So, WHAT IS
A PERSONAL CHEF?
A Personal Chef is Me!... someone
who has a passion for cooking...
who brings that joy to your home and
puts it onto your supper table!
What
is the difference in a Private Chef, a Personal Chef and a Caterer?
A
Private Chef may cook one or all daily meals for one family. Some
Private Chefs
live with and even travel with the family. A
Personal Chef cooks for many clients,
usually one
per day. Multiple meals are prepared and packaged for consumption as
needed
in each home. Some Personal Chefs do assist clients with in-home
entertaining,
but all foods, as a Personal Chef, are prepared there in the home.
A (legal) Caterer is typically preparing bulk foods in a Health Department
approved kitchen,
mostly for delivery to event site. See notes below about legal
catering.
Can
you cook my food and deliver it to me?
Unfortunately, no.
I would love to do that, but
due to both state and county Health Department regulations,
(which are in
place for the safety of you, the public),
this is not allowed in the state of
North Carolina, period...
no matter what someone tells you...
unless
they have a licensed, Health Department inspected kitchen to cook in
(and
home kitchens are never approved for cooking perishable foods for sale)!
This is why most of
us cannot cook and deliver to you and must cook your food in your kitchen,
because we do not have a (licensed) commercial kitchen.
If someone
tells you they have an approved kitchen, you should verify it.
You never know what sort of condition someone's home kitchen may be in,
whether their equipment is properly storing foods at safe temperatures,
if "critters" are climbing about kitchen countertops, etc. For you own
safety, you should not
employ an illegal Personal Chef cooking from their home.
Rest assured that I understand your concerns about a stranger coming
into
your kitchen. However, I think those worries will be eased
once we have met and gotten to know each other at our consultation.
Remember, I don't know you either and I must be concerned about personal
safety as well!
All things I see and hear in your home are kept completely confidential
by me and I will respect your property as if it were my own.
To ease your mind, I will be happy to provide you with plenty of
references upon request.
As your
Personal Chef, on
your scheduled cooking day,
I will arrive with all the necessary tools and
groceries to prepare your meals.
All
you need to provide is a clean kitchen and
freezer space for the meals I prepare.
We will discuss these things in
depth at your free consultation.
How
long will you be cooking in my kitchen?
This
time will vary depending on that day's menu.
I
may be there anywhere from 3-6 hours.
Do
I need to be home while you are there?
You
do not need to be there. Actually, most of my clients are at work and because I am
busy cooking several things at the same time, I will need to focus on the work
at hand. Your kitchen is my "office" for the day and in order
for me to prepare your quality meals, it is best that I work alone with
minimal interruption.
Are you bonded?
Since I have no employees, no. But I do carry full liability
insurance.
I understand that in the beginning you are trusting me in your home and I
assure you
I will do anything I can to ease any fears or concerns you have.
Remember, you are trusting me with your FOOD... and I will not abuse the
privilege of
being invited into your home. Our business and what I may see or hear
in your home
will remain completely confidential.
If you are "shopping around" for the right Personal Chef, be sure to ask
this question about liability insurance (and it is appropriate to ask for
proof). Those who cook illegally in their home for you are not
insurable.
Speaking of safety...
I am ServSafeŽ
trained and know safe and proper food handling. This is
something many Personal Chefs don't bother to obtain to because it is not
required. This is of major importance to me and I will also teach you
safe food skills as part of my service along the way as your Personal Chef. Those cooking
illegally tend not to have any sort of safe food handling education or
certification, so be cautious. There are many ways for food to be
easily contaminated or improperly stored/handled and made unsafe which can cause unnecessary food borne
illnesses. I assure you I am a bit on the "neurotic" side when it
comes to proper food handling and I know what to do and WILL do it for you
and your foods!
How
will my meals be packaged?
At
your interview,
we
will discuss packaging options and portions needed for your household.
A
variety of packaging may be used depending on the foods that are
prepared.
You will be provided with a printed menu with heating instructions each cheffing day!
No matter how your food is packaged,
your clean-up is a breeze!
Who
needs Personal Chef Wendy?
* Busy Moms & Dads who would like to spend more quality
time with their family!
*
*
Households that are "Mom (or Dad) Dependant" for meals and Mom is going to
be away!
*
*
Active Singles * * Convalescents!
* *
New Parents!
*
* Those on
medically-prescribed diets *
*
Out of Town children who worry about their parents eating a healthy diet
*
*
Those who enjoy entertaining in-home without all the fuss!
*
*
Those that need a Holiday Helper... or extra pair of
hands for party management
*
* Those looking
for a special way to celebrate special times
*
(anniversaries, birthdays, milestones...)
*
Folks who want to learn cooking skills
* *
Parents who wish to provide culinary education to
their kiddos
*
*
Folks building new homes or doing kitchen renovations
who need a Kitchen Consultant
*
*
Employers looking for fun Team Building events!
*
*
Folks who have a kitchen/pantry/cabinets that have
fallen into "disharmony" that needs harmonizing!
*
*
Businesses that can use a culinary demonstrator at
trade show booths or other locales
*
*
Food companies or cookbook writers that need a product
or recipe tester/developer
*
* Anyone who would like to eat healthier and
BUY TIME!
*
Do you cook for singles?
Certainly! I cook for about any hungry folk.
Many of my clients over the years have been single folks.
Some even share a package plan with a friend to get more variety in their
meals. In those situations, all the cooking is done and packaged
appropriately in one home and one person simply picks up their meals from
there.
Both folks do need to be present at the initial consultation.
How
do I book my own Personal Chef Wendy?
It’s soooo simple!
Just call or email and we will schedule a time for your FREE consultation.
During that time, we will complete a
detailed interview on your likes/dislikes, food allergies
and specific needs you have regarding your diet. It is most helpful to plan
this at a time when all folks who will be eating my food will be present.
I can't tell you how many times a spouse or child has told me about foods
they either like or dislike that the main "cook" in the house was shocked to
learn! (Nearly EVERY consultation) I'm not sure why, but family
members feel some sort of "freedom" in telling me things they might not tell
you.
You will be provided an extensive menu
from which you will choose your first day's entrees. On that, you will
circle things that are appealing to your taste buds. After that,
I typically make the menu selections for you. Not only does this take
another piece of the work off your plate, but it lets me take advantage of
any store specials that will let your grocery money go farther and it allows
me to plan things that give me full use of all kitchen appliances.
(Just because I'm not spending my own money doesn't mean I spend yours
frivolously! I consider myself to be a thrifty and wise shopper.)
Of course I am always happy for you to give me your requests, but we will
have a set cut off time for that.
I
will also "interview" your kitchen while there too... plunging
around your cabinets and drawers to see what you have. I'll also snoop
around in your pantry and see what condition your fridge and freezer are
in... because that might require a bit of homework from you before cheffing
day
(I also do kitchen/fridge cleaning and reorganization.)
This sounds GREAT, but
Wendy, can I afford your service?
Absolutely! When you consider the cost of groceries (and
all those purchased with "good intentions" that get tossed), time to plan a variety of
healthy meals, shopping, cooking and clean up time, you’ll find the pricing to
be quite affordable (See PACKAGES). I have had many clients to realize it was
more cost effective for
me to shop and cook for them than buy all the take out foods they were
buying (along with meals eaten out/tips/etc.).
Additionally, your family can dine in the comfort of your home around your
own supper table
on healthy
food (or food floating in butter if that's what you want), tailored to your
specific preferences! If you are like most households, you probably eat
out quite a bit or pick up fast food. If you calculate the monies spent
on these meals, you
will most likely find a Personal Chef will save you money AND put more
nutritious foods on your table! Free time is an added bonus.
How much time will
I save with your services?
Some recent published studies have shown most
households spend upwards of 14 hours+ a WEEK on meal planning, shopping,
unloading, prepping, cooking and cleaning up.
What would YOU do with an extra
14+ hours a WEEK?
I enjoy
cooking but don't always have the time. Can I use your service on a part-time
basis?
Certainly! We will discuss your needs
and eating patterns at your Complimentary Consultation
to determine the right package and schedule for you.
We have some family favorite recipes but I just don't have time to make
them. Can YOU?
Certainly, most of the time! Of course it
depends on the recipe and if it is "doable" in a normal cheffing date
Show me the recipe and let's see! I enjoy cooking your own personal
comfort foods.
I'm
on a diet... how can you help?
Most items on my menu are healthy, low-fat
selections, or can be made that way. If you are on a special diet,
I will accommodate
and prepare entrees to fit your specific needs. If your doctor has
prescribed a new
diet and you need help adapting your current eating and shopping habits,
my experience in health-care
food service can help me help you
make tasty adjustments.
I
sometimes like to entertain... can you help with that too?
Absolutely! See my
SERVICES page for more information! Cheffing dinner parties
and special occasions are my favorite! Menus for these events are created on an
individual basis once we have discussed your specific needs!
OK Wendy, HOW FAST CAN YOU GET HERE???
Call me and I'll see!
Call
919.404.0499 or 1.800.567.0407
