Guest Chef expectations

[gfron1]

I've had a few friendly guest chef gigs the past year where I help buddies out, but I have a formal one coming up in a few weeks. I'm splitting a 6 course meal with their chef; they're charging about $100 per person for 65 people. I've never asked for pay before, but they're making some decent money off my name and efforts. What would normal compensation be for something like this?

[MattyC]

I guess for me, short answer: Whatever it is you make for work normally, or at least close to it.

 

I mean, 3 courses for 65 people, they're using your name and efforts - sounds like work.

 

Unless you're just doing this for fun and just want a little money on the side, but even then, it's a decent amount of effort - even for friends and fun, work is work.

 

Especially when you say this is more formal.

 

I've done enough events with friends to realize even though it sounds fun, after a while, it's still a lot to do for free or just a few bucks.

[gfweb]

Is the dinner for a charity?

 

Might change the host's expectations of your compensation.

[Deryn]

Are they paying your expenses (travel/accommodation)? I hope so.

 

Though I personally might be reluctant to ask for pay (especially if it was not suggested or contracted for at the time of the agreement to 'help' with this dinner), I am sure you deserve it and since it doesn't sound as though this is for charity or a friend, you should. I am not in the restaurant business (you are so I am sure you have a general idea of what their costs/profit might be for this type of event) of course but my gut says that taking a cut from what they are charging each diner is not untoward - perhaps $15-$20 per plate - or some round number (in between that per plate suggestion) like $1k? That may be low actually but at least it is something in your pocket.

 

After all, at $100 a plate, they are grossing $6500 just on the meal itself - and if you are doing 1/2 of the work for that (which is a LOT for 65 people), you are contributing $3250 gross (at a minimum - your reputation is also 'saleable' but leave that aside for now - they organized it too so that is to their credit and may balance out).

 

If you know their approximate 'costs' then you may be able to ask more than that, but, if you don't normally charge at all (and they are already aware of that), though you do not want to undervalue yourself, you may want to be fairly reasonable, leaving them with enough profit that they ask you back again or others ask you in future (and you can begin to raise the price slightly each time).

 

If you charge at all, just don't let them 'use' you - you should be paid fairly based on what they will earn. All this is said presuming (bad idea?) that this dinner is on an off/closed night for both you and the restaurant so no one is losing a normal day's pay/trade to hold this event.

 

None of my numbers may be realistic but perhaps they will help you think out what you should ask for.

[weinoo]

$750. For no reason other than it sounds like a good number.

[LizD518]

Are we only talking about labor, or are you in charge of conceptualizing the dishes and providing the product?  Is your name and/or the name of your business being featured in marketing or are you strictly behind-the-scenes labor?  If you are just labor than you should be paid for your time - $200 per day?  If you provide product and are not being expressly asked for a donation then expenses should be paid.  If you are receiving promotional consideration in exchange then I probably wouldn't expect compensation for labor, and maybe/maybe not for product.  JMHO

[gfron1]

So, good questions...this is not for a friend. This is not for a charity. I'll be doing riffs on some of my existing dishes. They were going to put me up in their lodge (very nice accommodations), but then sold the rooms, so now they want to put me up in a local hotel. I'm doing this for my own promotion, and to feed my customers in ABQ (5 hours away) because I love feeding fans, but I've got lots on my plate as it is, and don't want to be taken advantage of. 

 

So my question is really about industry standards. I guess I should have titled this Guest Chef Compensation because that's what I want to know. Is it my rate, the host chef's rate, a percentage of the take, a flat fee...

 

I certainly don't want to go with my rate because I own my own restaurant - I get paid virtually nothing. This should have been hammered out months ago, but I keep not getting answers and now we're a few weeks away, they've been selling tickets, but I'm willing to walk away if that can't offer a professional response.

[MattyC]

Most people I know all do it differently - some people do a % of the total, some have done host chefs pay, I've known others to just charge based on what they are worth per hour and how much time it will take them, I know others that just do a flat rate and call it a day - guess I'm bad at answering haha

 

Honestly though, I've done stuff like that, and for me the simplest was just choosing a flat rate, just something that sounded good based on how much I felt I was worth. I't's not a super technical answer by any means, but it's the easiest in case the odd event someone tries some funny business with % and how much they 'actually' made, etc.

 

At the end of the day, just charge what you feel you're worth - you're doing half the work, it's your name, it's your effort. Don't be afraid to ask a decent number if you're actually worth that number.

 

Sorry it's not an exact answer, too many people I know do it differently.

[gfweb]

I know nothing about industry standards.

 

That aside, it seems like you get to promote to his customers and he gets access to your customers that are in his area....so both benefit somewhat.

 

I'd ask for a fair number. $750  does have a nice sound.

 

But if you don't get the answers you want, you can't back out at this point without taking a reputation hit. Would that be significant? I don't know. Probably not.

 

But I'd lean toward going on with the dinner in any event and being a stickler on hammering out terms when the next gig is offered.

 

Do you have any expenses from doing this dinner?

Edited March 4, 2015 by gfweb (log)

[LizD518]

My experience with this sort of thing has been limited to "taste of..." type events where many restaurants come together and offer tastings of their products and some food festivals that have brought in people from out of town.  The locals are usually donating their product, time, etc. and it is purely a promotional thing.  I think chef's being invited to participate in a food festival from out of town often get their travel expenses paid (which you are) and probably raw material costs as well, within a certain budget, but are not necessarily paid above that.

[weinoo]

I'd ask for a fair number. $750  does have a nice sound.

 

 

Let's say you invest 20 hours of work...does $750 sound like anything other than a nice number?  Of course, $1K sounds better...

 

Not including expenses, btw.

Edited March 4, 2015 by weinoo (log)