Gluten-Free Personal Chef Service
Make your mealtimes easy, safe and enjoyable with customized gluten-free meals prepared in your kitchen and stored in your fridge, ready to heat and eat throughout the week. Single-serve or family-style, you make the call! Allow me to plan your meals, grocery shop, cook, and clean up the kitchen so you can spend more time doing whatever you love.
​
The most popular request is a 4x4 (4 meals with 4 servings each) which has a base service price of $295 + the cost of groceries. Learn more about my Personal Chef services below and then get in touch with me to customize a plan and menu to meet your household's needs.
FAQ
Learn More About Personal Chef Services
What does a Personal Chef do?
As your Personal Chef, I’ll begin by interviewing you to determine your specific dietary needs and wants. I’ll use this information and ongoing feedback from you to develop customized weekly menus for your household. On your chosen weekly cook dates, I’ll do all the grocery shopping and bring the fresh ingredients to your home. Using your kitchen and equipment, I’ll then prepare the selected menu. After all the meals are prepared, they are packaged, labeled and placed in your refrigerator or freezer to be enjoyed at your convenience. Your kitchen will be left clean and filled with the aroma of home-cooked meals!
Who needs a Personal Chef?
A Personal Chef is perfect for those that want the convenience of being able to come home and heat up something fresh and delicious to enjoy any time of day or night. I know from personal experience that it’s not always safe or easy to grab quick carry-out food when you’ve got dietary restrictions or allergies. My gluten-free Personal Chef services are great for those who…
Want more quality time with friends and family
Need a gluten-free and allergen-safe meal prepared in their own kitchen
Have a new baby OR a busy job OR tons of kid activities OR … anything that keeps you from being able to spend hours meal planning, shopping and cooking each week!
Can you meet my dietary restrictions?
Probably! All of the meals I create are gluten-free. I have a lot of experience cooking for dairy-free and vegetarian restrictions and am open to learning more about other dietary needs. During our initial meeting, I’ll learn more about your specific needs and preferences to design your custom weekly menus. If I don’t feel I can successfully meet your needs, I will let you know! Please note, I am NOT a registered or trained dietician.
When cooking in my home, how long will you be here? Do I have to be home?
I will be cooking several different entrées and side dishes from scratch, so it will take anywhere from three to five hours depending on entrée selection and number of portions. Personal Chef clients are often busy so arrangements can be made for me to gain access to your house if you’re not home when I am there to cook.
How long does the food last?
Prepared meals last for seven days in the refrigerator based on US Food Code standards. I will choose the freshest ingredients to extend the life of the foods I prepare as long as possible. Though all meals are safe to eat for seven days, there are some foods like seafood whose quality diminishes faster than that, so I’ll recommend that clients eat those meals in the first couple days after service. Some dishes may be appropriate for freezer storage, so let me know in advance if you’re interested in that option.
What areas do you serve?
I serve clients on the north side of Chicago, including Roscoe Village, North Center, Lincoln Square, Lakeview, Ravenswood, Uptown, Logan Square, Avondale, Rogers Park, Andersonville, Lincoln Park, etc. If your neighborhood’s not listed, please reach out to see if you’re in my range!
What training/certifications do you have?
I hold an Illinois Food Safety Manager certification and have successfully completed the SafeServ Allergens course. While I haven’t attended culinary school, I have taken many cooking courses including the amazing Culinary Bootcamp at the Chopping Block here in Chicago. Most of my kitchen skills have been honed by dozens of years of cooking for my own family, including my celiac son and vegetarian daughter, who are some of the world’s toughest food critics!
What is the typical cost for a Personal Chef meal prep service?
Based on your needs, I will provide a set rate for my weekly service, which currently starts at $295 for a basic 4x4 (4 meals for 4 people) and adjusted accordingly for other sizes. This covers my time to menu plan, shop, cook, and clean up for your household. Clients will pay for the required groceries which will vary weekly based on meal choice and ingredient requirements. A rough estimate for groceries for a 4x4 is $150 but will be higher if the client requests that I shop for premium meats/fish, organic produce, or other specialty items.
Do I need to buy supplies?
Basic kitchen equipment that most families have is enough for me to provide service. If there is anything basic you are missing, I will let you know during our initial meeting so you can buy it. With your permission, I may also bring specialty equipment from my (fully gluten-free) home kitchen when needed. Most families do need to purchase storage containers; I can recommend a set based on your requested meal service (family style vs. individual servings).
Can I provide the ingredients myself?
Relax and let me do the shopping! I will follow your guidance on food preferences (organic, grass-fed, etc). I will also happily incorporate any ingredients into the menu that you wish to provide. If you love to shop at farmer’s markets, are a member of a CSA, buy your meat in bulk from a farmer, order special items online, or grow your own vegetables/herbs, just let me know at our initial meeting and we’ll work those items into your menu. This approach just requires a little extra communication so I know what you’ve got on hand on any given week!
Can I pick up the meals from you or have them delivered?
Unfortunately, no. To legally offer meal pick up or delivery to my clients would require a centralized, licensed production facility, which I don’t have.
Can I try out the Personal Chef service for a week to see if I like it?
Sure! I don’t want to lock anyone into a service they don’t enjoy. Clients may stop at any time, though I suggest to new clients that they wait until the third or fourth week to decide so they can see the true value of my service. At the start, I will need a little time to get acclimated to a client’s likes and dislikes and will be using that feedback to further tailor their meals and make food they will truly love.
If you're ready to get started or still have questions, please contact me.