Is hiring a private chef expensive? 

This is a question many people tend to ask and I could understand why. If you are considering hiring a private chef, use this checklist to make sure you are paying in the typical price range. With a private chef however, it is just like anything else we buy as consumers, you are going to get what you pay for! If you are planning to hire a private chef you should ask yourself a few questions first to have an idea of how your needs can influence your cost. 

How many people will your chef be cooking for? 

This is clearly something that can make your cost fluctuate. Is your chef cooking for a family of 5 or are you that busy "on the go" couple that just wants lunch and dinner taken care of? You are typically paying someone by the hour or they will give you a flat rate based on an estimated amount of time they will spend cooking your food. Cooking breakfast lunch and dinner for a family of 5 takes much more time than cooking dinner for a couple. 

Do you have any special diet requirements? 

It is your private chef's job to know and understand how to accommodate a special diet, especially if someone has allergies, etc. If you are looking for an organic only or vegan menu as an example, that will influence the cost of your groceries for special ingredients, and most likely make your cost more expensive.

Is this a short term or long term need? 

Usually a chef will work with you based on your needs but their time is valuable. Hiring someone to cook for a 2 week vacation might be more expensive than hiring them for an entire season. With our business being in South Florida a large portion of our customers are seasonal and only hire us for 3-6 months at a time. 

What should my private chef be doing for me? 

Your chef will interview you to understand what type of food you like and put together weekly dishes based off of that. On a weekly basis everything tends to be turn key for the customer. They do all of the grocery shopping, come to your home on scheduled cooking days, prepare everything fresh, box and label all of the food with heating instructions, do all of the cleaning, and voila! You have a freshly cooked, personalized, healthy meals waiting for you and your family. 

How much does it cost? 

Now that you know some of the common reasons that effect the cost of hiring a private chef, lets dive into the common costs. Usually you are looking in the price range of $50-$100/hour in most cases. The $50/hr range chef will probably get you what you need but expect the quality of food to be on the average side. If you are looking for a high quality private chef expect to pay $100/hr or more. That good old saying couldn't be more true, if you want quality you have to pay for it! Don't expect to get Gordon Ramsay for the cost of a bag of peanuts just because they have the title of private chef. 

There is a lot to consider when hiring someone that gets to know you on such a personal level. After all, food is often the way to most people's hearts! Don't put too much pressure on yourself about making the right decision, any good chef will offer to cook you a meal before deciding. Hope you find this helpful! Subscribe to the blog to get our take on some important topics surrounding the culture of food and keeping your belly satisfied.