Discussion Forums
for the
Personal Chef Industry

hello,
i am a decent cook in my home. i have been in my grandmas kitchen since i was old enough to stir a sauce. i ran a pizzeria for my cousin for about a year. i also worked delis and stuff. i love to cook. mostly Italian, but i am trying to branch out. i started to collect some text books to help me widen my cooking ability. i am going to most likely be released from my fdny ems job due to a knee injury in the next year. so while i collect disability i thought i would start a catering business. that's how i found this site. pc sounds a lot better than catering.
1- do you think i am right for the pc world? i would need to broaden my dish knowledge.
2- do to money, do i really need to join a organization like this or can i buy your book and take it from there?
3- i was going to try and do the c.i.a's basic boot camp, but after reading some of the forum i don't know if i need to.
and it cast $2,000 to do but the course is intense.
i live in an area were everyone is a commuter to nyc or philly so i think i would do good. just a couple of clients and i would be happy. i keep asking my wife and kids to pay me for my services but you know how that goes.
any info would be great.
thanks for your time.
don riley

IMHO, the cost of the APPCA will repay itself quicker than any culinary training expense.

Why? Because APPCA provides the business, marketing, and support that is ESSENTIAL to augment culinary abilities.

Though extensive cooking skills and familiarity with different types of cuisine can be an added advantage, they are not essential to success as a personal chef. Marketing, business, and accounting ARE essential to success.

Hi Don Riley –

I am sorry to hear about your injured knee, but want to acknowledge you and thank you for the work you have been doing as an EMS for the NYFD. Thank you, thank you for saving lives and calming and supporting the folks you are transporting for emergency medical care. I think you are all angels out there supporting us when we need you, and I am afraid that we often forget to say how much we appreciate what you do.

This association was actually created after an emergency medical incident.

You will probably love owning your personal chef business because you will once again be contributing to the wellbeing and quality of life of your clients – on a little less critical time line, and on a more formal, preplanned schedule. You’ll love it!

Your plan to build your repertoire of recipes so that you have a well-rounded full range of tastes and textures to offer your clients is a good one, and CIA boot camp is a terrific program if it works into your plans. Many of our successful members are not formally trained and are offering their clients healthy, delicious home cooking prepared from fresh ingredients. So the decision to attend CIA boot camp is a decision only you can make.
Learning new technique and expanding your skill set is always a good thing, but don’t let it stop you from getting started.

Your new professional life is an opportunity for you to choose how you want to show up in the world, so choose carefully, and enjoy the process of setting up the next phase of your life. We wish you joy and success.

We’d be happy to assist you in the next phase of your journey and look forward to working with you.
Candy

thanks for the reply and email. i will be joining as soon as i get the funds to, hopefully within the year. i plan as i said before to do this as a side job for a while until i see whats up with my knee. i will purchase your book first and maybe master chef, would be useful in home life as well, to get a jump start. i would love to goto the seminar in jersey but thats the day after my knee op. you guys should come to pa, we have casinos now to spend some of your hard earned pc money and lower my taxes