Frequently Asked Questions
Click questions for their answers.
What is a personal chef?
Who would use a personal chef service?
Is the service affordable?
What intangibles can a Personal Chef provide?
Will you cook for my private dinner party?
How long will you be at my house on a given cook date?
Do you cook in my kitchen?
I'll be home that day - is it okay if I watch, or help?
Will you customize the food to personal tastes and health requirements?
Is the food ready to eat or will I actually have to 'cook?'
How do you package and store my meals?
How much refrigerator and freezer space is required?
How long should the food retain its optimum flavor?
What is your service area?
How far in advance do I need to reserve your time?
What is your cancellation policy?
Do I pay before your visit?
A personal chef is a culinary professional who designs and prepares a week's worth of personalized meals for clients in their homes.
Unlike a 'private chef' who provides services to on client on a full-time basis, a Personal Chef is an independent contractor who has multiple clients.
Unlike a caterer who prepares food in a commercial kitchen and then delivers the finished product, a Personal Chef prepares all meals in the client's kitchen.
A Personal Chef provides a personally tailored selection of meals which are packaged and stored for the client to enjoy as each meal fits into their schedule and lifestyle.
Personal Chefs meet the needs of those whose schedule limits meal planning and preparation but wish to integrate high quality, healthy meals into the everyday life of their home.
Back to top.
Who would use a personal chef service?
Anyone who doesn't have the time to plan, shop for and prepare home-cooked meals. A typical client is someone who is tired of fast food or dining out and wants to enjoy healthy, delicious, and affordable meals in the comfort of their own home.
Back to top.
Think about what you might spend on take-out food, meals at restaurants and convenience foods at the grocery store which include boxed foods with lots of preservatives. When you add it all up, you'll be surprised to discover that hiring a Personal Chef is less expensive! Hiring a culinary professional is no longer a luxury available only to the wealthy; it's a necessity that is affordable.
Back to top.
What intangibles can a Personal Chef provide?
What is your time worth? Even more importantly, what is your health worth? Imagine coming home to a clean kitchen and a hot, healthy meal in minutes, completed with almost no effort on your part. With Venus in the Kitchen, you can count on food that is good for you and reduced stress from your not having to plan or prepare meals. The hours saved every week can be better spent with family, relaxation, or leisure.
Back to top.
Will you cook for my private dinner party?
I love to cook for private dinner parties or special family events. This is considered a party service. As with other meal preparation, I use your kitchen. The price for this service includes the cost of food plus a labor fee of $35.00 per hour with a minimum of four hours.
For private dinner parties, I will set the table, introduce and serve the meal, and clean up the kitchen. Or, if you prefer, I can prepare the meal, set the table and leave the rest to you. Only your Personal Chef will know who actually did the work!
Back to top.
How long will you be at my house on a given cook date?
A typical weekly meal preparation requires three to five hours in your kitchen. During your in-home consultation we'll estimate preparation time prior to your first meal service. The length of a visit may vary according to the specifics of each menu - some dishes take more time to prepare - and the quantity of food.
Back to top.
Yes. On our agreed upon cook date I will cook on-site in your kitchen for most of the preparation. The size of your kitchen is not critical; I can adjust my methods accordingly. I bring my own pots, pans, utensils and equipment as needed. After I have finished I will clean the kitchen and leave your home so that the only evidence of my having been ther is the aroma of gourmet cooked food!
Back to top.
I'll be home that day - is it okay if I watch, or help?
When I come to your home, your kitchen becomes my office. While I am working for you I want to make sure my mind and hands are completely focused on the task at hand. I will be working on preparing fabulous meals, so to prevent burns, cuts and forgotten ingredients I'll visit with you when I arrive and then again prior to leaving, but in between I'll be too busy to talk.
Back to top.
Will you customize the food to the personal tastes and health requirements of my family and me?
Absolutely. As part of your in-home consultation I will interview you to determine your palate preferences and nutritional requirements. This is your opportunity to tell me your likes and dislikes. It is important for me to know if you have any food allergies or special dietary requirments.
Besides assisting me in creating your personalized menu, this information helps me select the most appropriate places to shop. For each individual who is a regular client I keep a file with specific needs and requirements.
Back to top.
Is the food ready to eat or will I actually have to 'cook?'
The food is ready for you to 'finish for service.' All meals will have clear heating and serving instructions for you to follow, allowing you to easily and quickly ready your meal.
Back to top.
How do you package and store my meals?
As part of your in-home consultation we will discuss your preference for packaging, both the type of container and how many meals you would like packaged together. On your cook date, once each entrée is prepared, I will rapidly cool it, package it in the container of your choice, label and date it and store it in your refrigerator, leaving clear finishing instructions. You will then transfer those meals you will be eating later to your freezer.
How much refrigerator and freezer space is required?
The space needed will depend on your packaging choice (container and number of meals per container). We will work together to choose the most space efficient, yet most convenient packaging for your needs. For refrigerator space, I ask my clients not to go shopping the day before our cook date so there is space to cool down your products while I work.
Back to top.
How long should the food retain its optimum flavor?
Depending on the packaging method chosen, the pre-cooked meals should retain their peak flavor for two to six weeks in the freezer. I do not recommend freezing every component of some meals. For example, meals with fresh, uncooked ingredients have a shorter refrigerator life. To make your life easy, I will suggest which meals to enjoy sooner than others.
Back to top.
I provide Personal Chef service to the greater Kansas City
metropolitan area.
Back to top.
How far in advance do I need to reserve your time?
Two weeks notice is generally recommended to schedule any of my services. You are welcome to call anytime to see if I have a date available; I will try my best to accomodate. However, last minute reservations make for last minute preparations and an additional fee may be charged.
Back to top.
What is your cancellation policy?
For all of my services, if more than 72 hours notice is given, 50% of the subtotal will be charged. If less than 72 hours notice is given the full subtotal will be charged. Cancellations within this period leave me with over-ordered food and time I cannot replace with another client's business. As it has the same impact as a cancellation, I require the same amount of notice for postponing your cook date.
Back to top.
The service fee is required to book your cook-date. The grocery portion will be due on your cook-date
Back to top.
