How Much Does A Personal Chef Cost in Australia
Find out the cost to bring a Private Chef into your home in 2020.
In 2020, a Private Chef cost on average $68.79 per person, plus tip.
The price included:
- Chef's time
- Transportation
- Grocery shopping
- Food items
- Preparation
- Cooking
- Service
- Cleaning
- Taxes
Personal Chef Cost 2020 | How do we know?
We launched MiumMium.com on Dec. 12, 2015. Since day one, we have served thousands of meals across the world, from Personal Chefs in Sydney to Private Chefs in Toronto, Professional Chefs in Rome to Skilled Cooks in Cancun. Our policy is clear; the price of our chefs must be fully transparent.
The quote given by a MiumMium Chef includes all costs: Chef's time, transportation, grocery shopping, food costs, preparation, cooking, service, cleaning, and taxes. Only the tip remains discretionary and is never requested. The price quoted to the client by the private chef is what needs to be paid.
To get to $68.79 as the average cost for a personal chef, we calculated the price of all the bookings made on the site and divided the sum by the number of clients we have served since day one. The cheapest meals were priced between $25 and $35 p.p. and consisted of brunches (around 5% of our business) and light lunch. The maximum cost observed on 7-course meals served was in the largest US and European cities.
On average we entertained 8.7 guests for a total cost of $595.26, and this is how we get to the national average cost of $68.79 per person for a meal prepared by a personal chef.
What's interesting is to realize that the price of a chef cooking for you at home is similar, if not lower, than the cost of a three-course meal in a good restaurant...and remember, this amount doesn’t take into consideration the savings realized on wine, parking, and the babysitter!
Why did you believe that hiring a Personal Chef was more expensive than $65 p.p.?
Simply because you mixed up what is a Personal Chef with what is a Caterer. A Personal Cook is usually a cook, or a chef, who works in a restaurant and offers his cooking services at a cost during his free time to generate additional income and meet new and interesting people. Believe me, it is much more fun and personal to have a glass of wine with the guests of a bachelorette party for 3 hours, then working in an overheated kitchen for 10 for less money. A caterer is not a personal chef, it is a professional who owns a catering business.
If the Private Chef is the Airbnb, well the Caterer is the Hotel. Like everyone running a business, the Caterer faces fixed costs such as rent and payroll. For the same reasons a hotel room is more expensive than renting an Airbnb, a caterer services will be pricier than a personal chef.
Historically caterers care for large events, such as weddings or big corporate functions. With the rise of the demand for Personal Chefs, the catering industry saw an opportunity to increase its revenues by entering this emerging market. However, the caterers continue to carry the same heavy cost structure; which explains the price difference between the two.
A search of the most popular Catering companies operating in Montreal (MiumMium largest market with close to 200 chefs servicing the city) shows the following price structure:
The price difference between a Personal Chef and a Caterer at home.
MiumMium Chef
DINNER PARTY- 8 GUESTS
$460
Chef Price p.p.: $50 x 8
Cost for the Chef: Included
Transportation: Included
Taxes: Included
Tip: 15%
Caterer
DINNER PARTY- 8 GUESTS
$838
Caterer
Price p.p.: $48 x 8
Cost for the Chef: $200
Transportation: $50
Taxes: 10%
Tip: 15%
- Caterers are at least 50% more expensive than Personal Chefs!
The good news is that we expect the spread between both providers to shrink as time passes and the Catering industry adapts to the emergence of chef marketplace platforms like MiumMium. Like hotels gradually evolved to compete against Airbnb.com by dropping their prices and offering rooms on vacation rental platforms, Caterers are adjusting their offers and have started listing their services on marketplaces. Remember also that a personal cook in your home will deliver a more personal experience to you and your guest than someone showing up with an already prepared meal.
Today, it may be difficult to differentiate a Private Chef's website from a caterer's website. To avoid any surprises, always ask for the complete detailed price of your dining experience in writing before entering into an agreement.
What factors impact the cost of a personal chef?
Cost of living:
The price of ingredients to prepare your meals will depend a lot on where the meal is taking place. The cost of an A1 steak in New York will be different than a similar piece of meat in Dallas. Demand, taxes, proximity to distribution centers and other factors can all influence the price of the ingredient used for your meal. Likewise, the more expensive it is to live in a city, the more our cooks will need to charge to make a living.
The number of servings:
A seven-course meal is much more expensive than a three-course meal, not only because it requires more ingredients and usually in larger quantities but also because the chef will need more than twice the time to prepare the feast. The Cooks will take this into account and will adjust their bill accordingly. If you get twice the food, you’ll have to pay twice the cost.Specialty menus:
Large groups with a lot of dietary restrictions may require more time and effort for planning than those with none, so it normal that some chefs charge more to accommodate the multiple demands. It is all about personal restrictions. Creating a diverse set of menus for a single meal with dietary restrictions and allergies may add hours to the work required to deliver the perfect dinner party.Groceries:
High-quality or specialty or rare ingredients will have a direct impact on the cost of your meal. Caviar and champagne are delightful and sadly costly. If your party requires higher-end ingredients, such as farm to table organic food, you should expect to pay the chef more for the meal he is preparing for you.
Location:
If a Cook needs to travel a long distance to come and cook for your party, you should be expecting the cost of hos traveling to be included in the final bill.Structure:
A single chef working independently will likely charge less than a catering company. Independent personal chefs are usually offering this type of services to monetize their free time and don’t have to carry the cost of staff and offices.Experience of the chef:
Like any other specialist, a well-known chef, one that has worked in Michelin Star restaurant, will command higher rates than a newcomer fresh out of culinary school.Competition:
To get the best ratio quality/price, it’s important to ask more than one chef for a quotation, a service where chefs compete against each other create an environment that forces the participants to offer the best value for your money if they want to win your contract.
…in general, Caterers prices are at least 50% more expensive than the price of a true Personal Cook…
…be certain to discuss with the chef if plates, utensils and glasses are included…
MiumMium's recommendations:
- Communicate with more than one chef.
- Read independent reviews from past clients when available.
- Never give more than a 50% deposit ahead.
- State from start the dietary restrictions and food allergies of your guests. The chef will design his menu around it.
- Establish a directing line for your meal, are you looking for local flavors? A seafood feast or some steaks on the b.b.q? Then, let the chef present a menu.
- Avoid all surprises by asking what is included in the price in writing
- Communicate with more than one chef.
- Read independent reviews from past clients when available.
- Never give more than a 50% deposit ahead.
- State from start the dietary restrictions and food allergies of your guests. The chef will design his menu around it.
- Establish a directing line for your meal, are you looking for local flavors? A seafood feast or some steaks on the b.b.q? Then, let the chef present a menu.
- Avoid all surprises by asking what is included in the price in writing
Hiring a Private Chef is truly something unique. Having a chef to come and cook for you in the comfort of your home or when traveling abroad is all about the experience. It gives you the opportunity to share a special moment with your guests without having to spend time cooking or cleaning. You can learn a few cooking techniques or ask for a full-blown cooking class while having a glass of wine with your friends and the best: you have nothing to worry about; the chef takes care of everything.
FAQ
- How much do a personal chef cost?
A Private Chef cost on average $ 50.65 per person, plus tip. This includes everything from grocery shopping, food, cooking, service, cleaning and taxes. - How did we calculate the cost of a personal chef to an average of 50.65$?
We calculated the price of all the bookings made on the site and divided the sum by the number of clients we have served since day one. - What is the price difference between a Personal Chef and a Caterer at home?
For an 8 guests dinner party, the price averages 460$ with a Miummium chef and 838$ with a caterer. The Caterer faces fixed costs that personal chef does not. - What factors impact the cost of a personal chef?
Cost of living, number of servings, specialty menus, groceries, location, and chef experience are some of the elements that vary the cost of a private chef.
…always ask the details of the price quoted…
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