Discussion Forums
for the
Personal Chef Industry

My name is Rich Marks and I am quickly approaching graduation from Johnson and Wales Culinary School. I am 32 years old and this is a new start for me. I am very interested in becoming a personal chef and would like some feedback on how to get started. Ideally, my wife and I would like to start our own business, but I feel I need some more experience in the field. I have about 3 years total experience as a line cook in an upscale restaurant. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hi Rich, you will find that the personal chef industry is so different from being a chef at a restaurant or country clubs. You said you have 3 years experience as a line cook. There are some that have had more or even less experience & some that have not had a fromal culinary education. Bottom line, this industry is for you if:
you love cooking for others per their tastes, you do not want to be "married" to a restaurant (over worked & under paid), you are not looking to make $100,000 a year, and you do not mind handling the "business" end...as owning a personal chef business is so much more than just preparing great food.

This being said, yes you will need more experience. The best form of experience however, is to get training on owning a personal chef business. There are a few organizations out there but I will elaborate on what the APCA offers.

a.) complete written training materials on how to start, how to market, licensing, & the daily routine of being a personal chef

b.) huge recipe binder & cd rom

c.) training videos

d.) seminar

e.) the Summit (annual seminar open to all personal chefs..new or "old")

f.) Cood Street School of Fine Cooking

g.) access to member's forum that contains so much valuable information & much needed support from other members


You may want to give Chef Candy or Chef Patt a call at APCA headquarters. Both can give you all the information you need, & answer the many questions you may have about the industry itself. Good luck to you and congradulations on graduating Johnson & Wales.

Rich - In the last Washington, DC seminar I had THREE (3)recent graduates from L'Academie de Cuisine, the premier culinary school in the DC area. All three are now intent on and involved in opening their own business as personal chefs.
You can certainly operate a professional business and take it as far as you want to go. My son is now expanding his business and is on track to gross over 150K this year...you can't do that 1 client per day, but you can do it if you are energetic, creative, a fairly good cook and dedicated to being your own boss.

Check out my notice on this forum about the Seminar for newbies...it would be worth your investigating an upcoming seminar.

sorry for all the typos, was in a hurry.
f.) should be Cooks (not Coods ) Street School of Fine Cooking