We are in an age and time where it’s shameful to lead an unhealthy life like never before. The epicenter of most advice lies in the hands of good, healthy food. We have seen a lot more people pay attention to the groceries they are buying and how their vegetables and meat are grown. They equally have the desire to opt for home-cooked meals as opposed to eating out. All these changes are made in an attempt to stay healthy, avoid the junk incurred from eating out, and prevent terminal diseases.
So, if you are a foodie or simply someone who has a passion for cooking, here are 5 tips to tap into this growing market. You can start a personal chef business that’ll give you that extra boost to your income and budget needs.
- Do Your Research:
The requirements for a personal chef differ across states and countries. It is important for you to carry out extensive research to know and obtain the necessary permits and licenses required. You equally need to decide if you’ll be cooking from home or as a guest chef at your client’s home. Once that’s sorted out, find out exactly what is required by the law to execute it.
In countries like the UK, there are particular meals you can cook from home and sell, while regulations are placed on some other meals. Just so you don’t fall short, carry out extensive research on what is expected of a personal chef in your vicinity. This act will assist you when it comes to making decisions and will further keep you from operating on the wrong side of the law.
- Have a Target Market:
Despite the aggressive awareness on the effects eating out can have on finances and health, you still find crowded restaurants on practically every block you turn. A handful of the people out there just want to get home after a busy day, kick off their shoes and eat whatever ready-made meal is available without the hassle of actually cooking it. The idea of paying people to cook is something many people in this group would leap at.
Some other people who could benefit from having a private chef are individuals with special dietary needs, seniors, couples who want a private dinner, and just about anyone who wants to be exposed to new food and flavors.
Simply find your niche and latch onto it. A good way to define your target market is to have a compilation of all the recipes you have perfected and the settings that appeal to those meals. If you are good at cooking up healthy meals, then your target market should be people with health issues or strict diets. But, if your specialty is international cuisine, you may consider targeting couples seeking a private romantic dinner or the seniors mentioned earlier.
- Have a Business Plan:
Being a personal chef isn’t just about cooking up meals on a professional basis, it’s a full-blown business. No matter what people say, it is not a hobby, so you need to drop that thought and carry yourself like the entrepreneur you are. Just like any other business owner out there, you have to come up with a business plan.
It should definitely compromise your vision and mission statement, SWOT analysis, target market, sales target, and market analysis amongst other factors. Your market analysis should equally be based on thorough market research, whether quantitative or qualittative.
- Separate Business from Home:
To a lot of people, especially those in this line of business, it won’t be easy to separate ‘business life’ from ‘home life’, but it is an important organizational move. Keep your business pantry separate from your personal/ family pantry. This will help you take proper stock and inventory of what is going in and out of your business. It will further help you set appropriate prices for your meals over time. At the end of the day, you’ll avoid the mistake of declaring a loss simply because you were not sure of the true cost of preparing a meal.
As your business grows, if you haven’t gotten a proper office, or are working from home, it may become even more difficult to properly keep the two worlds apart. This is in terms of the mail, bills, keeping up with appointments, and all other disguised blessings that come with business growth.
Thankfully, there are virtual offices like https://www.physicaladdress.com/ that can help in that aspect, while you focus on your business. Amongst other benefits, having a virtual office will help redirect your business mail away from your home, as well as keep track of all your bookings and appointments.
- Network and Keep Learning:
There is a common saying that goes, ‘if you want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go far, team up’. Network with people in your line of work – they don’t all have to be personal Chefs, but even restaurant chefs and cooks are a great addition to your network. They’ll help you stay updated on what’s new in your field and fill you in on meals that are making waves with increased demand amongst clients. You can also share and learn from their experiences, never stop learning.
Even more, you’re at liberty to experiment with recipes in your own private time. This is actually how many chefs come up with their signature dishes. For the most part, having a signature recipe that bangs is one sure way to keep your coins rolling in.
To a lot of people, the idea of having a home-cooked meal is more exciting than the act of preparing it. This is the point where individuals lean on personal chefs to help them achieve this desire. So, if you are still wondering what to do with your excellent cooking skills, becoming a personal chef is a low capital business you should consider tapping into.
