Personal Chefs Bring Haute Cuisine Home
April 25, 2007
by Sonja Albrecht
Culinary Institutes Columnist
With celebrity chefs stealing the limelight, it's easy to forget who really drives the culinary industry--the countless chefs in supporting roles. Among this cast, the rising stars are personal chefs.
Slow Food, Fast Growth
The slow food movement has made its mark on American eating habits: healthy, home-cooked meals are the order of the day. But free time is as elusive as ever for most families. Personal chefs offer a solution: they visit customers' homes and cook to their specifications, working with their preferences for cuisine, calorie content, spiciness, dietary restrictions, etc.
Bringing Five Stars Home
It's a powerful career option for chefs, who are tapping into mainstream demand for quality cuisine. "The emerging pacesetters" in the culinary industry, reports USA Today, "are chefs who cook in customers' homes." Wendy Gauthier quit her job at an upscale Tucson restaurant to take advantage of the trend. Today, her clients benefit from those 5-star cooking skills.
Personal chef services are especially popular among seniors and busy middle-class families. Chefs typically visit the client's home twice a month and cook an array of meals to be reheated throughout the week. Some personal chefs branch out to other services, including:
- Dinner Parties
- Children's Parties
- Holiday Meal Prep
- Special Cakes
- Cooking Lessons
Getting Down to Business in Chef School
A culinary career as a personal chef begins in the same place as a restaurant career: chef school. The degree is an important mark of professionalism. It also prepares aspiring personal chefs to master the necessary meal planning and business skills. Since most personal chefs operate their own businesses, this background is crucial. Some, like Gauthier, attend chef school programs specializing in business and marketing training.
Eating wholesome, delicious food is one of the chief pleasures in life. With a culinary career as a personal chef, you can make sure everyone gets to enjoy the dinner hour.
Sources
USAToday, "Personal Chefs are no Longer Just for the Rich"
Personal Chef Magazine, "She's Young, She's Single--And She's Determined!"
About the Author
Sonja Albrecht works as a writer and editor for an online media company. She has also taught college writing and completed a graduate degree in English.
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