one-off corporate dinners.

Interested to dive in more? If you are one of these busy professionals, or a company executive who’s planning to host a private event, or are simply someone who wants to provide healthy meals for your family, read on. This article was written to help you decide on hiring personal and private chefs who will match your specific dietary criteria.

Personal Chef VS. Private Chef

First, let’s differentiate between a personal chef and a private chef. Most people confuse these two terms, thinking that they are the same. A private chef is not the same as a personal chef.

A private chef’s job is to work exclusively and full-time for one family. Some private chefs are required to live in the house of their employer/ family as they are expected to show up to cook all day, every day. The family may also bring their private chef with them on their travels.

On the other hand, a personal chef can work for multiple families, and can have more freedom. The chef cooks four to five meals for four to five clients per week. They can either deliver the food to the family, or cook in the household, as well as restock their kitchen. Unlike a private chef who prepares a fresh meal every night, a personal chef’s job is done once all dishes are prepared, ready for any reheating. A personal chef can also cater to various private dining events.

Why Hire

There’s a huge distinction between a private or personal personal chef compared to a household cook. Personal or private chefs have more advanced food sanitation and preparation training. These professionals not only satisfy our taste buds by preparing different cuisines, but also understand dietary needs. Consider them as chefs with nutritional knowledge.

They are responsible for costing of the ingredients, product searching, providing their utmost service to their clients, and menu planning. The menu is tailored to the client’s wants and needs. Every meal is cooked exclusively for an individual or a family, and freshly made from scratch.

What to Look For

Looking for a private or personal chef might be a daunting task. So before you look for one in your area, here are the things to consider when hiring a private or personal chef, to make sure you experience the best service that these professionals have to offer.

1. Personality – Just as the food should match your preferences, the chef should match your personality. Look for a friendly, patient, trustworthy chef. Being knowledgeable and attentive to your needs is definitely a make or break ultimatum. Privacy is also a big thing, especially for private chefs, as they will need to understand and respect your lifestyle, health concerns, or any medical prescription.

2. Reputation – Look over their culinary background. Which cuisines are they good at? Ask for references of some of the clients that they have worked with. Although not mandatory, you can also check if they are a member of organizations like the American Personal and Private Chef Association, or the United States Personal Chef Association. These associations serve as a training and certifying body, dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of personal chefs.

3. Food Quality And Taste – A personal or private chef must always be ready to provide you the best quality ingredients. Do you prefer organic or natural food? Perhaps you can ask them where they buy their products. When still in the initial process of negotiation, you can also ask for a food tasting session before making your decision.

4. Budgeting – Last but not least, hiring a chef within your budget is a huge factor. Payment for the chef is separate from the ingredients menu. A private chef is much more expensive than a personal chef, as private chefs are required to work for you full time.

Pricing can be confusing, and this will depend on your negotiations. You can ask them these simple questions:

What can you do on my budget?

How much will I need to spend for the type of meals or cuisines that I want?

Does this package include servers and cleaning? What does this package consist of?

It takes two to tango. Negotiations are a must before officially hiring your own personal and private chef. It will take time, but screening people who can understand your value, your lifestyle, your reputation, and your needs are definitely worth it.

Pauliina Salmenhaara hosts private dining events at her residence in Bali as well as at Twin Peaks in Singapore. To find out more, contact her at [email protected].

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