When you’re hosting a dinner party, the food is the star of the show. Hiring a private chef to execute the meal of your dreams is the perfect way to provide your guests with an experience that’s as memorable as it is delicious. It’s also the best way to ensure your time will be spent around the table savoring good company, rather than being tethered to the kitchen.
Whether this is your first time throwing a dinner soiree or you consider yourself a party planning pro, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to how to hire a chef for a dinner party.
What is a private chef?
A private chef is a professional who individuals, companies, or households hire to take care of planning, preparing, and cooking meals. They create custom dining experiences that are designed to fit their clients’ dietary preferences, lifestyle, and budget.
Private chefs can be hired as needed for one-off occasions, or on an on-going basis. Though some people have private chefs that handle day-to-day cooking, many people enlist their services to help with parties, events, and special occasions.
What does a private chef do?
A private chef’s primary goals are to make their clients’ lives easier and to provide a top-notch dining experience. They often work in settings such as:
- Dinner parties
- Birthday parties
- Yachts
- Wedding receptions
- Company events
- Weekend getaways
In these settings (as well as others), private chefs are usually responsible for tasks that include:
- Developing menus
- Shopping for ingredients
- Preparing meals
- Cleaning up after meals
Essentially, private chefs take the hard work out of creating dining experiences for their clients. This means their clients are free to host, entertain, mingle, network, and enjoy a meal that’s (literally) catered to for their exact tastes and preferences.
How to hire a private chef
At Gathar, we’ve thrown our share of parties, and we’re here to share our secrets on how to make any kind of festivity a shining success. Read on to learn everything you need to consider when hiring a private chef.
1. Envision your event – what’s your style?
As you embark on the dinner planning journey, the first thing you need to do is get a clear idea of the type of gathering (or as we like to say, ‘gatharing’) you want to host. Hiring a chef for an intimate dinner for two looks wildly different than it does for a group of 25.
Similarly, booking a chef for a once-in-a-lifetime occasion like an engagement or wedding will probably entail planning something a bit more celebratory than a standard weeknight get-together—although we promise those can be special, too.
Asking yourself the following questions can help you pinpoint exactly the kind of event you’re envisioning:
- Where will I host my dinner party?
- What’s the occasion?
- How formal of an atmosphere am I trying to create?
- How many courses do I want to serve?
- Do I want to serve the meals family-style or individually?
No matter how you answered the questions above, you can rest assured Gathar has a Culinarian (private chef or caterer) who will align with your vision.
2. Put your guests first – what do they need?
Although the food might be the star of the show, your guests are what truly matters, so keeping them in mind as you hire a chef is key. Considering your crowd before you book is a cornerstone of being a conscientious host.
If you know everyone who’s attending your dinner party personally, it’s a lot easier to stay on top of things like dietary restrictions.
If you’re not sure on dietaries, it’s always advisable to ask beforehand so you can accommodate your vegetarian, gluten-free, or dairy-free attendees. You don’t want anyone to miss out on an incredible dining experience.
Don’t forget about the little foodies out there! We love feeding people of all ages, and our culinarians will make sure to provide kid-friendly options if needed.
3. Design the perfect menu – is there something for everyone?
If you’re a foodie like us, the next step is by far the most enjoyable: deciding what you’re going to serve for dinner! At Gathar, we understand every party is different, which is why we offer a wide range of expertly curated menus as well as custom options.
The world is literally your oyster, and our culinarians will work closely with you to ensure every last bite is perfect. Take a look at a few of our current LA menu options – we’re hungry just thinking about the possibilities!
- Reimagined American Classics
- Flavors of Modern Asia
- Gourmet 3-Course Gatharing
- Signature 4-Course Supper
All of our menus feature fresh, seasonal produce that showcase our culinarians’ talents. No matter which menu you choose, guaranteed you’ll be selecting a unique dining experience.
4. Consider your budget – how much is a personal chef?
We’re well aware of the big question on every party planner’s mind: how much does it cost to hire a chef?
While this aspect of planning an event is admittedly less fun than choosing the food, we’ve gone out of our way to make pricing as easy and transparent. The cost of a private chef varies based on factors like your:
- Number of guests
- Menu
- Location
- Event type
Your Gathar Concierge is here to help you iron out all of these details and logistics. When you hire a private chef with Gathar, the price per person includes everything* from labor, to transport, to ingredients. Don’t worry: clean-up is on that list as well!
You’ll never have to worry about hidden costs or surprise fees, so you can focus on enjoying your guests rather than stressing about the bill. (*note: sales tax is calculated at the time of payment based on your gatharing address, and this is when gratuity is added as well)
5. Think about the extra details – what are the special touches?
The final things to consider when you hire a chef for a dinner party are the special touches you want to add to help make your event a true showstopper. This can mean anything from adding oysters to the menu to asking your culinarian to bake a custom birthday cake, to selecting delicious wines to pair with each course.
At Gathar, nothing makes us happier than finding ways to add that ‘wow’ factor to your night.
What are the benefits of hiring a personal chef?
There are a plethora of reasons why hiring a personal chef can make sense in many situations. Between not wanting to cook, having limited culinary abilities, wanting to focus on spending time with your guests, or simply wanting to explore a new cuisine, there are plenty of benefits of hiring a personal chef.
Whether you’re hosting a once-in-a-lifetime dinner party or you want to make an ordinary weeknight feel special, read on to learn why hiring a personal chef can be a great option.
It can save you time – and money!
Of course, there are costs associated with hiring a personal chef, but it can actually save you in the long run in terms of both time and money.
When you want to treat your guests to a fantastic meal, hiring a personal chef can even be less expensive than taking them to a high-quality restaurant. This rings especially true because it’s not just about the entrees: extras like wine, cocktails, coffee, and dessert can really add up in a restaurant setting.
Time is money, as they say, and when you hire a personal chef, you’ll save yourself significant time, effort, and stress. You won’t have to rush home from work to shop for ingredients, spend hours prepping in the kitchen, or wash dishes long into the night. With a private chef, all you have to do is enjoy the meal!
There’s no need to wash up
Let’s face it: no one likes washing dishes. When you host a party, there’s a lot to clean at the end of the night. When you hire a private chef, you won’t have to spend time scrubbing. They handle the clean-up, so you can savor conversation with your guests around the table without having to worry about the state of your kitchen.
You can spend more time with your guests
Every minute you spend in the kitchen is one less minute you spend with your guests. The whole point of hosting an event is to connect with the people you’ve invited, which means being stuck handling the cooking is less than ideal. You won’t miss a single toast, laugh, or memory when you hire a personal chef.
You can get a high level of customization
Going to a restaurant means being limited to whatever options are on their menu, but hiring a personal chef means you have unlimited options in terms of designing a menu that suits your exact tastes and preferences.At Gathar, we offer a wide variety of curated, customizable menus to choose from, and we also give you the freedom to create your own (don’t worry, our trusted culinarians are there to help!). Whether you have a specific dish, cuisine, or even diet in mind, we can make it happen.
It makes a great gift
Everyone loves food, so giving the gift of a private chef experience is sure to be a hit. Doing so is much more personal than simply taking someone out to eat at a restaurant, and it’s a gift that will create memories to last a lifetime.
You can enjoy high quality ingredients
One of the best things about dining with a private chef from Gathar is that you can feel 100% confident you’re enjoying fresh, high-quality ingredients. Our menus focus on seasonal produce, local ingredients, and food you can feel good about eating.
What to consider when hiring a private chef
Whether it’s your first time hiring a private chef or you’re a seasoned pro, there are several things you should keep in mind. Thinking about your needs from all angles will ensure you have the best experience possible. Take a look at a few things you should consider.
What do you need from your personal chef?
Asking yourself what you need from a personal chef is by far the best way to start conceptualizing your overall experience. Do you want a chef to prepare an elegant three-course meal, a casual family-style dinner, or a grazing table that’s perfect for a large party? Considering timing, location, and the type of service you’re looking for is also important.
What kind of event are you hosting?
The type of event you’re planning will inform a lot of the decisions you make regarding the food, as well as what you should look for when hiring a private chef. The number of guests, atmosphere, time of day, and occasion all play into the kind of overall experience you want to create.
Planning a wedding reception is radically different from throwing a children’s birthday party or a company happy hour, which means what you’ll need from your personal chef will vary, too. Location is also a factor to consider when thinking about what kind of event you’re throwing, so you should think about whether you need to hire a private chef in Hollywood or hire a private chef in Glendale, for example.
How much customization do you need?
People and events are all different. While some people prefer to take a hands-on approach to every aspect of planning, others prefer to sit back and let the experts handle the details.
Similarly, an event celebrating a personal accomplishment or occasion often calls for more custom elements than a corporate event or a large, informal cocktail party.
This means you should consider both what’s most appropriate for your specific event, as well as your hosting style and desired level of involvement.
The best thing about hiring a personal chef with Gathar is the level of customization is totally up to you! We give you the option to work with us to create your own menu, or to select one of our curated options. You can also add as many special touches as you please.If you want to learn more, we have incredible resources that will teach you everything you need to know when hosting a dinner party.
Bon Appetit!
We know hiring a chef isn’t something most people do every day, but we hope by now you’re feeling more comfortable and at ease with the process.
Hosting a dinner party should be fun, and when you put your trust in our hands, you can spend more time eating, drinking, and connecting with your guests (and less time sorting out logistics). Just remember, you don’t have to do this alone: our team at Gathar is ready to match you with a great local private chef and help you pull off the party of your dreams.