What is a personal Chef?
A personal Chef is a professional that comes into your home to prepare a variety of meals based on your specific preferences and/or dietary needs. The Chef will consult with you about items on hand, allergies, dietary restrictions, personal tastes, and grocery budgets, tailoring a personalized meal plan based on you and your family's needs. The Chef does the planning, the shopping, the cooking and the clean-up. The food is then packed into containers and stored in your refrigerator or freezer to be heated and eaten at your convenience. The Chef can also leave a hot, fresh meal out for immediate consumption on the day of your service.
Do you have to cook in my home?
Yes. All of our services are held in your home, and the food is prepared fresh, with high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients in your kitchen. This minimizes the risk of bacteria growth that comes with transportation of cooked food as well as keeps the service as affordable as possible.
How long will you be in my house or kitchen? Am I required to be there?
Depending on your number of meals or entrees, my typical service takes about 4-6 hours per day. (All the menu items will be prepared from scratch.) I will be happy to accommodate your schedule to the best of my ability, but you absolutely do not need to be at home during our service. In fact, most of our clients aren't at home while we are cooking. We can arrive before you are scheduled to leave in the morning or we can coordinate a key pick-up.
What kind of food do you specialize in?
This is a very individualized service. Each menu is planned around your preferences and dietary needs. Chef Brandi is a professional and is constantly coming up with new recipes, so you will have MANY types of dishes to choose from! With the fresh produce, variety of meats, and wide array of seafood that Florida offers us, the possibilities are endless!
Do I have to sign a contract?
With Home.Cooked Services, you are never forced into any contracts. You can simply contact us when you need us. Once you become a regular client and you prefer a specific day for your service, you will have priority and that day will be reserved as yours until you decide to discontinue service with us.
Can I afford it?
Most of our clients are surprised to find out just how affordable this service is. A personal chef is no longer for the rich and famous. Its common for an average family to spend $2000 per month on groceries and eating out. They also spend an average of 1.9 hours per day on preparing, cooking and cleaning up for dinner. Add that to the grocery shopping, queue, driving and parking, etc. Multiply that by 20 days, that's 38+ hours per month! How much is an extra 38 hours of free-time worth to you? A personal chef can not only save you money, but save you something more precious than that...time.
Something else to consider; If you are eating healthier, home-cooked foods with high-quality ingredients, your health may improve, potentially diminishing your healthcare expenses over time. If you invest in quality food, you invest in your health!