Back to News
Shutterstock 1351333688
Share this Article

What Can A Private Chef Do?

  • Publish Date: Posted 9 months ago

A private chef can fulfill many different roles. Whether you need to hire a private chef for the night, or you want to have someone able to travel with you and provide Michelin star level dining, or you simply need someone to muck in with the family and provide healthy, filling meals for everyone, we can guarantee we’ll be able to provide you with a suitable candidate.

You might also be wondering about the different types of private chef that we can provide - it’s not all about one man in a tall white hat…

Traditional Private Chef:

The role of a traditional private chef may vary - typically, a private chef will prepare a menu, often taking seasonal produce into account, as well as any dietary restrictions or preferences. A private chef is also generally responsible for food shopping, and ensuring that food is prepared according to the number of people in the house (for example, they can accommodate extra guests for an occasion), and are also generally responsible for tidying and cleaning the kitchen during and after food preparation. 

It’s important to remember - every client is different, and therefore, each private chef will adjust slightly to adapt to their client’s needs. 

A common misconception that we encounter is the confusion over the difference between a private chef and a personal chef. A personal chef is simply a professional chef who prepares meals for a client or a family, and generally works for multiple clients simultaneously. A private chef is contracted to one client at a time, and usually works within the client’s home.

Dinner Party Chef:

Perhaps you don’t want a private chef all the time, but you’ve got an event coming up that you really want to pull out all the stops for? A birthday get together, a proposal dinner, a retirement party - whatever the event is, you can hire a private chef for the night.

Wow your guests with a five course meal, and relax as the pressure of hosting is halved - you won’t have to worry about whether or not halibut goes with white wine or red, or whether the green beans are going to be overcooked. 

It’s important to remember that this kind of role is temporary and occasion based - if you’re not entirely sure whether or not that would suit your situation, get in touch with our expert team, and we can help you figure out what would be best for you. 

Family Cook: 

Every family is different. At Greycoat Lumleys, we can provide experienced, professional family chefs who are used to accommodating several different needs at once - from younger children who might have a fussier palet, to ravenous teenagers, to the potentially more sophisticated tastes of older family members.

A family chef can also work around differing schedules of different family members, taking into account timings of school, workplaces, and bearing in mind any allergies, intolerances, and other dietary requirements.

The typical duties of a family cook are slightly different to those of a traditional private chef, and may include things such as:

  • Focusing on healthy family meals.

  • Freezer filling.

  • Providing packed lunches.

  • Home baking.

  • Catering for parties.

Temporary Chefs and Cooks: 

Somewhere in between a special occasion chef and a private chef, a temporary chef will work for you for a set period of time - over the festive period, or for a few months at a time when you’re particularly busy at work.

We can also arrange for staff to accompany you on holiday, both in the UK and abroad - to a private villa, cottage, second home, or yacht, whether for as little as a week, or for the full season.

Our expert temporary chefs will be able to provide a full catering and private dining service, which will encompass menu planning, shopping for ingredients and supplies, cooking, serving, and clearing up. 

Whatever your culinary needs, we can guarantee that we’ll be able to provide an experienced, professional chef who will be able to adapt their cooking style to your needs. Get in touch with our team for an informal chat about what you need, or for more information on our available candidates. Alternatively, if you’re a professional chef looking for new opportunities, apply to register with us today.