Personal Chefs
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Personal Chefs
Oct 2008
I'm really struggling with preparing meals for my busy family
and interested to know if anyone has a recommendation for a
''personal chef''. My family has various dietary
restrictions, and I want to make sure that whoever is cooking
can deal with both vegetarian and meat dishes. We try to eat
only high quality, organic nutrient-dense foods. Also, how
much does this kind of thing cost?
waiting to be fed
I have just the gal for you! Michelle ''Osa'' Sister (yes, that's her
name) has been cooking for me (and some friends of mine) for two years
now. Her food is just amazing, and she does all the shopping, cooking
and cleaning up of your kitchen, leaving you containers of glorious
food for you to come home to. She charges $35 an hour. She can make
any kind of food: meat, vegetarian, vegan, raw. She is very skilled
at tailoring her menus to meet her cliets' very specific needs. She
uses local, seasonal and organic ingredients. I can't recommend her
highly enough; having her cook for me has had a profound impact on my
mental and physical well-being. Feel free to contact me for details.
Osa's contact info: osadeliciosa@gmail.com or 510-658-8194
ellen
March 2008
We are looking for a more updated reference for a personal chef or meal
delivery service in Berkeley. Ideally, we would like to get a regular
delivery of healthy prepared meals for a small family, meals which can
be frozen and cooked/reheated when we need them. If you know of a good
service, we'd appreciate the recommendation!
Berkeley Mom
Gourmet by the Bay Personal Chef is great.
its owned by Shoshanna Klein, who is very experienced, clean
and creative.
she uses fresh local and organic produce and will listen to
what your needs are. I really enjoyed her food.
her number is 510-703-8618 and e-mail is
gourmetbythebay at sbcglobal.net
tali
We have been using a wonderful personal chef for almost 3
years now. It all started when my morning sickness prevented
me from being able to be anywhere near food and was only meant
to be a temporary solution. But Patricia (aka Patch) is so
perfect for our family and so flexible and willing to
accomodate our needs as they have changed, that we have kept
her on. Currently, she comes to us one night a week to cook
us a delicious dinner in our home AND does all the clean up so
that we can actually sit and enjoy our children and eachother.
We all look forward to the ''Patch Night'' and the kids get in
on the fun of picking the dinner menu each week. She has also
in the past done prepared meals for us and can stock up a
fridge or freezer as the need may be. She cooks in your
kitchen or hers, your choice. She shops at the Berkeley Bowl
and goes for seasonal fresh menu choices. She has an extensive
repertoire of recipes that she lets you select from. Her
rates are very reasonable and she does all the shopping and is also willing to
pick up extra grocery items if you need them. She is like
family to us and when she's here it is really just like her
business motto, ''mom's in the kitchen''. I cannot recommend
her highly enough. Her email is patchcooks at gmail.com
rebecca
Feb 2008
I've reached a point of being too busy with my job and family
duties, and I'm ready to outsource the dinner cooking so I can
relax a little more. Can anyone recommend a personal chef in
the Berkeley/North Oakland area who specializes in vegetarian
cuisine? I'd prefer the person to be able to make a wide
variety of dishes, and maybe even get us eating more
seasonally (and locally). I'd like someone who can make
healthy food but also comfort dishes, can make stuff for adult
palates and kid palates... Thanks in advance for helping me
find someone.
Tired and Hungry
Lexa Walsh is a great cook, a vegetarian, and has a lot of
experience with personal chef-ing. She's an artist and musician
and does a lot of cooking and catering jobs to earn extra money.
She's a friend of mine and I have eaten so many amazing meals
over the years of knowing her I can't count them! I think she
can cook just about anything, even meat, and she's used to
cooking for familes. She can be reached at 510.282.6311 or
toychestra at yahoo.com
corey
Great personal chef. Focuses on healthy AND yummy.
Tony Baczewski
Catered Productions
121 Maiden Lane
Oakland, CA 94602
510-482-0634
email: cateredproductions at earthlink.net
www.cateredproductionsoaktown.com
-
FoodieMom
I hear ya! When my daughter was born 10 months ago, we decided
to outsource the cooking, too, since we did not have family in
the area to help out. We also have a 4-year-old.
We googled in ''vegetarian personal chefs in Berkeley'' -- we
are vegetarians -- and had the pleasure of meeting and hiring
Deb Janes of Garden Gourmet (http://www.gardengourmetchef.com).
Deb would come to our home once a week to do all the food
shopping -- she made it a point to buy only seasonal and organic
food -- and cook in our kitchen three meals, which would last us
up to six days (lunch AND dinner). A typical menu was rich in
flavor and diverse in foods across the world: for example,
mushroom and cheese enchiladas with a side dish of tortilla
soup, a crustless spinakopita with a Greek salad and an Indian
dish and side dish. Not only were the meals delicious and we
looked forward to them every Monday, but they were way healthier
than anything we could have eaten at a restaurant or even I had
time to cook up at home. My husband and I used to comment how
different Deb's Indian food tasted since it did not have as much
oil as the restaurants use.
She charged us $250 a week, plus ingredients. We typically paid
around $300 a week. Please note that you can always use the
service for a short amount of time -- like we did -- or use it
to supplement your own cooking like once or twice a month. Trust
me, it is a HUGE help!
Deb, by the way, can be reached at deb at gardengourmetchef.com or
510-985-1065. Hope this helps!
Elisa
I would highly recommend Alix Wall. She has her own personal
chef business, the Organic Epicure (www.theorganicepicure.com
415-793-9074) and makes delicious, healthy vegetarian and fish
dishes (or all veg if that's what you prefer). I shopped around
a bit when I was looking for someone to cook for my family, and
found Alix to be competitively priced as well. She's cooked for
us for several months now and we've liked everything she's
prepared - I don't think she's even made the same thing twice
yet! We have a 1 yr old and 3.5 yr old who also like her food.
Alix does a wonderful job of incorporating the veggies from our
weekly CSA box and is very responsive to our needs. Feel free to
contact me (or Alix, of course) if you want more details.
Kara
Alexandra Wall is a wonderful personal chef.
she specializes in veggiterian, organic, localy produced
seasonal dishes made with lots of care and inovation. she makes
a very wide veriaty of dishes from the gormet to the common,
daily, comfort foods.
a couple of months back, i did some siding work for her and
agreed to get part of the compensation in her prepared meals- it
was wonderfull! i'm a man who really enjoys fine food and i was
blown away by the quality and tastiness of her cooking. i highly
recommend her as a personal chef.
here's Alix's info:
email- alix at theorganicepicure.com
website- www.theorganicepicure.com
bon apetit!
idan
I was in a very similar situation and ended up hiring Deb Janes
of Garden Gourmet Chef as my personal chef (we are a vegetarian
family). Her cooking is SO GOOD, and she is just the loveliest
person to have around. Cost-wise, though it seemed expensive at
first, it's made such a difference to my mental health that I
think having Deb is a great deal. What a relief to not have to
cook dinner every night, and to know that we are all nourished
with the best quality foods available! You can reach her at
510-985-1065, or deb at gardengourmetchef.com
A happy customer
Jan 2008
With one young kid and another on the way, I'm considering a meal prep
or personal chef service. I'm interested in current recommendations.
Also, I like the idea of organic, healthy and not more than $800-$1000
per month for 4-6 meals a week. Is this realistic?
need help with food!
Great chef, great guy, healthy, GREAT food:
Tony Baczewski (pronounced ba-CHEF-ski)
Catered Productions
121 Maiden Lane
Oakland, CA 94602
510-482-0634
www.cateredproductionsoaktown.com
-
Laura
Your parameters are do-able, but, I would think, barely. Let's say you
are asking for 20 meals a month. They would be $40 per meal, which in a
restaurant would be fairly typical, unless tacqueria or fast food.
However, if you are a family of (almost) 4, and it takes an hour to
prepare the meal, that would be from $5-7 per person, with $15-20 for the
chef, not much by pro chef standards, especially including delivery.
This is compounded by the organic food request; as you know, organics are
still considerably more expensive. I don't know how much meat/fish you
eat, but that number starts to get less realistic with animal protein,
especially organic. Kim
My friend Shoshana Klein is a caterer and personal chef. She focuses on
healthy, organic cooking. I have been to parties she has catered and the
food was great. Her food is simple, clean and delicious. You can contact
her at:
shoshanaklein at sbcglobal.net
Julie
I've recommended her before, but she's not listed in the
archives... Alix Wall (www.theorganicepicure.com) is a great,
local (N. Oakland), personal chef with a winning personality and
fabulous food. She cookes mainly vegetarian (with some fish
dishes), uses organic ingredients, and really cares about
providing nutritious meals. Oh, and she ''specializes'' in
preparing foods for new moms. She has cooked for me numerous
times and it's always delicious. Check out her website, email
her at alix at theorganicepicure.com, or give her a call:
415-793-9074.
Joanne
Editor Note:
Also recommended:
Meal Prepation Services
Oct 2007
Hello,
I am looking for a recommendation for a personal chef. We just had a baby and are in desperate need
of healthy and tasty meals. Delivery is ok. Looking for a gourmet chef only.
Thanks!
Katie
Hello, I can highly recommend chef Ellen Doren (Chez Ellen Personal Chef Services).
She does everything from preparing meals in my home to catering my dinner parties.
I feel so lucky to have her services--she seems to be in great demand these days.
She takes great pride in what she does. She puts a lot of time not only into
hand-selecting the best local and organic ingredients, but also in preparing
personalized and inventive menus for our family each week. Even my kids love what
she cooks! What's more, Ellen is very personable and pleasant and trustworthy. I
wish I could cook like her, but I have neither the skill or the time. Her phone is
510-428-CHEF.
Megan R.
Hi,
I would like to recommend Ellen Doren. I am not sure if she currently has openings
for new clients. My family loves Ellen's cooking. Most of the time she delivers for
us because we are remodeling our house. We are a gluten- and dairy-free family and
she still is able to cook gourmet meals with the freshest ingredients. We were on
the waiting list for a while and now very lucky to have her cook for us. It is
definitely worth every penny. And it is more affordable then one might think.
Jen M
March 2007
I am about to have a baby -- my second child. Because I am the family cook -- and I
don't have extended family nearby to help -- I was hoping to hire someone
temporarily. It could be a group service, in which this person drops off meals to my
family and then goes to other households. There is one caveat: We are vegetarians,
although we do eat eggs and dairy. What would such a service cost? Any
recommendations?
Elisa
When I had my second baby, we used Sandy Der from Tao de
Kitchen, and were really pleased. http://www.taodekitchen.com/
Her website has pricing listed (we did something like her one-
dish option that you'll see there, and that definitely made it
more affordable). We are vegetarians, and she had some really
great vegetarian choices for us. Very thoughtful, creative and
hearty, not just a meat-eaters version of a meatless dinner.
Anne
I have exactly the person you want to talk to. His name is
Philip Gelb, and he is a vegetarian Personal Chef. He's a
friend of mine, and I've had dinner at his home, and he
does amazing things with food. You can call him at
452-2568, email phil at philipgelb.com, or visit his
website: www.philipgelb.com
David
Phil Gelb is an incredible vegan chef. He even makes his own tofu and
soymilk! He is
mostly into making Japanese and Medeteranian food but will cook whatever
you want
him too.
Every meal he has cooked for me has been an incredible treat. I always
feel healthy and
satisfied after eating his food. Check him out at philipgelb.com.
stacia
My good friend, Alix Wall, is a fabulous cook who is starting up
her personal chef business in the East Bay. While she
specializes in meals for new moms, her food would be great for
any vegetarian family (or couple), and she will also cook fish
on request. She recently completed the natural chef training
program at Bauman College in Berkeley. When I had a baby eight
months ago, Alix brought us healthy and delicious food that
included ratatouille with garbanzos, polenta squares, and a
seasonal fruit dessert. There was a lot of food, but it kept
well in the refrigerator for a few days. The name of her
business is The Organic Epicure, and you can reach her at
alix at theorganicepicure.com or at (415) 793-9074.
Joanne
March 2006
Personal Chef for SF Family
I would like to find a personal chef (or person knowledgeable in
cooking) for a family of four, who could come to my house in the
Berkeley Hills and help me design an easy, healthy meal plan for my
family (two twin boys age 2), and help me learn how to cook the meals
easily. Thanks.
We recently had our second baby and my parents hired a personal chef for us for a month. Her
name is Jen Aquino and her operation is called ''The Joy of Not Cooking''. She has an extensive
13 page menu and her food is fabulous. She prepares food for you once a week and you can have
her cook at your house or deliver. I'm not sure if she's interested in teaching, but you can
always ask. She's incredibly pleasant to work with. joyofnotcooking.net
June 2004
Re: Organic/Vegetarian meal delivery service
Hope I'm not out of line to recommend my husband's business, but
I am a frequent and lucky consumer of his healthful and organic
cooking - his business is the Pedaling Gourmet. His is
technically a personal chef business, rather than meal delivery;
however, incase you have trouble finding organic/vegetarian
delivery options, please check out his website at
www.pedalinggourmet.net.
Esther
April 2004
Personal Chef for SF Family
Hello,
I was hoping that I could get some recommendations for ''personal
chefs'' who can come into our home in San Francisco and cook our
meal for the night, including several other meals we can either
keep in the refrigerator or freezer. I have read what has been
listed but was hoping I could get more recent recommendations.
I have a friend who has this in NY and with their busy/crazy
schedule, it's added so much to their life! I would like to find
someone who cooks very healthy(not over the top healthy though),
but of course very YUMMY. Additionally, someone who is fairly
reasonably priced would be an added bonus.
Thank you so much and I look forward to hearing of any referrals-
Linn
Four Star Private Chefs (www.fourstarchefs.com) or Town and
Country (www.tandcr.com) are both agencies that could help
match you with an appropriate person.
Rebecca
Erica Long is a personal chef in San Francisco. Her number is
(415) 753-6176. She catered some office parties for us and did a
great job and has also cooked for us on occasion. She's very
nice, flexible and happy to work with your nutritional needs. I
know she can either cook at your house or deliver meals to you
(you talk about the menu and number of servings and whether
you'll be freezing some.) Any questions feel free to email.
Tell her Marissa referred you.
I would like to recommend Chez Ellen Personal Chef Services.
Ellen is a fantastic chef, she totally understood what I was
looking for. She designs a personal menu for me each week and
sends it to me for my review. I really look forward to her
meals each day because between my job and the kids I have no
time to cook a delicious, nutritious and dare I say it --
gourmet -- meal each night. Ellen really delivers. She can be
reached at 510-428-CHEF.
katie
July 2003
I am writing on behaf of my high school friend who has started
her own business, ''The Joy of Not Cooking'', as a personal chef.
She prepares wonderful food, has years of experience and is
sweet, enthusiastic and dependable. Jenny is a trained personal
chef who prepares multiple meals at one time for families who do
not have much time to do it for themselves and who would enjoy
a good home cooked meal. Only the freshest, hand selected
ingredients are used. For more information, check out her web
site ''JoyofNotCooking.Net'' or call her at 510-388-0643.
Leah
April 2003
I'd like to recommend my talented friend Leslie Perlman who both
teaches piano and cooks professionally.
Cece
Here's her info:
Personal Chef
'The Colors of Dinner'
I have been cooking professionally for many years, both privately
and at a well known Berkeley restaurant. I will prepare and
deliver delicious, seasonal and healthful food to your home. I am
also available for small parties.
Leslie 510-524-3858
Feb. 2003
Has anyone ever tried Jessie et Laurent or Jennifer Knapp as a
home chef/ home food delivery service? Are there other great
alternatives in the Berkeley area that provide healthy, tasty and
affordable food to a family preparing for the arrival of
multiples? Any hints welcome.
Isabelle
We've used Jessie et Laurent for extended periods, on and off
for many years and they are terrific. The food is lovely, the
ordering easy online weekly, and it is totally consistent and
dependable. Do look at their website menus and see if the food
fits your eating style and tastes. A personal chef is also a
great option also and I recommend you look at the American
Personal Chef's Association listings and check out the different
chef websites. I have not used Jennifer Knappe but I've heard
she's very good. You'll have more flexibility and highly
personalized food with your own chef. We were thrilled with J&L,
and I loved the quick delivery, no mess, easy ordering. Plus,
some things freeze well for later use.
Debby
I would like to recommend Lori Mazon as a home chef. She cooked
for us when we had our first and second child. Her meals are
delicious and plentiful enough that we made it last a few days
which helped out so much. Her number is 925-685-2498 and her
email address is culinary_capers AT yahoo.com. Enjoy!
angela
I highly recommend Oakland personal chef Nancye Benson.
510.459.7480 We used her pesonal chef services when
we had our son and it was the most enjoyable and
intelligent thing I could have ever done to make my life
easier. I felt so much healthier and less frazzled becuase I
always had something good and healthy ready to go in the
fridge. I liked the things she made, she worked with us on
my special diet which involved no dairy and I still remember
all the things she made us! - ready for us to put in the oven
and cook and sometimes just heat and serve. She is
currently working with clients that eat all Organic, gluten free
diets so I know she can do anyting you want. And her little
touches are supurb, better than other of these ''services''. I'm
not sure of her pricing now but when we used her she was
compeditive with others and I liked her style a lot. try
http://www.msdish.com
Best wishes,
Hadley
Chris Becker, of the Pedaling Gourmet, is a personal chef who
has cooked for me a number of times. Prior to becoming a
personal chef, he worked at Boulevard Restaurant, Paula Leduc
Catering and the Four Seasons in New York.
Chris is an athlete who focuses on healthy fare featuring
seasonal, organic ingredients and creative menus. The food is so
delicious you would never know it's also good for you, I
promise! I suggest you try his service.
Here is his website -
http://www.pedalinggourmet.net
Rose
Sorry for the late response, but I just saw the post. I have
used Jessie et Laurent and found their food to be excellent.
They are also very friendly and helpful. But you basically have
to order from what they have available for the week, although
they will work with you on special dietary needs.
On the other hand, I have been using a wonderful personal chef
for over a year. Her name is Ellen Doren, and she is a member
of this group. Her business is Chez Ellen and she does catering
as well as meal preparation. For her personal chef service, she
will meet with you to discuss your dietary needs and likes and
dislikes. Then she prepares menus for your approval. She comes
to your home and prepares the meals at whatever interval you
work out -- for us she comes every other week and makes 6 meals,
three for the fridge and three for the freezer. That way we
have almost half our dinners taken care of. We started using
Ellen when I was 6 months pregnant and my husband tore his
Achilles tendon so we were a pretty low-functioning pair. But
we continue to use her because with two kids and two working
parents, getting a meal on the table every day is no easy task!
Ellen's email is chez_ellen at yahoo.com. Good luck!
Stephanie
Nov 2001
Re: Meals for L.A. Friend
In reply to LA-area meal delivery service, I have a good suggestion. Check
out the following website:
http://www.personalchef.com
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