How can I start to become a personal chef?

Hi Jade,

Personal chefs cook meals and plan menus for private clients either in a client's home or in a professional kitchen. You could service multiple clients, and you'll typically visit a client once per week. You may prepare multiple meals, according to the customer's specifications and dietary needs, and then store the meals with instructions so the client can heat the food later.

Keep in mind that a personal chef is not the same as a private household chef. A private household chef generally cooks for just one customer, and he or she may live on the premises. As a personal chef, you may work for a cooking company or run your own chef business. Doing the work of a personal chef may require you to be on your feet for long hours. You might also need to work weekends and holidays.

Personal chefs generally need at least a high school diploma or GED. Work experience or formal training programs are options for learning the necessary skills.

There is no exact training to become a personal chef. Many times, you work with restaurants and gain experience as a chef without any formal training. You can also be mentored by a personal chef. With experience, you can begin your own catering or personal chef company.

The American Culinary Federation (ACF) offers certifications for chefs and bakers (www.acfchefs.org). Two certifications are aimed for personal chefs, the Personal Certified Chef (PCC) and the Personal Certified Executive Chef (PCEC). To be eligible for the exam, you must have three years experience as a chef and one year experience as a personal chef. The United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA) also offers certification for personal chefs (www.uspca.org). To sit for this exam, you must have at least two years experience as a personal chef.

These links can help you:

http://learn.org/articles/How_Can_I_Become_a_Personal_Chef.html

http://study.com/articles/Become_a_Personal_Chef_Education_and_Career_Roadmap.html

Good Luck!