According to the United States Professional Chef’s Association, salaries for personal chefs range from about $35,000 annually on the low end to $50,000 on the high end. Some chefs with assistant cooks and a number of clients can make much more than that, but businesses composed of a single owner/operator average about $40,000 per year.
Personal chefs usually sell their services as a package deal-typically $250-$300 for 10 meals for two people, with a fee of $10-$ 15 for each additional meal. A complete package may take a full day to prepare. This may seem like a very good wage, but it’s important to remember that personal chefs must pay for the groceries. Though they will be able to save some money by buying staples in bulk, and by planning their menus efficiently, they’ll also be spending a lot on fresh meat, fish, and vegetables. One-third or less of a personal chef’s 10-meal package fee will go toward the expense of its ingredients.
With a career as a personal chef, your customers become your friends. Some chefs appreciate being able to prepare meals based on the individual tastes of his customers, rather than “the 300 people coming into a restaurant.” Many personal chefs enter the business after burning out on the demands of restaurant work. Many personal chefs enjoy making their own schedule, avoiding the late nights, long hours, and weekends of restaurant service.
Though personal chefs don’t work in their own homes, they don’t travel that much. They will have to visit a grocery store every morning for fresh meats and produce, but most of the hours of each work day will be spent in one or two kitchens. Freezer space, pantries, and stoves obviously won’t be as large as those in a commercial kitchen, but work spaces are generally more inviting and homey than those in the back of a restaurant. Personal chefs work entirely on their own, with little supervision by their clients. In most cases, their clients will be at work, allowing them to create their meals, and their messes, in private.
The personal chef industry is growing in leaps and bounds, and will continue to do so. Culinary institutes have come to recognize the career, and some schools are beginning to include personal chef courses as part of their curriculums. The national publications Entrepreneur, Business Start-ups, U.S. News & World Report, and others have listed personal chef services as one of the hottest new businesses.
Though the basics of the job will likely remain the same in future years, it is subject to some changing trends. Personal chefs will need to keep up with diet fads and new health concerns, as well as trends in gourmet cooking. As the career gains prominence, states may regulate it more rigorously, requiring certain health inspections and permits. Some states may also begin to require special food safety and sanitation training.
