How to hire a private chef for your villa holiday

Hiring a private chef for a villa holiday is easy once you know what to ask. I have been cooking in clients' villas and chalets since 2018, after years in professional kitchens, and the same questions come up before every booking. Here is the method I would follow if I were the one renting the villa: what to decide first, what to ask a chef, the warning signs, and how I work myself.

When a private chef makes sense

A chef is not the right answer for every holiday. For a couple spending two nights in a city apartment, a good restaurant is simpler. A private chef earns their place when several of these are true:

• You are a group of six or more, and booking a table for everyone every night is a chore.
• The villa is a drive from the nearest good restaurants, so every dinner out means a taxi or a designated driver.
• You are travelling with children, grandparents or guests with allergies, and one menu has to work for everyone.
• There is a birthday, an anniversary or a family reunion to mark during the stay.
• You want to spend your evenings by the pool or by the fire, not in the car.

The same reasoning applies in the mountains: after a day on the slopes, few people want to go out again. You can read more on my villa chef service and on my chalet chef service in the Alps.

Step by step: how to hire the right chef

1. Fix your dates and the size of your group

Before you contact anyone, know your arrival and departure dates, the number of adults and children, and the meals you want: dinner only, lunch and dinner, or every meal of the day. These three points drive the whole quote, and a serious chef will ask for them first.

2. Set a realistic budget

A private chef's budget has three lines: the chef's fee, the groceries and the chef's travel and accommodation. Compare quotes line by line, not by the bottom figure alone. My guide to private chef prices for villa holidays explains the costs in detail, and you will find worked weekly examples for Mallorca and for a villa in Mykonos.

3. Ask about experience

Cooking in a villa is not the same job as cooking in a restaurant. There is no brigade, no supplier who delivers at 7 am, and the kitchen is new every time. Ask how long the chef has worked in private homes, in which destinations, and for groups of what size.

4. Ask for sample menus

Sample menus tell you how a chef thinks. Look for dishes built around the season and the local markets, and for menus that change from one day to the next. A chef should then adapt them to your tastes, not hand you the same list whatever the island or the month. You can see how I write mine on my menus page.

5. Check real reviews

Testimonials on a website are easy to write. Reviews on a public Google profile, with the client's name, are much harder to fake. Read several, including the older ones, and check that they mention stays similar to yours. Here is one of mine:

6. Ask who does the shopping

Some chefs include the food in a fixed price per person, others charge it separately. Neither is wrong, but you should know which one you are paying for. If groceries are charged on top, ask whether you pay the actual cost on receipts or a flat amount, and who goes to the market.

7. Talk about allergies and diets early

Allergies, intolerances, vegetarian guests, children who only eat pasta: say it all at the quote stage, not on the first evening. A good chef plans the menus around these constraints and checks the labels when shopping abroad.

8. Check the villa kitchen

Holiday rentals often have beautiful kitchens with very little in them. Ask the villa owner for photos of the oven, the hob, the fridges and the equipment, and send them to the chef. A professional will tell you what is missing before arrival, so nothing has to be improvised.

9. Agree on service and cleaning

Does the chef serve at the table or leave dishes on the counter? Who clears, washes up and puts the kitchen back in order? These questions decide whether you really have a holiday, so get the answers in writing.

10. Get a contract and pay a deposit

Ask for a written quote or contract that sets out the dates, the meals, the number of guests, what is included and what is not. A deposit to hold the dates is normal. Read what happens if your dates change or the group grows.

Red flags to watch for

• No written quote, or one global price with no breakdown.
• A food budget paid in advance, with no receipts at the end of the stay.
• Reviews you cannot trace to a public profile.
• No questions about allergies, the kitchen or the people around the table.
• Vague answers about who serves, clears and cleans.
• Sample menus that look the same whatever the season or the destination.

How I work

I am a French private chef with around 20 years of experience, cooking in villas and chalets across Europe since 2018, including more than 50 chalet stays in ski resorts. I price per day for the whole group, VAT included, with three packages:

Package	Meals per day	Per day, VAT included
Essential	1 meal of your choice	€400
Prestige	2 meals, usually lunch and dinner	€450
Exclusive	Breakfast, lunch, dinner and an afternoon snack	€600

• Group size: these rates apply from 1 to 10 guests. From 11 to 15 guests, €100 per day is added. From 16 to 20 guests, I recommend a server at €220 per day.
• Minimum stay: 4 days.
• Groceries: paid at actual cost, on receipts. As a planning guide, allow €25 to €50 per person per day, depending on the menus.
• Travel and accommodation: added to the quote, depending on your dates and destination.
• On site: I do the shopping at the markets, cook, serve at the table and leave the kitchen clean after each meal.

I work all over Europe. If you are heading to the Balearics or the Cyclades, my pages on private chef in Mallorca and private chef in Mykonos describe the markets and the produce I cook with there. Planning a ski holiday instead? My comparison of a catered chalet and a private chef will help you choose.

When to book

• July and August: book 2 to 4 months ahead. Summer weeks are the first to go.
• Ski season: the same applies to Christmas, New Year and the February school holidays.
• The rest of the year: a few weeks is usually enough.
• What to send me: your dates, the villa or chalet location, the number of guests (adults and children), the meals you want each day, allergies and diets. I reply with a detailed quote within 24 working hours.

Frequently asked questions