How to Find and Keep Personal Chef Clients (Top 5 Tips)
So you've decided you want to be a personal chef. And now you're wondering, "How do I find my first personal chef client"? This can be a huge stumbling block at the beginning of your personal chef career.
Trust me, once you get that first client your business can grow faster than you ever dreamed it would.
In this blog, I'll not only tell you how to find your first personal chef client. I'll tell you how to keep them (which is even more important in the long run)! Keep reading and I'll share a wealth of insights, strategies, and techniques to help you thrive in this competitive field.
If you have a passion for cooking and a flair for culinary creativity, a career as a personal chef can be incredibly rewarding. Whether you're just starting on your journey or looking to up your game as a personal chef, this blog post is made for you.
I'm a successful personal chef of over 7 years and I've served over 40 families. My longest client relationship is 4 years, with many falling not too far behind that. My approach to personal chef services leads to successful, lasting client relationships that benefit both the chef and the client. Keep reading to learn how you can grow your leads until you're so fully booked that you have to make a waitlist!
Here are my Top 5 Tips for Finding and Keeping Personal Chef Clients
#1. Build A Website with Great SEO
A common question I get is: How do I market myself as a personal chef?
Let me tell you this very important tip.
Social media is not the answer to your client goals. Let me say that again for clarity:
❗SOCIAL MEDIA WILL NOT GET YOU PERSONAL CHEF CLIENTS❗
Yes, you should have social media. No, you can't depend on social media in the short term and it definitely should not be your number one strategy for getting clients.
You might be wondering, "okay so how DO I get clients?" You need a website. And you need a website that looks good and actually works. A website that works is one that brings in the right clients who are ready, or very close to being ready, to hire a personal chef.
If you want to keep things budget-friendly, create your own website and then hire an SEO expert to make sure you’re getting the most traffic and leads possible. I recommend hiring Jess from Jess Creatives. She helped me double my website traffic in just 3 months and my inbox is now flooded with inquiries from potential clients. My website is my lead-machine and Jess Creatives helped make that possible.
Once you start working with clients, or if you’re already working with clients, the other primary lead machine is your service. Word-of-Mouth is King with personal chef work (clients need to trust your service and a word-of-mouth referral is a huge step in gaining that trust -- See tip #5). The remaining steps in this blog will help you provide the best personal chef service so that your current clients are confident enough to recommend you to their colleagues. That's priceless.
#2. Put your ego aside
Many chefs entering the personal chef world believe that they know what’s best when it comes to food- how it should be prepared, what the best dishes are, etc. This isn’t wrong or bad— chefs are talented food experts that should be respected for their level of skill and dedication to the craft. However, as a personal chef you’re not just a chef- you are a business!
As a business owner, your clients' needs and preferences should be at the forefront. As a chef you may stick up your nose at casseroles, American comfort dishes, or other “easy” meals. But what if that’s what your client likes? If you can’t find a balance between your culinary perspective and your clients taste preferences— that client won’t stick around very long. Do your best to bring your excellent culinary skills to EVERY meal, not just the ones that you like.
#3. Become ServSafe Certified
Are you an expert in the kitchen?— I’m sure you are! But make sure that expertise includes food safety. You need to be ServSafe certified as a personal chef.
When we work in a home kitchen, we don’t have the luxuries of dedicated prep spaces, giant coolers, ice wands, 2” pans for cooling, etc. It’s still our responsibility to store, cook and cool food safely for our clients. The best place to start is with a ServSafe certification.
#4. Be Flexible and Adaptable
Listen to your clients and what they want and need. This goes back to tip #2 of putting your ego aside. For your signature Italian Meatballs and Spaghetti dish, you may prefer using grassfed beef from the local food coop. But if your client wants to use up ground turkey from Target because they have a bunch in their freezer, why would you argue? Maybe the recipe won’t be exactly what you envisioned, but your client will be happy (and you’ll be asked to come back week after week). Adapt the way you prepare meals to best fit what your client wants and needs out of a personal chef service.
#5. Build Trust with Communication and Transparency
I believe personal chef services are deeply intimate and the client needs to be able to trust you and feel comfortable with you in their home. Trust is a huge component of personal chef services. Not only are your clients trusting you with their food for the week– they’re trusting you with access to their home, their property, and their families.
One of my top values as a personal chef is transparency. Transparency and Communication go hand-in-hand to build a trusting relationship between personal chef and client.
Always maintain confidentiality and treat your clients with respect. Offer clear communication and transparent practices to build a lasting chef-client relationship.
Check out my Personal Chef Guidebook to learn more.
Is Becoming a Personal Chef Your Dream?
Are You Struggling to Make It a Reality?
I'm dedicating time to help chefs start or grow their personal chef business. Are you struggling to find clients or just don't know where to get started? Contact me today to see how I can help you finally land the career you've been dreaming of.
Check out my Personal Chef Resources to learn more.
