private chef cooking in the kitchen

The Art of Hiring a Private Chef for Your Home Dining Experience

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Read Time: 4 minutes

Imagine you worked all day, picked the kids up from their activities and have just gotten home to relax when the realisation hits, you have nothing planned for dinner. You´re too tired to cook something yourself but can’t fathom the idea of getting takeout for the third time this week. Life would be a dream if you had a private chef but is it in your budget or worth your time trying to hire someone? This article will help determine if hiring a private chef is the right fit!

Types of Private Chefs

To begin, there are different types of private chefs available to meet your specific needs. Following is an outline of the common types of private chefs to determine which would be the right fit for you and your family! 

Full-Time Chef

To explain, these private chefs typically work a maximum of 6 days a week for 8 to 12 hours a day. They prepare all of the meals for you with a full-service experience. They will meet with you regularly to determine the menu and independently handle the grocery shopping, preparations of the food, serving of the meal and clean-up tasks.   

Part-Time Chef

Meanwhile, these private chefs are similar to full-time chefs with a lessened workload. In similar fashion, they may work only 4 days a week or prepare 1-2 meals per day instead of 3. Additionally, they may only handle the cooking part of the experience while you personally handle the shopping. This option provides a flexible approach for assistance in the kitchen.  

Special Occasions

Finally, bringing in private chefs for special occasions only is another option. Whether it is a family gathering, birthday party or baby shower, these chefs work with you to create a customised menu for your special day.

Culinary Expertise

Moreover, private chefs have a wide variety of culinary expertise to offer. They could be recent graduates from culinary school, Michelin-star chefs or food connoisseurs. Depending on the requirements, you may want to search for a private chef yourself or use a recruitment company who can pair you with the right fit. 

Cost Breakdown

Still unsure if a private chef is a good fit for your lifestyle? Let’s break down the cost! There are many variables that can influence the price you pay for a private chef. For example, the required time and expertise you desire. 

Cost of the Chef

Firstly, most private chefs have an hourly rate, depending on the geographical area and level of experience, between £18 and £25. This also depends on the amount of hours and meals requested of the chef. For instance, the average weekly cost for a private chef five days a week would be £860 (based on 8-hour work days). 

Cost of Groceries

Next, given a budget provided by the family, private chefs will conduct the grocery shopping. You can give the chef specific requirements including:

  • a budget
  • food preferences
  • dietary restrictions
  • allergies
  • the amount of meal to prepare

A typical household in the UK spends around £103 weekly on food with take-out food making up almost 1/3 of that.

Cost of your Time

In addition to getting delicious food, you are also saving valuable time in your day. To have delicious meals ready for you, a weekly meeting with your private chef is all the time necessary . You no longer have to spend your time:

  • planning which meals to make
  • determining the ingredients to buy
  • travelling to the grocery store
  • wandering around looking for the best-priced items
  • cooking the meal
  • and cleaning up afterwards    

Cost of your Health

Finally, your health and well-being are an important factor to consider too. Hiring a private chef helps to improve these facets of life by reducing the stress of meal planning and cooking. Eat out less and have customised meals with the freshest ingredients. Do you want to try a keto diet? No problem, just let your chef know! End up hating that keto diet? Also, no problem, your chef can make the necessary adjustments for you with ease. 

How Can Nomenial Help?

Nomenial is here to help you on your recruitment journey for a private chef. Take the stress away of trying to find a qualified and skilled chef with our assistance. At Nomenial, we pride ourselves on finding the best domestic help for your specific situation. Try a complementary quote to see our competitive pricing options or send us an enquiry to learn more!

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