Having a personal chef
may seem exorbitant and something that only the elite would do or even
be able to do; however, do you know that it is not only very doable, but
it is also something that could save you time and money?
First, what is a personal chef?
A personal chef is exactly what it sounds like. A personal chef is
someone that has chosen to share their love for food and cooking with
you on a personal level. A personal chef works with you to design menus
specifically according to your likes, desires and dietary needs. After a
complete consultation, they will submit menus for your approval, and
once those menus have been approved, a cook date is set. On the day of
the cook date, the personal chef shops for everything they need to
complete those menus, comes to your home, prepares those meals in your
own kitchen, and then packages them for the refrigerator and/or freezer,
and leaves you with complete reheating instructions. The personal chef
then cleans up and leaves, leaving you with only the aroma of fresh
cooked meal, and fresh cooked meals in the refrigerator or freezer as
the only proof they were even there. This can sound expensive and
possibly even exorbitant; something that only the “elite” would, or
could do, but that is not the case. Let’s look at the logistics of
having a personal chef.
It all boils down to money; or does it?
1) The cost of eating out…
Yes, there are all different types of
price points when eating out. There are places that embrace their
“dollar menus” and there are places that could easily cost you $100 per
person, if not more, and everything in between. That being said, yes, if
you are one that frequents the “dollar menu” places, you may save a few
(or even a lot) of bucks by eating out, but are you truly? With so many
different types of price points, it is hard to truly say whether or not
you are saving money; however, there are some standard qualities that
can be addressed regarding eating out, no matter where you are eating.
The “Obesity Action Coalition” has stated that calories, fats,
carbohydrate,s and sodium content, AND many other nutritional values are
often compromised in the attempt to make a dish tasty or appealing with
little regard to nutrition. In other words, you are leaving your health
and wellness in the hands of either the manufacturers that are
producing those dollar menu items, as well as the chef that is in charge
of your dinner! Either way, you are going to be paying a lot over time,
whether short term or long term in medical costs! Restaurant and other
commercially prepared foods are notoriously high in fat, salt and sugar,
so eventually, you are going to pay dearly!
2) Another cost factor… Unless you
know how to plan menus, most likely, you are coming home from the
grocery with either not enough food, or too much food. So, let’s talk
about coming home with not enough food and/or wrong ingredients, and the
money that involves. If you have come home with wrong ingredients or
not enough ingredients, you will be going back to the grocery for more,
and that ultimately comes to more money and time. Now, let’s talk about
the cost of wasted ingredients. In 2015, CNBC reported that $165 billion
of food is thrown away. That breaks down to $2,200 per household. So,
as we discuss this idea of the having a personal chef, and the money
spent for one, let’s keep that in mind also.
3) Time versus Money: How Valuable Is Your Time?
Let’s face facts, unless you have a
natural talent, the time you spend on planning menus, preparing a
grocery list, taking the time to shop, bringing it home, preparing it,
and then cleaning it up takes a lot of time and effort. How much is that
time worth to you? How valuable is your time worth to you? Could you
spend that time and/or money in a more beneficial manner?
It is a known scientific fact that
children benefit in so many ways when there is a ‘ritual’ of families
eating meals together. Family meals provide the family members to share
their day’s events, as well as creating a relaxing transition from the
busy-ness of the day to a slower paced, relaxing evening. Also,
statistically, it is known that children who grow up in households where
meals are eaten and enjoyed together perform better academically and
have less tendency towards risky behaviors. It
is also known that involving your children in food preparation is the
best way to teach them healthy eating habits. Yes, I have to admit, for
myself, growing up in the kitchen with my mom and the other matriarchs
of the family were some of my best memories growing up, and I wish more
children could have those experiences like I did; however, that is not
the case for many. Some people do not have the same talents as my own
mother and aunts, so having a personal chef prepare those meals for you
could take care of some of the other situations. It could give you the
time to spend with your family, not having to shop, cook, etc, AND it
could also give you the ‘ritual’ of family meal time together that are
nutritious and balanced.
And speaking of balanced meals…
4) Are Your Meals Truly Balanced?
I have already talked about the balance
of meals while eating out… that the calories, fat, carbohydrate, and
sodium content, AND many other nutritional values are often compromised
in the attempt to make a dish tasty or appealing with little regard to
nutrition, and besides that, is there a balance between proteins,
carbohydrates and vegetables? Yes, with having a personal chef; besides
their job to cook you a delicious meal, it is also their responsibility
to keep that balance in mind while preparing your menu and your meals,
and…
5) You Are Not Eating Prepackaged, Preprocessed Foods!
Prepackaged, preprocessed foods are
higher in sodium, fat and full of preservatives, chemicals, dyes, etc.,
and you are taking all of that filth into your body! This truth could
have easily been discussed in the section where I was discussing the
price you pay for medical costs. Medical costs are sky rocketing, and
the need for medical assistance is also growing. There are so many
factors that are affecting this, but we cannot deny that eating that
filth is a large part of it. I am a firm believer that food and meal
time should not only be enjoyable, delicious and quality family time,
but I also know that good food is also medicine. It can cure, heal, and
it also is a preventative. When someone has a good diet, the need for
medical care is greatly reduced. That being said, the cost of eating
prepackage, preprocessed food is going to cost you more down the road,
and that is a fact! Having a personal chef guarantees that you are going
to eat healthy and delicious meals cooked specifically for you, and
your family, their desires and dietary needs; which leads me to my next
point.
6) You Truly Are The Master Of Your Domain!
As I said, your personal chef, after a
full, preliminary consultation, prepares your menu and meals for your
approval. They find out your desires, your likes, your dislikes, and
your dietary needs, and then create your menu and meals accordingly. Not
only are you in charge of the sodium and fat content, etc., but you are
also in charge of the whole process. And let’s face facts, the personal
chef works for you and your family, and for them to be a successful
personal chef, they have to keep you happy! In other words, those meals
not only have to be healthy but they also have to be delicious! Also,
since you are paying for your own groceries (in many situations, you are
just paying your personal chef for their services), you are in charge
of whether or not you are eating groceries that are organic, non-GMO, no
preservatives, etc. I am a firm believer that eating without those
variables being added into your diet, you will remain healthier and
happier (which leaves more money in your pocket, in the long run). When
you are eating out, you have no control over any of these situations!
7) And What If You Have Food Allergies?
The science behind the increase of
people having more food allergies are increasingly alarming. Is it
because of what companies are doing to our food? Is it the pesticides?
Is it because of the hormones? Or is it because of the genetic
modifications that are occurring? It is in my opinion that all of this
is why there is such an increase in food allergies.
Unlike going to a restaurant, and
explaining to the waiter the issues regarding your food allergies, then
hoping that all of that information gets relayed not only to the chef,
but also the serving line, and then hoping for the best when your food
arrives, you just have the conversation once with your personal chef.
Again the personal chef wants to keep you happy, and as you are happy,
the chef is happy and successful. Discuss your food allergies and
dietary needs once, and it is taken care of forever. Actually, with many
personal chefs, they use a recipe data base that not only a data base
of recipes, but it also keeps a data base on each client with their
allergies and dietary needs. From that point on, if the personal chef
happens to forget, the data base will alert them if an ingredient is
used that cannot be used for that specific client! As a person who has
non-celiac gluten sensitivity, I have been “glutened” on more than one
occasion, even after having the ‘gluten discussion’ with the waiter, and
be assured that I was going to be served a gluten free meal. I have
left the restaurant sick, and have been sick for days afterwards. It is
horrible, and one thing that I guarantee to my clients is that if their
kitchen is a gluten free kitchen, I can guarantee that they will have a
delicious gluten free meal to heat up for themselves. If I were not a
chef, but a client, that guarantee would be priceless for me!
And while I am on the subject of food
allergies, I want to address something that has baffled me for years. I
am a gluten free personal chef. I became a gluten free personal chef
because of my own diagnosis. Like many that have a gluten/wheat allergy,
I dealt with digestive issues for over 25 years. With that being said, I
am amazed that people that have had chronic digestive issues, how or
why, they would eat prepackaged, preprocessed gluten free foods. Yes,
the gluten free industry has grown considerably; however, prepackaged,
preprocessed gluten free food is still preprocessed, prepackaged food,
and the same applies as the discussed earlier in this post! Ok, enough
of that rant!
8) Take One Week And Price Compare
If this article isn’t enough to show you
the light regarding the difference between eating out and having your
own personal chef, I urge you to take one week and price compare. To be
completely fair, compare every aspect. Tally up not only the price of
your groceries, but also write down the time it takes you to plan, shop,
bring it home, cook it, and then clean up afterwards. Also, don’t
forget to add in those groceries items that spoiled in the refrigerator.
Personally, I believe that those items should be charged twice in the
price comparison simply because the value of those products or items was
lost by the spoilage, and were not used, digested and there was no
nutritional value to them at all; so shouldn’t that count for something?
And then last but not least…
9) You Help The Economy By Supporting A Local Business!
Yes, a personal chef loves to cook or
they would not have gone into this industry; however, it is business for
them. That being said, in many situations, a local personal chef often
will support a local farmer, etc. It is a win/win situation. You are
getting organically grown food which supports you and your health. You
are helping that farmer put his kids through college, etc, and you are
helping the personal chef and their families. You are not only helping
the local economy but you also know the people behind that product! This
type of business mechanism keeps your community unique as well as you
will often end up with better customer service because of it.
So for those that wondered whether or
not they could afford a personal chef, in many situations, if you don’t
like, don’t have the time, or have the talent to cook, you can’t afford
to NOT have a personal chef.
Chef Vedam Clementi is a Gluten Free Certified Personal Chef and the author of Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband.
After suffering for over two decades with
digestive issues, Chef Vedam was diagnosed with Non-Celiac Gluten
Sensitivity, and had to learn to cook completely gluten free. Staying
true to his Southern heritage, Chef Vedam took his favorite down home
comfort foods and converted his recipes to match his dietary needs. He
created Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband a
concise resource of those recipes.The cookbook not only covers Southern
gluten free dishes, but also includes how to create your own flour
blend, how to set up a gluten free kitchen and home, breakfasts, soups,
side and main dishes, desserts and some of his and his husband’s
favorite dishes and cuisines.
In 2016, Chef Vedam became a Gluten Free
Certified Personal Chef with the USPCA (United States Personal Chef
Association) and serves North Georgia, Atlanta, Asheville, NC,
Chattanooga, TN and the adjoining areas. Chef Vedam also teaches cooking
classes and demonstrations in and around Atlanta, Asheville, and south
Georgia all the way to Savannah.
Chef Vedam lives in the North Georgia
Mountains with his husband Nirish and his elderly mother in law, and
they live happily eating a gluten free and fabulous diet!
Chef Vedam and his recipes can be found at www.ChefVedam.com and can be found on many social media sites.
