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 an idea to start a home cooking business for busy families that do not have time to cook a healthy meal. i was thinking that i would give the client a menu of available foods(meats, veggies, desserts) for the week and they will choose what they wanted and cook the food at my home and deliver it to them. would this be a good business idea? what would i need to start?
Answer What you are talking about is a personal chef. There is an entire industry out there and thousands of us doing this, but NOT from a home kitchen.... so spend some time online searching for that topic and you will learn a lot. There are several professional organizations that will show you the way and save you time/money and keep you from reinventing the wheel. I co-founded the Personal Chefs Network and sold my half to my business partner a few years ago, but am still active there. www.PersonalChefsNetwork.com
I also continue to chef along with other ventures. www.WendyPerry.com
Also, it is not legal to cook foods in your home kitchen for sale to the public. And no liability insurance company will insure you, and in this suit-happy world, you'd be crazy to cook food for others without that. You also need to take a safe food handling course. This is offered in many community colleges. ServSafe is the preferred course.
Talk to your local county health department and they will tell you what you can and cannot do, but I do not know of one single place where it is legal to cook and deliver food from your home kitchen. This is for the safety of the public since there are many "fly by nighters" out there with no training in safe food handling practices, how to safely transport foods, etc. One incident of food borne illness and you could lose everything you have! A local man who was catering illegally from him home sent almost 100 folks at a wedding to the hospital a couple of years ago, (in addition to making the news, TV and print)... several admitted in critical condition... the culprit... baked beans that were improperly handled! So even foods you wouldn't think would/could cause food poisoning can and will!
Research the personal chef industry, speak with your local health department, and best wishes on your new venture.
