How Much Is a Personal Chef in 2024? Real Costs Across the U.S.
Trying to find EXACTLY how much a personal chef costs?
When doing a simple search, it seems near impossible to pin down.
That is because there are so many details that vary when it comes to how much a personal chef costs.
Because of this, we've decided to explore what real people say about hiring chefs on top online forums in the USA.
This article is divided into two parts.
Important insights from chefs and their clients
A table of 25 case studies detailing pay, location, and frequency of service
Let’s begin.
Things You Must Know
First, let's go over a few essential points so you can fully grasp the table. Ever wonder why these costs vary so much?
Various Factors
The cost of a personal chef varies due to factors, such as:
Geographic location,
Level of experience,
Complexity of the meal plan, such as special dietary requirements,
Availability/schedule of the chef,
Frequency of service,
Supply and demand in your local area,
If they are a “personal chef” or “private chef.”
Think of it this way: if you wanted to hire someone to build a house on a specific plot of land, how much would it cost? It might be $150,000, $250,000, or even $1 million. The cost depends on things like the size and design of the house, the quality of the materials, the location, and the time needed to complete the construction.
Similarly, a personal chef's cost will vary based on several factors such as the those listed above.
What People Said
Now let’s explore public opinions and insights about what chefs said about what a personal chef should cost, or what other chefs got paid.
By the end, you'll have a clearer picture of whether this luxury is attainable for you.
“I used to work as a PA for a man who had a personal chef. She made $150K.”
“On the west coast (USA), these salaries tend to be $70,000-$90,000.”
“Just to start, the bare minimum I would personally ask for is $40/hr.”
“Figure out a per meal rate. Are they buying the ingredients or do you do the shopping too?”
Don’t forget, if you want to hire a personal chef yourself, you must do the following:
Spread the word that you're looking for a chef.
Search, find, and interview potential candidates.
Determine if they're a good fit based on experience, location, availability, and personality.
Check their references and run a background check.
Set up how you'll work together, covering communication, schedule, and pay.
Negotiate the cost or salary.
Or, you can save the hassle and use a service like Olivia's Kitchens. We find chefs who are qualified, trained, background-checked, insured, and ready to meet your needs. (Yes, that's our little plug 😉)
Want a quick way to find a chef's cost? Visit our contact page and fill out the form. Tell us what you need—it only takes 30 seconds.
More Important Insights
Hear directly from the pros as they share insights from their unique careers and explain what makes this service special.
The ones worth hiring are not cheap.
“You’re a private chef, not a ‘cooker’.”
Hiring a personal chef isn't like grabbing a fry cook from the local diner.
We're talking chefs who know their stuff—advanced techniques, complex flavors, and skills that take years to master. Think 5-star restaurant but in your own kitchen.
You get what you pay for, and those services come with a price tag, because of their expertise and personal touch.
Here’s what more of them had to say:
“In restaurants, mistakes can be fixed; as a private chef, there’s no room for error. Expect surprise events and dietary needs.”
“Being a private chef is advanced. You need vast cooking knowledge and must execute what clients want. Spend time in a professional kitchen to see if you like the lifestyle.”
“Being a private chef can be lucrative but also challenging. Client expectations are high, and travel or seasonal work might be required.”
“You need to factor in all costs, not just the actual cooking, the client’s wealth, and the level of cooking expected.”
2 - Where Luxury Meets Investment
Luxurious? Yes. But there is an extremely practical side of having a personal chef. After all, you’re essentially delegating certain responsibilities of your personal life all the while saving time.
Now let’s hear from some of folks who hired a chef.
“...[chef] controls my diet, measures my food intake, and generally cooks me a delicious variety of healthy dishes. I want for nothing.”
“CEO Marshall Haas hired a personal chef and says it has improved his family’s quality of life. He says if you’re able to hire a chef, do it.”
Let’s also hear from a world-renown marketer:
“If anyone has the money, I think a private chef should be one of the first things they invest in, even before a fancy car or something like that. The value and reward I get from it far outweigh the cost. But I think most people don’t typically make that trade-off.
…I used to think having a private chef was something only for the rich and famous. But I decided to hire one, and honestly, it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made.
I used to think, ‘Yeah, that’s cool because you eat healthy, the food tastes great, and you don’t have to worry about the time, cooking, dishes, or groceries.” It seemed like a luxury, but now, it’s a no-brainer for me.’”
3 - Other alternatives, such as eating out, could be just as expensive.
Dining out has hidden costs like tips, taxes, and delivery fees. Drinks and desserts can really add up too.
In the U.S., eating out costs about $36.40 per person, according to Zagat. If one person eats out daily, it could cost over $13,000 a year. A family of four? Over $53,000!
On the other hand, a personal chef offers custom meals to fit your dietary needs and preferences. Depending on your arrangement with them, they can even buy ingredients in bulk and can meal prep for a whole week in just a day or two of cooking, stocking your fridge with ease.
Case Studies
Here are some real cases of chef salaries, separated by location, service type, cost, frequency and any additional notes. Hopefully with these cases, you can may be able to find a case that’s close similar to you.
(by the way, if you are interesting in where this data was sourced, including the quotes above, scroll to the bottom for the original forum links)
| Location | Cost | Frequency or Volume | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYC | $400/session + $150 groceries | 3 dinners/week, 4 people | Meals have leftovers. |
| NJ | $240/week + $125 groceries | 4 dinners/week, 2 people | Meals delivered, tailored to preferences. |
| NYC | $90,000/year | Full-time | Exclusive full-time service. |
| International | $350,000/year | Full-time, Varied | World-class chef with assistant, travels with client. |
| LV | $300/day + groceries | Weekly, 2 people | Prefers variety, gets bored of repeated meals. |
| Mexico | $300/week | Weekly, 28 meals | Meals delivered every Sunday, clean eating focus. |
| San Diego | ~$23/meal/person | Per delivery | Plant-forward meals, helps with dietary health. |
| Chicago | $80/hour | Per event, 6-12 adults | For special occasions, higher if assistant needed. |
| DC | $350-$400/session | Suggestions filled in by chef, Varied | Choosy about healthy food, family needs a lot of meat. |
| Not specified | $150,000/year | Full meal prep and hosting assistance | High-frequency travel involved. |
| US average | $73,000/year | Full-time personal chef roles | Suggested calculating hourly rate based on working hours. |
| West Coast | $70,000-$90,000/year | Not specified | Typical salary range on the West Coast. |
| Not specified | $120/hour | Not specified | Comprehensive kitchen duties, high self-value in negotiation. |
| Not specified | ~$250,000/year for high-end | Varied | High profile clients skew salary averages. |
| Not specified | $60,000-$150,000/year | Varies by additional responsibilities | Range depends on duties and location. |
| Not specified | $75,000-$90,000/year | Full gourmet meal service | Suggests range based on meal complexity and client needs. |
| Historical data | $60,000/year (20 years ago) | Seven-day work weeks | Adjusted to $90,000/year in today’s value. |
| Multinational | Range from £45k to $250k/year | Not specified | Highly variable based on geographical and client expectations. |
| Not specified | $225/week on cooking time | Not specified | Warns against burnout and promotes work-life balance. |
| Not specified | $1850/month including groceries | Shops, preps, cooks, delivers | Semi-private service catering to multiple families. |
| Canada | $40-60 CAD per serving | N/A | Meals prepared by chefs trained as nutritionists, high cost justified by health-conscious meal planning. |
| Major city | $75k+/year, not including food | Full-time employee, prepares 2 meals/day | Luxury service with focus on personalized home cooking. |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $30-40/hour plus groceries | Cooks several days of meals at once | Different from full-time chef, more akin to a part-time service. |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $300-$400/week | 3-5 meals with sides for 4 servings | Responds to weekly menu proposals, all-inclusive service. |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $300/week | Prepares 3 entrees with sides for 4 portions | Uses Yelp for finding chefs and menu coordination. |
Sources:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/v3abv0/how_much_should_an_inhouse_cook_that_makes_dinner/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Chefit/comments/18mg7lb/hiring_a_private_chef_to_feed_3540_reasonable/
https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/q82n5k/if_you_make_enough_money_wouldnt_make_more_sense/
https://www.reddit.com/r/RichPeoplePF/comments/p7roov/personal_chef_cost_and_responsibilities/
https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=225839
https://www.businessinsider.com/hire-personal-chef-best-decision-for-family-2023-9
