A personal chef sounds like a luxury, and for some people it is. For others it replaces spending that was already happening, on takeaways, lunches bought near the office and supermarket meals eaten standing up. The only way to know which camp you are in is to do the maths with your own numbers.
Start with what you spend now
Before looking at what a chef costs, look at a normal week. Add up:
- Takeaways and delivery orders
- Lunches bought out on work days
- Ready meals and convenience food
- Food bought with good intentions that ended up in the bin
Most people underestimate this, sometimes by a lot. Your banking app will tell you the truth.
Then look at the cost per portion
A personal chef is easiest to compare when you divide the price by the number of portions. Here is how ours work out:
| Option | Per portion, 2 dishes | Per portion, 3 dishes |
|---|---|---|
| Fully hands-off, everything included | £17.50 | £13.75 |
| Hybrid, you buy the fresh produce | £15.00 | £11.25 |
| You shop, you buy everything | £12.50 | £9.58 |
| Delivered, containers included | £18.13 | £14.17 |
On the hybrid and you-shop options the food is on top, so add what you spend at the shops. On fully hands-off and delivered, nothing else is needed. Packs bring all of these down: 5% off with 4 visits and 10% off with 8. The pricing page has the full breakdown.
Count the time, too
Money is only half of it. For each batch of home-cooked meals, you would normally spend time on:
- Deciding what to cook
- Writing a list and shopping
- Prepping and cooking
- Portioning and packing
- Washing up
A chef does all of that in three or four hours on one visit, while you do something else. If your time is billable, or simply scarce, that is worth putting a number on.
The part that is hard to price
There is also the difference between food you have to think about and food that is simply there. Knowing that dinner is sorted on a Wednesday night removes a small, daily decision that wears people down more than they expect. It is easy to underestimate how much that is worth until you have had it.
As Darragh in Walthamstow put it after his visit: "The meals were so tasty and special. We will definitely look to use this service again."
When a personal chef is not worth it
Being honest about this matters more than selling a visit.
- You love cooking. If cooking is how you unwind, keep doing it.
- You rarely eat at home. Eight portions going uneaten is money in the bin.
- You have no fridge or freezer space. You need somewhere to put the food.
- You need a guaranteed allergen-free kitchen. A chef cooking in a home kitchen cannot promise that, and nobody should claim otherwise.
A simple way to decide
Book one visit. Pick the dishes you would most like to eat this week, see how the food fits into your routine, and compare that week's spending with a normal one. You will know by the following Sunday.
FAQ
Is a personal chef cheaper than takeaway?
Often, per portion, especially on the options where you buy the ingredients. It depends on what you normally order, so compare with your own spending rather than an average.
How many meals do I get from one visit?
Two dishes gives eight portions and three dishes gives twelve, four portions of each dish.
Can I try it once without signing up?
Yes. There is no subscription. A single visit is at the standard price, and if you like it, a pack of 4 or 8 visits brings the price down.