Personal Chef to the Stars

Serves Concord, NC

35244

Hired 272 times

3 employees

8 years in business

$120/person

5.0

This pro accepts payments via Cash, Check, and Venmo.

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Credentials

Background Check

Tyler Phillips
Completed on 1/9/2021

Introduction

There is an obvious difference between some who cooks for a living and someone who cooks as a hobby. The hobby chef is more relaxed, has more fun, is more involved and generally is into creating a great food experience above all other motivations. When people see me cook, or work with me, I often hear the comment, "Wow - you're really into this." I am. The sense of accomplishment when the guests are amazed at what they experience. Sometimes it's the visual experience, what they are about to eat simply looks inviting - And, sometimes is the smell as the bite nears their mouth - but always it's the look in their eyes when they first bite into what ever morsel they are enjoying. Their eye's get big, bright, and sparkle with joy.

Q&A

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?

I price on a per person basis, based on the mutually determined menu. I have a minimum of $960 or $120 per person for any specific event. My meals are typically high end and my average per person is about $120-150. Also, we add a minimum 20% gratuity to all events.

What is your typical process for working with a new customer?

I don't work from a set list of dishes. Rather, I prefer to speak with the potential client and learn about the event, their vision, special diets, likes and dislikes, budget, etc. and then we mutually design the menu.

What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

I've been a really serious "Hobby Chef" for more than 50 years. I've been to cooking schools in Italy, France, Asia and throughout the US. I've eaten "in the kitchen" at Trotter's, El Bulli, and Le Beneton and I've cooked with Marc Spitz - Farallon and Gerald Hirigoyen - Piperade. I've entertained Frances Mayes - "Under the Tuscan Sun;" Cecelia Chang - "The Seventh Daughter: My Culinary Journey from Beijung to San Francisco," and numerous Bay Area Foodies. I cook every day!

How did you get started doing this type of work?

My first every boy-girl party was a pie making party for seven thirteen year olds. My Mother must have been crazier than I thought. And I've been cooking every since. Friends and relatives who attended professional cooking schools like CIA admit that I can "cook them under the table." And they have concluded that's because I'm not pressured to meet a budget or time table or someone else's idea - Just my own vision for the dish at hand. Mostly, they think that it is because I approach cooking simply for the fun and joy of being creative.

What types of customers have you worked with?

I mostly cook for birthday and anniversary celebrations, and showers, where the host wants to be able to mingle with the guests and wants the meal to be especially memorable. I'm accepting wedding requests more often as Bridal Planners are frequently looking for a more unique and customized experience than the normal catering operation can provide. I try not to do more than two or three events each month and am pretty selective about what I cook.

Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?

And then there was the Foodie Crowd – A group of four couples who dined together every other month, usually at fine dinning restaurants, and often while vacationing together. The Hostess wanted to “out do” previous events and asked me to “Put on the dog.” So the main course was Veal Osso Bucco with Gremolata, accompanied by Polenta with a hint of garlic, fresh asparagus, slow roasted plum tomatoes and Tuscan kale salad. Loved by all! But the real fun was with the Hors d’oeuvres. Jalapeno sausage bites with an apricot glaze, grilled jumbo shrimp with a chili/marmalade sauce, grilled okra, charred Shishito peppers with Asian spices, and caramelized bacon. With the real show stopper being an individual roasted split marrow bone with chanterelle mushrooms…..and a shot of Jameson’s Whiskey to wash down the bone once the marrow and mushrooms were eaten. You can imagine the hoot’n and hollar’n that accompanied the guests slurping whiskey from an 8” long marrow bone. And then they enjoyed Butterscotch Crème Brule to finish off the evening. The kitchen was open to the dining area so there was much back and forth between the Chef Tyler cooking team and the guests. A really fun event.

What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

Read the reviews. There is no better way to get comfortable about a Personal Chef than to read what others have experienced. The reviews will give ideas about what you want to accomplish with your event.

What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?

Decide what you want and then work with the Chef to make it happen. If you are doing a birthday celebration, pick a dish you know the birthday boy or girl will really enjoy. Do your homework ahead of time. Think about the guests’ likes and dislikes. Know in advance if anyone has food allergies or constraints. We can almost always do a work-around if we know in advance. It’s really tough when we are on-site, about to serve the meal, and we suddenly discover that one of the guests doesn’t eat red meat or has a tree-nut allergy. Also, realize the difference between a personal chef and a caterer. A caterer does the cooking in a catering kitchen and then packages the food for deliver and serving at the final site. A personal chef arrives at the final site with the ingredients for the meal and does the preparation right on-site. Sometimes, when there is just a partial kitchen at the final site, the personal chef has to bring his own cooking equipment to supplement what may be missing.