Booking a private chef for a chalet week means handing someone real responsibility — your kitchen, your guests’ dietary safety, and a fair chunk of the holiday budget. Most guests never ask the questions that actually matter, and rely instead on a polished website and a few nice photos. A little proper vetting takes ten minutes and tells you far more than either of those.
What should you actually ask before booking a private chef?
Start with the practical basics: how long have they worked as a private chef specifically (not just “in kitchens”), do they carry public liability insurance, and can they show references from previous chalet clients rather than just testimonials on their own site. A chef confident in their experience will answer these plainly and won’t treat the questions as an imposition.
Does a professional culinary background matter more than reviews?
Both matter, but for different reasons. Formal training or verifiable restaurant experience tells you the food will be technically sound. Reviews from actual private clients tell you something training can’t — whether the person is easy to have in your home for a week, communicates well before arrival, and handles the inevitable last-minute changes without drama. A chef with excellent technical skill but no client-facing experience is a real risk for a residential booking, since the job is as much about the week’s rhythm as it is about the plates.
How do allergies and dietary requirements actually get handled?
Ask specifically how they manage cross-contamination for serious allergies, not just whether they “can do” a dietary request. A chef who asks detailed follow-up questions about severity, specific triggers and kitchen setup before your stay is taking it seriously. One who simply says “no problem” without asking anything further is a warning sign, particularly for a genuinely severe allergy rather than a preference.
Is insurance actually something private chefs carry?
It should be. Public liability insurance protects both you and the chef if something goes wrong in your chalet kitchen during the booking, and a professional operating independently — rather than through a large staffing agency — should be able to confirm this without hesitation. It’s a reasonable, ordinary question, not an accusatory one.
Should you expect a proper consultation before booking?
Yes. A private chef worth booking will want to understand your group size, ages, dietary needs, and the general shape of your week — ski days, apres-ski timing, any special occasion dinners — before quoting or confirming. A chef who’s happy to confirm a booking without asking any of this is planning to cook a generic menu rather than one built around your actual stay.
What does a trial or reference call actually reveal?
A short call with a previous client, even ten minutes, tends to surface things a written review never will: whether the chef adapted well when the group’s plans changed mid-week, whether they were easy to have around the chalet, and whether communication before arrival was clear or vague. If a chef can’t offer at least one previous client willing to speak briefly, that’s worth noting.
How Victor approaches this
Victor Garrido works directly with every client from the first enquiry, which means there’s no staffing agency intermediary and no uncertainty about who’s actually cooking. References from previous Courchevel, Méribel, Val d’Isère and Verbier clients are available on request, along with details of his insurance and culinary background. Get in touch to discuss your stay directly, ask any of the questions above, and get a feel for how the working relationship would run before you commit.
FAQ
What questions should I ask before hiring a private chef?
Ask about their experience specifically with residential chalet bookings, whether they carry public liability insurance, how they handle serious allergies, and whether they can provide a previous client reference.
Is it normal to ask a private chef for references?
Yes, it’s a completely standard request, and a chef confident in their work will provide references from previous chalet clients without hesitation.
Does a private chef need liability insurance?
A professional private chef operating independently should carry public liability insurance to protect both themselves and the client during a booking.
How can I tell if a chef takes allergies seriously?
Look for detailed follow-up questions about severity and kitchen cross-contamination, rather than a quick, unquestioning “yes” to a dietary request.
Booking a private chef is ultimately about trust in one person for the length of your stay. Get in touch to talk through your group, your dates, and any questions you have before confirming.