# Privete Chef/personal chef rates?



## alicat (Oct 25, 2011)

So, I own a catering business in the East Bay, Ca, doing mostly cocktail/dinner parties and events, and  small corporate events but due to to business being slow, I took on a job 3 days a week (M-W-F) as a personal chef to the family who is one of my long time catering clients.  I feel lucky because they treat me very well, and I'm right at home when working there.  They sit in the kitchen and eat dinner while I finish up the meal for the following day, and they bring their dishes to the sink when they're done, even though I insist every time to just let me do it.  They are so nice!  I didn't do much research on going rates before starting because I actually worked as a private chef while going through culinary school to an insane & horrible family, and they paid me $100 cash every night, so I felt like I wont the lottery at 22 being paid cash so I could start paying off my debt and getting experience while going to schoo, but now I know better...or so I think!  So, 10 years later here I am again, and being reminded that it is such hard work, just the planning that goes into it is really intense, because my client (the wife) is Gluten Free and they also have a 4 year old who eats about 6 foods, so I have to switch gears a lot.  Anyway, my question is, is $45/hr, 3 days a week, for about 5-6 hrs of work (shopping/travel time is incuded in my rate as well) reasonable?  I will be given a 1099 and I pay for my own personal and business insurance, health care and vehicle.  After taxes, this is not really a lot for what I do, even though people who have a lot of money seem to think this is a lot...also, I know it could be a lot worse by adding a bad employee to the mix, which I am fortunate not to have to deal with this time around.  My second issue is that I want to say to them that if they have a dinner party, that falls under the realm of my "catering", which would be $75 hr.  Is that reasonable or am I rocking the boat and heading in a bad direction and possibly souring a good relationship?


----------



## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

As a personal chef, I do not charge by the hour, I charge by the cook date and my *minimum *is $350 per cook date plus groceries.

Personal chefs are *not* employees, they are running their own business.

Check with your accountant, unless they are deducting your services as a business expense, there is no need for a 1099, IMO.

I could not afford to tie up three days a week, especially with the constraints you are working under, for less than $1,050.

As an alternative, I would suggest either a Monday and Thursday, cooking three meals each day, or a single day cooking six meals, if price is a question.

BTA, WTHDIK, /img/vbsmilies/smilies/laser.gifI've only been doing it for over ten years


----------



## willsquared (Dec 26, 2013)

With that being said, you would provide the menu and the list of groceries. Do they do the shopping or do we?


----------



## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

WillSQuared said:


> With that being said, you would provide the menu and the list of groceries. Do they do the shopping or do we?


I do all the shopping! The quality of the final product is dependent on the quality of the groceries and, except for rare and unusual circumstances, I require that I do the shopping.


----------



## willsquared (Dec 26, 2013)

Hope all is well. 

I have another question:

I have a new client and I offered a 3 day meal plan. And I would charge 350 per cook date. Is that fair?


----------



## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

$350 plus groceries? Yup.

That's what I charge for a 1x1 up to a 5x4 (5 meals x 4 servings/meal)


----------



## brandon odell (Aug 19, 2012)

You could also do all three days in one half day at their house. At my service, my chefs and I do two families per day, charged hourly plus groceries, making a full week of meals for each family but limiting the number of menu selections per family to three or four. A full day of work is about the same as Pete charges. Difference being, we fit two families in each day so that the chefs time totals 8-10 hours on the day.

As you are considering, we charge a higher hourly rate for parties. What is acceptable in your market might be completely different than our market though.


----------



## notswedishchef (Oct 24, 2013)

I charge $45 an hour; every minute I devote to menu planning, shopping, buying, travel, emailing...etc........it weeds out people fast.....

$250 +groceries for a simple dinner, $350 for a cooking class, $ 450 for a dinner for 6+ all plus groceries and I have more work than I can reasonably sideline solo.......but you need to be able to kill it.  If I do a wedding, or a serious event...I bill at a consulting rate which differs. 

I have a bunch of athletes in the Boston area that I work with, I give them a break as they're hometown heroes, but they all get the same meals........i prep them all and drop them off in coolers at their practice facility with them......along with reheating instructions......

the devil is in the details, being on point, a super pro, and approchable all add perceived value for people.  your market and skillset may be different, but its worth thinking about

if you're doing personal chef stuff......talk to an accountant......make sure you're covering your arse from all standpoints....including the local health code.....understand what's in scope of personal chef and whats not.....billing an event as catering will generally open you to potential health inspections.....cause surprise, you're now a caterer and not a personal chef.  Of course, who's to know you're doing that...but still.....understand what is and isn't personal cheffing......


----------

