About Chef Wendy Perry Expertise Ready to launch your own Successful Personal Chef Service? The Personal Chefs Network is the place to call home. Founded by working Personal Chefs, we offer the newest and most Comprehensive educational materials available on the market..."The Making of a Personal Chef!(c)" We provide unique benefits to our membership and unsurpassed Support! Chef Wendy Perry will be glad to answer all your questions as you pursue this exciting new career, and guide you every step of the way!
Experience After over 20 years in the catering industry, Chef Wendy refocused her services to the Personal Chef industry and has been a successful Personal Chef for several years. Along with Co-Founder Chef Sharon Worster, she launched the Personal Chefs Network offering innovative educational materials for new PCs along with Network membership for those already providing the service. PCN membership spans the US and Canada!
Organizations Personal Chefs Network, International Association of Culinary Professionals
Publications Chef Wendy writes a syndicated newspaper column and has appeared on WRAL tv (CBS affiliate), WTVD tv(ABC affiliate) and local radio talk shows. Chef Wendy is a Primary Contributor and Editor of "The Making of a Personal Chef," and has written one cookbook of her own.
Education/Credentials B.S. Home Economics Education from East Carolina University; has taught numerous cooking classes and participates in ongoing educational courses. Hosts chats at the Personal Chefs Network on various topics.
Question I was just wondering if you had to have a degree or a certificate to have your own catering service or bakery shop?
Answer Hi Cammie,
Nope, but you do have to meet local criteria for your health department and they vary from one municipality to another. Also, regulations vary from catering to baking. The very first thing you should do is start on a business plan and check with your county health department for regulations. It is VERY costly to start up a catering business because of the stringent HD requirments. Is is illegal to do any of that from a home kitchen, for starters. You must have a facility that meets their rules... everything from paint on the walls, to ceiling tiles/flooring, NSF standard refrigeration/freezers, separate hand sinks and bathroom for staff, 3 compartment sink for dishwashing, and so on. There's also overhead of liability insurance (not cheap) and lots of other things. By working on a business plan, it will make you list all the things you need to research and determine the expenses and local requirments of those things to determine whether or not you will proceed.
