The World of a Private Chef

[Timh]

After seven years I decided to start telling people what I do.

Today 1/5

Lunch- Roasted chicken sandwich, Grafton Farms (VT) cheddar, bacon,(honey mustard, lettuce, tom, onion)- no one came home.

Dinner- Salad of bibb and radicchio, "greek" mix of red onoin, cuccumber, cherry tomatoes, peppadew peppers, torn pita, and feta, red wine vin.

Grilled center cut Salmon, Pomme Boulanger, Spinach(sauteed w/ garlic on fork, rest in chinoise) , zinfandel sauce.

Edited January 6, 2006 by Timh (log)

[OnigiriFB]

Interesting. Pretty heathy.

[Daniel]

Hey Tim,

This sounds really interesting.. Can you give us some backround on your situation.. Where are you working.. Main residence, boat, vacation home.. Who are you cooking for, family, one person, business... Do you cook for staff as well or just your client.. Whats your set up like? Is there a servants kitchen, do you cook off site, are you a live in, or travel with clients..

Thanks

[Timh]

I graduated from J&W in '88, 2 yr apprenticeship in Japan( Hotel Suikoyen,Kurume, Fukuoka), 1 yr in Paris(Le Grenadin,8eme). Ran kitchens in Chicago, New Orleans(and the bayou), Cape Cod, as well as cooking around the in other cool places. I got burned by a job on the cape and decided to try for a position listed in the paper as a Private Estate Chef. Origional plan was for 1 year, but the lifestyle and conditions were too good .

I cook for a family of five(Three teenagers) I get to cook whatever I want, understanding their likes and dislikes. I was the 30th person to try out for the position.

The current kitchen(main residence, they also have an estate on the Cape and another in Boca Raton) is as equipt as any pro kitchen I've been in, comparibly speaking. I have a viking pro range, convection ovens, sub zero refers, 2 gaggeneau dishwashers, all of the usual toys(getting a thermo mix soon).

My schedual is Mon - Fri, 11-8, w/ a 2 hr break to eat and shop, dinner @ 5. Kids eat first usually and then parents. The kids have above average taste, but still are teenagers at heart. The parents want resaurant quality food, with a salad first and main. In the beginning, I was also preparing dessert nightly, but as they began to swell, that stopped. Occasionally they will have special requests, but normally its whatever I want to cook. With the regular shopping, I spend @ 600.00 a week on groceries!!!! Money is no object, but I'm a chef w/ a conscience and hate waste so I try to feed the house staff out of this.

During the too short growing season here, I've got 2 gardens going, one on the Cape and one at the main house. All i do is make the list and the gardeners do the fun stuff. I just get to pick it and cook it.Its as crazy as it sounds folks.

[KatieLoeb]

I graduated from J&W in '88, 2 yr apprenticeship in Japan( Hotel Suikoyen,Kurume, Fukuoka), 1 yr in Paris(Le Grenadin,8eme). Ran kitchens in Chicago, New Orleans(and the bayou), Cape Cod, as well as cooking around the in other cool places. I got burned by a job on the cape and decided to try for a position listed in the paper as a Private Estate Chef. Origional plan was for 1 year, but the lifestyle and conditions were too good .

I cook for a family of five(Three teenagers) I get to cook whatever I want, understanding their likes and dislikes. I was the 30th person to try out for the position.

The current kitchen(main residence, they also have an estate on the Cape and another in  Boca Raton) is as equipt as any pro kitchen I've been in, comparibly speaking. I have a viking pro range, convection ovens, sub zero refers, 2 gaggeneau dishwashers, all of the usual toys(getting a thermo mix soon).

My schedual is Mon - Fri, 11-8, w/ a 2 hr break to eat and shop, dinner @ 5. Kids eat first usually and then parents. The kids have above average taste, but still are teenagers at heart. The parents want resaurant quality food, with a salad first and main. In the beginning, I was also preparing dessert nightly, but as they began to swell, that stopped. Occasionally they will have special requests, but normally its whatever I want to cook. With the regular shopping, I spend @ 600.00 a week on groceries!!!! Money is no object, but I'm a chef w/ a conscience and hate waste so I try to feed the house staff out of this.

During the too short growing season here, I've got 2 gardens going, one on the Cape and one at the main house. All i do is make the list and the gardeners do the fun stuff. I just get to pick it and cook it.Its as crazy as it sounds folks.

←

Nice gig. Do they happen to need a staff sommeliere?

[Daniel]

Wow. What a great insight to a world unknown to me.. Good for you, beating out all of those people. I would love to see you continue this thread. Its sounds like you have a great job, how cool is that..

[Timh]

Oh how you'll appreciate this, his regular"house' wine is Batard- Montrachet, ,I'm buying 15 cs at a time. I also buy around the mtn., Chassagne, Puligny, and "just " Montrachet. His Italian and especially Spanish collection are interesting, as they are sent as gifts from contacts there, so it can't be the regular stuff.

[mizducky]

Y'know, as a former resident of Boston, I'm fighting this huge urge to start trying to guess what community your employers' estate is in. (Lots of lovely well-heeled towns due west of Boston--back in the 1980s when I worked for Digital, I used to take shortcuts through them all the time. )

[KatieLoeb]

Oh how you'll appreciate this, his regular"house' wine is Batard- Montrachet, ,I'm buying 15 cs at a time. I also buy around the mtn., Chassagne, Puligny, and "just " Montrachet.  His Italian and especially Spanish collection are interesting, as they are sent as gifts from contacts there, so it can't be the regular stuff.

←

I'm speechless. Sounds like a cellar to really roll around in the dirt in. YIKES!

Congrats on getting yourself the dream job. Sounds fabulous.

[Rachel Perlow]

Lunch- Roasted chicken sandwich, Grafton Farms (VT) cheddar, bacon,(honey mustard, lettuce, tom, onion)- no one came home.

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What happens to the food when no one comes home to eat it? I'd assume the staff eats it, but presumably, you make a staff meal too? What do you do with leftovers? Do you live on site?

This is very interesting to me, don't be afraid to go into details.

Obviously, you can't reveal for whom you work, but as much as you can divulge, please do.

[prasantrin]

You mention that you try to feed the staff out of the same budget for the house. Does the staff eat the same meal as the family, or do they usually get a completely separate meal? How many staff members do you feed, and do you eat with them, as well?

I assume to travel to the different houses with the family, but what happens during, for example, trips to Europe to to places where they don't have residences? Do you fly with them and cook, or are those times considered your holidays (away from the family), too?

Do you do their parties and events, too, or hire caterers for those things?

I want your job! It sounds so fabulous! No, actually, I want to be the people you work for!

[Timh]

On break right now. The current house(they're building a new planet to move into in 2 yrs) is staffed w/ 2 houskeepers, a nanny, a driver/houseman, cook(me). There are also the grounds keepers, and two maintenance contractors. Various tutors, coaches, and trainers cycle in and out. I'm not required to cook for any of the staff, the household crew all make their own, I'll make extra for them to eat, or have whatever they prefer on hand.

I prepare alot of meals that don't get eaten, either they go out and don't tell me, or are too involved in whatever to sit when its ready, the kids will have events that I'm unaware of, etc...

I'll move down to the Cape in the summer with them, they have extra houses for the staff(I live in the upstairs of a beachhouse and the nanny has the ground floor apt,) We are going less each year as the kids get older and more involved in activivties away from the cape. They also have a condo in Boston that I go in2 days a week to cook at. When they go on vacation, its my vacation time too (officially 4 wks a year), but there's a few long weekend trips they take as well.

Since my workweek is Mon - Fri, I leave them with quick pick set ups: 2 soups, sandwhich set ups, antipasti, salad. maybe pasta or (lately) buttermilk fried chicken, and they often get takeout instead.

I'll cook for small parties(up to 15) but will hire a caterer for anything larger. Usually small 4-6 people dinners, with a couple of family holiday gatherings thrown in.

I have master lists of the kitchen needs, so when they go away w/o me, I'll fax it to the local house mgr to stock up.

I'll post todays menu later this evening. Glad you all enjoy, I'm not jaded yet and still appreciate the opportunity I've been given.

[H. du Bois]

Fascinating.

[annarborfoodie]

I love hearing this stuff. It's one of those things that I've seen in movies and wondered "does anyone really live like this?". It seems like you have the job that a lot of people dream of/aspire to.

Do you live in when you're at the main house?

[DaleJ]

I ran into a young man working near Charleston, SC a couple of weeks ago. He recently "retired" from a similar position and is now writing a book about his experiences. Incredibly fascinating since his last post was private chef for a really big Hollywood luminary. I listened to his stories for some time absolutely rapt. Can't wait for the book.

[Chris Amirault]

I am absolutely riveted by this thread. I have a terrifically gauche question to ask: what are the salary and benefits like? How did you set them up: negotiating directly with the family or through some other agency/service?

[tejon]

I am absolutely riveted by this thread. I have a terrifically gauche question to ask: what are the salary and benefits like? How did you set them up: negotiating directly with the family or through some other agency/service?

←

Perhaps gauche, but I was wondering the exact same thing. It's fascinating to have a peek into how the other half lives, and how those who care for the other half live as well.

[Cleo]

I'm loving this thread! It's fascinating. A friend of my sister's owned a small catering business here in NYC. But late last summer, she got an offer from an obviously well-to-do person to become his personal chef -- on his yacht -- for 6 months. So in November, she left on the yacht. I can't wait until she returns to hear what she has to say.

Anyway, I have 2 questions...

You mentioned that you were orignally going to stay at this job for a year, but it was too good to leave. How long have you been there?

And this might be a weird question, but are they nice to you? I mean, are they friendly people, or do they just treat you like "the help"?

[Timh]

They provide me with a 2 bedroom condo, all I pay for is the phone and cable. And their fix-it guys come whenever a nob falls off .I also have a company car(my grocery getter I call it). Benefits can vary wildly in this industry, but I have medical, dental, 401k, life, plus some other obscure AFLAC type ins.I must admit that I consider the schedual the biggest benefit as I'm a single father of two little girls(2 and 4). The upper tier of this industry makes into the six figures, I'm in the middle of the top third, but I've also been with them for 7 yrs., and loyalty and trust are huge factors to these folks.

Edited January 7, 2006 by Timh (log)

[Timh]

Friday 1/6

Lunch- Nicoise salad for Mrs.

prepped weekend food: Soup- Beef and Barley

Buttermilk fried chicken cutlets, and wings

Antipasti platter of prosciutto, aged provolone, mixed olives, sweet and sour cippolines

Sliced grilled flank steak

Salad of bibb, Radicchio, and arugula, Shredded carrots, currants and shallots. Sherry Vin

Almond and tarragon chicken salad

winter citrus supremes

Dinner- Kids Grilled Ribeyes, steak fries, asparagus tips

adults- Fresh Maine Shrimp and Grits , I just returned from a week out on Isle of Palms(vacation) and came back with some organic heirloom stone ground grits(say that 3x fast)

Salad of Arugula, Romain, Radicchio, parm shavings, lemon juice and olive oil, lots of black pepper.

[OnigiriFB]

I'm not sure if I want your job more or to be your clients more! Sounds tasty!

[Timh]

Ok, so I've tantilized with all of the warm aspects of this job, now for the not so nice parts. Refering to my job only, as the chef I'm positioned in the center of the family's daily life. I vicariously experience all of the mundane family stuff, but comming from folks who really have no idea and don't care how the other 99% live. After experiencing their family drama daily, I must go home and deal with mine. Its incredibly intimate, my position in this house, and can be mentally taxing at times. Also, as mentioned before, I spend time planning and prepping what I feel is a great dish, only to have them tell me that they are goin out, or just want me to wrap it for later(this kills me when its a fish dish, i usually save it for staff and make a couple of sandwiches instead). And because they are rich, therefore they must be gourmands, epicureans, or just have great taste. WRONG! I am asked to whip up Kraft mac for the kids, there is tons of processed crap on the shelves. I can only control what I cook and feed them, the rest is all them. You have to be flexible, all of a sudden, the kids have extra friends for dinner, no notice, or extra adults show up, or they decide they want something other than what you've prepared, or just need to eat Right now, as its braising in the oven. And finally, I think one needs depth of experience, I can't keep cycling the same dishes each week(though they do have favorites, and will request them) so its a new challenge everyday to stay fresh and interesting.

[Minko]

This is indeed a fascinating topic and thank you Tim for giving us not only a glimpse into your life but one into the lives of the fabulously wealthy!! It certainly sounds like a good gig (I'd take the two bedroom condo!!) but I also understand your frustrations with meals being prepared and not eaten, and having to make KD for the kids. I'm also not surprised that their tastes are not "gourmand"; money does not equal good taste.

[mcattaneo23]

Not to steal Tim's thunder cause I love this thread too, but I have also had experience in this arena as well and could not handle it. My clients were not as receptive to the new types of food I wanted to prepare. There were no kids, just an older couple living in a 60,000 square foot house together. All they wanted were simple prepartions, every night...meatloaf, soups with little flavor, lasagne, etc It was great for a while, the hours are unreal and the benefits are great, but I needed to cook some more interesting food. I envy your position Tim!!

[Daniel]

Wow.. I want to eat with the kids and the adults...