A Day in the Life of a Personal Chef

Chris Pinette is a dedicated Personal Chef In Calgary with My Take Home Chef. Chris organizes meals for 7 different families and also does private events!

What It Takes to Create Personalized Meals for Busy Professionals

Being a personal chef isn’t just about cooking; it’s about creating a customized experience for every client, every single day. From the moment the day begins, it’s a balance of research, skill, and passion to ensure that busy professionals receive the meals they need to fuel their demanding lives.

A personal chef will do the research for Meal Planning for your in-home Meal Prep.

The Planning Phase: Where It All Begins

Before a single ingredient is chopped or a pan is heated, the groundwork must be laid. Every client has unique dietary needs, allergies, and preferences that must be carefully considered. Getting to know each client is a crucial part of the process—whether they’re keto, gluten-free, pescatarian, or just have a deep love for spicy food. This requires detailed consultations, research into the best ingredients, and creative menu planning that caters to both nutrition and taste. Now, imagine doing this for a completely different set of people each day—it’s a challenge that takes organization, adaptability, and a true passion for food.

You will love the fact that the personal chef takes this chore off your to-do list!

The Grocery Store: A Love-Hate Relationship

Once the menu is set, it’s time to shop. While experience and efficiency allow a personal chef to navigate the grocery store in 30 minutes or less, there’s always an element of unpredictability. When the store moves items around or hikes up prices (again!), let’s just say the internal monologue isn’t always the most polite.

Finding the best quality ingredients at reasonable prices while staying on schedule is an art in itself.

Juno, a personal chef in Calgary doing meal prep in a clients home. Wouldn't it be great to have a home chef cook your meals for you!

Cooking in a New Kitchen Every Day

Now, it’s time to bring the groceries into the client’s home and get to work. Every day means a new kitchen setup—different appliances, cookware, and layouts. Some kitchens are a dream to cook in, while others require a bit of creativity to navigate. A personal chef must be able to adjust quickly, adapting to each unique environment with confidence and skill. While we treat every kitchen like our own, it takes experience and a deep knowledge of culinary techniques to execute flawless meals in an unfamiliar space.

Meal prep that was created for a client by Chef Michelle Sinclair.

The Finishing Touches

After a few hours of focused cooking, it’s time to package, label, and tidy up. This final step takes about an hour—ensuring the client’s kitchen is as clean as we found it and that every meal is labeled clearly for easy access. Organization is key, and leaving behind a well-stocked fridge full of perfectly portioned meals is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

The Best Part: Setting Clients Up for Success

At the end of the day, personal chefs don’t just cook—we provide a service that makes our clients’ lives easier. We take away the stress of meal prep so they can focus on what matters most. And once the work is done, we get to go home, spend time with our own loved ones, and feel fulfilled knowing we’ve helped busy professionals maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

We love what we do, and we wouldn’t trade it for anything!

www.mthchef.com

I want to give you some time back! Think about how much time you can get back if your personal chef is doing the meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking of 5 days of your meal prep and tiding up after!