DebitNM

And for your fee - does that include an umbrella insurance policy for possible claims on health issues and bonding and general insurance for damages in clients home to their property?

And do you shop, prepare, serve and clean up for $25 per person? That works out to a pretty measly hourly rate.

sf7307

How does a "personal chef" as described differ from a caterer?

I'm with the group that says that when I want to eat out, I want to eat OUT. It's not just about the food.

janisj

even IF I were to hire a chef--it would not be one that charges $25 pp. Why bother? After factoring in food costs, servers if required, insurance, etc -- a $25 chef is basically providing no more than fast food priced meals.

I would think a true private chef would need to charge around $75 pp in a small town and MUCH more in a major city.

DebitNM

Sorry, missed your line in OP that chef does all that I asked about in my last post.

So, where do I sign up to get Elizabeth Faulkner to come and cook for me for $25 pp?

ekscrunchy

I'd be curious to learn what kind of $25 per person menu could be proposed that would allow profit for the chef as well as great food. I am guessing a starch-based main dish, like paella, but even then, how could it be done so cheap as to make it worthwhile, and worthy of one of the "best" chefs in the area?

nytraveler

I think the issue is that if you are a "personal chef" and make meals in a customer's house you are not subject to any sort of regulation. If you are a caterer operating for a number of clients there are all sort of licenses and regulations you have to comply with in terms of your cookng space - and are subject to inspection by the board of health.

To start up as a caterer is not cheap. To start as a "personal chef" is free.

DebitNM

While you may not need licenses or the like, you had damn well better have liability insurance, required or not. Too have any business without an umbrella policy [as a minimum] is foolish and for one that is cooking and serving food, it is crazy not to have insurance.

LoveItaly

An umbrella policy covers limits over and beyond what one should have to cover food poisoning, damage to some property in the clients home etc. Just like when one has an auto policy, a HO policy etc. The insurance co. requires the minimum amount of liabiity that those policies have, not the minimum amount but the minimum amount the ins. co. requires the insured to have before they will issue an umbrella policy. The umbrella picks up any liabiilty over and beyond the basic policies.

DebitNM

Thanks for clearing that up LI; what I was trying to say was this person needs to have insurance, just didn't get it quite right!

LoveItaly

You are absolutely correct, Deb, anyone who is charging to serve food better be sure to have the proper insurance. I have a neighbor who prepares dinners for others and they pay her for the dinners. While chatting one day I found out she doesn't have insurance coverage and I gently suggested that she talk to her insurance agent/broker but she brushed me off that it wasn't necessary. Well not until someone gets ill and decides it was from her cooking, sigh.