Is A Personal Chef Worth It? - Alleviating Adult Anxiety & Stress

Bonjour, my friends!  👩🏽‍🍳

Ever heard of “adult anxiety?”

If you’re a busy professional or someone that just feels like there’s just “not enough time in the day.” I want to give you an interesting “out-of-the-box” solution that you may not have considered.

For many grappling with anxiety and stress, the peace of mind and extra time are invaluable.

Understanding Adult Anxiety

If you feel like you’re alone, trust me… you’re not. 

📈 According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 19.1% of U.S. adults have experienced some form of anxiety disorder in the past year.

That’s one-fifth of the population!

Interestingly enough, anxiety disorders are even more prevalent among females, with a past-year prevalence of 23.4% compared to males.

As I started to dig through the research, I noticed a similar trend all around the globe. 🌎

Check out this jarring statistic:

As reported by the World Health Organization, in 2019, 301 million people worldwide were living with an anxiety disorder, marking it as the most common mental disorder.

Think about that.

These statistics are more than just numbers…

There is a stress crises. There is a time crises. There are millions of people trying to cope.

Call us crazy, but we believe we can help in our own small way.

Here at Olivia’s Kitchens, we have proudly, for a small few who we happily call clients, helped with their anxiety, stress, health, and work-life imbalance.

Talk about the benefits of having a personal chef! 👩🏻‍🍳

Two Common Causes of Adult Anxiety

Let’s get into some real talk. This is a data-driven reality check, folks.

1 - Time management.

Specifically in 2024, there is the crises of chronic over-scheduling. According to ZoomShift, 58%, of Americans are so busy with daily tasks that they don't have time for anything beyond their current to-do list (this includes family time or recreational activities, of course).

2 - Our modern, busy, technological world is be a constant distraction.

Here are some interesting stats:

❗️Distractions in the workplace: an average of 60 interruptions daily in the office (good luck to having a nice productive day!) (Team Stage.io)

❗️Distraction in schools - 72% of U.S. high school teachers report a major issue with student cellphone distraction. (pewresearch.org)

❗️Distraction in personal life - Individuals check their phones 58 to 144 times per day. (Exploding Topics)

It’s easy to see where our weakness as a culture lie when looking at our simple time-management skills and our inability to focus.

Other Causes of Anxiety

Along the epidemic of time (management and distractions), here are some other causes of stress and anxiety that we found:

• Health concerns/problems

• Work-life imbalance

• Family responsibilities

• Sleep deprivation

• Media Overload

… and so on.

These issues are a contributing factor to stress, and, according to the Cleveland Clinic, chronic stress over an extended period can significantly contribute to anxiety disorders.

So here’s the key:

Fix the lifestyle ➡️ fix the stress.

Fix the stress ➡️ fix the anxiety.

Understanding these causes and statistics is a first step towards managing adult anxiety. Whether it's making lifestyle changes or pondering solutions like assessing "is a personal chef worth it?" and embracing more flexibility in daily life could provide some relief from this pervasive issue.

The Role of Chefs in Managing Anxiety

So… the question:

Is hiring a personal chef the “secret ingredient” to managing anxiety?

Let’s explore why this choice might be a worthwhile investment in your mental health.

No, our chefs aren’t trained therapist… But maybe a personal chef is the therapy you need!

Is a Personal Chef Worth It?

If you’re not sure, we want to make sure you consider all the factors to turn that “maybe” into a “YES!”

When pondering the question, "Is a personal chef worth it?" consider the relief that comes from leaving meal prep to a professional. 👩🏽‍🍳 

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

❓Are you stressed or do you struggle with anxiety on a daily basis?

❓Do you feel like enough time in a day?

❓Do you struggling with meal prep?

❓Do you dislike grocery shopping?

❓Do you struggle with weight loss or need dietary advice?

❓Are you tired and stressed of the same meals?

❓Do you struggle to eat healthier?

❓Do you wish for more free time?

❓Are you overwhelmed by cooking?

Benefits of Having a Personal Chef

Remember, if you’re stressed about life, consider the reasons above. A personal chef doesn’t just deliver gourmet meals; they gift you peace of mind. Here are some benefits to when considering that terrible causes of stress and anxiety above.

Time Management (overscheduling, distractions, etc.): We free up schedule by managing grocery shopping, cooking, meal prep, clean up, and more! ⏰

Health Concerns/Problems: Our French-trained chefs, with an impressive culinary resume, crafts amazing and health-focused meals tailored to your needs. 🥗

Work-Life Imbalance: As you may have assume, we offer more personal time by ALL the duties of the kitchen. 🍴

Family Responsibilities: We handle all aspects of dinner preparation—from planning to cooking—so you can spend quality time engaging with your family. 🏠

Sleep Deprivation: According to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, healthy food choices, rich in fiber and low in saturated fat and sugar, can improve sleep quality and promote restorative sleep cycles, enhancing overall well-being.

These benefits illuminate why many find the cost of a personal chef a worthwhile investment in mental wellness.

Cost of Personal Chef Services

Understanding the cost of personal chef services is crucial when thinking about this lifestyle change. Prices can vary widely based on location and the level of service offered. Generally, personal chefs around US may charge anywhere from $50 to $200 per hour, with variations based on menu complexity and ingredient costs (this is not our own rate, though).

However…

In working with hundreds of local clients, we have developed a much better “cost-per-meal” pricing system that our clients love!

(actually, when we switched from hourly to cost-per-meal, the feedback was incredible. After all, who really wants to track hours and have the cost of service fluctuate?)

If you want to see if the service is right for you, we encourage you to fill out the contact form on our website, www.oliviaskitchens.com.

So what do you think? Is a private chef worth it?

Only you can decide.

If you are interested in more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us here!

Hopefully you learned something, and as always,

Bon Appétit,

👩🏽‍🍳 Olivia Wooten (Founder & CEO)