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QUESTIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED ABOUT PERSONAL CHEF SERVICE PREMIER CONCIERGE, A PERSONAL CHEF SERVICE ANNECOOKS4U@EARTHLINK.NET (614) 846-3449 What
is the difference between a Personal Chef and a Private
Chef? A
Private Chef is employed by one individual or family full time and is
often “live in” and prepares up to 3 meals a day. A Personal Chef serves several
clients, usually one per day, and provides multiple meals that are custom
designed for the clients’ particular requests and diet requirements. These meals are packaged and
stored so that the client may enjoy them at their leisure in the
future. Do
you cook in my kitchen? Yes,
I do prepare your meals in the safety of your own kitchen. I am perfectly
happy to work in any size kitchen.
One of the reasons I visit your home before the first cooking day,
is to assess the kitchen and to note how many burners are functional, etc.
On our agreed upon cooking day I will bring the fresh ingredients for your
meals along with pots, pans and utensils and prepare your entrees on
site. At the end of the day I
leave your kitchen clean, and full of the aroma of home
cooking! How
much freezer space do I need? Of
course this is determined by how many meals I prepare. Efficient storage is one of the
reasons I bring my own
containers. I will be happy to use your containers if they are of
appropriate size. Storage
generally isn’t an issue.
You will save the containers for me that have held the entrees you
have already enjoyed and I will take those back with me each cooking date,
so I will actually be rotating containers in and out of your kitchen. Disposable containers are also
available. How
long will you be at my house cooking? It
usually takes about 5-7 hours to actually cook the meals at your
house. My time spent
planning, grocery shopping, etc. is about 3 hours longer than the actual
cooking time. I am happy to
work with your schedule. I’ll
be home that day. Is it okay
if I watch—or help? This
can be a delicate situation, as I will be preparing several different
recipes simultaneously and cannot be distracted by conversation, etc. It would be too easy to forget an
ingredient or forget about something in the oven. I would be happy to chat or answer
any questions for a few minutes before or after. Also, I am
always happy to answer any questions or take suggestions
through email or phone. What
type of meals do you prepare?
Can I choose the menu? We
will have an initial meeting where we come up with the first week’s menu
based on your tastes and dietary goals. After you try the meals we will
“fine tune”…how much spice, portion size, less meat-more veggies or vise
versa, etc. I am happy to
make a family recipe if you give me the recipe
at least a week in advance, so I can test it. Menu requests are emailed
(or phoned) to me a week or so in advance. That way I have time to go to
any specialty shops for special ingredients, etc. All that being said,
most of my regular clients leave it up to me to choose the menu…based on
their likes and dislikes. That way I can purchase what looks the best at
the market…and take advantage of specials! I tend to try different recipes,
so if you want something you had a few weeks ago, please speak up!
Please
note: This is YOUR service, so if you want, I will bake chocolate chip
cookies and chicken casseroles all day. The
cost seems to be about the same as I would pay for an entrée at a
restaurant—Why is that? The
fee for personal chef service represents all the components that make up
this customized plan. For
example, it includes the assessment process where we determine what you
like to eat, food allergies, etc.
You are paying to have me plan, grocery shop and have your meals
prepared exactly as you like with the freshest ingredients. There are no restaurant-type food
stabilizers, etc. added. This
is not food-industry type cooking in large quantities…It is personalized
home cooking. It is also a convenience for you to know you have a freezer
of healthful meals that are made especially for you that you can enjoy
anytime in your own home.
Going out to eat in restaurants is great, but a personal chef
service is one more option for healthful, convenient meals. Also consider…No time and
gasoline driving to and from the restaurant, no rude servers, no tipping,
and no temptations from the dessert tray! Do
I pay ahead for each cooking date?
How far in advance can I schedule? You
may schedule up to 3 months in advance. However, if I have any openings, I
am happy to schedule on short notice. It is customary to pay
at least a week before your cooking date. If you like, you may leave me a
check for the next upcoming date on the day I am cooking.
How
often will you come to my house to cook? Is it
expensive? I can
visit weekly, monthly, or whatever works best for your family. I will be preparing approximately
5 different entrees with up to eight servings of each. If you prefer, I will prepare 4
entrees and 2 side dishes).
The food will be portioned to suit your family’s needs and put in
appropriate containers. For
instance 5 different entrees (eight servings each) would be 40 individual
servings or 20-“serves 2” packages or 10 evening entrees for a family of
4. The meals are all tested.
They are “freezer-friendly”
and heat with great results.
The rate for my service is currently $325 plus the price of
the groceries (usually about $125). I do not charge extra for
containers or anything else. This
“entrée-only” service is a result of suggestions from my current clients
who feel this service is a much better value than the 5 entree x 4 serving
I previously offered.
I will offer easy serving suggestions to go with the
entrées I prepare. Do
you have gift certificates? Yes,
gift certificates are the perfect gift for new moms,
seniors, busy professionals, and patients recovering from surgery. It is also the perfect
gift to give yourself and your family.
What is your time worth?
What is your health
worth? Premier Concierge of Columbus
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