Thinking of Becoming A Personal Chef?

Personal chefs are joining personal trainers and life coaches in the retinue of people who service busy people’s lives.
Although Private Chefs have been around for a long time, the Personal Chef originated in the US and is enjoying a phenomenal success as more and more people find they no longer have time for food preparation at home.
Clients
The Personal Chef's clients are not only celebrities throwing lavish parties, but professional people with hectic schedules who don’t have the time or interest to plan, shop for and prepare daily meals. Typically such people are tired of relying on restaurants and supermarket ready meals, and want to eat freshly prepared, preservative/additive-free meals at home.
Review of a Personal Chef's services.
Home Entertaining
Many people choose to entertain at home, it's safer, more comfortable and you can keep an eye on the baby! One client recently pointed out that although she thought it expensive at first, when she calculated the cost compared to eating out, along with the baby-sitter fee and a taxi so they could drink wine, the Personal Chef service was cheaper.
One clear advantage that a good and capable Personal Chef can provide is a complete choice to the clients preference. Food is chosen and cooked the way you want it, you pay market prices for the ingredients and a fee for the chef plus travel if more than ten miles.
Freezer Filling
Some Chef's specialise in filling the freezer with exciting meals for the week ahead, others create wonderful dinner parties. The best can do both and become a trusted supplier to several clients providing everyday meals and special occasions that run smooth as silk.
Unlike general catering companies a Personal Chef works with a small number of regular clients on a weekly basis and several more on a casual arrangement, i.e. Annual dinners, celebrations, country house weekends.

A Trusted Friend
A Personal Chef is, like your hairdresser, your fitness trainer or any other personal service provider, a good and trusted friend who strives to provide a service dictated by you. Although some chefs stick to a menu list, the best Personal Chefs will create menus purely for the client, the menu suggestions are just for ideas. After a while the chef learns the likes and dislikes of the client and can be left to plan an absolutely perfect dinner celebration from a quick 'phone call or EMail request. The menu is sent with the quote, the date fixed, deposit paid and your celebration meal is a piece of cake. No fuss no mess no work for you. Enjoy your evening with your guests without a worry in the world. At the end of the evening your kitchen is cleared and cleaned, any food left is packed and stored in the fridge for the next day if you wish. You pay the chef the balance and relax for the rest of the evening.

Will Cook Anywhere
" But I only have a tiny kitchen" you may ask, No problem all things are taken into account when the menu is designed. If necessary much of the pre-preparation can be done in advance at the chef's own place of work. Vegetable peeling, de-boning etc. All the messy stuff is taken care of. The dishes will be designed to suit the occasion and the venue. A very experienced chef will have cooked in many different environments and is capable of literally cooking on a bonfire if he/she has too. (Refer to Keith Floyd cooking programmes!) Personal Chef UK has a fully equiped mobile kitchen unit so there is never a problem about where to cook.How to become a Personal ChefScroll to the bottom of the page for ordering online e-books on Personal Chefs Butlers Catereing etc.The personal-chef phenomenon started out in the US and over the past two years demand has rocketed. American new-business analysts have earmarked personal cheffing as one of the top 20 new growth businesses. Overheads are low — there’s none of the risk of setting up a restaurant. Personal chefs don’t necessarily need to have their own ultra-sophisticated professional kitchen, merely a portable batterie de cuisine.
Every day brings a new enquiry from someone who wishes to start up in business as a Personal Chef. This site is designed to give information and support to such people.
Currently I have 60 chefs on my books who I feel confident enough to pass on work if I am already booked up or if the job is too far away for me. I have been a Personal Chef for a number of years now and have run my business purely via my web site since 1999. It is the most successful form of advertising with almost 90% of enquires resulting in work. I feel now that this business is ripe for take-off in Great Britain.
I am now hosting web content for Personal Chefs, designed and managed by myself and updated regularly as the Chef requires for a very reasonable fee. Not only does this give the new Chef the exposure on the net that I have been able to generate over the past few years it also gives support from someone with hands on experience of this work. PersonalChef.UK works closely with several other sites to provide multi-linked pages that ensure a prominent web presence. Being associated with PersonalChef.UK your page will carry the company name and your own name or chosen title.
When a potential customer searches for personal chef in UK you can be sure your page will be associated with a link in the first few selections the search engine picks. I design the page to contain items suited to your specialised skills and the areas you wish to work. For information on this service please EMail your request to PersonalChef.UK
"Do I need to be a qualified Chef?"
It helps! but cooking experience is the essential ingredient here, along with confidence and an amiable non-flappable personality. If you have ever worked as a cook/housekeeper or cook/butler you have all the right beginnings.
If you cook for people other than family, on a regular basis you are probably well on the way to becoming a Personal Chef. I don't mean flipping burgers and frying chips, this is by no means 'fast food' although it helps if you are quick! Each Chef develops their own clientele individually. You learn to specialise according to your ability and the clients enjoyment. The most rewarding experience is to be asked back for more of the same. Of course you will need a Food Hygiene Certificate from your local Authority as will anyone who works with you, including family members. Cooking in other peoples homes does not require a licence or other red tape, however, for the benefit of you and your clients it is advisable to take as many courses as you can on the specialties you intend to pursue. Many famous restaurants and hotels offer short courses which, although expensive, are also very enjoyable. Keep up to date with food ideas and trends until you are confident enough to develop your own style and recipes
If you intend to go into this seriously it is advisable to obtain insurance (I personally carry insurance for up to £5m.) If you think that is excessive don't, your next job could be in a palace! Personal Chef.UK Ltd can provide insurance advice and recommendations. You will also require a vehicle with some form of refrigeration or cold storage for transporting ingredients. If you are cooking in your own kitchen remember that it has to be licensed and regularly inspected by the local authority.
for information about costs and joining please send an E-Mail request to PersonalChef.UK

PersonalChef.UK aims to encourage chefs from United Kingdom and offers affordable help and advice in setting up and running a Personal Chef Service. Personal Chefs are big business in America and there are many sites, agencies and extremely expensive associations on offer over there. Although it can be tempting to join such associations they hold no merit or authority in the UK. In the United Kingdom small businesses are set up daily and founder just as often. We aim to keep you in business. A personal Chef always starts small, the aim is to hold several regular clients and a few more who require your services on an annual or bi-annual basis. One Chef cannot serve more than one client a day (although I have a couple of groups that I work for, they share the service between them.) The Personal Chef is by nature a sole trader, get any bigger and you are a catering company and that is a whole new ball game. PersonalChef.UK will provide you with information on:-
What you need to become a Personal Chef in the UK

Qualifications
Where to get training and experience in the UK
Equipment required
Food regulations and Health and Safety information
Local Authorities and what they require
Insurance
Getting started financially
Managing your business accounts
Vehicle and safe transport of foodstuffs
Getting and keeping clients
Advertising on a budget
Recipes and ideas that work
Dinner party themes and advice
What services you can offer and how to carry them out
Pricing and invoicing
Preparing quotes and plans for clients
Cooking in unknown kitchens
How to store prepared foods
Presentation of food
Buying food for clients
Running an internet based business
Your own web page at PersonalChef.UK.com
Your own web address WWW.PersonalChef.UK.com/yourname
A helpline for all the information you require
Support and use of the banner heading Associate of PersonalChef.uk
Invoice and Letter templates
Links via all PersonalChef.UK advertising i.e Caterer and Hotelkeeper
Plus much much more, check this site regularly...it is by no means finished!

Please ask for any of the above as and when you need them (Full members only)

Become an Associate For full associate membership, which includes one page on the Personal Chef .UK .com site, A password to the very informative Chef's Information Page wich can be accessed with your password from the Chef's Newsletter . Full access to the telephone helpline at any time. Updating and changes to your page, including up to six photographs. Work in your area passed on to you from time to time via Personal Chef UK Ltd. Offers of work in your specialised field as and when anything suitable arrives. Free access to advertise for work or to sell equipment etc on our Small Ads page (suitable for catering equipment etc.as well as advertising what you do). The price for 1 years (12 months) membership and the above services is £220.00.Associates Application Form If you are interested in being considered please send copies of a full CV and any testimonials you may have along with details of experience or qualifications. A photograph of yourself and of any dishes created by yourself that you feel are worthy of inclusion in a web page. to Fay Olinsky at faysky@mac.com or to Personal Chef UK Ltd The 401 Centre 302 Regent Street London W1B 3HH Tel: 07929 232025

Click Here to Discover How to Become an Event Planner by Jill Snodgrass

Click Here to Discover How to Become a Caterer or Personal Chef

Click Here to Discover How to Become a Butler

Click Here to Discover How to Become a Personal Shopper

(These are American publications but have some relevance and good information)

Representing Personal Chefs: