Historically speaking, private chefs were only available to the wealthy and the elite of Hollywood and global royalty. Having a chef in your kitchen at home was an absolute sign of privilege. It is not hard to imagine having a personal chef to do your shopping, and meal preparation. Serving you and your family a gourmet dinner in your own home every night sounds like a terrific idea. These days, with the culinary arts as a career choice for so many, there are private chefs that specialize in any cuisine, fad diet craze, or dietary restrictions. Today, the private chef has become super accessible for everything from weekly meal prep to company parties, family birthdays, and anniversaries. Private chefs are there to help us with our day-to-day living and they are elevating how we dine and celebrate, making our lives so much better.
I was a private chef in Beverly Hills and Santa Barbara for over 20 years. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktail parties, formal affairs, and romantic dinners at home were my specialty; my clients took advance of everything that I had to offer. In my world, the private chef sets the table, handles the floral design, stocks the wine cellars, pours the wine, crafts the cocktails, and caters to every whim and fancy of their clients. Over the years the job description has changed but at the end of the day, our primary job is to prepare nutritious gourmet meals with the freshest ingredients. Most importantly we are charged with the responsibility of making our clients feel like a guest in their own homes.
Our editor, Sue Collins recently spent a weekend in Hilton Head with girlfriends all celebrating their 60th birthdays. The ladies were more interested in spending time together on the beach than cooking, so Sue called Chef Lynn Michelle, "The East Coast Chef", to come to prepare dinner in their rental house. Everything was made from scratch right there in the kitchen, while Sue and her friends popped in to watch the preparation and taste the magic from time to time. The chef presented a few menu options and even created beautiful menu cards for the ladies. "The personal interaction, flexibility and quality of the food was such a treat with a personal chef," says Sue, "I highly recommend Chef Lynn Michelle if you're planning a Hilton Head or Lowcountry vacation."
Janet Erdman creates beautiful charcuterie boards for clients and if you're not quite ready to have a personal chef, treat yourself to one of her masterpieces for your next dinner party.
Today it is easier for most families to taste the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Almost any occasion can be elevated to the next level by adding in a chef to make it all that more special. So, sit back and relax, leave the shopping and the meal to a dedicated professional whose only job is to look after and tend to your every culinary desire.
