O.k., so here is my dilema. I am wanting to start this PC venture so bad, it's eating away at my insides! The problem is that I fear I will not be able to drum up clients. I live in a city with a population of about 170,000. I know I could market myself, but there are a couple of other businesses that could get in my way. There is a place here you can go to and assemble your meals and take them home to cook. I was told you could prepare a month worth of meals with sides for about $270. There are also people who are charging $25 a night to deliver a cooked complete meal to your home Monday through Friday. I wonder if this person is cooking out of a commercial kitchen. I suppose he/she is able to charge less because his clients are all getting the same meal every night and he prepares in bulk. I just wonder if there will be people out there who will want to pay for that extra personal service and really feel that they are being taken care of. Please, I need words of encouragement because I so want to do this and I love to cook for people. . . I just want it to be worth it for both me and the client.
First off "ruthless" you don't have in your profile where you are located. It is rather difficult to give specifics if we don't know where you are.
Also, you mention 'supper clubs'...they are far different than waht a personal or private chef does. They have 'stations' at a site that you take RAW ingredients, with cooking instructions...still far different than what we do.
Feel free to email me at any time & I will be glad to help guide you in your career dream.chefjackie6@ayhoo.com please put in the subj line...APPCA forum...so I won't get it lost in the spam stuff.
Hi Ruthless. I am in Chesterfield, VA and I am going to become a personal chef. I am saving money to buy the course and join the APPCA. There are already 4 personal chefs in my area and I know there is at least 1 "meal assembly" place. I'm not too worried about that because I can create healthy meals for clients and be flexible to their needs. I do have a question for the chefs already working. Chesterfield is near Richmond, VA. Can the area handle another personal chef?
I am located in Amarillo, TX and I have tried to search for PCs in my city and have only come up with one. I did contact her for advice and a little mentoring. What I was surprised to hear was that her clients weren't interested in the frozen meals. They were more interested in the freshly cooked meals. She hasn't had much luck marketing her business, but then again I think she is only going by word of mouth. . .which should be good marketing tool, right? I don't think that I will have difficulty getting clients, I just want to be able to let them know how much more I will be providing for them. Thanks for the advice.
Word of mouth can make or break anyone. It doesn't matter what industry. I worked in the apartment industry for years beginning as an adm assistant and ending as property manager. I used to do a lot of marketing. Apartment communities are great places to get the word out. A lot of times they have newsletters that go out to residents once a month. Sometimes they even give move in packets to new residents. That is a great place to be featured! You could do a flyer and maybe a coupon or do a magnet. In all the years that I worked in the industry no one ever advertised a personal chef service...just restaurants and pizza places. Now before you think I'm ancient..I'm 34 lol. But I was in the apartment industry for almost 7 years I have a friend who is in the process of marketing her business. She is doing balloons etc for special occaisons and delivering them. We are going to share each other's marketing collateral to double our marketing for just the cost of a flyer or a brochure. Sometimes you have to be a little creative..but word of mouth can be like gold
Thanks for the help. I feel better about getting started. BTW, You're not ancient. . .heck I'm not ancient and I'm two years older than you. Good luck to you
Thanks! I cant wait to get started but I have to save some money first. My husband is really excited and supportive of my decison to become a personal chef. He is working as an independent contractor right now with his company. He is going to become an employee shortly to get health insurance for us. My father-in-law is all excited too. I will finally love my job. Its about time I guess! My first step is the course. I wish you the best of luck too!
That's important to have your husband's support. I have my hubby's support too. I'm trying to save my money to get to Dallas in June. I really can't wait!!!!!!! I wonder if we can start practicing on our family and friends. I want to be so good at it, people will want to use me forever.
Practice makes perfect! I have friends that are already asking to be in on the practice cook dates/recipe tests lol My husband played golf with some of his buddies from college yesterday. One of them is a doctor in residency. His wife is going to visit her mom for a week and he wanted me to cook!
I have a friend who is in the process of marketing her business. She is doing balloons etc for special occaisons and delivering them. We are going to share each other's marketing collateral to double our marketing for just the cost of a flyer or a brochure. Sometimes you have to be a little creative..but word of mouth can be like gold 
