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Using this site for initial research before deciding if I will join you friendly people in PCing. Have read all archives for last three months and looked at LOADS of links to your personal pages. So impressive.

MY QUESTIONS:What items are you transporting in your car - some people mention small appliances(pressure cooker, bread makers?) and others seem to be carrying everything - pots, pans, skillets. Can the forum provide answers.

Looking forward to being a PC - sh

Hi Sarah & welcome to our little group. In answer to your question, I carry just about everything. Basically what I do is review what I'll be making that day & pack accordingly. When I do my kitchen assessment, which is usually after the menu is decided upon, I pretty well know what I'll be needing. I have all the basics, which is whatever I usually use in my kitchen drawers X's 2. I will note if the client has a blender, food processor, etc. Probably my most valuable tool I bring is my huge George Foreman grill. As far as pots & pans go, I have them packed in a great big tote in my car & just take in what I'll be needing that day. I hope this gives you a better insight of what to use. Best of luck to you.
Warmly,
KarenN

Welcome aboard. This week I worked with Chef Ruby of Savour The Tyme and she did a wonderful job. I have been doing this for 1 and 1/2 years and tried to minimize my kitchen. Ruby has done the best job of carrying everything she needed with out taking the my entire household kitchen along. I would encourage you to talk to her. I think she could be alot of help.

Best Wishes,



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ChefLaura
ChefLaura@personalchef.com

WELCOME SARAH!! You, too, made the right decision.

Our traveling kitchen includes a large wheeled duffel bag that contains all the pots, pans, steel bowls, colanders and other general equipment including cutting boards, baking sheets, baking pans, etc. We also carry a pantry box that has sugar, flour, sauces, honey, molasses, and all that other stuff that does not require refrigeration. Then we have a small tool box that has all of the jars and bottles of spices and dried herbs. A tool box with knives, whisks, spoons, etc. And finally a wheeled collapsible cooler f rom Price Club

That's it!

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Jim Davis
The Really Good Food Co.
A Personal Chef Service

Had to run to get some labels and instructions done for the client Bryan was cooking for today.

Those 5 things are what we normally carry with us on a cooking date. We do not go through every bag and box every evening. We just carry it all with us. It would take more time than it would save.

At the clients house, we may not take in everything. We may be using some of the clients pots and pans, at one client we don't take in the pantry or spice/herb box, we maintain a full p antry and herb selection at the clients (they are one of our few fee plus groceries clients).

That big duffel bag also carries the cleaning supplies, packing supplies and containers.

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Jim Davis
The Really Good Food Co.
A Personal Chef Service

Thanks Laura, as for my kit if you want you can e-mail me and I can send you a packing list, but I always narrow it down, by going over the recipes the night before and only taking what is needed.
Ruby

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Ruby Price
Savour the Thyme
Personal Chef Service
Duncanville, Texas
savourthethyme@aol.com
www.mcbeeweb.com/savourthethyme

Sarah,
Despite being a big brute, I try to take as little as possible! Entrees that require special tools, tend to migrate off my menu pretty quickly -- unless a client owns the special tool in question and I do make an exception for my pressure cooker -- but mainly because it sometimes also doubles as my stockpot.

I always keep an extra supply of containers in my trunk.

Once you're up and running, you'll want to have a kit that is completely separate from your personl kitchen stuff -- as Jim said, leaving a kit packed and not messing with it is the surest way to not forget something.

However, if you're like me, you may not be able to afford a separate set of everything, until you get a few more clients under your belt. So, have a list. No, have two lists! Have a list of the stuff that is always in your kit -- things that you already have that are duplicates, or can pick up now -- measuring spoons, lemon zester, bandaids, etc. Tuck that list inside your kit -- you probably won't need it, but you may want to pull it out occasionally to double check against your recipe, or if you want to unpack your kit and give everything a good cleaning/airing out, the list will help you make sure everything gets back.

List number two is the things that have to be put in your kit -- knives, pots, dishtowels (you may have separate ones already, but they will have to be washed, and if they're not on this list, you WILL leave them in the dryer one day, believe me!), anything that you always use, but have to pack for each session -- this is also your wish list for future purposes.

Then, add to all of your recipes any special equipment needs -- skewers, pressure cooker, parchment paper, special pans, etc. Check the recipes as you pack to make sure you've got all of that.

You will take too much to your first cooking session or two. Then you will start to cut back, and start forgetting essential items. Don't worry, borrow them or run out to the store. You will get the hang of it and packing will no longer seem like a big deal, or even something you have to really think about. But that may take a few times....

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Meredith
Whisk For Hire
Kensington, MD