personal chef.

[iconoclast]

any personal chefs here?

[bughut]

I'm not, but are you?

[shroomgirl]

yep I am a PC......with mydrid of other food related professions.....

[Jason Llamas]

I'm a few days away from taking the "big step".So I will be by the time most people read this.Good luck iconoclast,by the way.

[iconoclast]

are these courses/books worthwhile?

Personal Chef Training

US Personal Chef Association - Personal Chef Training and Membership

American Personal & Private Chef Institute & Association - Professional Personal Chef Training

templates for sites:
Personal Chef Website - Personal Chef Website Overview

[shroomgirl]

wouldn't know, did my own thing.

[iconoclast]

how much experience did you have previously before venturing off into your PC business?

[shroomgirl]

experience in what?
40 years as a curious human being?......after talking to a few other PC's in other states,adapted and came up with my own business. Now this was all fairly new on the radar for everyone back when I started full time PC, there were no associations or they were just starting out.....
What I designed was a business that allowed creativity, good economic return, essentially school hours.....since I can multitask, time was not apart of the gig or soon after was not.....I'm not going to slow down to make an hourly amount, life is too short.

Right now I cook for a priest every Monday morning.
For example last Monday, shopped at a couple of stores including a fish monger, got in at 10:45 had to prepare lunch for 5 at noon then be out of the kitchen with food for the week made prior to 1:30....the housekeeper comes every other week and I'd much rather she scrub than me....

So, within 1.25 hours I set the table, and made, helped eat:

Halibut roast 4.4# not sure what you'd call it....searred off on the stove then oven roasted until done....almonds, butter, herbs, lemon, capers

Fresh Clam Chowder with lardons on the side....onions, potatoes, pancetta, cream, sherry or white wine....don't remember what was used, chopped clams

Slaw, cabbage sliced, onions minced, spicy sweet pickle juice, mayo

Threw in artisan rolls to toast....store bought.

Lemon Icebox pie, graham crust, lemon curd (made) with cream cheese, topped with whipped cream

Pork tender with pomagranite molasses

Crawfish etouffee.....onions, garlic, spices, herbs, tomatoes, cream

Basmati Rice....made after lunch....

This client is a serious meat eater, which was the exact 180* difference from the last one......thus all the meat and little veg.....he has an office crew that eats lunch with him 4 days a week, so I make sure there is a salad or yogurts for them.


So, what are your questions? Personal Cheffing is easy for me, I can talk to someone and come up with food that they like eating......I can cook within dietary perimeters if need be......it's easy to walk through a store and develop a menu as I go, or look in a fridge/ cabinent and do the same......it's easy for me to have multiple meals going on a stove/oven (remember these are usually home versions of equipment) at one time. That all comes with experience.

At this time I personal chef for one client (well and his office staff's lunch) because it's fun and also provides great health and dental insurence. My sons are grown, I do not need to work school hours......there have been some interesting turns through the years including founding and running a couple of farmers' markets.....Catering works for me now, managing culinary stages is also interesting, teaching is important also.

Well off to make Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Mushroom caps with Morel duxelle, Manchengo with membrillo, and chevre with pesto/olives......that is my Sunday. Well and working into whatever can be prepped for a major gig on Tues.

[lentil]

I was recently speaking with a member here and it was her feeling that the PC organizations weren't worth the money to join. I have another friend who joined the PC org and found the conferences invaluable. They want a lot of $$$, don't they?@! I do PC'ing, but out of my commercial kitchen (so not technically PC'ing at all) along with catering and a little cafe.

[shroomgirl]

The emails and questions are continually being asked about the value of joining groups......basically my advice is: if you feel you need it and have the money spend it on groups that can tell you how they run their businesses.

If, you do your homework, ask questions and read up on variations of personal cheffing....you can figure out everything you need to start your own business.

Personal cheffing is very different from working in a restaurant, very different from catering......
Good luck to all that want to follow that road!