There are some threats and challenges that you would be able to handle easily and there are some that you wouldnât and when the latter occurs, all you need is to remain optimistic and wait till they pass. Ensuring that where you cook meets with the regulating standard is also important as you do not want to be sued by your customers for violating health and safety regulations. The United States Personal Chef Association offers Certified Personal Chef certifications to personal chefs that are looking to take their business up one notch, however, there are requirements that must be met and you should endeavor to find out what they are. If however, you choose to operate from a commercial kitchen and then you might either need to share a kitchen or look for a suitable location for your kitchen; a place that is within the hub of your target market. To serve food that has been transported to anyone, even as a personal chef, you must apply for the Public Food Service License. Below are the top personal chefs well known in their various cities of operations in the United States; Personal chefs were seen as professionals that cooked for only wealthy people, but that has changed as people are becoming busier with their careers, businesses, kids and having to commute, and having a personal chef is now seen as a must for those that are looking to have sustainable balanced and organic meals. Some of the marketing strategies that you can therefore create for your personal chef business are; Strategies to Boost your Personal Chef Business Brand Awareness and Create Your Corporate Identity. In addition, depending on your state, you may also need a catering license. Personal chefs will often need to report business or self-employed income, which can drastically change their federal and state tax liabilities depending on the amount of their business and licensure. First, you need a business license and you will need it because you are a business. According to the APCA, there are only about 8 percent of women in an industry that is largely dominated by men. In addition, depending on your state, you may also need a catering license. In 2006, the personal chef industry generated more than $100 million in revenue with projections that revenue will reach $150 million in 5 years. Commonly known personal services include: personal trainer, home organizer, personal assistant and personal chef. These meals are packaged and stored, so that the client may enjoy them at his or her leisure in the future. You should however know that while some publicity campaigns might require you to spend money, there are others that will not require you to spend a dime in order to be effective. Okay, so we have provided you an in-depth sample personal chef business plan template. Pay the proper license fees. Cost of the Business License. Starting your business from scratch or buying a franchise might be not an easy decision for many entrepreneurs, especially as each option has its pros and cons. Possible Threats and Challenges You Will Face When Starting a Personal Chef Business. When starting a business, you should be prepared for any threats and challenges that are likely to crop up by having strategies in place. And if you intend to cook from your own kitchen or that of your client, you can set up your office within your home. You do not need a "chef license" per se, but your business will most likely have to be registered with the city and county where it resides ("a business license"), depending on the form of business, you may need to register with the Secretary of State, and you will be subject to the local ordinances that apply to food preparation establishments. Hcareers: Does a Personal Chef Need a Business License. What are the Best Types of Vacuum Cleaner for Hair Salon? Is Professional Certification Needed to Run a Personal Chef Business? You can team up with a social media expert to help you with all avenues to use in such a way that it will be beneficial to your personal chef business and allow you to attain your corporate goals and objectives. A personal chef not only prepares meals for those who are too busy to do so, they also cater small events such as corporate lunches, small parties and special occasions such as anniversaries or birthdays. The people looking for the services of a personal chef ranges from workers, dual income earners, baby boomers, entrepreneurs, busy families, corporate organizations, small events planners. However, as the economy has slowly been recovering, more personal chefs are back to cooking for families with some now also arranging intimate dinner parties, offering cooking services and also leading in-house cooking demonstrations. Large cities where there are more commuters and corporations will have a need for personal chefs than cities that have fewer establishments. Starting a Personal Chef Business – Technical and Manpower Details, Starting a Personal Chef Business from Home – The Marketing Plan, starting a personal chef business and starting a catering business. Below are some of the strategies that you can use to boost your brand awareness as well as create a corporate identity for your business; Copyright © 2021 Profitable Venture Magazine LLC | All Rights Reserved | See About Us | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer. Your business plan should not only show a clear plan of how you intend to run the business at first but should also show how you intend to build your business structure and expand your business should it ever come to that. Other groups of customers are those who may not be able to cook for themselves anymore or have to come up with diets that will cater to their medical conditions. The Personal Chef Certificate Course Online is an online learning program with suggested readings from the textbook (FabJob Guide to Become a Personal Chef). Mail or deliver your application, along with payment for the business licence you are applying for, to: Licence Services Main Floor 395 Main St. Winnipeg, MB R3B 3N8. In addition, depending on your state, you may also need a catering license. Starting your business with personal savings or income generated from sale of stock or property, Sourcing for soft loans from family members and friends, Getting a business partner and splitting your startup capital with them, Ensure that you contract a professional to create a website that describes your services, has your contact information as well as your fees, Ensure that you advertise your personal chef services in local newspapers, food and lifestyle magazines as well as on local radio and television stations, Distribute well designed business cards and handbills at strategic locations and associations in the area where you intend to operate from, Create a handle for your business on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, Physically meet people in order to tell them about your personal chef business. If you donât know how to cut an onion, sear, braise, blanch, saute, broil â then you need to go back to square one and study these techniques.You need to understand how to cook solid home cooked meals. Owners of catering services are required have both a food safety license and a regular business license. At first glance, a personal chef business is a lot like a catering business. Solomon Oâchucks is a Researcher, Prolific Writer and a UNICEF trained & certified Facilitator and Counselor, A Graduate of Morris Cerullor School of Ministry and He Holds a Degree in Personal Development & Science of Success from IIGL Asheville, NC, USA. Just ensure that whichever option you choose will be one that best suits your corporate goals and objectives and will help advance your business to the level you want it. Over the years, consumer demands have increased in their intensity as more consumers are becoming more health-oriented as regards the meals they consume, they want meals that are adventurous and yet authentic, and demand that industry practices be transparent and sustainable. Private Chef business that is going to be prepared and cooked at clientâs home. After the presentation you will be given a test that you must pass to obtain your food and safety certificate. If YES, here is a complete guide to starting a personal chef business with NO money and no experience. Catering license is the same as a business license but you may also need a seller's permit because you will prepare, sell and serve prepared food. Your market research will enable you to know who your target market is and which means they are more likely to use to see your business. So put on your entrepreneurial hat and let’s proceed. Business licenses will often have an annual renewal period that requires businesses to pay a flat fee or percentage of sales to obtain the certificate. For instance, while you might find a good location for your commercial kitchen, it might be breaking zoning regulations. Choosing the right legal structure for your personal chef business will go a long way to determine how you will be taxed by the government. The growth of the personal chef industry has to do with the fact that more people are becoming too busy to cook their own meals and as a result pay for someone to cook the meals in their own kitchen and then deliver to them. However, the personal chef business is not one that requires the entrepreneur to buy a franchise as this option is not available for this kind of business; which therefore means that entrepreneurs who want to start the personal chef business must be prepared to start from the scratch. What customers are on the lookout for when they contract your services is that you can provide your services in an agreed location â at your own kitchen or theirs â under a hygienic environment. Do you have a solid understanding of cooking techniques? The cost of a business licence depends on the business activity. There are an increasing number of people â male and female â who have to work to make ends meet, and because some of their jobs are too demanding, many no longer have the time or no longer want to worry about meal preparation. Even though the personal chef business might not be as capital intensive as other kinds of businesses, you will still need capital to buy certain equipment, get your license and permit and also advertise your business in order to attract customers. Get in touch with a lawyer familiar with the food industry as well as IPP to help you protect your ideas and any other thing you deem important. A personal chef must purchase cooking supplies, food, food storage containers, rent/purchase space to prepare meals, obtain liability insurance, and invest in marketing efforts. The industry was hard hit by the recession which saw many families lose their jobs and not being able to afford the services of a personal chef as they have the time to cook their own meals. One thing that will determine the location of your business is how your business is structured. The cost of the business license is based upon your estimate of total gross receipts from the day the business opens, through December 31 of the same year. This is also valid if you are going to take leftover food with you. There is a new trend for personal chefs especially those that prepare specialized cuisines as clients are made to fill a questionnaire about what goals they are looking to attain and their food preferences and then if they will need meals weekly or monthly. Personal Chef - There are many people who require personal chefs, such as chronically ill individuals and athletes, to help them maintain a specific diet. If you will be leasing a commercial kitchen, you can set up an office within the same building. You can obtain the license for personal chef here. To get a personal chef business license or DBA, you will need to hold a current food and safety certificate. While many people use the terms 'private chef' and 'personal chef' interchangeably, the jobs are actually quite different. Do you intend to cook from your personal kitchen, commercial kitchen or in the kitchen of your clients? It will be around Los Angeles area. No entrepreneur should expect to have it all easy and if this is your mindset then it goes to show that you are not serious as challenges are part of everyday life of a business. That person can be you, a business partner or a cook, but that person must have the authority to instruct others on how to properly handle food. The food and safety certificate it is also called a food handler's permit and you can obtain it online after taking a course online. With insurance, whatever risks that come with your business are transferred to your carrier. A niche service is a specialized form of service that is different from the regular service and entrepreneurs who often wish to distinguish their business from similar others in a growing or even saturated market look for niche ideas. If you will be cooking in your own kitchen or a commercial one, you must consent to routine health and safety inspections. You also have the option of sharing a commercial kitchen with others. Catering license is the same as a business license but you may also need a seller's permit because you will prepare, sell and serve prepared food. These professionals may decide to open their own business or operate independently from a current employer, which will result in the need for a business license. While there are very few personal chefs in one state, another state might have a large number of them and so where you intend to start your personal chef business will determine how much of a competition you are going to face. Business names might look very trivial but they are very important as they project your business to your target audience as well as your competitors; which is why your business name must be creative, catchy, memorable and indicative of the industry which you are in. In every business industry, there are brands that stand out due to various factors and the personal chef industry is no different. This is why it is necessary that you take time to research on ways you can make use of this strategy for your business without blowing a hole in your pocket especially if you have a constraint regarding expenditure. Catering Chef - The head chef of a catering company is responsible for serving a large party of people, such as at a wedding, a meeting, or any other type of large-scale event. The difference between starting a personal chef business and starting a catering business is that the latter cooks on a large scale and there are much more hassles in this kind of business, which a personal chef does not have to worry about. No matter how your family members and close friends might rave about your dishes or service, without making efforts to consciously promote your business, then you are going to be very limited as regards your services and how much you end up generating. Hours of operation: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed holidays. The Service Delivery Process of a Personal Chef Business. The internet has opened up several possibilities for innovative and smart entrepreneurs and so you might need to take advantage of what the internet has to offer. Personal chefs typically fall under the category of catering in most states. This therefore means that location has a lot to do with the level of competition that a personal chef faces in the course of running the business. Cost and payment. One must pay a fee to obtain a license, permit, and Food Safety Certification. There are two reasons why a personal chef might lease a commercial kitchen and one of them is that his or her personal kitchen is not deemed safe by the department of health and safety within the state or that they are running a large operation where they have employed individuals that will not fit into their own home kitchen. Education requirements range from on-the-job training to college degrees. Customers also expect operators in this industry, during their purchase of food, to consider health and wellness, buy from local producers that use no chemicals or pesticides and engage in sustainable production. You can either train through self-study or by attending culinary programs both online and offline. A: A private chef, acting as a personal chef, needs a business license. Then, a Personal Chef seller's permit is required if you sell merchandise wholesale or retail. Some of the threats and challenges that you should expect when starting your personal chef business are; having to attract customers to your business, having to deal with competition from other personal chefs and established commercial kitchens, government regulations regarding food handling, change in trends and customer preferences. In both, you are responsible for creating meals and providing service for a client with specific needs (whether it is a bridal menu or a dietary restriction). When starting any business, one aspect that is very important is how you will recoup your investment and make your business generate revenue that will not only sustain it but allow it to grow. However, it has not been easy to determine the number of personal chefs in the country as estimates used have been based on membership of different culinary organizations as well as associations. Because of the variety needs of customers, you might need to develop a recipe inventory and ensure that the meals that you create can easily be frozen or defrosted. Before any marketing strategy can be created, it is important that the entrepreneur conducts a thorough research about the market opportunity available and therefore know who your target market is, what they expect from you and what you should expect from hem as well. Sourcing for startup capital is usually one very challenging aspect when it comes to starting a business but being an entrepreneur is being able to handle challenges and overcome them. This shift to local has affected operators in the industry as this shift in customer taste and preference will affect sourcing for products, purchasing, and invariably the menus of the personal chefs. The personal chef then designs menus that are based on the answers of the clients. The personal chef business is different from that of a private chef because while a private chef is employed by a single household and is expected to live with the premises of their employers, prepare at least three meals a day for their employers, supervise the activities of caterers whenever there is an event or large party and does not require a business license in order to operate, a personal chef is ⦠Operating as a business will change an individual’s tax return. Get an attorney familiar with the food industry to help you with the legal documents that you might require for your business depending on the laws in your state. Request information on how to become a personal chef and understand the skills youâll need as a business owner in the field. Promoting oneâs business is very important as you not only get to generate awareness for your business but you also get to generate revenue through the awareness that you have created. If you are a hair stylist or a tattoo artist, your business may be considered a personal services business if you make house calls. The level of competition that exists in this industry is one that is limited to your area of operation. What are the ongoing expenses for a personal chef business? In most states this can be obtained by attending a short seminar at your local public health department. To operate a personal services business legally, you need a business license. If you are starting your personal chef business in a rural area, then you should realize that you might not have as many customers which doesnât mean your marketing strategies arenât effective but that those living in rural areas will prefer to cook their meals as they might not be as busy as those living in the city. People are now becoming conscious of what they consume and as such will want to know that you are aware of this fact and take it seriously. If you like the idea of working for yourself and want the opportunity to stretch your culinary muscles as an entrepreneur, this is a great career choice. The place where a business is located has a lot to do with how much the business can generate the revenue that will aid it to grow and sustain itself. It will be around Los Angeles area. An estimated number of personal chefs in 2004 was pegged at 9,000 with the number reaching 25,000 by 2009. Starting Your Personal Chef Business from Scratch vs Buying a Franchise. In most cases, a sole proprietorship registration is handled through the county and/or city where your business is based, and there may be state and city permits or licenses required for operation. Therefore, if you are looking to start a large scale operation for your personal chef business, you might need at least 7 people. Personal chefs must have a business license in the city they are based out of. Because state laws differ, personal chefs may need a state license and a local license if operating within city limits. Below are some of the niche ideas that you can specialize in; The Level of Competition in the Personal Chef Industry. Regardless of where you will be doing your cooking from, it is best that you set up an office with which to handle administrative tasks such as menu planning, billing and marketing. You are going to have competitors who might be regular food establishments like restaurants, food trucks and fast foods or other personal chefs and so your marketing strategies should take them all into consideration, study their weaknesses and strengths and then use this to create marketing strategies that will become very effective. Catchy Business Name ideas Suitable for a Personal Chef Business. This means you can copy recipes, modify them without having to worry about being hit by a lawsuit from where you have copied the recipe from. Here is What Licenses Are Needed To Start A Catering Personal Chef business. If you've considered starting a catering business, a personal chef business is a great way to test the waters or to use your culinary skills without the hassle of starting a catering business, in which the cooking is usually done on a larger scale. If you however are going to be coming up with creative recipes and posting them publicly on your website, it is only right that you seek for means to intellectually protect your ideas from being used by your competitors especially fast foods and restaurants. Below is a list of some of the legal documents that you will need to be able to run your personal chef business in the United States; Not every business idea conceived sees the light of day and this is usually due to startup capital. If however you are looking to compete professionally against other personal chefs, then getting a professional certification will be of an advantage to you as it will give you the edge you seek for your business. If you are one who has a love for all things culinary, and in addition has entrepreneurial attributes, then starting a personal chef business might just be the thing for you. Popular personal chef brands are those who have distinguished themselves in terms of their niche services, their publicity campaigns both online and offline as well as their relationship with their customers. In addition, depending on your state, you may also need a catering license. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample personal chef marketing plan backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for personal chef companies. More consumers are shifting to local because of varying factors such as the produce being fresh, clean, natural, healthier, sustainable, high quality and also because they feel that going local makes them socially responsible. Other restrictions for food delivery or cooking environments may be determined by the state or ⦠Personal chefs offer private cooking services to individuals or businesses. One thing you should realize when it comes to marketing is that where you are located has a lot to do with how your marketing strategies are going to be effective. Starting a business from the scratch might seem quite overwhelming especially for entrepreneurs who have no experience when it comes to running a business from the scratch, which is why it is usually advised that entrepreneurs have a written down plan as regards how they intend to run their business as this will help lessen the startup fear regarding the business. Acquiring professional certification for your personal chef business is not necessary at all as long as you have the culinary skills and also have gotten the necessary state certification and licenses that will allow you to run your business without any hitches. One of the major challenges that you might face is in knowing which coverage will offer you and your business the best protection; which is why it is usually best to seek the advice of an insurance agent or broker so that you do not end up spending on coverage that will not protect you or your business.  According to the American Culinary Federation, the personal chef business is the fastest growing sector in the industry. Therefore, if you are looking to define the demography for your personal chef business, it should be based on what your niche services will be as this will determine those that will demand your services. Private Chef business that is going to be prepared and cooked at clientâs home. A personal chef serves several clients, usually one per day, and provides multiple meals that are custom-designed for the clientsâ particular requests and requirements. Pay Licensing Fees. Therefore, your location should not only determine your marketing strategies but also the services you intend to offer as well. Some personal chefs also shop for groceries, purchase beverages, hire service people, rent equipment, and order flowers for events. Marketing therefore offers you that opportunity of achieving your revenue generation goals through various means. In this article, we will be considering all the requirements for starting a personal chef business. However, while the process of selecting the right insurance policies might be tedious, it enables you to have protection should calamity strike which might come from natural or unnatural occurrences. There is a fee involved, determined by where you attend. Working as a personal chef is challenging, but extremely rewarding. Personal chefs go into a client's home once or twice a week (or biweekly or monthly) to make several meals, packaging them up for the freezer and refrigerator and leaving instructions for reheating or final preparation. If you are an employer, you will need a federal employer Number and a State Employer Number. This doesnât mean that those who donât know how to cook cannot start the business as training can be obtained to brush up on your cooking skills as well as have the required knowledge regarding food safety, creating of menus as well as freezing of food. A: A private chef, acting as a personal chef, needs a business license. Owners of catering services are required have both a food safety license and a regular business license. You can also visit corporate organizations to push awareness for your business, Ensure that your personal chef business is listed in yellow pages as well as online directories, Create a website and include photographs of meals that you have and can prepare, Offer your loyal clients discounts for every new customer that contracts your service, Use certain niches in order to distinguish your personal chef services from others as well as stand out from your competition, Encourage your satisfied clients to write out testimonials on your website, Write out recipes for online publications and websites and use this to promote your personal chef business, Participate in community activities such as charity fundraisers and auction events by donating your services in order to create awareness about your personal chef business. Ensure that all documents are safely stored. The personal chef business is different from that of a private chef because while a private chef is employed by a single household and is expected to live with the premises of their employers, prepare at least three meals a day for their employers, supervise the activities of caterers whenever there is an event or large party and does not require a business license in order to operate, a personal chef is regarded as an independent contractor that has multiple of clients and can easily set their own schedules and fees.