5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Personal Chef
Every Personal Chef operates a little differently, which means there are a lot of decisions to make when it comes to hiring one at your home. Some Chefs only prepare vegan cuisine while others serve traditional meat and potatoes. Many chefs here in the Salt Lake Valley specialize in high end catering because of Park City being nearby. Then, there are the chefs like me that specialize in culinary medicine.
Whatever your goals may be, it is important to find a chef who is the perfect match for you. After all, the best part of having a Personal Chef is that you can have them cater to your food needs and make everything the way you like it. So where do you start when you’re ready to take the next step in hiring a personal chef?
The Difference between a Private Chef and Personal Chef
Private chefs are usually cooking for one client and available to them any or most days of the week. A private chef may be in the clients home every day, and put meals hot on the table. They charge a much higher price because they work long hours, have to be ready to serve a meal when the family wants it and they do not work for anyone else. Private chefs usually get paid a salary.
A personal chef tends to cook for clients once a week, which means they go to multiple houses over the week. They make meals for the entire week in that one day and fill the fridge. The clients then heat the dishes up when they want to. This is what most of us chefs do. Each chef will have a service package, or an amount of meals they can make in a day which corresponds with a price. Most personal chefs charge for the size of your service plus the cost of the groceries.
Where to look for a personal chef
Social media can be a great place to ask for a referral, do you belong to any local mom groups, or a neighborhood group. Ask them if they have any recommendations.
Start with a Google search with the words “Personal Chef “cityname, statename” (enter your local county area).
The 5 Questions to Ask a Personal Chef
Make sure you are asking the right questions so that you can find the person that matches your preferences.
Where (and How Often) Do You Cook?
Most personal chefs do the cooking in their clients’ homes. This way, the chef is completely focused on you and your family, and not making dishes for other people simultaneously. If you have a very specific diet, this also helps to ensure that no "off limit" foods get added in accidentally. This might be something you need if you can’t eat nuts, or salt, or something that may make you sick if there is cross contamination.
Some chefs cook from a central kitchen and deliver. This became much more common after 2020 when many of our clients were afraid to have us in their houses. So many chefs found a way to pivot and cook from a commercial kitchen and deliver to their clients. If you prefer to have your meals delivered, make sure to ask the chef where they will do their cooking.
Can you customize the menus to my needs?
If you’re hiring a Personal Chef to cook just for you, my guess is you’ll want them to take your likes, dislikes and dietary restrictions into consideration. This is especially true if you’re recovering from an illness or receiving medical treatment, such as chemotherapy.
The clients who come to me want healing foods and a menu plan that works for their body and individual needs. Be sure to ask this question, and get specific with what ingredients you cannot have. Most chefs are very skilled at creating delicious foods and know how to substitute ingredients, but if you have a food allergy, you will want to know that they have some experience cooking that way.
Do you offer nutritional consulting or other services?
In addition to dinner, maybe you need healthy breakfasts, nut-free snacks or green juices. Or perhaps you need help navigating your symptoms and food allergies. If you are looking for someone with a nutrition background too, ask them if they have any certifications, or if they have cooked any restrictive diets before. Even if a chef has never completed a nutrition certification doesn’t mean they haven’t learned a lot from their past clients.
Can I give input into your menus?
Ask your chef how they come up with their weekly menus and if you can give feedback before your weekly cook day. Ask if they have a regular habit of sharing the menu that week before they shop and arrive at your house. That way you can see what they have planned and make any substitutions.
Personal Chefs get to know your tastes and preferences and you can trust them to create flavorful menus for you, especially once they have been with you for a few months. It should also be ok to give them small changes for some things, for example if you just had salmon over the weekend and they have a similar salmon dish planned for that week.
What is the cost?
If you’re used to going out to dinner, you probably know that restaurant costs are astronomical. If you opt for organic or high-end cuisine, the price only goes up. Our meals come out to about $40-$45/serving, but what you get in return is priceless (because you can’t put a dollar amount on your health). You get our honest commitment to helping you feel better in your body. I don’t know any restaurant offering that! And you will always know what went into your meals.
Benefits of Hiring a Personal Chef
Whether your goal is to lose weight, recover from surgery or get healthy food on the table (without the stress), you are looking for someone to help you get those results. Having a Personal Chef means you now have a partner in making sure how you eat, supports your health goals. For example, we help people reduce inflammation, clear up congestion, boost energy, mindfully heal and eat their greens—without having to lift a finger!
Looking for a Personal Chef?
There are many ways you can search for the right chef near you.
Check out Hire-A-Chef.com, the directory listing of the USPCA (United States Personal Chef Association). Chefs are listed by state on their website so you can search in your area.
If you are looking for a health-focused chef, you can search for graduates of health-centered culinary schools. My school has since closed, but you can still put “Natural Gourmet Culinary School” in your search for chefs near you. There is also a health-centered program at The Institute for Culinary Education, in NYC and LA. That’s another school to look for graduates of.
