Questions to ask a personal chef before hiring

Hiring a personal chef means inviting someone into your kitchen, your routine, and your table week after week. The questions you ask matter far more than their qualification certificate or portfolio—they reveal how someone listens, adapts, and actually works under pressure in your home. This is not a formal interview; it's a working conversation that should feel natural enough that you'd trust them around your family.

Understand their approach to understanding you

Start with: "Tell me about a client whose tastes were very different from yours. How did you handle that?" Listen for specificity. A strong answer names a real scenario—a client who wanted comfort food while they preferred fine dining, or someone with texture sensitivities they initially didn't anticipate. They should describe how they asked questions, experimented with recipes, or adjusted their usual methods. An evasive answer sounds like "I cook what they want" or "I adapt easily"—flat, rehearsed, showing no real problem-solving.

Follow up by asking what they'd cook for your first week. Don't let them dodge. If they say they'll "figure it out when we meet," that's a warning. A good chef will ask you questions back: What do you actually enjoy eating? What makes you tired of a dish? Do you have any strong dislikes? This back-and-forth matters because it shows they're not arriving with a preset menu they'll simply execute.

Ask directly: "If I told you I hated something you'd cooked, how would you respond?" The answer reveals whether they can handle feedback without defensiveness. You want someone who says something like "I'd want to know exactly what didn't work—the flavour, the texture, the portion—so I could fix it," not someone who explains why their version was actually correct.

Dig into their practical systems

Ask about their shopping routine. Do they have a preferred supplier? Do they shop before each cooking day or plan a week ahead? How do they handle your budget? A good answer includes specifics: "I usually shop the morning of, unless you prefer I do a big shop on Sundays," or "I track what I spend and give you a receipt." If they seem vague about cost, that's a problem—you need to know they're not inflating bills or making expensive choices without asking.

Explore how they plan menus. Ask: "Walk me through how you'd plan meals for my household." Do they ask about your week—whether you're busy certain nights, whether you meal-prep for yourself some days, whether you have guests? Or do they assume a fixed weekly rotation? The former shows real thinking; the latter suggests a one-size-fits-all approach.

Bring up storage and leftovers explicitly. "How much of what you cook is meant to be eaten fresh versus stored? How do you label and date things?" Hygiene and common sense live here. You want straightforward answers about how they keep your kitchen safe, not vagueness about timing or food handling.

Confirm logistics and boundaries

Ask what they expect from you on cooking days. Do they need the kitchen clear? Do they mind you working from home? Can they let themselves in, or do you need to be there? A professional answer respects your household's rhythm and doesn't create friction.

Get practical about scheduling. "What happens if I need to reschedule a cooking day, or cancel a week?" Their answer shows whether they're flexible or rigid, and whether you'll face fees or awkwardness. Ask about notice periods and how they'd communicate any changes.

Finally, ask what happens if something goes wrong—they're sick, they need to stop, or you're both unhappy. You want someone who's thought about this, not someone who seems uncomfortable discussing an exit. This conversation shouldn't feel adversarial; it's about both of you understanding the reality of working together.

The best hire isn't the chef with the fanciest credentials. It's the one who listens more than they talk, who adapts instead of insisting, and who sees your kitchen not as a stage for their cooking but as a space to solve your actual dinner problem. When you're ready to find that person, Strove's verified local chefs have been vetted by other households just like yours.