Questions to ask a personal chef before you hire

Before the interview

• Look at the chef’s background. Read their website and any reviews. Check whether they have cooked for households like yours.
• Write down your diet and preferences. Allergies, favorite cuisines, dishes you want and dishes you do not.
• Decide what you expect beyond cooking. Grocery shopping, cleanup, how often, and for how many people.

Experience and style

1. What is your culinary background? A good answer names where they trained or worked and how long they have cooked for private clients.
2. What is your cooking style or specialty? Look for a clear answer plus a willingness to cook what you like.
3. Who are your typical clients? You want a chef who already cooks for households like yours.

Diet and menus

4. How do you handle allergies and dietary restrictions? A good chef asks for every detail, keeps a list of safe ingredients and explains how they avoid cross-contact in your kitchen.
5. Do you have experience with my diet? Ask for examples of meals they have made for it.
6. How do you plan menus, and how many changes can I ask for? Expect a proposed menu after the consultation and room to revise it.
7. How do you cook for picky eaters or people who want different things? Listen for practical answers, such as variations on one dish.

Logistics

8. Where do you buy ingredients? Ask about quality, organic or local options, and whether you will see the receipts.
9. How long is a cook day, and what do you need from my kitchen? A professional plans the day, brings their own knives and cleans as they go.
10. Do you carry liability insurance and a food-safety certification? Ask to see both.

Money and terms

11. What do you charge, and how are groceries billed? Ask for a written quote that shows the service fee and groceries separately.
12. What is your cancellation policy, and can I book a trial cook day first? Get this in writing.

After the interview

Call two references. Ask each how long they have used the chef, what the chef does best and whether anything has gone wrong. Then book one trial cook day before you commit to a regular schedule.

Personal Chef Finder does not vet the chefs listed here. The interview, the references and the trial are how you check a chef yourself.