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 have a culinary degree and fifteen years in the restaurant industry. I am now looking to get into the personal chef/catering business. In your experience how would I start collecting clients? What techniques have you or any other chefs utilized to get your foot in the door? Thanks for your time
Answer HI Ben,
First off, personal cheffing and catering are two entirely different concepts so i recommend you delve into that more and hone in on one or the other. Some personal chefs do small catering jobs that can be accomplished in the client's kitchen while others want no part of catering. It is not legal to cook and deliver from your home kitchen and many folks do not want the overhead of a health dept. approved kitchen to cater out of so for many of us, we do no catering or only those events that can be done using the kitchen of the customer.
It would take me a book to answer your question fully here, so I suggest researching the personal chef organizations online to learn more and get answers for your questions. Most all have free forums. I co-founded the Personal Chefs Network but sold my half to Sharon, my bizz partner there, a few years ago so I personally prefer to recommend PCN, but there are others.
Just go to www.PersonalChefsNetwork.com and register for the free guest forum. Spend time (hours) reading all the great posts there and throw your own questions in there also. You will get great responses from folks who chef, cater, both and combinations of all the above!
