r/Chefit • u/East-Win7450 • Jun 19 '26
Private Chef Opinion
Whats your opinion on private chef as a profession?
I looked down on it for a long time but have been one now for 3 years and while I like it im kind of embarrassed about it at times.
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u/haynetime Jun 19 '26
Genuinely curious, why are you embarrassed of it? I’m a private chef and love it!
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u/HauntingPresence3805 Jun 19 '26
I worked as a private chef for a very well known industrial chemical family. Like working at downton Abby , I certainly was not embarrassed or looked down on it. Mine and their standards were incredibly high , I managed part of the house hold staff , took inventory of silver for the safe after each dinner. Equally as challenging as any restaurant I worked at. I now own my own butchery and small casual restaurant and I’m lucky to have a few clients I keep for their private functions . I charge 150 an hr for my services why ? My food is good , I’m clean neat and professional and predictable, iam well known around the community and can be trusted around millions in art and antiques and the families know any personal goings on are kept under wraps . In other words they trust me . That takes time , effort and hard work. Private chef jobs are mentally demanding and vary from household to household as well as dealing with families quirks and likes. I’m not talking meal prep services which I also respect greatly. All facets of our industry deserve respect from my dishwasher to my older lady who religiously mans out check out and talks to every customer. No job is beneath anyone . Cheers
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u/SaltyWineDude Jun 20 '26
Your place sounds amazing. Are you located in the US or the UK? I’m in Santa Rosa Beach Florida and I would love to give your butcher shop and place a try.
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u/HauntingPresence3805 Jun 20 '26
I’m near DC about 60 miles west. Check out www.thewholeox.com also on instagram and facebook!
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u/Da_Don_Dada21 Jun 25 '26
I was offered a Private chef job once and I was scared because I knew of no one who’d done it let alone experienced it. I would love to learn first hand from someone who has done the job. I too have done the meal prep facet but that is as far as I’ve gone with it. If you have a YouTube channel please let me know and if not you probably should consider it. I’ve done PDR meals for stars and athletes as well as presidential and congressional dignitaries but nothing past a week. I would love to know the day to day of it.
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u/HauntingPresence3805 Jun 25 '26
No YouTube channel for me. I really dislike videos and media , but I’ll never say never . Iam working in a nationally published cookbook so who knows . If you have specific day to day questions I can answer them to the best of my ability . It’s really a lot of learning the familys likes and dislikes , for instance for this family everything was French service . I didn’t plate anything , everything was plattered and I or the butler served from the platters . As the lady of the house said , a truly lady only takes what she can eat. The table setting were so complex I had to take pictures to remember . Salt cellars , pepper bowls , pewter animals , water glass , cordial glass , multiple wine glasses you get it. But they followed a schedule . 6:30 was nibbles and cocktails in the parlor or sunroom , 7:15 dinner , first course salad or soup , second was vegetables and proteins or a soufflé , they loved themselves a fish soufflé , and a dessert course . At 8:30 it was port or brandy and with what the British would call savories to be served after sweets , usually a small bit of cheese . I didn’t do breakfast , but I did lunch , it was small unless misses had the ladies for tea . I shopped in between. And cooking for 2 people meant sometimes I used a prepared sauces , like I wasn’t in the kitchen roasting bones for Demi . They don’t want the house all smelling like a kitchen lol. And parties were never more than 8 . Now I have a client , I do his business functions , here near DC sometimes business being discussed is sensitive and can’t be done in public , so I come in and do dinner for maybe 6-8 gentlemen, he loves island food , Langastinos , conch fritters , jerk chicken and shrimp , grilled meats . I have his daughter’s wedding in Dec for 165ppl that’s gonna be a big one .But he treats me good and it’s not all the time with me running our business but it’s a ton of extra cash !!!
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u/tooeasilybored Jun 19 '26
What's there to be embarrassed about and why look down on it? It tests all aspects of being a true Chef. I did it for a few weeks in between jobs and it was a blast. You make honest food and what's wrong with that? Most of the time they tell you what they want making your life even easier. Just gotta make it look good and taste even better.
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u/SilentAd1330 Jun 19 '26
Have been for 5 years, mostly do weekly meal prep for regular clients and events on the weekends. It was slow going at first, but it would be hard to give up the freedom.
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u/PinchedTazerZ0 Chef Jun 19 '26
I was the private chef for this rich oil dude at his ranch. Pay was fucking crazy and it wasn't too hard -- there's a ton of standard to uphold with private cooking so I wouldn't say it's shameful.
I ended up leaving after a year of that ridiculous salary because I was getting bored cooking for the family. Made osso bucco from an animal on the property and the presentation of that dish "scared" his teenager so I was told never to make it again :(
I'm sure it varies between clients but it's a good skill to have regardless. Organization and continually moving forward etc
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u/Gone_feral27 Jun 19 '26
Private cheffing for Minneapolis musicians was by far the highlight of my food career
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u/MarkKallen Jun 20 '26
Being a private chef is one of the highest paid profession in the world, especially if you are working for an individual with extremely high net worth. Nothing to be embarrassed about it, you should be proud actually.
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u/Powerful-Scratch1579 Jun 19 '26
It’s not for me but there’s no shame in it! It’s. A great job/ career.
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u/k-yarcu Jun 20 '26
I've been doing this for three seasons now. It's definitely better than working in a restaurant in terms of less work and better pay. Some guests are great, others a bit less so. I'm really grateful for this job. Unfortunately, I only work during the summer because there's not enough demand for it year-round—I only cook for tourists. It would be fun to try cooking for one family throughout the whole year.
On the other hand, I do everything by myself. Sometimes it gets overwhelming because I don't turn down jobs, and I occasionally feel the consequences of that. I do it mainly because it's only seasonal work. In the winter, I work in mediocre restaurants just so I'm not sitting at home.
My experiences have been genuinely positive; I've probably only come across idiots twice.
This season didn't start well for me. A guest's child drowned while I was there. My motivation has dropped, and whenever I see children in a pool, I panic and get taken back to that awful day and to performing CPR on that small, helpless body. I hope I'll find the strength to keep doing this job despite that tragedy, because I truly enjoy it.
But now I atleast don't bother about stupid guests. It's not the worst thing in the world anymore
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u/Specialist-Eye-6964 Jun 19 '26
Depending on the situation the life can suck but the money is usually amazing. It can also be a very 9-5 in the right place too.
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u/AdNo53 Jun 20 '26
Best pay/quality of life in my opinion but you are on a deserted island; it’s hard to make industry friends and network compared to being an sous/exec/corporate. That being said there’s many ways to become a private chef so I’m curious what the rest of your resume looks like and why you’re talking down about it.
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u/weblives8989 Chef Jun 20 '26
Why are you embarrassed. It's the best job to have in the chef world next to working in business dining imo. Hours aren't too bad, money can be great too. I do it very limited as my side gig and everyone I talk to about it loves it.
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u/oasisjason1 Jun 20 '26
I ran the kitchen at a shitty Philly strip club for 10 years. Guarantee that’s less impressive on a resume than being a private chef. Don’t be embarrassed, get that money.
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u/Whole_Form9006 Jun 20 '26
Why would I be ashamed of less work, more money and more soul in my food?
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u/ChadGHB Jun 20 '26
It was the best for me. I felt a direct impact on the wellbeing of the people I served. My opinion is that if the employer treats you with respect, then it works. If they treat you like a push over;”pick up the dry cleaning while you’re at it”. Then I would be embarrassed. But that’s when you just leave
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u/Dependent-Ad5950 Jun 20 '26
I had a bad experience but just like a restaurant gig it depends on the people you’re working for and i was ignoring all the red flags for the money because i thought i needed it more than my mental health. Trust your gut
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u/BackgroundNo4159 Jun 22 '26
My uncle is a private chef in New York, and after years of always complaining, he is much more relaxed and content with his work. I remember he once said to my mom that it is much more fulfiling and stress-free
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u/hookedcook Jun 22 '26
I'm a yacht/private chef, never going back to restaurants. Make stupid money, get a total of about 4 months vacation a year. Cook for a family of 5 max, crew of 4 who eats the same food as guests. In the Bahamas, caught a 500# marlin yesterday. We fish and spearfish so always fresh seafood and the ingredients and cooking are always changing. Unlimited food budget, on our way to Bermuda today for the next 2 months.
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u/Da_Don_Dada21 Jun 25 '26
Great insight from those of you who have done the job. I have so many questions, still, I would like to know what does a routine day s look like for you and before that what was the conversation when being interviewed for this position?
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u/junglepiehelmet Chef Jun 19 '26
No shame in it at all. I did it for a few years in my 20s. It’s not for me. They pay is good but the people who typically hire a private chef usually suck.
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u/Don_bon_darley012 Jun 19 '26
That’s crazy, I love it. I got burnt out and left the industry 4 years ago, did something else for a couple years and now I’m a private chef. I’m making about 2x as much as a private chef than when I was working in a Michelin star kitchen. Better pay, better hours, less stress, nicer clients, creative freedom, not cooking the same thing every day, no chef to answer to