The Private Chef
One thing is certain: we are all very much more aware of what we should and shouldn’t eat and the best food to buy for nutritional impact.
We are constantly bombarded with tips, ideas, advice, recipes and information every single day on all our social media platforms and you can often feel like there is quite simply too much choice!
So, wouldn’t it be great to handover all the food shopping, preparation, menu planning and cooking to an expert in the field: a personal Private Chef. 
A Private Chef really can (and will) make a huge difference to your everyday life – from providing daily simple and well prepared family meals right up to those celebratory occasions with haute cuisine and fine dining dishes to impress your guests.
Having your own Private Chef will provide you with a unique & fantastic opportunity to enjoy all your favourite foods – in particular those you would only choose when you dine out and would never try (or bother) to cook at home yourself.
In the same way, a Private Chef can also allow you to branch out and experiment! Think about all the new styles & genres of food and cooking you’ve always wanted to try, the different menus, the recipes and different flavours and all will be possible in the comfort of your own home.
There are also a whole host of additional benefits you can enjoy when you hire a Private Chef to work for you, including:
- Specific dietary requirements: you, a family member or guest may have certain dietary needs /allergies that require careful attention and must be catered for appropriately. You/a family member may also be required to adhere strictly to a special diet for a time – following surgery for example.
- Free time: your Private Chef will give you an opportunity to enjoy more free time for yourself and time to spend with your family and guests as you spend less time in the kitchen!
If you entertain regularly at home, then you would undoubtedly find the services of a professional Private Chef to be invaluable.
No matter what your particular need (and it may just be that you dislike cooking!) employing a Private Chef can be a huge asset to your family and the whole household.
We have found that the demand for Private Chefs has increased considerably which is good for driving up the quality of their service as it makes it a very competitive market. In light of this, many Chefs will ensure they obtain a professional cooking qualification so they are in a strong position to compete for the roles available in private households.
A Private Chef will definitely need to bring a wealth of experience in cooking a wide range of cuisines. The vast majority of Private Chefs will be able to offer you proficiency in British, Mediterranean and French, Asian, Middle Eastern, Japanese and Fusion cookery.
Some Private Chefs will also have enhanced their culinary craft in a ‘corporate’ catering setting – again a very useful experience to offer. 
Private Chefs are very adept and will be used to working in more than one location and at multi residences for their employer. Many will also expect/be happy to travel with their employer, accompanying them either on business trips or when on holiday.
Each Private Chef position and the specific requirements that come with it will of course be unique. 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 you may need one who is super knowledgeable about food allergies and intolerances. Your priority may simply be that you want the family to eat good, nourishing family meals.
Whatever your particular focus, you can fundamentally expect your Private Chef to undertake some or all of the following duties: 
- Liaising with you regarding ideas, recipes & menu plans – daily for household meals and then for special events & dinner parties
- Responsibility for food shopping/online ordering
- Preparing and cooking all 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/wine suppliers
- Maybe doing occasional ‘demonstrations’ or even cookery lessons
- In a larger household, managing a small team or working alongside a Housekeeper/House Manager
Employing a Private Chef either on a full time, part time or temporary basis is something we can help you with.
Please call 020 7471 6000 to speak to our super knowledgeable Eden Private Staff Team.
