- What is the difference between a personal chef and a private chef?
- Is a Personal Chef service expensive?
- How does the personal chef service work?
- Who can benefit by using a personal chef?
- What are the benefits of using a personal chef?
- How long will you be in my home?
- Do I have to be there when you come to cook?
- How often will you come to my house to cook?
- Will I get the same menu items each time?
- What sort of containers do you use?
- How much freezer space do I need?
- What sort of ingredients do you use?
- Are side dishes included?
- Can you prepare simple foods for small children and how much will it cost?
- Can you prepare special diets?
- How do I reheat the food?
- Do I pay for your service in advance?
- How long will the food last?
- Do you guarantee your work?
- Do we need to do anything before you come to cook for us?
A private chef is employed full time by one individual or family and is often living in their home and preparing up to three meals per day. A personal chef focuses on the weekly dinner meal, serves several clients, usually only one per day, and provides multiple meals that are custom designed for the clients' particular requests and dietary requirements. These meals are packaged and stored so that the clients may enjoy them at their leisure over a period of time.
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2. Is a Personal Chef service expensive?
Not at all. For the cost of a moderately priced restaurant meal -- a Personal Chef is yours. And dinner parties are often more affordable than dining out! Regular dinner plans are based on the number of people (or servings) and final menu selections. For some individuals and families, using a Personal Chef can actually save them money.
I work very hard to make my services affordable, convenient and tasty!
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3. How does the personal chef service work?
First, I will meet with you to determine what you like and what you don't, food preferences, special diet needs etc. From our interview I design a custom menu for you and your family which I submit for your final approval. On the agreed cooking date, I come to your home with all of my pots, pans, utensils, and all of the groceries to prepare your personalized dishes. Your meals are clearly labeled, with simple heating instructions, and are stored in your freezer (to be eaten within 90 days) or your refrigerator (to be eaten within 3-4 days). Finally, I leave your kitchen spotless - and full of the wonderful aromas of homemade food.
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4. Who can benefit by using a personal chef?
A Matter of Thyme personal chef service is for anyone who does not have the time, the ability or the desire to plan, shop for and prepare daily meals. A typical client is often tired of fast food or dining out and wants to enjoy healthy, nutritious meals in the comfort of his or her own home. My clients are usually:
Busy professionals
Families with hectic schedules
Expectant or new parents
People recovering from illness or needing a restrictive diet
Elderly people who might need help in the kitchen
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5. What are the benefits of using a personal chef?
A personal chef offers a number of benefits including:
Saving you substantial amounts of time
Less reliance on eating out/take-out/fast food
No more stopping off at the grocery store after work
No more worries about "What's for dinner?"
Makes meal time less of a hassle
Nutritious meals suited to your needs
The freshest ingredients you can trust
No kitchen cleanup
More time in the evenings for you
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6. How long will you be in my home?
I prepare several different main meals and side dishes from scratch, so it takes generally 5 to 7 hours. If you are away that day, I try to be gone before you get home.
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7. Do I have to be there when you come to cook?
No, most clients are gone when I arrive and have made prior arrangements for me to get into their kitchens. My senior clients are generally at home while I cook for them and, as long as they don't get under foot, we enjoy one another's company.
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8. How often will you come to my house to cook?
This is entirely up to you. My standard plan provides enough dinners for 10 days of meals for two people (20 days for one) and enough variety so you won't have to eat the same thing twice in the same week. Since many people who enjoy my dinners still go out now and then or decide to cook for themselves occasionally, the meals I've prepared for them will last even longer. Most clients have me come to their homes once or twice a month. Some use just a one-time service for a special need.
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9. Will I get the same menu items each time?
No, you will receive a new menu for every cook date. Unless you specifically choose to repeat a dish ("we loved that one and want it again") you will not get the same meal again for at least six months.
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10. What sort of containers do you use?
I use mostly disposable containers suitable for conventional or microwave ovens in various sizes depending on how you want your meals packaged. Containers are a uniform size to maximize storage space in your freezer. Occasionally I may use vacuum sealing bags when doing so would benefit the particular dish. A side benefit of these bags is that one can reheat the dish in a pan of boiling water without drying it out, which can sometimes happen with some dishes, if you're not careful, in a conventional or microwave oven.
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11. How much freezer space do I need?
This depends on the number of meals to be frozen vs. refrigerated, and the sizes of the containers. My standard service of 20 entrees generally requires about 2 cubic feet of freezer space. I generally need about 3 good shelves in a side-by-side. We can get a better idea after I see your specific freezer(s).
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12. What sort of ingredients do you use?
Only the freshest seafood, vegetables, herbs, dairy products and quality cuts of meats are utilized. I do not shop for your food until the morning I come to your home to cook.
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Generally, one side dish per entrée is included unless it already has a starch or vegetable included, such as a stew or a pasta dish. I can offer suggestions for side dishes that complement the entrée you have chosen, however, the final selection is always yours.
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14. Can you prepare simple foods for small children and how much will it cost?
I do not have a separate menu for children, but am glad to prepare special kids' meals at your request. Pricing depends upon your needs.
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15. Can you prepare special diets?
Surely. Although I am not equipped to cook vegan or kosher meals, I know that many people need vegetarian, low cholesterol, low fat, low carb, low sugar meals.
I will work with you to prepare the kinds of nutritional foods that you may prefer or require. I can also provide nutritional information with most meals I prepare for you if you wish.
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Any meals that have been stored for you in your freezer should be defrosted in your refrigerator overnight, to be enjoyed at the peak of their flavor. I always leave you easy to follow reheating instructions with each meal. The use of a conventional oven often best preserves the quality of your meals, but most meals can be re-heated in a microwave oven quickly and with good results. If you're the kind of person who doesn't mind re-heating some things on the stove-top (your choice, here) I can accommodate that as well.
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17. Do I pay for your services in advance?
Generally, because I do much of my work and shop for your groceries before I come to your home to cook for you, clients pay for my service when they schedule their cooking date. There can be exceptions in special cases. For example, senior clients who are home while I cook for them often expect to pay me before I leave, and I honor that.
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18. How long will the food last?
This depends on how often you eat your Personal Chef meals. If you travel for business or entertain in restaurants during the week or just enjoy eating out on occasion, the meals will take you further than if you eat one or two each day. After the initial interview I will be able to give you a better idea.
In terms of the shelf life of meals, each meal will last from 3-4 days in the refrigerator (fish and seafood will last up to 3 days). If you want to keep them longer, most meals can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months without any degradation in quality.
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19. Do you guarantee your work?
I do indeed. Fresh food prepared for your refrigerator is guaranteed for the amount of time noted on the packaging (generally 3-5 days) and frozen entrees are guaranteed for 3 months. (Frozen food will still be edible after that time, but the quality may decline). Under my guarantee, I will replace any menu item found to be of unacceptable quality.
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20. Do we need to do anything before you come to cook for us?
Yes, please have the kitchen counters, stove and sink clean and free of clutter and leave enough space in the refrigerator and freezer for your menu items.
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