Yet there's no denying the appeal of a home-cooked meal, and sometimes restaurant takeout just doesn't cut it. The compromise? One of the fastest-growing segments in the food industry: personal chefs. The United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA) has exploded from about 500 people in 1995 to about 5,000 in all 50 states today, including 16 in the Valley. Even during the economic slowdown, diners are indulging, justified by the fact that the price for a heat-and-eat custom meal still costs less than most restaurant tabs. Pricing varies, but local personal chefs have plans ranging from $7 to $9 per plate per person to $15 to $18 per plate per person.
Customers can act like big shots, too, detailing tastes, dietary preferences, special ingredients and whatever whim they choose for a personalized menu. After the menu is approved, the personal culinary slave shows up for a daylong cooking extravaganza. The chef brings most of the equipment, and even cleans the place at the end.
USPCA certification means personal chefs have completed a training program ensuring their cooking skills are professional. Certified chefs in the Valley include:
Affordable Gourmet, Phoenix, [email protected]
Your Kitchen Angels, Phoenix, Hoyt [email protected]
Voila! PCS, Phoenix, [email protected]
Casa Cuisine, Phoenix, [email protected]
JW Cooks!, Mesa, [email protected]
Tastefully Yours PCS, Glendale, [email protected]
Le Chef PCS, Phoenix, La [email protected]
Elizabeth's PCS, Chandler, [email protected]
Neighborhood Chef PCS, Mesa, [email protected]
Fit Foods PCS LLC, Scottsdale, [email protected]
To Your Taste, Scottsdale, [email protected]
Classic Home Cuisine, Mesa, [email protected]
Body Chef, Gilbert, [email protected]
Chef Chez Vous, Chandler, [email protected]
Nanny & Poppy's, Surprise, [email protected]
TLC Personal Chef Service, Surprise, Richard [email protected]
