How much does a personal chef cost in the US?

For those who are finding it difficult to have the time to cook or follow recipes, hiring a personal chef—whether for one’s everyday food or a three-course meal to serve dinner guests—may be the best course of action. But how much do the services of a personal chef cost?

This article discusses the average personal chef rates in different cities across the US and how factors, from a chef’s experience to the complexity of your meal, can affect them.

What are the average costs of personal chefs in the US?

How much would a personal chef cost in your area? The table below shows the average personal chef prices per hour in major cities across the US.

What factors affect the costs of personal chefs?

The average cost of a personal chef hinges on various factors, such as your chef’s experience, the complexity of your chosen menu, and your meal’s ingredients.

Chef experience, expertise, and reputation

Like professionals in other fields, personal chefs can charge for a service based on the following:

• Years of experience: Those working as personal chefs for much longer typically cost more than newbie chefs.

• Expertise: Expect to pay more if you are hiring someone who is highly trained in various cooking or baking techniques and meal prep methods as opposed to someone whose culinary expertise is limited.

• Reputation: Personal chefs known for being good at what they do and those with glowing customer reviews can leverage their reputation to charge more for their services.

Meal or menu complexity

A personal chef carefully removing a baked chicken from a hot oven (Source: iStock)

It would cost more to hire a professional chef if you want them to prepare complicated gourmet meals instead of a straightforward dish. Asking them to customise it based on your dietary restrictions and food preferences can also add to the final cost. Additionally, a varied menu (e.g., a five-course meal with Italian pasta, Mexican dishes, and Japanese food) will likely be priced higher than one that follows a singular theme.

Ingredients

If you are picky about food ingredients—like when you want higher-quality condiments or produce that is not in season—the average cost for personal chef services will probably increase, especially if part of their service involves buying your meal’s ingredients.

Meal, serving, and guest number

Preparing a meal—especially if it’s more than just one course—entails more effort and resources if there is a considerable number of people to feed. This is because managing to cook for several guests may involve hiring additional staff, using commercial equipment apt for a bigger quantity of food, and having a longer prep time and table setup.

Service duration or frequency

A man writing on a sticky note attached to a refrigerator (Source: iStock)

As one can see in the personal chef price list below, a personal chef’s price per month or year is usually lower than how much you will shell out for a one-time event. This is because having a personal chef on retainer can lead to discounted rates.

Location

A woman carrying grocery bags, standing near the open trunk of a car (Source: iStock)

How much is a personal chef based on your location? The farther you are from your personal chef’s home base, the higher their rate will be since transportation costs and travel time will be considered. Moreover, the cost of living in your area can also affect how much they will charge you.

Additional services

How much does it cost to have a personal chef perform additional services? Typically, you will be looking at steeper costs if you want menu or meal planning, grocery shopping, and post-meal cleanup to be included. Having certain dietary restrictions (e.g., gluten-free, vegan) may also incur an extra fee.

What are some ways to save on personal chef services?

A few measures that you can incorporate to lower the price of personal chef services include:

• Being upfront regarding your budget;

• Not immediately settling for the first personal chef you find;

• Hiring someone near you to save on transportation cost;

• Buying the cooking ingredients yourself; and

• Asking your personal chef to use your own equipment and tools (unless these won’t suffice or are not suitable for the type and quantity of your meals).

You can also level up your cooking skills so you’d only need to hire a personal chef occasionally.

What should you look for in a personal chef?

When searching for the right personal chef, you should make sure that:

• They are skilled in meal prep and cooking styles that are in line with your taste. 

• They are well-versed when it comes to proper nutrition and other dietary-related knowledge (e.g., how to deal with food allergies).

• The cost of their services falls within your expected budget.

• Their schedule fits yours.

• Past customers can vouch for their excellent service.

• They are responsive and communicating with them is not a problem.

• They have all the required licenses and permits to operate.

Level up your home-cooked meals with Airtasker

A personal chef presenting a ready-to-serve hotpot meal (Source: iStock)

Are you having a birthday dinner at home or simply looking for someone to prepare your everyday dishes for a month? Whatever your culinary-related needs may be, Airtasker’s personal chefs can handle them skillfully.

To find one, simply create an account on the platform, post a task with all the relevant details (e.g., type of food, budget, duration), and choose from the Taskers who respond to your service request.

Thinking of inviting more people to your celebration? You can also find caterers on Airtasker to help you.