What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Private Chef (12 Hard Truths)

Five years ago, I made the leap from restaurant kitchens to private chef work. It was the best career decision I ever made — but also one of the hardest.

Before becoming a private chef, everyone told me about the freedom, the better pay, the work-life balance. And yes, all of that is true.

But there's a lot they didn't tell me. The realities that only reveal themselves once you're actually doing it. The challenges no one mentions in the glossy Instagram posts or "day in the life" videos.

If you're considering making the same transition, here are 12 things I wish someone had told me before I started. Not to discourage you — I'd make the same choice again in a heartbeat — but to prepare you for what's really ahead.

1. It's Lonelier Than You Think

In restaurants, I was surrounded by people. The kitchen was chaotic, loud, stressful — but never lonely. There was always someone to talk to during prep, someone to joke with during service, someone to grab a drink with after shift.

As a private chef, 90% of my time is solo. I'm alone in someone else's kitchen, cooking for people I barely know, with no one to share the experience with.

The first six months, this isolation hit me hard. I missed the camaraderie. I missed having a team. I even missed the stupid kitchen banter that I used to find annoying.

What helped: I joined online communities for private chefs. I started meeting up with other chefs in Lisbon for coffee. I made an effort to stay social outside of work. And I got better at enjoying my own company.

But if you're someone who thrives on constant social interaction, be prepared: private chef work can be isolating.

2. Clients Can Be... Difficult

In restaurants, the kitchen is your domain. You cook, the front-of-house deals with customers. There's a clear separation.

As a private chef, you are the front-of-house. You interact directly with clients. And some of them are... let's just say, challenging.

I've had clients who:

• Changed the menu 24 hours before the event
• Asked me to cook for 20 people instead of the agreed 10 (same budget)
• Complained about dishes they specifically requested
• Expected me to stay and clean up after guests went home at 2am
• Tried to negotiate price after the event was finished

Most clients are wonderful. Genuinely lovely people who appreciate your work and treat you with respect. But the difficult ones? They'll test every ounce of patience you have.

What helped: Clear contracts. Detailed briefing calls before events. Setting boundaries early. And learning to say no to red-flag clients.

You're running a business. You don't have to accept every booking.

3. You're a Business Owner (Whether You Like It or Not)

I became a chef because I love cooking. I did not become a chef to spend hours on invoices, tax returns, marketing emails, and website updates.

But as a private chef, you're not just a cook — you're a business owner. And that means:

• Managing bookings and schedules
• Handling invoices and payments
• Marketing yourself (social media, website, networking)
• Dealing with taxes (quarterly, annually, VAT if applicable)
• Maintaining insurance and legal compliance
• Sourcing ingredients and managing suppliers
• Equipment maintenance and transport logistics

No one told me how much time I'd spend on spreadsheets, emails, and admin. Some weeks, I spend more time on the computer than in the kitchen.

What helped: Learning to batch admin tasks (one day a week for emails/bookings/accounting). Using simple tools (Google Calendar, basic invoicing software). And accepting that business ops are part of the gig.

If you hate admin, hire help — a virtual assistant or accountant. It's worth it.

4. Equipment Is Expensive (And You Carry It Everywhere)

In year one, I spent over €3,000 on equipment:

• Professional knife set + knife bag
• Portable induction burners (client kitchens are often under-equipped)
• Pans, pots, and specialty tools
• Cooler bags and transport containers
• Aprons, chef whites, cleaning supplies

And then there's the physical reality: you're carrying heavy bags of equipment to every job. Loading and unloading the car. Setting up, breaking down, packing it all back.

My back and shoulders ached for the first six months until I got used to it.

What helped: Investing in lightweight, portable equipment. Keeping my "kit" organized and standardized. Using wheeled cases instead of shoulder bags.

5. Travel Is Part of the Job (Pro and Con)

I've cooked in Lisbon apartments, Cascais villas, Estoril mansions, yachts, vineyards, and pop-up venues across Portugal.

The travel is part of the appeal — it keeps the work interesting. But it's also tiring. Every job means:

• Driving (sometimes 1-2 hours each way)
• Navigating unfamiliar kitchens
• Adapting to different equipment and layouts
• Finding parking, hauling gear, setting up from scratch

Some weeks, I'm on the road more than I'm home. It's an adventure — but it's also physically and mentally draining.

What helped: Charging travel fees for distant locations. Batching jobs in the same area on the same day when possible. Keeping a "mobile kitchen" kit always ready in the car.

6. You Need Thick Skin

In restaurants, you cook for hundreds of people. Most love it, some don't, but you rarely hear direct feedback.

As a private chef, every client interaction is personal. When someone doesn't book you, it feels like rejection. When a guest doesn't like a dish, you hear about it immediately.

I've had clients:

• Choose another chef after a consultation call
• Cancel bookings last-minute
• Leave lukewarm reviews
• Ghost me after asking for a quote

It's not personal. But it feels personal. Especially in the beginning when you're building confidence.

What helped: Remembering that not every client is the right fit. Focusing on the 90% of clients who love my work, not the 10% who don't. Building resilience through experience.

7. Imposter Syndrome Is Real

I spent 10+ years in professional kitchens. I cooked in Hong Kong, Australia, Europe. I won The World Cook on Amazon Prime. I earned a MICHELIN Guide selection.

And yet, in my first year as a private chef, I felt like a fraud charging €85 per person.

"Who am I to charge this much? What if they don't think I'm good enough? What if they expect more?"

Imposter syndrome hits hard when you're setting your own prices. You start doubting yourself, even when you have the credentials and experience to back it up.

What helped: Remembering my qualifications. Looking at what other chefs charge. Realizing that clients who pay premium prices expect premium service — and I deliver it.

If you undercharge, you're not helping anyone. Clients get what they pay for, and you burn out trying to make it work financially.

8. It's Easier Than I Thought (Mentally)

I was terrified before my first private chef event. "What if I mess up? What if I can't handle it alone? What if the client hates the food?"

Turns out? Cooking for 8-12 people in a calm, private setting is so much easier than cooking for 150 covers on a busy Saturday night in a restaurant.

No head chef screaming at you. No impossible ticket times. No toxic kitchen politics. No dinner rush chaos.

Yes, there's pressure — you're the only chef, and it all rests on you. But the actual cooking? Far less stressful.

The surprise: I thought going solo would be harder. It's actually easier. The stress in restaurants came from the environment, not the cooking.

9. Income Is Variable (Especially Year 1)

In restaurants, I had a fixed salary. It wasn't much, but it was reliable. Every month, the same amount hit my account.

As a private chef, income swings wildly:

• December: Booked every weekend, €8,000+ in revenue
• January: Two bookings total, €1,200 revenue
• May-October: Busy (tourist season in Lisbon)
• November, January-March: Slow

In year one, I had months where I panicked. "Is this sustainable? Can I actually make this work?"

What helped: Saving money in good months to cover slow periods. Diversifying income (adding cooking classes, recipe development). Building repeat clients who book year-round. Learning to budget for variable income.

By year three, income stabilized. But year one was terrifying.

10. The Freedom Is Worth It

I work weekends (when most events happen). But I have weekdays off. I can take a Tuesday off to go to the beach, or spend Wednesday afternoon reading in a café.

I choose my clients. I set my rates. I design my menus. I control my schedule.

In restaurants, I worked 60-80 hours a week, missed holidays, had no social life, and burned out constantly.

Now? I work 20-30 hours a week (on average), take holidays when I want, and actually have time for a life outside of cooking.

The freedom is real. And it's worth every challenge on this list.

11. I Should Have Started Sooner

I spent years thinking, "I need more experience. I'm not ready yet. What if I fail?"

Looking back, I could have started private chef work 5+ years earlier. I had the skills. I had the experience. I just didn't have the confidence.

All those years I spent exhausted, underpaid, and burnt out in restaurants? I could have been building my private chef business instead.

The lesson: You'll never feel 100% ready. But if you've worked in professional kitchens, you probably already have the skills you need. The rest is learning by doing.

Don't wait until you're "ready enough." You already are.

12. It's the Best Decision I Ever Made

Yes, it's lonely sometimes. Yes, clients can be difficult. Yes, income fluctuates. Yes, it's a business, not just cooking.

But you know what?

I wake up excited about work. I have time for my life. I earn more money working fewer hours. I don't dread Mondays. I'm not burnt out anymore.

Five years in, I can confidently say: becoming a private chef was the best career decision I've ever made.

And if I can do it, you can too.

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