Discussion Forums
for the
Personal Chef Industry

I'm curious to know if anyone cooks at their own site and just delivers to the home? Also, if anyone has combined this service with general housekeeping services?

I've come across some PCing websites that also cater, so they must already pass Health Dept. standards. Do any of these PCs deliver or combine housekeeping services to clients?

It has been my experience on the forums that most chefs are of the opinion it is important to separate those tasks. Personal cheffing is far more involved than housekeeping. Catering and PCS are not that far apart from eachother--obviously you are cooking to spec in both situations for ample remuneration. However, at least in my area, even organized housecleaning services don't come near our fees per hour.

As far as catering, the pcs who also cater either own or rent a professional kitchen or have access to one. You can try to "borrow" a friend's restaurant kitchen or you can use local churches / synagogues / civic clubs' kitchens. In doing that, you can cater legally and still keep in step with the law. However, part of the appeal of having a personal chef is the customer's delight with the fact that they come home to a house smelling like it does when we are done. While I haven't been at it that long, I have had many circumstances where clients have come home with people and said "My personal chef," with more than a little pride. It has also been pointed out that catering is something we tend to do when we are starting out just to get the income...a steady client base is a better deal if you are wanting to be a PC because you know what your income is going to be. It's better to focus on getting regular clients and a full calendar.


I wouldn't want to discourage you on a business venture if you have the perfect plan for the demographic you serve. However, I can speak for the association in this--we are trying to present a professional cheffing image. We come in, we do our job well, and we get out. Unless you want to be a "wife for hire," I'd suggest you stick to cheffing. I suspect you'll be happier!

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Lory French
Charleston SC
Thyme Well Spent Personal Chef Service

[This message has been edited by Wolfmeis (edited May 03, 2000).]

Re: the cleaning, cheffing combo.

You could always consider partnering with someone who does those other duties -- I wouldn't be suprised to see, down the road, businesses that group personal cheffing, housecleaning, pet sitting, errand running, etc. all in one place, with clients picking and choosing what pieces of their lives they need "done" for them.

I would also imagine that that would guarantee that the personal chef would be paid less! I will shop for food and I will set for a party and decorate, but I don't clean, except to clean up any mess I make. Even if I found someone who was willing to pay me my hourly rate to clean, I wouldn't do it -- I'm a professional chef, not a housecleaner. (And if you saw my house, you'd know that I wasn't very good at it, LOL!)

On the other hand, if I lived in an area that was not conducive to full-time PC'ing, I might be whistling a different tune -- I may have a customer demographic that's looking for real basic food, and other time-saving services, and if it was a choice between housecleaning and starving....

Hard to be self-righteous then, huh?

I would rather tie PC-ing to other, more well-respected services, though -- organizing, errand running, shopping (food, personal and gift) because I just wouldn't want to cross from chef to housekeeper. Call me a snob, or call me someone who needs to make a certain amount of money -- but I'd go drive a UPS truck and go back to cheffing for myself and friends, I think, at that point.

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Meredith
Whisk For Hire
Kensington, MD

What an interesting question--since I'm not ready to start my business yet (want to experiment with recipes, and I figure the summer will be a hard time to start any business being that I live an hour from the Jersey shore) I called a temporary culinary service out of curiosity. Apparently alot of people are looking for a cook/light housekeeper. When asked if it was something I would consider, I blurted out (a little indignantly ) " Are you kidding-I don't even clean my own house!"
Maybe that sounded snobbish, but like you, Meredith, I would rather do almost anything else but clean. However, if I don't start bringing some $$ in soon doing SOMETHING, I might have to resort to that!
Funny, though, I just can't picture myself in a blue uniform, apron and beehive, dusting and cracking jokes like Alice from the Brady Bunch....

Barbara Angelo
STILL no clever name

Thanks for all the input. Yes, I was planning on linking up with someone else to take care of the housekeeping services. The fees would be separated, but only one key to the house. Only one company has to be bonded. I live in an upscale new financial center in the Southeast and there is a lot of discretionary income and a lot of people who work high dollar, high stress jobs. I've seen Dean and Deluca clean up on the take home gourmet sector. I would have access to a commercial kitchen, but I want to provide personalized service with a small staff of chefs and a small staff of housecleaners. They would go out together to the home, spend a few hours and then go to the next home. What do you think, anybody?

I think you should move IMMEDIATELY to San Diego so I can become a client! What a great idea! Candy

Thanks for response. I'll be in touch when I'm ready to get it all started. Hopefully by the fall I'll have the business ready to market. Your forums have been so valuable to me. I will be seeking association membership this summer. Thanks for the vote of confidence.