Private Chefs
Wishing you a happy 2024. This may be the time of year when you are considering taking on new staff for your household and that may include employing the services of a Private Chef.
A Private Chef offers you a really great opportunity to enjoy all your favourite foods (particularly those you enjoy when you dine out but never tried to cook at home!). It also provides you with the opportunity to experiment with new styles & genres of food, different menus, recipes and flavours, all in the comfort of your own home! You will of course also make a lot more free time for yourself and your family by spending less time in the kitchen.
There are a host of other benefits you can enjoy when you employ a Chef. You may for example have specific dietary needs that need to be carefully catered for or a member of your family may need to follow a special diet. Perhaps you entertain a great deal at home and the services of a professional Chef would be invaluable. Whatever your particular need (and it may just be that you dislike cooking!) employing a Private Chef will undoubtedly be a huge asset to your household and you definitely won’t look back.
The demand for Private Chefs has increased considerably and many Chefs will ensure they gain a professional qualification, as competition for roles in private households is very strong. Some Private Chefs will also have gained ‘corporate’ catering experience and the vast majority will have experience of cooking a wide range of cuisines, ranging from British, Mediterranean and French, to Asian, Middle Eastern, Japanese and Fusion.
Often a Private Chef will work in more than one location /multi residences and many will expect/be happy to travel with their employer either on business trips or when on holiday.
Each role and its’ requirements will of course be unique, and much will depend on the type of skills, knowledge and experience you are looking for. Your focus may be on a Chef who specialises in International cuisine or one who is knowledgeable about food allergies and intolerances or perhaps can just create good, nourishing family meals. Fundamentally though, you can expect the role of a Private Chef to include some or all of the following duties:
- Liaison with the employer regarding ideas & menu planning – daily for household meals and then for special events & dinner parties
- Responsibility for food shopping/online ordering
- Preparing and cooking meals
- Responsibility for kitchen budgets/accounts
- Maintaining high standards of hygiene and food safety in the kitchen
- Maintaining a clean and tidy kitchen/workspace
- Liaising with food suppliers
- Occasional ‘demonstrations’ or cookery lessons
- In larger households, managing a small team or working alongside a Housekeeper/House Manager
If you would like to explore the idea of employing a Private Chef either on a full time, part time or temporary basis then please call to speak to the Eden Household Team who would be happy to offer you lots of good advice and further information 020 7471 6000.
