So what does a personal chef do? They cook in your kitchen instead of a restaurant. How does a personal chef work in practice? You pick a chef, you agree a menu, and on the day they shop, cook, serve and clean up. You don’t do any of it.
Explore our curated selection of professional chefs specializing in diverse cuisines and culinary styles.
Provide information about your event, date, location, and guest preferences to get started.
Collaborate with your chosen chef to craft a bespoke menu tailored to your tastes and dietary needs.
Relax and savor a delicious, professionally prepared meal in the comfort of your own home.
Four steps, start to finish. Nothing here needs a phone call.
Start by searching your city and the date you have in mind. You’ll get a list of chefs who are free that day, with their menus, prices and reviews sitting on the profile.
Open two or three, then message the ones you like. Tell them how many people are coming, what time, and anything nobody eats. Most chefs reply the same day.
That is the whole personal chef booking process. No phone calls, no agency in the middle, no waiting a week for a quote by email.
Yes. The menu is the part people worry about most, and it is the part that is easiest to change.
Once you have picked a chef they send you a draft menu. You tell them what to swap. Allergies, a food someone hates, a dish you ate on holiday and want again, a budget you need to stay inside — all of it is normal to ask for.
If you are working out how to hire a chef for a dinner party, this is the step that matters most. Send the guest count and any allergies early and the rest falls into place.
For most bookings the chef handles everything from the shopping list to the last dish in the sink.
That means planning the menu with you, buying the ingredients, bringing their own knives and any special equipment, cooking in your kitchen, serving each course, and leaving the kitchen clean.
What is not included: groceries are usually billed on top at what they actually cost, and extras like waiting staff, hired glassware or wine are booked separately if you want them. Every chef lists what sits inside their price on their profile.
On the day your chef will usually arrive about ninety minutes before you want to eat, and they will need the kitchen to themselves for most of that time.
They cook, they plate, they serve. You sit down with your guests. Between courses the chef works quietly in the background — most guests barely notice they are there.
When the last course is done they clear up, pack their kit and go. The kitchen is usually tidier than it was when they arrived.
Submit your event details and preferences through our easy-to-use platform.
Select your preferred chef and finalize the booking details.
Your chef sources ingredients, prepares the meal, and handles setup.
Enjoy your meal. The chef handles cleanup afterwards.
The things people ask us most, before and after their first booking.
The chef does. They write the shopping list from the menu you agreed and buy everything themselves, usually on the morning of your booking so it is fresh.
Almost always, yes — it is part of the job, and they know which cuts and brands work for their dishes. If you would rather shop yourself, ask before you book. Plenty of chefs are happy to send you a list instead.
Usually not. Most chefs charge their fee and then add the food receipt on top at cost, so you pay what the ingredients actually cost. A few quote one all-in price — it says which on the profile.
Count on four to five hours for a dinner: about ninety minutes of prep before service, the meal itself, then half an hour to clean up. A meal prep session is shorter, usually three to four hours.
For a dinner, as many courses as you agree — three or four is normal. For weekly meal prep, most chefs make five to twelve portions in a single session.
Whatever suits you. Some people book once for a birthday and never again. Others have a chef every week or every other week. A standing slot usually works out cheaper per session.
Yes. Cleaning the kitchen is part of the booking, not an extra. That covers pots, pans, worktops and the dishes from the meal.
Some chefs set one, some do not. Two people is a normal booking. Where a minimum exists it is shown on the profile, and it is usually a minimum spend rather than a headcount.
Forty-eight hours is enough for an ordinary weeknight. Give a week for a dinner party of eight or more so the chef can source properly. December weekends tend to go about six weeks ahead.
Yes, and most bookings are exactly that. There is no package to sign up to and no minimum number of bookings.
Each chef sets their own and it is on their profile before you book. As a rule, cancel more than 48 hours out and you get a full refund. Inside 48 hours the chef may keep part of the fee, because by then they have usually bought the food.
Every chef on CookHire has their ID verified and their food safety certificate checked before the profile goes live. If you can see a chef’s profile, those checks are done.
Through the site, by card. The payment is held until after your booking and then released to the chef. You do not need cash on the night.
It is not expected, and nobody will be awkward if you don’t. Chefs set their own rates here, so the price on the profile is already a fair price for the work.
If you want to, ten to twenty per cent of the chef’s fee is the usual range. For a large event with extra staff, some people leave a flat amount to split. Entirely up to you.
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