FAQ

What kind of food do personal chefs make?
Individual customization for each customer is My Full Time Chef’s specialty. Whether you prefer comfort food that reminds you of home, a gourmet touch, vegetarian, or weight loss diet, we work with you to specialize in meeting your needs. To see some sample menus, click here

My doctor has put me on a particular diet. Can you help?
My Full Time Chef can work with your doctor, dietician, nutritionist, or personal trainer to prepare meals to your diet’s specifications. An additional fee will be assessed for complex meal planning.

How many different entrees do you prepare each service?
We prepare 14 different entrées with an appropriate side dish (the number of portions will depend on the number of people enjoying the meals). In this way you never have a repeat entrée for any two week interval. We can supply (if you request) all breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts and snacks for a three month period. We will not repeat an entrée for at least 6 months unless you request it.

What areas do you service?
For dinner parties and the traditional personal chef service, we serve the general Phoenix and Scottsdale area of Arizona. At this time we have franchises being sold in different parts of the country and will soon have services in other areas. If you are interested in setting up a franchise (possibly in partnership with a chef) please contact us for more details. These are also the areas served for gift certificates. Please contact us to find out if you are in our service area.

If you have signed on for our quarterly chef service you may also take advantage of the following

Special Packages

Girls’ Night In. One of our most popular options! Why pay twice the price for a bottle of wine, hire a sitter and shell out cash for valet parking when you can have the restaurant brought to you? Get your group of girlfriends together and enjoy a restaurant-quality meal in the comfort of your own home. “Staying in” just got much more stylish! We prepare for these type events included right in your quarterly service. What is different? If you’d like (for an additional charge) :On the date of your special occasion, we will send out a chef for the day to prepare the stashed items and serve them for you.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on any of our packages or to preview a sample contract, please click here to contact My Full Time Chef.

Menu Planning. Love to cook, but don’t know how to do it in an organized fashion? My Full Time Chef is happy to serve as a consultant, discussing with you any allergies, special diets or dislikes you may have and determining what recipes and cooking styles may best suit your lifestyle. We will then help you to plan a quarterly menu so that you can get dinner on the table quickly and efficiently. You will always supply the fresh market items to add to what we have prepared (such as fresh fruit, salad greens, fresh tomatoes, eggs, etc) while still doing the cooking on your own. Our service basically has all ingredients planned and in your home for every 3 months interval, most of it prepped or fully made waiting for you to grab and heat while adding fresh ingredients as needed. This service is Perfect for the busy at-home chef who loves to cook on their own but doesn’t have time to do it all. The service is definitely the way to go for busy professionals who tend to end up eating out more than in because of lack of time, total exhaustion on hitting the home front, or a desire not to have to spend much time in the kitchen or on thinking about what to have.

Special Event Dinners. Celebrating an Anniversary? Birthday? Mother’s Day? Having the boss over for dinner? If you have a special occasion, My Full Time Chef can help you serve dinner in high style! You will choose a four-course menu to be served on a table beautifully set with linens, flowers, and candlelight. Wine recommendations and special music are available to make the package complete. We plan these events with you when doing your quarterly menu planning so it’s all stocked and ready to go just like any other daily menu. What is different? If you’d like (for an additional charge) :On the date of your special occasion, we will send out a chef for the day to prepare the stashed items and serve them up for you and your guests.

Corporate Team Building

Varies by program and type of event requested. Contact us for more details!

Office Lunches

Have a kitchen on site? Have our Chef prepare lunch for your staff. What a great way to show your employees how much they are appreciated! Pricing is tailored to your specific event and menu.

What are the Terms of your Contracts? All contracts are negotiated on 3-month (13 week) basis. For your first service there is an extra week’s labor charge so that a chef can evaluate your kitchen, stock the pantry items that should always be on hand, and make sure that you do have all necessary appliances and tools (such as chopping blocks, knives, blenders, etc) that will be used in your chef cooking week. After your initial setup: There is an additional $30 pantry fee charged at the beginning of each contract to re-stock pantry essentials. Specialty spices (such as saffron) will be added to the grocery tab at the chef’s discretion. The pantry fee and the fee for the first week of a contract are due seven days prior to the start of the contract. You are welcome to forgo the initial weeks labor charge by prepping your kitchen as needed. My Full Time Chef lists kitchen essentials and also pantry items in their Articles of Interest column at the www.MyFullTimeChef.com website. However, if you choose to forgo the first weeks set-up charge and handle this yourself: should there be anything missing or needed that the chef must handle when the cooking week has arrived – this will totally cut into the time set aside for cooking only and will incur an additional charge in chef services to make up for the lost time.

Isn’t a personal chef a bit, well, extravagant?

Absolutely not! Think about it: you are saving on time spent thinking about what you’ll cook for a complete three month span! You no longer have to figure out that grocery list, the going to the grocery store, unloading your car, cooking complete dinners, and cleaning up huge messes. Never mind the fact that most people don’t like to drive home after a long day at work anticipating an hour spent getting dinner ready and the table set! This service also tends to cut costs for people accustomed to ordering out or driving to restaurants several times a week. Your food can now be bought in bulk and your main grocery shopping is only done 4 times a year! (not 52 times. . . or 104 times. . . or 365!) My Full Time Chef is the perfect solution for your busy schedule, bringing customized, healthy, home-cooked meals to the comfort of your home. Furthermore, our prices are extremely competitive for the extensive, detailed service we offer. For a reasonable cost, you get to eat restaurant-quality food at your very own dinner table! If you’ve justified having a regular cleaning service coming out to your home on a regular basis – this is definitely the next step! Why not? Why wait any longer?!

Who hires a personal chef?

No longer just for the rich and famous. In fact, nearly all of our clients are not loaded – just busy.
A common misconception is that a Personal Chef Service is only for the wealthy. Anyone who has a need to solve the “What’s for Dinner?” problem can hire a Personal Chef Service. More and more people from all walks-of-life are hiring personal chefs. If you appreciate great food, enjoy personalized service, and want more time in your busy schedule a personal chef service is exactly what you need. People who hire personal chefs include:

  • Busy Professionals
  • Families on the Go
  • Seniors and Retirees
  • Those trying to reach their fitness and/or weightloss goals
  • People with Special Dietary Needs and Restrictions
  • Those who are tired of eating out but enjoy good food
  • Those who don’t know how to cook and don’t want to – but enjoy knowing they are eating right.
  • Those who want to save money by buying groceries quarterly instead of daily or weekly
  • Those who want to organize their home life once and for all
  • If you’ve got an in-home cleaning service – it’s time to justify an in-home cooking service also – for the same reasons.

What does a personal chef do?
We take over your kitchen and free you from the task of planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning up, for a whole three month span at a time! We can also do your day-to-day meals (after a 3 month cooking spree) for an additional charge, dinner parties for 2-12, or your special occasions like graduation parties or baby showers. All cooking is done in your kitchen, all the equipment is yours that we use to prepare your meals. You come home to delectable aromas and the peace of mind of knowing that dinner is taken care of. My Full Time Chef can also place a full time chef in your home if you would like daily service for your day to day shopping, menu planning and daily meals ready when you are (made from scratch daily).

Can I order weekly service, instead of quarterly?

You can set up anything you like with My Full Time Chef. Just know that our main purpose is to come in – take care of business –and have you set up for a complete quarter. That is where our efficiency lies. Anything other than that will definitely incur additional charges on your end and we are happy to accommodate you in whatever way best works for you.

If you’re going to the grocery store to buy ingredients for my quarterly meals, can I give you the rest of my grocery list and have you complete my shopping so I don’t have to worry about it?

Actually: if My Full Time Chef has consulted with you correctly on your quarterly needs – the only thing other than what is initially gotten that you should need at the grocery is the fresh fruits, milk, eggs, lettuce and the like that cannot be prepped in advance for you. My Full Time Chef is happy to offer additional shopping services at a rate of $40/hour so you don’t have to worry about stopping on your way home from work or taking a precious Saturday morning to run grocery errands. You may want to also check with your local grocery. A lot of them now let you call or go online and place orders that they will deliver for you for free.

I don’t have a fancy-schmancy kitchen. How are you going to cook for me?

My Full Time Chef only needs the required items in your kitchen such as pots, pans, and utensils to be able to complete your meals. As long as you have a tidy kitchen with a stove, an oven, a microwave and room in your refrigerator and freezer to stock the completed meals, that is all we need! Check out the website under Articles of interest. You will find a list of required items needed in your kitchen and also a list of required pantry items that need to be stocked. When you first get started with My Full Time Chef there will be expenses you won’t ever have again: such as needed utensils, extra freezer space, freezer containers, etc. that we will be able to use over and over again once our quarterly service begins.

Do you cook in my kitchen?

Yes, generally that is how it works. We use your storage containers and appliances. We will come to your home, use your equipment and groceries, prepare the food and fill your refrigerator and freezer with entire meals, including breakfasts, lunches, dinners, side items, snacks and desserts that require only time to re-heat and put on the finishing touches. We leave behind (on final day) a clean kitchen, a fresh dessert and the aroma of home cooking.

How long will you be here?

We will be cooking several different entrees and side dishes from scratch, so it will take several hours, usually 8 to 12 per day for 7 days straight. Our week starts on a Monday and continues through Sunday. Depending on the entrees chosen and the size of your family a second and maybe even a third cooking week may be deemed necessary. We can make arrangements in advance so that your cooking date and times are compatible with your schedule or situation. In general, we arrive around 6:00 am and leave around 6:00 pm.

Can You Afford a Personal Chef?

  • Could you use more time in your day? In your week? Having a personal chef service gives you 10-15 hours per week to do other things.
  • Do you use a cleaning service for your home now? Have you found that saves you time?
  • Would you like to eat healthier meals without additives and preservatives?
  • Are you concerned about your family’s eating habits? Anyone on a special diet?
  • Do you purchase healthy ingredients at the grocery store with good intentions, but end up throwing it away because it went bad before you could cook it?
  • Do you eat out more than twice a week?
  • Would you like to buy your groceries in bulk just 4 times a year?

If you answered “YES” to more than one of these questions, you can afford a personal chef and will actually save money by having one!

How Much Does a Personal Chef Service Cost?

Our services are tailored to your specific tastes and desires. By keeping the chef fee separate from the groceries, our clients enjoy exactly what they want – even if that is wild-caught halibut and filet mignon every night of the week. Outlined below is our service fee, which includes menu planning, grocery shopping, food preparation and packaging, as well as stocking pantry items such as oils, vinegars, and spices and setting-up you kitchen with the needed equipment and utensils.

Can you explain what is involved in your pricing? If you have decided you’d like to start our service: My Full Time Chef will come to your home for a Week #1 consultation. The labor charge for this week is $1500. You will only need to go through this consultation week once. The intent is to see where you are, find out what your special needs are, sit down with you to review the menu and discuss your food likes, dislikes, special diet needs such as allergies, doctors orders, weight loss, children’s needs, etc, as well as your approximate weekly grocery budget. We will then work out a quarterly menu that will include your breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snack items for the entire timeframe and make sure you have all needed items in your home: including kitchen utensils and all, and also the standard pantry stocking items.

You can forego this weeks charge and consultation by taking our lists from the website and stocking your own kitchen with the needed pantry staples and also the needed equipment and storage containers for the chef to use. To forego this week you will also need to go to our website and choose your own menu items for the quarter and figure your own daily menus. The second week is another $1500 charge. This is the week that we make an entire grocery list for a 3 month time frame, shop the list, store all items in your home, refrigerator, freezer, and wherever and do whatever is necessary in preparation for the chefs arrival in the third week.. When a contract is signed, a cook week date will be agreed upon that suits your schedule. So basically: My Very Own Chef will (Week 1) plan the menu for the quarter based on your selections and grocery budget and make sure your kitchen set-up is complete, then

Week #2 My Full Time Chef will compile a complete grocery list for the quarter and begin shopping for those ingredients in preparation of your cook week. The labor charge for this week is $1500. My Full Time Chef shops with two things in mind: bargains and incomparable quality. While we want to get the best deal for your dollar, we are also committed to giving our clients the highest-quality ingredients we can find. This means that we frequent a variety of vendors, working with them to negotiate competitive prices. My Full Time Chef then drives to your home, unloads all of the groceries, sets up shop in your kitchen, and

Week #3 cooks for 8-12 hours per day for 7 days straight. Our week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday. The labor charge for this week is $1500. Our weekly fee does not include the cost of food, the freezer- and oven-safe containers used to package your meals, which we stock in your refrigerator and freezer before cleaning the kitchen and returning it to the state in which it was found. You will need to be patient with us in the cooking week. There will be times when partially finished food items need to be kept in a certain place or condition to be continued the next day. The chef’s main concern will be in completing all cooking for a 3 month span in one week flat. When you come in (after that week is complete): You will walk in the door to a tidy kitchen, a fully stocked refrigerator and freezer, and the smell of home-cooked food wafting through your home. What could be better than that?

Please contact us at (602-508-3137) to schedule Week #1 so that we can go over the food questionnaire (it typically takes about 45 minutes). Ideally we’d meet in your home so that we can see the kitchen in which we’d be cooking. We also want to be sure to get input from everyone who will be enjoying the meals. We generally can (at that same time) choose the entrees you’d like to be prepared in week #3 so that we can get a list prepared for shopping in Week #2). Please note: additional charges may apply should you have special dietary requirements or would like all-organic foods.

Contact: martha@myfulltimechef.com

How does the process start? Check out our website. See what you think. If you have decided you’d like to give us a try: The service begins with Week #1 outlined above. We set-up a date for: Week #1, Week#2, and Week #3. Week #1 can be aside from the other two. However, so that food shopped for is fresh: Week #3 must immediately follow Week #2. In week #1 the following 2 weeks will be scheduled and the quarterly menu decided upon. Payment for Week #1 is due on that first day of consultation. The payment for Week #2 is due going into Week#2 and payment for Week #3 is due to the chef on the day of his arrival. It is customary to just leave a check for him on that first day before he begins. With many items from which to choose, the menu is flexible to your tastes and needs, including any special dietary requirements, food preferences, hunger pangs, cravings, etc. All costs of food and equipment or supplies is a homeowners expense and due upfront of our making your purchases for you. You will be given a complete listing of receipts so that you know you are only paying for that cost with no mark-up. My Full Time Chef also accepts credit card payment. If you choose to do so: please make payment through the www.myfulltimechef.com website in advance of each week’s service.

How much does a personal chef service cost?
Our services are tailored to your specific tastes and desires, so the cost depends on a number of factors. Pricing is customized to the type and size of service, but standard service of approximately 90 entrees + breakfast, lunch, snacks, and desserts average $1500+ the cost of groceries. Check below see pricing for other services.

Are there ways I can save on the chef service but still have a chef cook all of my meals?

You are welcome to handle Week #1 and even Week #2 yourself. That would make it where your only charge for our service is $1500 for a chef to come to your home for week #3 and cook 3 months worth of meals for you. Understand: if you have a large family or an unusual number of items to be cooked – that week of chef labor may need to be made into a two or even a three week service. That, at times, can not be determined until the chef gets into it for you. Other times: it is obvious to us that a second or third week will be needed. The labor charge is a flat $1500 per week. You will find this to be extremely more economical than trying to pay a chef to come out daily or even weekly to make meals for just that short time frame. You will find: with ordering 3 months at a time that you are now buying your main groceries in bulk – which may well totally make up for the chef’s labor charge.

It is recommended for your first time using us that you do all three weeks just to be sure you are all set up and ready to go. After that first time and seeing how we work – you may well then want to start doing the set-up weeks yourself. We don’t care one way or the other. We want to help you in any way we can and in whichever format is best for your needs.

Does a personal chef come to my house every day?
No. To make the service as economical as possible, we spend a full 7 day week in your home preparing a variety of meals in advance to last a full quarter of the year. Should you desire or require daily service we can make that available to you either by helping you to hire one of our chefs for full-time service to your home or by contracting our services on a different basis than what is set out above (in our three week plan).

I just need a couple of nights of food per week; can you do this?
The most economical option is for us to prepare a variety of meals all at once as we are set up to do. However, many of our clients have us prepare the standard 10-day service on a monthly basis, as they still go out to eat, travel or prepare meals themselves. We come out once and prepare 10 days of food and put you on a monthly contract. The amount involved is based on the number of entrees chosen and the amount of time it takes for the chef to complete your needs. What is usually done in 3 week time frame is narrowed to a one week program of planning, shopping, and cooking combined and averages $1500 for each week of this service. Unless you have a large family or an unusual number of items chosen you should be able to have a 10-day monthly service completed in one week. Bottom Line on this question: you would have a monthly contract, $1500 per month, you supply the cost for all groceries, the equipped kitchen, storage containers, and sufficient refrigerator and freezer space and set a specific week for us to come each month.

Is it okay if I watch you cook – or help?

We will be glad to visit with you a few minutes upon arrival. After that: we will need to be “in command” of the kitchen for several hours per day in order to complete the job you’ve hired us to do. Your chef will need to concentrate solely on that job so that he/she doesn’t get distracted which can not only slow the process but cause burns, cuts and forgotten ingredients.

Do I heat the food?

Yes. Any entrees that have been stored for you in your freezer (as a rule) should be defrosted overnight in your refrigerator and heated to be enjoyed at the peak of their flavor. All entrees are labeled and we will leave a listing of the menu items and heating or defrosting instructions for each. We always love any feedback you have to pass along to our other customers.

Isn’t it better to have food prepared daily rather than quarterly? Won’t the food go bad?

You shop on a regular basis now. Check out the freezer section of your grocery store. Green Giant swears by flash freezing their veggies as they are picked from the fields to lock in their freshness and nutrients. You now can get just about anything from the freezer isle: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts. But – what exactly is in those boxes and bags? If you have a chef come out and make your own freezer section: they can be exactly what the doctor ordered, exactly what your weight loss program calls for, totally vegetarian: for sure, or maybe you own family’s favorite recipes that you’ve collected over the years. One thing you can know for sure is what is in every package. If you want all Stevia and no sugar at all: you’ve got it! If you want no artificial colors, artificial flavors, or preservatives: you’ve got it! When you use a unique cooking service such as My Full Time Chef you definitely have the home court advantage in getting quality meals at a most reasonable price with a fresher quality because of the way they are prepared for you.

Do I pay you ahead for each of the three weeks?

Yes. It is customary to leave a check for the chef at your home for that week’s service. The two weeks leading up to cook week need to be paid on the first day of each of those weeks. You are welcome to pay all labor charges online at our website. We do take credit and debit cards. All of our charges are labor charges. Any food charges are the expense of the homeowner. If we are doing your shopping that amount is due in advance of our shopping for you.

Should I leave a tip?

Since this type of business is new there really aren’t any rules for tipping a personal chef; We suggest that no tip be left for the customary Week#3 of cooking. This is totally at your discretion. However, if you hire a personal chef to prepare and serve a party, meal, or special event: it is then customary to include a modest tip.

What are some of the types of diets My Full Time Chef can handle?

Let us know what you need. Our main intent is to make things easier for you. If you have specific recipes – we will use them. We are prepared to handle: Weight Watchers, Atkins, Belly Buster, Before And After, Southbeach, Vegetarian, South Beach, Bariatric Surgery, Low Fat, Low Carb, Low Sodium, Vegan, Cancer, Heart-Healthy, Diabetic, Renal, Autism Spectrum, Feingold, ADD, ADHD, Attention Deficit. Let us know EXACTLY what your diet requires and we will follow those guidelines for you. The advantage to our service then becomes obvious: we will stock your kitchen – 3 months at a time – with only items that you should be eating.

Do I have to sign up for a regular schedule, or can I just call you when I need you?
My Full Time Chef’s service is designed for people looking for a long-term solution to their “what’s for dinner,” dilemma, so we schedule each client on a standing cook date, whether it’s monthly for the 10-day plan or quarterly. That way you’re ensured a regular place on our schedule. Special events are set up with you (and contracted with you) at the same time we are setting up your regular schedule.

What if I’m going on vacation or will be traveling for work during my standing cook date?
We can do one of two things. If you’d like us to come anyway so your meals are ready when you get back – just give us instructions so we know how to get in and what entrees you’d like. Or: we simply request that you let us know at least 30 days in advance of your scheduled travel or vacation so that we have the option of filling that week with another client if you wish to forego our services for that quarter (or month).

Are all the meals frozen?
The majority of your meals will be stored in your freezer, however, we typically store one entrée each day we cook in your refrigerator for that evening’s consumption (unless you are out of town or request that we don’t). Some meals do not freeze well and we have noted that on those respective entrees at our website. You would know if we were making anything of that nature. They would need to be consumed within the first three to five days. You may also opt for a weekly fresh-serve menu, for an additional fee. Should you want daily fresh serve you probably need to speak with us about our chef placement services.

What does your service fee cover?
It covers the menu planning, grocery shopping, food preparation, stocking of your pantry items (spices, oils, vinegars, condiments), stocking of your kitchen set-up and stocking of food packaging items required for your meals. It does not include the cost of food, the cost of items needed to set-up your kitchen, the cost of items needed to stock your pantry or the cost of items needed that your food will be stored in. To save labor costs: If you would like to stock your own kitchen set-up and pantry needs – a list of both requirements is listed under articles of interest at www.myfulltimechef.com.

How much room do you need in my refrigerator and freezer?
That totally depends on your family size. We typically need at least 20 square foot of freezer space and a fairly empty refrigerator. However, if we are preparing 30-40 plates, then a separate freezer is required.

Do I need to be home when you’re here?
No, in fact, most of our clients are not home when we are there. They just provide us with a key and the alarm code, if necessary. Trust that we will treat your home better than our own and keep your information in the strictest confidence.

Do you offer gift certificates?
We do offer gift certificates. Gift certificates prices are set at $1500 since that is what most clients’ services are running. They never cover the cost of food – only the chef’s labor charge and are available through the website. For obvious reasons: they can only be used in our service area. As franchises open across the country we will post what our exact service areas are. Or, contact us for availability. Again, our gift certificate service is limited to our service area in the general central Phoenix and Scottsdale area at this time.

Do you take debit and credit cards?

Yes, we do! We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express through our website.

What if we decide we really like a certain chef that you send out. Can we hire him/her as our own?

You are not allowed to speak with our chefs about negotiating employment. We, in your contract, have allowed for the fact that you may very well fall in love with a certain chef, his or her style, and the way they just click with your family. For that reason, we are happy to make permanent placements for you. If you know in advance of starting your quarterly service that you are thinking (maybe down the road) or even now of hiring a full-time, or a live-in chef: let us know! We will work with you on that. We will send a different chef every quarter so you can get a feel for how different each one is and what exactly it is that draws you to any certain one. If you begin to zero in on one specific chef – then have them come for a few special events. See what you think. We will always send a chef who is open for full-time or live-in placement if we know that is what you are ultimately looking for or possibly may need in the future. In this way you can see their style, personality and even taste their cooking before making a decision of this nature. We will be with you every step of the way. We work out salaries and employment details for you. Just let us know what you need.

More Questions?

Please click here to Contact: My Full Time Chef