How to Run Successful Private Chef Events

A few days before, confirm the final guest count, every allergy and intolerance, serving time, address and parking, how you get in, and who your contact is on the day. Guest numbers often change; the terms you agreed at booking (see Guide 4) decide how that affects the price.

Build the shopping list from your menu quantities, grouped by supplier. Buy stable items early and delicate ones as late as possible. Keep receipts: you will need them for the profit review.

Do as much as you can in advance. Anything that can be made the day before and finished on site reduces risk in an unfamiliar kitchen. Label and date everything, and transport chilled food in cool boxes with ice packs and a thermometer.

Ask for photos of the kitchen in advance, and check on arrival: oven and hob working, fridge space, enough pans and plates, bins and cleaning products. Bring what you cannot do without.

Treat allergies as a safety matter, not a preference. Know which guest has which requirement, prepare their dishes separately, use clean boards and utensils, and tell them what is in each course. Follow the allergen rules that apply where you work. If you cannot guarantee a dish is safe, say so before the event, not at the table.

For more than ten to twelve guests, or for plated service with several courses, one extra person to serve and clear usually makes the evening calmer and faster. Brief them on the menu, allergies and timing, and price their time into the quote.

During service, introduce each course briefly, keep a steady pace, and read the room: some groups want conversation with the chef, others want privacy.

Leave the kitchen as clean as you found it, or cleaner. Wash, wipe, empty bins as agreed, and store leftovers labelled in the fridge. The last impression often decides whether you are booked again.

Within a day or two, compare the job with your quote:

• Actual ingredient spend against the estimate
• Actual hours, including shopping, travel and cleaning
• Unplanned costs: extra supplies, parking, staff overtime
• What you earned per hour after all costs

If a type of job keeps running over, change the calculation behind your price. The method is in Guide 2.

Send a thank-you message the next day and ask for a short review. Ask whether they know anyone else who might want a chef. Note what the client liked, guest names, allergies and the menu you cooked, so the next booking is easier. If the booking came through a partner, thank them too. Referrals and repeat clients feed straight back into finding clients.