Please Recommend Your Personal Chef

[Anonymous]

We are considering hiring a personal chef and would appreciate some recommendations for chefs, feedback about cost and thoughts about if it is worthwhile. We are two working parents with a toddler in daycare and another one on the way. We are in MontCo.

I did some searches but did not find threads that were helpful or on point.

Many thanks.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if this was your thread:
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/127444.page

But I posted on there. I'll copy & paste it here:

Will the chef be living with you?
Will he/she be cooking every meal?

http://www.departures.com/articles/home-cooking
You should really read that article. It's long, but it gives some wonderful advice & tips.
I'll break some of it down:

Live in:
-living quarters (often the equivalent of a small apartment, not just a room)
-board
-sometimes the use of a car.
-paid more
-more is demanded of them

-expected to prepare all three meals six or seven days a week
-be on call at other times
-travel with the household.

standard week for either type of chef:
-Tuesday to Saturday or
-Wednesday to Sunday
-some employers prefer Monday through Friday and pay overtime for weekends.

Costs:

Salary:
-normal range is from $25,000 to $100,000 annually
-average private chef makes $35,000-$40,000
-Paier of Private Chefs, Inc., says he tells potential employers to "expect to spend at least $1,000 a week on a chef," and his minimum is $900 ($46,800 annually)
-If you want a chef to work irregular hours, prepare two or three meals daily for five or six days each week, or be on call at all times, it can cost you $50,000 or more

Once you've found a chef who seems to match your requirements, there are eight steps to follow.
-Conduct formal interviews
-Do background checks
-Articulate your requirements
-Look for warning signs
-Test the chef's skills (pay $20/hr plus cost of ingredients for a test meal)
-Set a period of probation
-Seal the deal
-Draw up a confidentiality agreement

Live-in positions usually include living quarters and board (which combined can cost employers an extra $10,000), two to three weeks' paid vacation, benefits, and sometimes use of a car. Live-out positions often include two to three weeks' paid vacation and benefits, especially at the higher levels. Taxes and benefits for both positions can add on $10,000 to $15,000 to the annual cost of a private chef.

Low Level
Requirements: Recent culinary school graduates; some restaurant or catering experience.
Salary: $25,000-$35,000

Medium Level
Requirements: Five to 10 years of experience in private households; good references.
Salary: $40,000-$65,000

High Level
Requirements: Ten to 20 years of experience in private households, star restaurants, or top corporate positions; excellent references.
Salary: $70,000-$130,000

The article I linked you to also has agencies that can set you up with a private chef if you're not sure where to start.

[Anonymous]

OP here, and I am sorry I should have been more clear. I don't want one that lives in... so I guess I want a personal chef service? I want one that cooks two weeks or so of meals for you either in your home or brings them, then freezes them, so you have dinner each night.

[Anonymous]

Oh, no problem. All I had to do was copy/paste, so it wasn't hard.

I haven't tried them, but this site offers services like you want:
http://www.dinnerthendessert.com/howitworks.htm
That link describes the job and lists the various costs. Obviously there are links at the top so you can look at sample menus and such. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I've been using The Laughing Peach for meals. They are delivered once a week and popped in the freezer. All freshly made and local ingredients when possible. They have limited dinner options for the month but are hugely flexible. I usually talk to Anna and she emails over a list of other foods she and her partner will do and we plan a monthly meal plan. You may have to supplement with a salad every now and then, but this company is sooooo easy to work with. They do really good soup too and great twice baked butternut squash. It's all really tastey and easy. I have it bookmarked but I think it www.laughingpeach.com Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

We've used Barbara Bolvin for years (I've posted about her before). She cooks at a kitchen then drops off. She does any combo you needs and can do any type of diet you need/want. Here's her website:

http://mygourmetyourway.com/

We've used three different chefs over the last 10 years. It takes a while to figure out what you like and don't like and how to plan the menus. For example, I know now what to pick as sides and entrees and how to supplement them with rice, a baguette from Whole Foods or a salad to round out a big meal for my family of 4.

Barbara also caters and can do dinner parties, special anniversary meals, platters, etc.

HTH

[Anonymous]

I have tried reaching laughing peach but the website is not working. Are they out of business?

[Anonymous]

I would highly recommend Ian Joseph 240 602 3499 / [e-mail].