If you have never hired a private chef before, the idea can feel harder to picture than it actually is. People imagine a stranger taking over their kitchen for an evening and are not sure what they are supposed to do, ask, or prepare. Here is what the evening actually looks like, start to finish, and how to book one the first time without guessing.
Before the day: what we need from you
Booking starts with a short conversation, not a form. We ask about your guest count, any allergies or dietary restrictions at the table, the occasion, and roughly what you have in mind for food. From there we build a menu using our library of over seven hundred recipes, send it over for you to react to, and adjust until it is right. Nothing is locked in until you are comfortable with it.
You do not need to buy groceries. We do the shopping and bring everything with us.
The day of
Our chefs arrive early enough to set up, prep, and get organized without rushing, well before your first guest walks in. We bring our own tools where it helps, and we work around your kitchen rather than asking you to work around us. If your kitchen is small, that is not a problem we have not solved before, we adapt the plan to the space.
Once the meal starts, the pace is up to you. Some evenings want a chef who chats with the table between courses. Others want the kitchen quiet and the focus on the guests. We read the room.
After the last course
The part people are usually most surprised by: we clean everything. Counters wiped, dishes washed, the kitchen reset to how we found it. You are not staring at a sink full of pots after your guests leave.
How to hire a personal chef, step by step
- Reach out with your date and rough headcount. The inquiry form takes a minute, and the earlier the better for weekends, since those go first.
- Tell us about allergies and dietary needs up front, not the week of. It changes the menu we build, not just a substitution we make on the night.
- Look at the menu we send and react honestly. These are suggestions to get you started, not a final answer. If you like it, great. If not, tell us and we keep going until it is right.
- Confirm the headcount and any service staff you need. For parties over eight guests we bring service staff so every course arrives together.
- Show up and host. That is the whole job on your end.
What it costs
Tailored dining runs $135 per person with a $510 minimum. Dinner for two is $425. Food is billed as its own line, since ingredients for a five-course dinner vary a lot by what is on the menu. Our honest guide to private chef pricing breaks down where the money actually goes if you want the full picture before you call.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I hire a personal chef?
For a weekend date, a few weeks ahead is safer than a few days. Weeknight dates are usually easier to find room for on shorter notice.
What should I ask before hiring a private chef?
Ask what is included in the price, whether groceries are part of it, how allergies are handled, and whether service staff comes with larger parties. If a chef cannot answer those clearly, that is worth noticing.
Do I need to buy groceries or provide any equipment?
No. We shop and bring what we need. If your kitchen has an oven and counter space, it works.
What does a private chef cost per meal?
It depends on the menu and the guest count, since food is billed separately from the chef’s time. A tailored dinner for four and the same dinner for ten price out differently, mostly because of ingredients. Ask for a quote against your actual guest list rather than a flat number, since a flat number would be a guess.
Is tipping expected?
It is appreciated but never required. We price the service to stand on its own.
What if I only want this once, not a monthly thing?
Most of what we do is exactly that, a single dinner for an occasion. Weekly meal prep is a separate service for people who want it ongoing, but one-time bookings are the majority of our work.
Who actually cooks?
One of our chefs, working from a menu Chef Dan Ninerell sets and to the standard he holds every chef on the team to.
Ready to book?
We have over 100 five-star Google reviews and have replied to every one we have received. Tell us about your evening and we will send you a menu to react to.
