WHAT IS A PERSONAL CHEF?

A personal chef is a culinary professional who prepares meals for their clients, typically in the clients' own home kitchens. Unlike a caterer, a personal chef usually does not prepare food in a commercial kitchen.

Personal chefs are often independent business owners who cook in multiple homes. Their roles and business models can vary greatly, which offers significant flexibility for their clients.​ Most personal chefs visit a home once a week to prepare meals for the clients to enjoy as they wish — think of it as restaurant quality meal prep.

Some personal chefs are more specialized, focusing on dietary needs, types of cuisine, or (like myself) private events and parties. Service styles may vary, but most personal chefs travel with their own equipment and even do the grocery shopping.

The one thing that is true of all successful personal chefs is that they must have a diverse set of skills. They must be knowledgeable, responsible, organized, efficient, creative, clean-working, and adaptable. 

HOW IS THE UNTAMED PALATE DIFFERENT?

When I conceived The Untamed Palate as a personal chef business, I zeroed in on what inspires me most about food and wine: the shared experiences of community and discovery. In addition to helping my clients plan and execute their events, my skills as host, educator, and entertainer are also available. Every host's needs — and their events — are unique, and I make every effort to innovate and accommodate.

From an intimate multi-course dinner for two, to a guided wine tasting with your book club, to a charcuterie party for twenty, my services are as all-inclusive as possible. On the day of an event, I arrive with all the necessary equipment, dishes, flatware, glassware, and linens to prepare and present your menu — and that is after having done all the grocery shopping! The only aspects of the host's kitchen I utilize are the range, oven, refrigerator, freezer, sink, and counter space.

I clean and sanitize as I work and make every effort to leave the space as tidy as I found it. I am ServSafe food handler and alcohol service certified, AllerTrain allergen and gluten-free certified, TAM and TIPS alcohol service certified, and covered by general liability insurance. I am also WSET 1 and 2 certified in wine knowledge and currently seeking WSET 3 advanced certification at Commonwealth Wine School.

HOW MUCH DOES AN EVENT COST?

The cost of an event by The Untamed Palate varies by type of function, scaled for time required and number of guests. An event is priced based on a service fee plus the cost of food and supplies. My services are as all-inclusive as possible, meaning I do not charge extra for dishware, flatware, cloth napkins, etc. Depending on the event and the space, rented items may be required at an added cost.

This cost structure allows me to scale the ingredients to the clients' specifications and budget. I provide receipts for groceries and supplies and do not mark up any items purchased. All leftover prepared food and unused purchased ingredients remain with the host upon completion of the event.

A NOTE ABOUT PAYMENT:
Upon booking an event, a 50% deposit (based on the event estimate) is required. The final adjusted balance will be due upon completion of the event.

A NOTE ABOUT TAXES:
The state of Massachusetts assesses a 6.25% meals tax and 0.75% locality tax on services and food purchased. This is added to the final payment, but based on the entire bill.

​A NOTE ABOUT ALCOHOL:
The Untamed Palate is not licensed to sell alcohol and does not do so. Instead, as part of the private event planning process, I assist the host in selecting beverages from a retail source, which they must purchase themselves. Safe and legal consumption of alcohol is of the utmost importance at my events. I reserve the right to request ID from guests who appear under the age of 40, and I reserve the right to stop service to persons who appear intoxicated.