I am starting a Home Chef Service Tell me what you think?!
I am starting a Home Chef Service Tell me what you think?
I am an Executive Chef who has decided I want to be my own boss. I am starting a new company that includes the following with a "twist". I will be giving cooking lessons(anything you want to learn) I will be doing small full dinner parties of up to 12 people as many courses as you want(larger parties will be buffet for now) and I will be your very own" Executive Chef" for anything you want. The twist is I will be using your kitchen and if you want your equipment( of course I will be using mine as well) I arrange everything with my clients ahead of time- part of my service is I come and Pre-clean and sanitize everything we will be using and I clean everything at the end and yes I do all the shopping. I am very anal retentive about food safety, storage,handling and cooking of. I am an "unknown" in the cooking world, but I am honest, hardworking and an excellent cook. I am looking for your thoughts, opinions, comments-Good/Bad just to see if it is a good idea? Thanks- R
Answers:
It sounds good, but you need very good advertising local new papers, supermarket, and a very good site on Internet with some nice pictures and examples of your food and service, good luck
I'm a chef too....need answers just drop me a line.
I'm a Sous Chef and I think it's a great idea. That's the way things are going now days, entrepreneurs.
I'd like to open a cafe one day to serve single hard working guys their meat and potato's and possibly do catering also.
Normal families are a thing of the past so I'm sure people would love to have someone cook for them or teach them to be cooks themselves.
Just do good for the customers and they'll help you find more work through word of mouth.
I LOVE IT! I don't know where you are or what the price range is that you have figured out, but if you lived nearby, after I met you and checked your references, I'd "try you out" for a family of three. From the sound of it, the three of us would "love you to death"! Best Wishes and Happy Holidays!
I think that sounds like a wonderful idea. I had thought to do something similar, on a much smaller scale. It was dinner for two. Special dinners to celebrate life's big accomplishments; anniversaries, births, career promotions or opportunities, basically anything that would make a person want to celebrate the event. Ideally I would like to have a home where I could set up individual rooms to host more than one occasion at a time.
All the best, your idea sounds like a Winner! Something to celebrate about!
Looking smaller than dinner parties, I would think you'd want to offer this as basically two different services. 1) They choose the menu and you could either cook for them as their "private chef for a night" at their home. 2) You come to their home and do the menu as a lessson, just like on TV.
I would personally pay for both of these services!
ok
I'm not really sure who your target market will be though? is there anyone else in your area offering this ? I'm not really keen on the twist aspect of your plan, as usually at catered parties the guests like to mingle and at any party I have attended the guests always mingle around the kitchen, this cant be done if there is a stressed out chef, I'm sure you are a superb chef but can you handle a 4 course meal for 12 in what may be a small kitchen with strangers popping in and out?
I wish you the best of luck , however please research the practicalities as well as following a dream!!
Start doing these things for friends and your business will grow through word of mouth and references.
Great idea and I wish you a lot of luck! l The foodie market has grown tremendously (Food Network) and people are using cooking as social events, there are businesses that will help you plan, cook and store a whole week's meals and you prepare them with your friends!
All depends on the market area you are in and how you market yourself and the concept.
I've attached a web site for a guy in LA who was a chef and now has a very active and full culinary school. He uses his own location and offers everything from small parties to complete chef training.
Good luck!
I also think that it would help to have a more clear idea of your target market. The cooking classes are a great incentive for many people to learn whilst socialising (= for people who have a bit of free time), but you need to have your own place to do it, preferably with a decent space in front of the table and possibly some mirrors on the ceiling, and some space to eat the food at the end of your cooking demonstration... or otherwise have to rely on a customer who has the right kitchen size and chairs etc to host you. On the other hand, the home chef service has to be delivered at your customers' place. It may be a better idea to incorporate your company as a personal chef service first by offering a shopping and cooking service which would be customized to the family's needs. I don't know where you are based, but in cities such as NY or London, for instance, many single people working within the banking sector are prepared to spend money for a personal chef who can deliver healthy food and snacks throughout the day as they don't have any time for shopping or cooking (and in many cases they're not even interested in learning). What you could also do is develop a range of products (such as home made biscuits or breads or birthday cakes), which you can sell to your customers occasionally.
Later, once your business is picking up, then you can get organized, find some part time staff and develop more the entertaining / social feature of your business by offering classes in your free time. Best would be to offer one 2-3 hour-sessions on one single subject at a time.
FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! YOUR PLANS SEEM VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT. I THINK YOUR IDEA IS A GOOD ONE, I JUST HOPE YOU DON'T BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW. WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED???---(STATE, CITY)??!! HAVE FUN AND HAPPY COOKING!!!!!!!!!!!!