Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Personal Chef?
A little slice of heaven if you don't like to cook! I commandeer your kitchen and relieve you of your culinary duties, whether it's for your everyday meals, the dinner party you said you would host or the bash you want to throw for a big birthday coming up. Although I cook in your kitchen, I bring all the equipment needed to prepare your meals. You get to sit back, relax and enjoy!
Meal Service
How much does your service cost?
My services are customized to your particular likes and dislikes, so the cost depends on a number of items. Please see Meal Service Packages and Small Party Catering for guidelines.
What menus do you offer?
As my service is customizable, I create menus based on what you like and what your dietary needs are. I have thousands of recipes to guide and inspire me, ensuring that you will get a variety of mouthwatering meals.
Can I taste a sample of your food before signing up?
Unfortunately, no. As I do not work out of a commercial kitchen, I am not able to provide samples. I am happy to provide a list of satisfied customers that you would be able to contact. I also provide a feedback form with each service so that I can better customize future menus to your likes and dislikes.
Where do you cook?
In your home! All food prep will be done in your kitchen. I also bring all of the equipment and utensils. You need only provide the oven, microwave, refrigerator and freezer.
How much time will you need in my kitchen?
A typical meal service takes approximately 5-7 hours, depending on your menu. For parties, I will need 2-6 hours of advance food preparation time (the greater number of guests, the longer I'll need), in addition to dinner service and cleanup. For cooking classes, I usually need approximately 2 hours of prep time prior to the start of class.
What areas do you cover?
I serve King County and the Greater Eastside, as well as the western portion of Kittitas County. This includes the communities of Mercer Island, Bellevue, Issaquah, Sammamish, Carnation, Duvall, Fall City, Preston, Snoqualmie, North Bend, Maple Valley, Black Diamond, Ravensdale, Enumclaw, Snoqualmie Pass, Easton, Cle Clum, Ronald and Roslyn.
As my personal chef, will you cook for me every night?
Unfortunately, no. To make the service as economical as possible for both you and me, I spend the day in your home preparing a variety of meals in advance (one to two weeks worth).
Are all the meals frozen?
The majority of your meals will be stored in your freezer. The first couple of night's meals will be stored in the refrigerator. For those meals that do not freeze well, they would just need to be enjoyed within the first 3 to 5 days.
What does your service fee cover?
It covers the menu planning, grocery shopping, food preparation, pantry items (spices, oils, vinegars, condiments) and food packaging required for your meals.
Do I need to clean out my refrigerator and freezer?
I need at least 1 shelf each in your refrigerator and freezer. However, if I'm preparing 25 plus servings, then a separate freezer is required.
Do I need to be home when you're here?
No, in fact, most of my clients are not home when I'm there. They provide me with a key and the alarm code, if necessary. Trust that I will treat your home better than my own and keep your information in the strictest confidence.
Small Party Catering
Do you offer gift certificates?
Yes. Please contact me for more information.
How much lead time do you need?
I typically need 2-4 weeks, dependent on the size of the party. The larger the party, the longer the lead-time. This allows me enough time to plan and price out your menu based upon your theme and preferences. Parties during major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, etc) require additional lead-time.
We need more plates and glasses for the party! Can you bring them?
Yes, I can provide dinnerware and flatware for a reasonable fee; if you need to rent linens or glassware, I can arrange for rentals for an additional fee (my time plus the cost of rentals). For buffet dinners, I can provide chafing dishes and platters for a reasonable fee.
Do you provide the wine or other alcoholic beverages?
No. I do not have a liquor license and am unable to purchase wine, beer or liquor on your behalf. I am happy to assist in selecting wine, beer or cocktails appropriate to your menu though!
Who cleans clean-up?
I do! For intimate dinners, I will see to all the clean-up associated with the food preparation, as well as clean up your dinner dishes. If guests stay longer than the party's designated end, the client is responsible for remaining clean-up. For buffets, my full service option includes all clean-up, otherwise I see to all the clean-up associated with the food preparation.
Are you a 1 woman show, or do you have staff?
No, I do not have any staff. Should your event warrant additional help, I turn to other professionals. I will prepare and serve food for up to 8 guests; anything over that will require additional staff. Service staff will be billed at $30/hour, 4-hour minimum (staff will be paid directly by you the day of the event).
