Ten years in restaurants. Burnt out, underpaid, and watching life happen while I worked 80-hour weeks. Then I made the jump to private chef work—and within two years, I was earning €1,000 for a single night's service.
This is the story of how I did it. The mistakes I made, the breakthrough that changed everything, and what I'd do differently if I started today.
📖 Want to skip the trial and error?
Get the first chapter of my book How to Become a Private Chef free—real strategies, no fluff.
My Restaurant Career: The Reality Behind the Passion
I spent over a decade working my way up in restaurants across Australia, Hong Kong, and Europe. Started as a commis, worked my way to sous chef, then head chef roles. On paper, it looked like success.
The reality?
- €2,400/month salary as a sous chef in Lisbon (before tax)
- 70-80 hours per week (including "off the clock" prep and admin)
- €4.29/hour actual pay after dividing salary by real hours worked
- No weekends, no holidays, no life outside the kitchen
I was 35, single because I had no time for relationships, physically exhausted, and earning less per hour than someone working at a grocery store.
But I loved cooking. I just hated everything else about the job.
The Moment I Decided to Leave
It was a Saturday night. We'd just finished a brutal 180-cover service. My back was killing me, my knees ached, and I had burns up both forearms. The owner walked past the kitchen, glanced at the chaos, and said, "Good job, team. See you tomorrow."
That was it. No thank you to me directly. No acknowledgment of the 12-hour shift. Just... next.
I went home, cracked open a beer, and did the math. If I worked 70 hours/week for the next 30 years, I'd have sacrificed 109,200 hours of my life for someone else's dream. That's 12.5 years of waking hours.
I couldn't do it anymore.
But I also couldn't imagine not cooking. So I started researching alternatives. That's when I discovered private chef work—chefs earning €500, €800, even €1,200 per event. Working 4-5 events per week instead of 70 hours.
It sounded too good to be true. But I had nothing to lose.
My First Private Chef Gig: €200 and Terrified
I told a few people I was "available for private events." A friend of a friend was hosting a 40th birthday dinner for 8 people at their apartment. They offered €200.
I said yes.
Then I panicked.
What if I screwed it up? What if my food wasn't good enough outside a restaurant kitchen? What if they complained? What if they didn't pay me?
I over-prepped. I brought twice as much equipment as I needed. I arrived 4 hours early. I cooked like my life depended on it.
The dinner was... fine. Not perfect. The risotto was slightly overcooked. I forgot serving spoons for one course. But the clients loved it. They paid me in cash, tipped me €50, and asked if I could cater their friend's wedding.
That night, I earned €250 for 6 hours of work. More per hour than I'd ever made in a restaurant.
I was hooked.
Months 1-6: The Grind (and Mistakes)
For the first six months, I kept my restaurant job part-time and did private events on my days off. Here's what I learned the hard way:
Mistake #1: I Priced Too Low
I charged €50-60 per person because I didn't think anyone would pay more. I was wrong. Clients who can afford a private chef aren't looking for cheap—they're looking for quality. When I raised my rates to €85/person, I got more bookings, not fewer.
Mistake #2: I Said Yes to Everyone
I took every gig offered, even the red-flag clients. The ones who haggled on price. The ones who wanted Michelin-level food for €40/person. The ones who changed the menu three times. I burnt out doing private chef work, which defeated the whole point.
Mistake #3: I Didn't Track My Costs
Ingredients, transport, equipment, time shopping, prep at home—I didn't factor any of it in properly. I thought I was making good money until I actually calculated my net profit. Some events, I barely broke even.
What I Did Right:
- I built a portfolio from day one—photos of every dish, testimonials from every client
- I treated everyone well—suppliers, clients, venue staff. Word of mouth is everything
- I kept learning—every event taught me something about pricing, logistics, or client psychology
The Breakthrough: My First €1,000 Event
It came from a connection I didn't expect: my meat supplier.
I'd been buying from the same butcher for months—always polite, always paid on time, always asked his advice on cuts. One day, he mentioned that a client of his (a wealth manager) was looking for a private chef for a corporate dinner. 12 people, high-end Australian fusion menu, client's home in Cascais.
He gave them my number.
The client called, we discussed the menu, and I quoted €1,200 for the event (€100/person). I expected pushback. Instead, he said, "That's reasonable. When can we schedule a tasting?"
The tasting went well. He booked me for the dinner. And here's the key: he didn't just want a meal. He wanted an experience.
I created a 7-course Australian-Asian fusion tasting menu. Kangaroo tartare with macadamia. Barramundi with miso glaze. Wagyu with shiitake and bush tomato. Pavlova reimagined with yuzu and lychee.
I told the story behind each dish. I engaged with the guests. I made it memorable.
The client loved it. Paid me the full €1,200, plus a €200 tip. And then sent me three referrals—one of which became a monthly retainer client worth €2,400/month.
That single event changed my business. It proved that clients would pay premium prices for premium experiences. And it unlocked a network of high-net-worth clients I didn't know existed.
Year 1 vs. Year 3: The Income Reality
Here's the honest financial breakdown:
| Period | Average Monthly Income | Events Per Month | Avg. Per Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Year 10) | €2,400 | N/A (salary) | €4.29/hour |
| Private Chef (Months 1-6) | €1,800 | 6 events | €300/event |
| Private Chef (Months 7-12) | €3,600 | 8 events | €450/event |
| Private Chef (Year 3) | €7,200+ | 10-12 events | €600-800/event |
By year three, I was earning 3x my restaurant salary while working half the hours. And I had the freedom to open my own restaurant (Downunder) on my terms, because the private chef income provided financial stability.
💡 The Real Math
Restaurant: €2,400/month ÷ 320 hours = €7.50/hour
Private Chef (Year 3): €7,200/month ÷ ~120 hours = €60/hour
That's an 8x increase in hourly earning power.
What I'd Do Differently If I Started Today
If I could go back and do it again, here's what I'd change:
- Charge more from day one. Pricing low doesn't get you more clients—it attracts the wrong clients. Start at €75/person minimum.
- Niche down faster. I wasted time trying to be everything to everyone. When I focused on "Australian-Asian fusion for corporate and high-net-worth clients," bookings doubled.
- Build systems immediately. Invoice templates, menu templates, supplier lists, packing checklists. Systems = freedom.
- Network intentionally. My best clients came from suppliers, event planners, and villa managers—not from Instagram. I'd invest more time in those relationships earlier.
- Quit the restaurant sooner. I held onto the "safety" of a salary for 9 months. It slowed my momentum. If I'd gone full-time from day one, I'd have hit €1,000 events in 6 months, not 14.
The Bottom Line
Going from restaurant chef to €1,000/night private chef wasn't luck. It was:
- Pricing correctly (premium positioning, not budget)
- Building a portfolio and reputation (every event is a marketing opportunity)
- Networking strategically (suppliers, planners, past clients)
- Delivering experiences, not just meals (storytelling matters)
- Learning from mistakes and iterating fast
I don't regret my time in restaurants. It taught me discipline, technique, and resilience. But staying in that world would have destroyed me.
If you're reading this and you're burnt out, underpaid, and wondering if there's another way—there is. I'm proof.
Ready to Make the Transition?
I wrote How to Become a Private Chef to give you the roadmap I wish I'd had. Pricing strategies, client acquisition, systems, and real case studies from my first three years.
No fluff. No theory. Just what actually works.
Get the Book →Frequently Asked Questions
It took me 9 months to match my restaurant salary, but I was still working part-time at the restaurant. If you go full-time from day one and price correctly from the start, you could do it in 4-6 months with the right client base and marketing.
Get your food safety certification, register your business, get liability insurance (€300-600/year), build a simple portfolio (even just 5 good photos), and tell everyone you know you're available. Your first client will likely come from your existing network.
Not for a second. I miss the team energy sometimes, but I don't miss the 80-hour weeks, the physical pain, or earning €15/hour after factoring in my actual hours. My only regret is not doing it sooner.
The inconsistent income in the first 6 months. Some weeks I'd have 3 events, other weeks nothing. Building a pipeline takes time. Also, the loneliness—going from a kitchen crew to working solo was a bigger adjustment than I expected.
I miss the camaraderie and the rush of a full service. But I don't miss the hierarchy, the burnout, or missing every weekend and holiday. Now I get to cook the food I want, for clients who actually appreciate it.
I opened my own restaurant (Downunder) after building the private chef business, so yes—but only on my terms. The private chef income gives me creative freedom in the restaurant without financial desperation.
Charge more than you think you should. Say no to nightmare clients. Keep your restaurant job part-time while building momentum. Build systems from day one (templates, processes, suppliers). And don't try to do everything yourself—outsource admin ASAP.
That your network is everything. My first €1,000 event came from a supplier connection, not from my website or social media. Treat everyone well—your meat guy, your wine rep, your old sous chef. They'll send you clients.