The hospitality industry has expanded in recent years and the popularity of 'private chefs' has definitely increased. Think about it ... you are booking a house for your friend's hen party or organising a group getaway for your birthday and want a special treat so that you don't have to abandon your guests and spend hours in the kitchen.
The perfect solution is to book a catered dinner party and hire a professional chef to provide delicious food for you, in the comfort of your own home or holiday let! No more arranging taxis, booking tables in a noisy restaurant or cleaning a mountain of dishes after hosting all evening.
Restaurant quality food, delivered to you, hassle free. It's a winning combination!
Where do I start?
There are some good third party booking sites out there that will facilitate your search for you, such as La Belle Assiette. You can search by location and date to see which chefs are available for your event, then make an enquiry based on the individual chef's menus that tantalise your tastebuds.
Alternatively, use a good old search engine or social media to look for private chefs working in your area. Contacting a chef directly means you can discuss your menu requirements, guest's dietary needs and receive a much more personalised service. There would be no commission to pay either, so the full revenue goes to the hard-working chef!
Our Instagram and Facebook pages for example, are kept up to date with our latest food pictures and client reviews so that you can rest assured you are booking a professional who will deliver a fantastic service at your lunch or dinner.
How much does it cost?
Not as much as you would think! Especially when you take in to account the fact that you are asking the chef to bring the restaurant to you, prepare the food in advance, travel to your home, lay the table for you and provide an all-round first class service (including doing the washing up).
Our prices start from £45.00 per person, for a minimum of 8 guests.
We usually use the plates and cutlery provided at the venue, or bring a back up of our own, so the only additional cost really is your alcohol of choice!
What's on the menu?
Most private chefs and catering companies will have a selection of menus for you to choose from, ours can be found on our dedicated MENU page. They will range in price so they are suitable to luxury private dinners and casual get togethers, it's usually dependant on the ingredients in the dishes and the number of courses. Don't forget, if there is something specific you would like, just ask!
We are experts at creating mouth-watering menus and adapting dishes to take in to account dietary needs such as gluten free, vegan and vegetarian.
Once you have chosen your menu and agreed a service with your chef, they will often take a booking deposit, with the remaining balance due a few weeks before the event. Just ask to see their terms and conditions if you aren't sure on the smallprint.
Will I be in the way?
The short answer is no. Private chefs and waiting staff are used to 'foreign' kitchens and will scope everything out on arrival before settling in and you'll hardly notice they are there until the food is expertly presented beneath your nose!
You can pour a glass of fizz, get the kids off to bed or jump in the hot tub before dinner - rather than feeling flustered.
The team here at TSP cover a wide area, so if you are looking for chef hire in the South West, South Wales or the Cotswolds get in touch with our office to start the enquiry! The more notice a chef gets, the better, as they often get booked up months in advance.
The gallery below shows a selection of our dishes and our Head Chef Oliver in action across the country ...