So, you’re looking to hire a personal chef service to prepare make-ahead meals.  This begs the question: with all the options out there, how do you find the best personal chef service in your area?

One of the main benefits of a personal chef service is the level of customization they can provide and the unique relationship you build with your chef.  That being said, finding the right personal chef is a bit like dating, meaning not every chef is going to be a good fit for you.

Before we dive in, if you’re not familiar with what a personal chef does check out our post: “What Exactly Is A Personal Chef?”

SEARCHING FOR PERSONAL CHEFS ONLINE

Unless a friend or family member has referred you to a company, your first step when researching the best personal chef services in your area will probably entail going to Google.  When doing a web search and examining the websites of various personal chef services, here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Does their website look professional?  An easy to navigate and visually appealing website shows the personal chef company you’re researching takes their business seriously.   Think about it, if their website is bad that probably means they don’t have the money to invest in a nicer page, and they don’t have the money because they struggle to get clients due to poor service.
• Are there testimonials? See if the personal chef service has in-depth testimonials from real clients on their website – videos are even better!  Also look at websites like Facebook and Yelp for client reviews.
• Do their sample menus look appetizing? Most personal chef service websites will have sample menus online to give visitors an idea of the types of meals they specialize in.  While most personal chefs can customize menus for their clients, the sample menus tell you what’s in their wheelhouse.  For example, if the majority of dishes on their menu are Latin-inspired but you’re not interested in that type of cuisine, that particular personal chef might not be the best fit.
• Is there a bio of the chef(s)? Look for a short bio on the owner of the company or their employees. You’ll want some background information on the personal chef coming into your home.
• Do they talk about the cost? A lot of personal chef service websites don’t provide exact pricing information, which is understandable given the customized nature of the service.  However, see if they provide some pricing information (even a range) to give yourself a general idea of what their services would cost you.   For pricing information, look for a Price tab on the website homepage or the FAQ section.

For more information, check out our recent post “What Does A Personal Chef Cost?”

QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING THE CONSULTATION

Once you find a personal chef service you’re interested in, most will contact you to schedule a phone or in-person consultation.  Any professional personal chef company should contact you within 24 hours via phone or email.

A consultation with a personal chef generally takes ~1 hour, and they can answer all your questions at that time.  During the consultation, here are some questions you’ll want to ask the chef if they don’t bring these topics up themselves:

• Do you have liability insurance? This is one of the most important questions to ask a personal chef service – you may even want to request a formal insurance certificate.  Given the nature of the business model, there are many small independent operators that don’t even have a formal business entity established for their personal chef service.  This means they probably aren’t carrying liability insurance, and if they break an appliance or start a fire you’re out of luck.  Any credible personal chef service should be properly insured.
• Do I have to supply pots, pans, and utensils? Some personal chefs bring their own “toolbox” of equipment, while others use what you have on hand.  For most clients, they prefer chefs to bring their own equipment so they don’t have to worry about kitchen supplies being damaged.
• How much do you typically spend at the grocery store? Most personal chef services also provide a grocery shopping service, meaning they’ll pick up the items needed for the meal prep at the grocery store before coming to your home.  And their pricing structure is usually a flat service-fee plus reimbursement for grocery.  Ask what the average amount spent at the store is – for 12 servings of meals you can expect $45-$90 per service.
• How long would you be in my home doing meal prep? There’s a lot of variabilities here, with some chefs taking less than 2 hours to prepare meals while others are in the home 8+ hours.
• Are there any long-term contracts? Some personal chef services don’t have any contracts, while others require a monthly or quarterly contract.  In our experience, the best personal chefs don’t have long-term contracts because they’re confident enough in the services they provide.
• Are you able to accommodate my dietary concerns? If you have a specific diet you’re wanting or needing to follow, ask the chef upfront if they’re familiar with your dietary concern(s) and whether they’d be able to create menus that fit with your nutrition plan.  But remember, a personal chef is not a dietitian and cannot prescribe diets or guarantee their meals will meet certain requirements.
• How much is the service going to cost ME? Once the chef has explained the service and answered your questions, it’s time for them to provide you with cost information based on the information you provided.  There’s a lot of variability with personal chef prices, so do your research ahead of time to see what the going rates are in your area.

AFTER THE CONSULTATION

If you feel comfortable signing up during the consultation, the next step would be scheduling a visit and beginning the service!  As the saying goes “the proof is in the pudding” and the service day confirms whether the personal chef service will be able to live up to their promises.

That being said, keep in mind that personal chefs are offering a service – not a product.  Food is very subjective, and if you don’t like some of the meals provide feedback to your chef so they can change things going forward.  It’s a relationship that takes time to build; they won’t know exactly how you like food prepared for the first visit.

In conclusion, if you ask good questions and do your research, you’ll be one step closer to finding the best personal chef service in your area!

A personal chef is defined as a culinary professional hired by multiple clients to prepare make-ahead meals in the client’s home kitchens, based on their needs and food preferences.  It’s a relatively new type of service that’s gaining in popularity across the US, and provides a lot of value to clients with busy schedules, specific diets, and an appetite for great-tasting meals.

A personal chef is not to be confused with a private chef, which is typically hired by one client to prepare meals daily and is typically reserved for professional athletes, celebrities, and CEOs of the world.  A private chef can cost upwards of $60,000/year, not including the cost of groceries.  Different than a private chef, a personal chef service tends to be more affordable for the average person.   But this still begs the all-important question when researching personal chef services in your area, “WHAT DOES IT COST?”

WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY WITH A PERSONAL CHEF

Before diving into the cost of a personal chef, it’s important to understand what you’re typically getting for your money when you hire a personal chef service to handle make-ahead meal preparation.

1. First, your personal chef will plan a customized menu for you based on your suggestions, dietary concerns, and unique food preferences.  Many personal chefs will involve you in the process of creating a menu, so it’s very collaborative.
2. Second, your chef will procure the freshest ingredients possible for the service at a local grocery store, farmer’s market, or other food vendors.  Many times, you can even have your chef pick up some additional items at the store that you need, like milk or eggs.
3. Once they finish shopping, your personal chef will bring the ingredients to your home and begin the meal preparation process.  Some personal chefs will bring their own equipment (pots, pans, utensils, etc.), while others choose to use the clients.  The cooking process takes anywhere from 2 – 5 hours in the home and the time spent in the home depends on the type of meals selected, number of meals being prepared, and the unique style of the chef.  If the client is home during the service, it’s not uncommon to pull up a chair and chat with the chef while they cook.  It’s something most clients look forward to each service day!
4. Once the cooking process is complete, the chef will package the meals in plastic or glass containers, label them, and store them in the fridge or freezer.
5. Then comes one of the most important steps: cleaning the kitchen!  Most personal chefs take great pride in their workspace, and will diligently clean your kitchen – often leaving it even cleaner than they found it.
6. Finally, if you’re a regular client, the chef will sit down and begin discussing a menu for the next service.  Some personal chefs will plan the next menu in entirety at the end of the visit, while others may choose to communicate with their clients via phone or email.

Most clients will have their personal chef come to their home weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

WHAT DOES A PERSONAL CHEF COST?

As you can imagine, there’s a lot of variabilities when it comes to the rates charged by a personal chef.  Some charge an hourly rate, others charge a fixed rate that includes grocery, but the most common pricing structure you’ll see is a fixed rate for the service (depending on the number of meals selected) plus the cost of groceries.  For the purposes of this article, we’ll be looking at the fixed service plus grocery-pricing model.

To start, let’s examine the service fee, which does not include the food cost.  We’re also going to look at the average price for 12 servings of meals, which represents an average number of servings/meals prepared during a personal chef visit.  You can usually have your personal chef prepare additional servings of each meal, which would increase the service charge slightly, but of course lowers the cost per meal.

Based on our research of dozens of personal chef services throughout the US, the service cost to have a personal chef prepare 12 servings of meals (typically 4 or 6 different entrees) ranges from $100-$400.  The median is around $200, with prices being a bit higher in large metro areas – LA, New York, Chicago, Miami, etc.  Chefs charging in the $300-$400 range are typically in large urban areas, are highly acclaimed, and have years of experience in high-end restaurants.

Typically the lower cost personal chef services in the $100-$150 price range are part of a larger franchise network or have a team of chefs working for one business so they can benefit from economies of scale.  Our company, Chefs For Seniors, is one example but there are a few other similar services such as Dinner Elf in Austin, TX.  Sole proprietor personal chefs tend to charge those higher prices, but often struggle to attract clients and keep them long-term.  Clients may think of higher-end personal chefs as more of a luxury service, rather than filling a need on a weekly basis.  Personal chef services in the lower price range tend to have larger client bases (some may even have 100’s of clients), and it’s sustainable for the client’s budget to keep their personal chef around for a long time.

When it comes to grocery costs for ~12 servings of meals, a lot of that is up to you.  Most personal chefs will discuss a grocery budget with you to get an idea of what you’re willing to spend and for the average client, you can expect anywhere from $45-$90 in food cost per service.  If you want organic, kosher, or high-end ingredients you can expect to pay more.

Overall, when you think about the time you save and the amazing meals you get when you hire a personal chef service, it can be a reasonably priced solution for a lot of people.  To find a personal chef in your area, visit the United States Personal Chef Association website: https://www.uspca.com/.  They provide certification and training guides for personal chefs across the US.  Or visit chefsforseniors.com to see if we offer services in your area!