Personal Chefs: The Ultimate in Luxury and Nutrition

Personal Chefs:

Most high net-worth families are used to dining in the most elegant and exclusive restaurants at home and around the world. Some of them have taken the next step into self-care and selfindulgence by bringing a personal chef into their household. This role is filled by a skilled culinary professional able to fill their employer’s daily and entertaining needs, often tailoring recipes to each family member’s nutritional needs as well as their taste buds. Those with food allergies or sensitivities can especially benefit from this, but anyone who seeks a more nutritionally balanced diet can see dramatic improvements in how they feel and function. A personal chef may be shared with several families, often coming in on a particular day or days of the week to prep

THE ULTIMATE IN LUXURY AND NUTRITION meals for the next several days, while a private chef is retained exclusively by one household to prepare up to three meals a day, and their own housing might be part of their compensation. Chefs and cooks able to meet this job description are rare talents in the kitchen but also know how to source the highestquality ingredients, deal with varied family schedules, manage any other kitchen staff, handle plating and tablescaping for special occasions and partner with a nutritionist when needed. Most often, such chefs are simply found via Google, by client referrals, through placement agencies and professional groups including the American Private and Personal Chef Association or the U.S. Personal Chefs Association. A few pointers for hiring a personal or private chef: • Lay out your expectations for having a chef regarding you or your family’s personal preferences, dietary requirements, desire to sample different cuisines, your frequency and level of entertaining, whether you want the chef to travel with you or feed your pets and other lifestyle choices.

• Learn about your potential hire’s background, experience, their passions within the culinary field and their ability to work with others on your staff or medical providers.

• Ask them to provide sample menus based on your palate, health concerns, preferences for entertaining, etc.