A personal chef is a chef who is hired by different clients and prepares meals in the clients’ home kitchens, based on their needs and preferences. The personal chef will create a customised meal plan, shop for all groceries, prepare the meal, and clean up the kitchen. Some personal chefs also focus on preparing dinner parties and other special events, which means they are responsible for shopping, preparing the meal, serving the guests and cleaning up afterwards. The menu is pre-planned and discussed with the client, then prepared in their home.
When hiring a personal chef to provide either a packaged meal service or to cook for a dinner party, a menu and a budget are submitted for the client’s approval. Typically, the chef is given approval, a deposit, or (if familiar with the guest/frequent client) an expense account for the menu.