SO, YOU'RE WONDERING

We put together some answers to the questions we get the most about what hiring a personal chef service is like.

Start here and just call us if there’s anything else you want to know.

We love talking to people!

Why Do I Need a Personal Chef?

#1 reason: time.

There are only so many moments in a day, and only so much energy to muster to meet those moments.

Do you have enough time with your family? Your friends? Your interests and hobbies? Your community? Your projects? Relaxing or even sleeping? Would you like to have more?

Try and add up all the time you spend every week on trying to figure out what to eat, making grocery lists, shopping, cooking your meals and cleaning up afterward. It will probably be an average of 8 to 10 hours every week. Now, picture getting that time back. What would you do with it?

#2 reason: you will save money

Think about how many times you eat out, grab fast food or order pizza or takeout every week. Add it up. If you want an honest look at how much you spend on that, use an app like Mint. It will automatically keep tabs on your dining out expenses.

Do you also cook at home? If you do, how many times do you go to the grocery store inspired to make that one dish, and after you left the grocery store you spent 10 times as much as you planned because of the odds and ends, spices, herbs and oils needed to make this dish?

And, in truth, how many times have you picked up something perishable only to find it green and hairy a few weeks later in your fridge because your work exhausted you and you were unable to get to it?

Now, add it all up.

# 3 reason: health

It is very easy to sacrifice healthy for convenient. We do it every day, but what if you didn’t have to?

What if you could sit down with someone and tell them what it is you need to fuel your life, and then when you came home there it would be in your fridge?

If you are someone who has special dietary needs or restrictions, let us help.

If you want to enjoy plant-based eating, let us help.

If you want to lose weight and need help with your diet, allow us to assist you. We can help you by putting the freshest and healthiest ingredients on your table for you and those you love.

#4 reason…

is a bit shallow and vain but come on….. How great would it be to say “my personal chef!!!”

How do I know you are qualified to cook my food?

Chef Ben Zang is ServSafe certified and has been cooking in every capacity and managing commercial kitchens for over 20 years.

Could you cater an event or a party in my home?

Yes. We would be happy to. Space is the main consideration here. Tastefull will prepare and serve a sit down meal for up to 20 or a cocktail party for up to 120.

Could you cater an event or a party at another location (club, banquet hall, school, park , etc.)

That depends. There is a difference between a personal chef and a caterer. Caterers take on full responsibility for handling, storing, cooking and serving food off-site. Personal chefs can only cook inside a client’s home or another location where the client is responsible for the state of their kitchen and refrigeration between cooking visits. At this time Tastefull does not provide catering at a location that doesn’t provide cooking facilities and / or requires a catering license.

We have a family with multiple picky eaters with different preferences. Can you work with that?

Yes, we can. Hang in there, help is on its way!

Joking aside, picky eaters (especially kids) are one of the most frequent reasons our clients hire us. We will happily make the meals that fit all of the preferences in your household. Call us, we’d be happy to explain how we can approach it best. Word of caution: we cannot fix your picky kid’s eating habits overnight. In our experience, any improvement in expanding a child’s food range is usually achieved gradually over time.

I am trying to lose weight, could you provide the meals to meet my caloric / nutritional requirement?

Yes. We can design your menus with your caloric or another nutritional requirement in mind. All the meals can be portioned off individually to help you with portion control (although we cannot guarantee that you won’t enjoy those “diet” dishes so much you might want a second helping).

We will happily collaborate with your dietitian or nutritionist or would be happy to recommend one if you’re looking for science-backed nutritional guidance.

Do I have to be at home while you're cooking?

That is entirely up to your comfort level. Each cooking session may take several hours, depending on the size of the household, the complexity of the menu prepared and the number of meals agreed upon.

If you decide to be present at home during the cooking times, please keep in mind that, although chef Ben welcomes social interaction with you during his visit, it is in your best interests that he is able to maintain his focus on the meal preparation as much as possible while cooking. So in order for him to produce the best results for you, it is the best idea to probably focus your social interactions with the chef at the beginning and/or the end of his session.

I only eat organic. (or gluten-free / dairy-free / paleo / Whole 30 / raw {insert ingredient, diet or food allergy here} - free). Can you accommodate my preferences?

Yes, absolutely! The chef will work with you on menu planning on an ongoing basis to accommodate your dietary needs and wants. Picky eaters are welcome!

My household is / has a vegan. Can you accommodate our lifestyle?

Definitely. If you’re looking for a mouthwateringly wide range of plant-based meals we are happy to do it for you. If you ever considered a switch to plant-based eating, we can definitely help you make this transition healthy and delicious.

What payment methods do you accept?

At this time, we accept cash and checks.