Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between a Personal Chef and a Private Chef?

A private chef is employed by one individual or a family full time, is often "living in," and preparing up to 3 meals per day. A Personal Chef serves several clients, usually one per day, and provides multiple meals that are customized to the particular preferences and requirements of each client. These meals are packaged and stored so that the client may enjoy them at their leisure in the near future.

2. What is the difference between a Personal Chef and a Caterer?

A caterer holds a commercial catering license, works out of a commercial kitchen, and typically focuses on the execution of large parties and functions. Caterers generally require that a minimum food cost be met before they will provide their service. Due to this requirement, they are not as likely to provide services for small events because it is typically not profitable for them to do so. From a regulatory stand-point, a personal chef, unless also licensed as a professional caterer, cannot prepare food off-site and transport it to the client's home as a caterer can. Instead, all of the food for an event must be prepared in the client's own home. Given all of these parameters, the personal chef service is optimized for execution of intimate special events. To ensure that the highest standards of service and food quality are maintained, the food sherpa limits plated dinners to 12 people and buffets for parties of 40 or fewer people. Larger groups than those referenced here are often better served by a full-scale commercial caterer.

3. Do you cook in my kitchen?

Yes. The meals are prepared in the safety of your own kitchen. On the agreed upon cooking date I will bring the fresh ingredients for your meals along with my own pots, pans and utensils, and prepare your entrees on site. At the end of the day I will leave your kitchen clean and full of the aroma of good home cooking!

4. How long will you be here?

I will be cooking several different entrees and side dishes from scratch, so it will take several hours. I cannot say exactly how many hours, however I am willing to work with your unique schedule or situation, and we can often make arrangements in advance so that the cooking date fits compatibly into your schedule.

5. I’ll be home that day. Is it okay if I watch - or help?

I am a professional that you have hired to complete a job. Being under someone’s watchful eye or being distracted by conversation or inquiries can not only slow the process, but it can also distract me and cause burns, cuts, and forgotten ingredients. I would be happy to visit with you before or after the cooking session is complete; however, during the process it is important that I be"in command" in the kitchen in order to complete the job that you have hired me to do. If your are interested in a "hands-on" cooking experience, I would be happy to talk to you about customizing a cooking class for your enjoyment.

6. Do I heat the food?

Yes. Any entrees that have been stored for you in your refrigerator or freezer should typically be defrosted overnight in your refrigerator (if frozen) and heated so that they may be enjoyed at the peak of their flavor. I will leave you with detailed and easy to follow heating instructions for each entree and side that I prepare.

7. How much refrigerator/freezer space do you need?

It depends on the number of meals you request, and the sizes of the containers used to store the food, but it does generally require a considerable amount of refrigerator and/or freezer space. During your client assessment meeting, we will take a look at your refrigerator and freezer to see just how much room you have available. Efficient storage is one of the reasons I prefer to select the appropriate size of uniform storage containers for my clients.

8. Can you use my containers?

Potentially. We can take a look at your existing containers during the client assessment meeting. It is important to note, however, that uniform size containers will take up less space in your refrigerator and/or freezer. Customarily, I prefer to design a custom container configuration for you to ensure that the appropriate containers for the entrees and sides that I will be preparing are available on your first cook date. If you will save the containers that held the entrees you have already enjoyed, I will be able to start rotating them as you continue with the service.

9. What type of side dishes do you prepare?

I prepare side dishes that complement the entrees you have selected. For examples, if you ordered a beautiful green chicken curry entree, I will prepare a fragrant Jasmine rice side dish to be enjoyed with the curry. I will always pair a logical side with any given entree, however, if you would prefer something else, there are always other options that we can discuss.

10. What if I want you to prepare additional side dishes as well?

I would be happy to provide that service for you; however, it will entail an additional fee.

11. How does your service compare to a restaurant?

The fees for my fees are expressed per entree or per serving. They actually represent all of the components that make up a professional personal chef service, including:

• The client assessment meeting, which allows me to determine what you like to eat, how you like to eat, and whether or not you have allergies, sensitivities or medically specific requirements that must be considered in your meal plan.
• After the initial assessment meeting (and for subsequent service dates), I typically submit the finalized meal selections for your review and approval prior to your cook date.
• On the morning of your cook date, I complete all of the grocery shopping for your plan, come to your home, and prepare all of your entrees and sides in the safety of your own kitchen.
• I package, label, and store everything, plus leave you a list of detailed and easy to follow instructions for the heating of all of the food prepared.

A good way to compare a personal chef service to traditional restaurant service is as follows: For a restaurant, you must drive to get there, possibly wait for a table, and take a chance that your server is having a good day. In addition, if you have food allergies or special requests you may not have the guarantee that they will be honored, since many entrees are typically prepared in "assembly line" fashion in the kitchen. After eating your meal you must pay for it, tip the server, and get back in your vehicle to drive home. If you have a Personal Chef Service, you can heat a beautiful entree that has been prepared specifically for your palate and preferences and eat it in the comfort of your own home. You can enjoy the meal seated at the dinner table, on the couch in front of a good movie, or any way you like.

12. Do I pay you in advance of each cook date?

Yes, it is customary to pay for the service in advance of your cook date. It is often easiest if you leave a check for the upcoming cook date on the previous cook date. If preferred, we can also arrange bi-weekly, monthly, or other mutually-acceptable payment plans for your service.

13. How long will the food last?

Depending on how many entrees you order, and how many evenings you eat at home, I can determine approximately how long your meals will last. If you travel for business, entertain in restaurants during the week, or just enjoy eating out on occasion the meals will last longer than if you eat in each night. With the 5 x 4 Package, your meals will typically last one week for a family of four, two weeks for a couple, or one month for an individual. I would be happy to discuss this with you in greater detail during your client assessment meeting.

14. How often will we need your service?

I would be happy to help you determine just how often you will want to schedule my Personal Chef Service to best serve your needs. We will make sure it supports your busy lifestyle without putting any pressure on you!

15. Can I order a fraction of one of your personal chef packages?

This request is most often made when a potential client is interested in getting a smaller amount of food and/or paying a lower fee for my services. The packages referenced on this website are optimized to reflect the amount of planning, shopping, and preparation involved in each offering. In order to balance the offering of cost-effective packages for my clients with the demands of a profitable enterprise, I can not take the same amount of cooking time to produce only a fraction of the food. A better alternative that works for many is to purchase a standard package and then schedule recurring service less frequently. I would be happy to discuss this and other possible options with you during your client assessment meeting. If you would like more immediate feedback on this topic, please feel free to contact me.