Home Chef FAQs
The Process
After receiving your call or email with request for hiring a home chef, Shannon will follow up with you to learn more about your specific needs and discuss a pricing overview. We ask to fill out a Food Questionnaire so we can understand your food preferences and dietary needs. Then, we choose a schedule and a chef to work with you! Your chef will arrange an in-person or virtual consultation to meet you before your first cook date and to take a preview tour of your kitchen.
Honest to Goodness does not deliver prepared meals that are made in a commercial kitchen. We cook in your home since we are a personal, relationship-oriented service that is exclusively designed to your specific needs. We use your dishes and storage containers, and leave a menu card with easy reheating instructions. Your house will smell like the comforts of home-cooking and you will find your refrigerator full of delicious meals!
Your chef will come to your home once per week and cook for 3-5 hours at a time. Your fridge will be stocked with a freshly-prepared variety of dinners with lunch leftovers. Breakfasts, snacks, and baked goods are additional options you can have on request!
No, you are not required to be home. We don’t mind if you are though, especially with many of us working from home these days. If you aren’t home, please provide a key, code, or alarm instructions so you may work or continue other activities without any inconvenience.
Honest to Goodness charges a minimum of $300 per service plus the cost of groceries. Service time accrued above our minimum is charged based on a flat hourly fee for services related to menu planning, grocery shopping, meal preparation, event planning, cooking lessons, and kitchen organization. We do not charge for travel time unless your location is an extended distance from our standard service range, in which case we will assess a nominal travel stipend.
Contact us for a pricing estimate specific to your needs.
No contract is required for weekly cooking services. Ours is a working relationship that develops over time and improves with consistent feedback. You will enjoy the greatest peace of mind when we work together every week. We do request new weekly clients to commit for at least one month of services and a 4-hour per week service minimum.
For large events or other situations with specific logistical needs, we do require a contract and retainer toward our services.
Let's Talk About the Food
Honest, good food. Our personal chefs cook a little bit of everything, preparing healthy meals from scratch using only whole, fresh ingredients richly-enhanced with herbs and spices. Your chef will focus on integrating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins into your diet through comforting food that also tastes good. Weekly menus typically incorporate various styles of cuisine, anything from “meat and potatoes” to adventurous palates. Our company has a database of over 4,000 recipes that we have cooked over the years.
Absolutely! Many clients have specific diets, food sensitivities, and food allergens to accommodate. Honest to Goodness customizes menus to suit your low-carb, low-fat, low-sodium, anti-inflammatory/Abascal TQI, diabetic, gluten-free, Paleo, heart-healthy, elimination, Whole30, or other diets. Please provide as much information as possible regarding your individual needs so that your menus are planned accordingly.
Your personal chef plans a variety of seasonal menus using many sources for inspiration. A couple days before your scheduled cooking date, your chef will email you a menu customized to your tastes and dietary preferences. You have the option to request changes to the menu up to one day in advance. Feast your eyes on some of our most recent creations!
Yes, we always take special requests and will cook according to any recipes you provide.
As part of our consultation process, we will ask you where you like to shop. We shop at all major grocery stores depending on the ingredient list and your preference for organic or conventional ingredients.
Yes, we offer one-on-one instruction for anyone wanting to learn cooking techniques or receive help with preparing a special meal for that special someone in your life. Our chefs also enjoy group cooking classes if you want to have a gathering at your home for an interactive chef demonstration. You also have the option of a virtual cooking class!
Yes, you have the same chef each week making your food. If your primary chef is on vacation or out sick, we will do our best to schedule a substitute chef for that particular week. You also can request to switch to another of our chefs if you want to try a different cooking style.
Other Important Questions
Yes and no. We cater in-home and in venues where a kitchen is available for our use. Since we do not have our own commercial kitchen, we are not licensed and insured to prepare food in advance for delivery to you. There are circumstances for large event needs where we can rent a commercial kitchen and secure special event insurance. Please contact us with your specific event plans to receive a custom proposal on how we can serve you. If we are not the best fit to cater your occasion, we will refer you to highly qualified and trusted caterers in the area.
Honest to Goodness serves the greater Puget Sound area, including Seattle, Edmonds, Shoreline, Bothell, Lynnwood, Bellevue, Mercer Island, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, Woodinville, Renton, Burien, and Federal Way. We will travel outside of this range for an additional stipend.
Yes, Honest to Goodness is fully licensed through the State of Washington to conduct business. Each of our chefs has general liability insurance through our corporate membership with the USPCA.
Of course! Who wouldn’t want to receive the gift of healthy meals and more time? Gift certificates are perfect for anyone you know who needs a break from cooking. Special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and housewarming parties are perfect to honor with the help from a Personal Chef.
Not at all! While we have served some celebrities and professional athletes, the majority of our clients are hard-working professionals who would rather focus their energies on their work and having quality family time. They value a service like ours so they can save time in not having to plan and cook for themselves.
