These may dictate which one best fits you as a client. Knowing the great suits of private and personal chefs will ensure that you employ someone who can jive with your lifestyle. If you’re planning to hire a chef to prepare delicious meals for you when you need them, read on. In this post, we’ll explain the differences between private and personal chefs and their respective responsibilities.
Private vs. Personal Chefs: What’s the Difference?
Here, we’ll lay out the differences between private and personal chefs below based on three criteria: the work setting they are expected to work in, the responsibilities they must carry out daily, and the skill sets they must have to get hired.
PRIVATE CHEFS- Work Setting
Private chefs are employed by one long-term client. Their work environments may vary from their client’s residences, out-of-town accommodations, or private vehicles like planes or yachts. Generally, private chefs are part of a bigger team of workers catering to the client's household, such as maids, butlers, private drivers, and the like.
Responsibilities
It is their responsibility to provide their client’s meals or snacks on demand, keeping them fresh and delectable wherever they may have been prepared. The private chef makes weekly meal plans with input from their client and, possibly, family members and visitors. Private chefs must always note allergies, diet restrictions, and personal preferences. They must do grocery shopping and oversee the maintenance of the client’s kitchen. Additionally, private exchanges witnessed by the chef inside the client’s residence must be kept in confidence.
Skill Sets
Private chefs need to have a wide range of skills and knowledge on various recipes to ensure they meet the clients' demands as much as possible. They may also cater to the clients' private functions happening inside their residences and must be able to work under pressure if urgent orders come up. For this reason, they should have prior experience and training in a traditional kitchen before becoming employed by a client privately.
PERSONAL CHEFS - Work Setting
Multiple clients can employ personal chefs for short-term projects or events. They are self-employed and can recruit their assistants to enable deliveries required by the client. Since they are technically running their own business, personal chefs use their equipment and packaging resources to prepare meals. They may work inside their kitchen or be asked to use the client’s kitchen for several hours as they finish preparing the pre-made meals to be consumed within a week or so.
Responsibilities
A personal chef provides a set number of meals for a set number of clients. Like the private chef, a personal chef must note details like allergies, diet restrictions, and preferences. However, since they are not working by demand and will not be in-residence, a client has limited choices of meals to consume. Meals are organized prior with the client, so they can still have some variety despite the food being cooked and packed ahead of time. A personal chef must ensure that meals are appropriately labeled and stored until the following cooking schedule. Personal chef staff must place heating instructions, nutritional information, and other notes on the packs for easier use by the client. Personal chefs also take charge of grocery shopping and workplace cleanups.
Skill Sets
Aside from having a wide array of culinary skills, personal chefs must have a knack for business. Since they are catering to multiple clients, they must aim to maintain the quality of service between each and satisfy other business responsibilities. These include paying taxes, paying other employees, and maintaining their equipment for safety and efficiency.
Private vs. Personal Chefs: Which Should You Choose?
Different lifestyles can benefit from having personal or private chefs. See which one is best suited for you below.
Choose a Private Chef if:
- You have space for a private chef’s board and lodging;
- You can provide a versatile and well-equipped kitchen;
- Your family or housemates prefer specific food on-demand;
- You can sustain salary-based payment
- Choose a Personal Chef if:
- You don’t mind reheating pre-cooked food;
- You still have the time to cook from time to time and only need the chef for specific occasions;
- You prefer non-stay-in employees;
- Your kitchen contains minimal equipment for your preferred meals;
- You prefer task-based payment for every cooking schedule
- Who Can Meet Your Lifestyle Needs?
- Hiring a private or personal chef can be convenient and rewarding, especially if you enjoy meals as an integral part of every day. Despite your active lifestyle, you can still enjoy warm and delicious meals prepared meticulously by professionals.
- Just use the guidelines above to decide, and you can enjoy meals tailor-fit to your taste for your private social events or even as a personal addition to your intimate daily life.
