Personal Chef

The core offering of the food sherpa is the personal chef service. This offering is organized into the Classic and Fresh Service Lines. The following items are included in both of these service lines:

1. Complimentary Client Assessment Meeting: During this meeting, we will discuss the details of the line including a comprehensive review of your food preferences, any food allergies that you or others that will eat the food may have, and any other pertinent information. I will answer any questions that you may have about the service at this time.
2. Client Service Agreement: We will complete a Client Service Agreement to indicate that we concur on the terms of service and we will schedule a cook date for the service that is amenable to both of our schedules.
3. Entree / Side Selection: The entrees and appropriate side(s) for your first cook date will be selected using the preferences collected during the assessment.
4. Cook Date: On the morning of the cook date, I will shop for all groceries for your service. I will then come to your home, set up in your kitchen, and prepare all of the food on your menu. When the work is complete, I will package, label, and store all of the prepared food, and clean your kitchen, leaving you with only a list of food-handling instructions for your meals and the wonderful aroma of freshly prepared food!

More information on the packages offered in each line, including how the Classic Line differs from the Fresh Line, is provided below.

Classic Line

This service line is designed for those interested in simplifying their lives. Provide your food preferences and allow the food sherpa to do the rest! The menu items for your package will be derived from my current menu. The pricing structure for these packages is Flat-Fee (including professional service fee and the cost of food).

• 5 x 4 Package: Five entrees with appropriate side(s), each of which will serve four, for a total of 20 servings. This package will serve a family of four for one week, a couple for two weeks, or an individual for one month.
• 4 x 4 Package: Four entrees with appropriate side(s), each of which will serve four, for a total of 16 servings. This package is ideal for the family, couple, or individual that likes to cook on occasion, but still needs help to get dinner on the table most of the week.
• 3 x 4 Package: Three entrees with appropriate side(s), each of which will serve four, for a total of 12 servings. This package is best for the family, couple, or individual that cooks more often, but needs an occasional break. This is also a popular “starter” package for new clients.

The Classic Line Packages start at $310*. They are the most popular because they provide the best value for your money.

Additional optional, one-time, and recurring fees are described below.

* Specific pricing varies based on the package chosen.

Fresh Line

This offering is designed for those who would like to be more involved in the menu planning for their service. If you have special dietary restrictions, prefer to eat only organic foods, or simply would like to enjoy a more customized experience, this is the plan for you.

With this line, your menu options may be derived entirely from my standard menu, they may include more customized or totally different items derived specifically from your preferences, or they may be a combination of the two. Here are some typical examples:

• The standard menu items may remain the same, but you may specify that the ingredients used be replaced with organics or be purchased from your favorite gourmet store rather than from my usual suppliers and purveyors.
• Special dietary restrictions may require that significant modifications be made to standard menu items or that entirely new recipes be researched and developed to meet your dietary needs.
• You may have some of your own recipes that you would like for me to prepare for you.

The pricing struture for these packages is Professional Service Fee + Cost of Food. This line includes all of the package configurations described in the Classic Line plus the following additional offerings:

• 5 x 2 Package: Five entrees with appropriate side(s), each of which will serve two, for a total of 10 servings. This is a great package for individuals or couples who like to cook or eat out more often, or for those who prefer fresh service on a weekly basis.
• 5 x 3 Package: Five entrees with appropriate side(s), each of which will serve three, for a total of 15 servings.

Packages in this highly customizable line start at $275, excluding the cost of food*. The Fresh Line Packages are the preferred choice for clients with specific needs who require more customization in their meal planning. If necessary, other packages can be developed to meet more specific client needs. Please feel free to contact me for details.

Additional optional, one-time, and recurring fees are described below.

* Specific pricing is based on the chosen plan, the client’s unique needs, and the frequency of service that is desired.

One-Time, Recurring and Optional Fees

Container Fee

At the closure of any cook date, there is a significant amount of food to store. A uniform container configuration is required to ensure that your refrigerator and/or freezer space can be efficiently utilized to accommodate this food. The container storage choices and associated fees are as follows:

• Reusable Containers (e.g., Pyrex): One-time shopping/equipment fee of $125.
• Reusable/Disposable Containers: $15 per cook date.

Pantry Fee

Pantry items such as flours, vinegars, cooking wines, spices, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, etc. are a component of the mobile equipment and supply package that I bring to each cook date. The cost of maintaining this mobile pantry is included in the professional services fee for each Classic Line Package. On occasion, unique pantry items may need to be purchased to support delivery of Fresh Line Packages. When this occurs, the cost of these specialized pantry items will be included in the Cost of Food figure for the applicable cook date. As an alternative, I am happy to stock (and continually re-stock as necessary) your personal pantry with these same items for use solely on your cook dates. The fees associated with this service are as follows:

• Initial pantry stocking fee: $15 + cost of pantry items.
• Subsequent cook date pantry re-stocking fee: $5 + cost of pantry items.

Additional Serving Fees

An additional serving fee will be charged for each additional serving (entree plus appropriate side dish) and/or additional side dish that is requested to be added to any package.

Special Diet Research Fee

Additional research is required to accommodate highly specialized diets, such as South Beach© and Atkins©. A fee of $40 per session will be added to the chosen Fresh Line Package to cover the cost of the time and materials necessary to complete this specialized diet research. The amount of research required to meet client needs is continually monitored to determine when or if this fee may be waived for future cook dates.

Travel & Market Research Fee

A travel and market research fee may be charged if any or all of the following parameters are applicable:

• The client location is more than 25 miles away (one-way) from the business location.
• Research must be completed to locate acceptable markets and/or food sources near the client location.
• The client location is particularly inconvenient due to prohibitive parking restrictions or similar limitations.

Payment

In order to hold your cook date, the food sherpa requires that your payment is made in full at the time your cook date is booked.

If you have any questions about how to get started with either of these service lines or about related fees, please contact me, and I would be happy to answer them. I would be delighted to visit your home to perform a complimentary assessment, discuss your food preferences, and help you to identify the specific package that best meets your needs. I look forward to hearing from you and being your guide to great food at home!