Private chef Alex, serving his guests their starter

Private chef Alex, serving his guests their starter

How much does a private chef actually cost?

There is a common assumption that private chefs are expensive to hire, but in reality, hiring a private chef can often be cheaper than going out to a restaurant.

Emily Lowe
Emily Lowe
March 28, 2023


You're wondering how much a private chef costs. When you think of hiring a private chef, you probably imagine a fancy, exclusive, expensive dinner party, right? But that’s not always the case…

Don’t get us wrong, having the luxury of a private chef for a special celebration or occasion doesn't come cheap, but it can actually save you money compared to going out to eat at a restaurant, especially when it comes to drinking your own alcohol.

Private chefs at home can also add a level of intimacy and comfort to your meal that is so different to that of a restaurant or delivery service.

When it comes to entertaining at home, it isn't always about the expenses - there is a lot of time and effort that has to go into planning menus, shopping, cooking, cleaning and entertaining. Hiring a private chef takes away these stresses, giving you more quality time with family and friends.

Still skeptical? Let's look at how much a private chef actually costs?

Hiring a private chef for an at-home dinner party versus going out to a restaurant

Cost breakdown of a private chef vs eating out

The average cost of eating out in London

If you go to a mid-range restaurant for dinner, the average cost in London is £25.00 per person for a plate of food according to Sable International. That's assuming each person orders only one plate (which is doubtful) and doesn’t include the cost of drinks, hiring a babysitter, your taxi home or additional tips.

This is significantly more than the cost of hiring a chef from Nomad Chefs, who will prepare and serve a three-course meal in your home.

Chef Jojo Kelly (our co-founder) talking his guests through the menu

The average cost of a private chef

The cost of a private chef is typically consistent, but can vary due to the following:

  • The experience of the chef
  • The chosen menu
  • The number of people
  • The type and duration of the event (e.g. three course dinner versus canapés).

At Nomad Cooks we have a wide range of chefs specialising in a variety of different cuisines, all with flexible price points to suit you. We aim to provide London's best chefs at less than restaurant prices.


The average price for one of our chefs is about £35 per guest (for a 3 course meal). This is just a little bit more than the price of one plate at a local restaurant. When you consider that our chefs are highly experienced, the menu is tailored to your preferences, you can drink your own alcohol and of course all the cleaning and washing up is done for you - it really is quite appealing!

Nomad Cooks sample menu

The cost of hiring a Nomad Cook private chef

We pride ourselves on transparency, with no hidden costs. The chef's time, ingredients, travel fee and the service fee are all included in the price set by the Nomad Cooks themselves. To find the average cost for your next Nomad Cook dinner party click here, and slide the scale to the number of people you hope to host for.




What is a private chef?

A private chef is someone who comes into your home or accommodation and cooks for you and your guests. A Nomad private chef will agree upon a bespoke menu to suit your preferences, they will then bring all the ingredients, cook, serve and wash up on the day, making hosting completely hassle free!

How much does a private chef cost?

The price of a private chef experience for a night will largely depends on the type of food, the type of occasion, the number of people, the date and the location. Prices can cost anything from £35 per person for a three course meal to over £100 a head. This often represents better value than booking a restaurant which can both be more expensive and more hassle.

Is a private chef worth it?

At Nomad Chefs, we make London's best private chefs available to you at restaurant prices starting at just £35 per person. By hiring a private chef, you can have better, fresher quality food tailored to your exact preference. Not to mention hosting your special occasion at the comfort of your own home completely stress free with more time to spend with your friends and family and less time spent cleaning and cooking. We'll let you be the judge of whether that is worth it or not!

How much does it cost to have a private chef for a week?

If you would like to book a private chef for a week, whether it's for your holiday booking or for meal prepping, it would vary depending on your specific requirements. Holiday bookings will usually require you to cover a private chefs' travel and day rate - their day rate can range from £250-£500 depending on how many people and meals they are cooking for! Similarly for meal preps, a private chef will charge based on the complexity of your meal prep, how many people, how many meals, and delivery cost. Enquire with Nomad Chefs here for more information.

How much does it cost to have a private chef for a month?

If you are booking a private chef for a month, we recommend you enquire early as chef weekends can be booked up quickly! Depending on what you are looking for, a chef will usually charge a day/weekly rate! Some factors to consider are: how often you will need your meals, how many people your chef will be cooking for, and travel or delivery costs.

What is the difference between a personal and private chef?

A personal chef usually refers to a full time chef that only works for one person or family and a private chef usually is used to describe someone that will work for multiple different private occasions for different clients and different times.

Why do people hire a private chef?

The main benefit to hiring a private chef is so that you, as the host and life of the party, can spend more time with your guests and less time in the kitchen cooking and cleaning, not to mention trying many fun new recipes from chefs that specialise in a range of cuisines. It's a stress-free and fun way to make hosting enjoyable and relaxing.

How much do celebrities pay a private chef?

How much celebrities pay chefs will depend on the celebrity, the occasion, and the types of services required. Many of our Nomad chefs have cooked for celebrities! This can range from around £50 a head up. (Beyonce's full time personal chef costs £7000 a month!)

How do private chefs work?

With Nomad Cooks It's simple. Browse our list of chefs and read a little about their background, cooking style, and menu items. Once you see a chef you like, you can chat with your chef to create a bespoke menu perfect for your event. Then simply sit back and relax - your chef will purchase all the ingredients, prep the food, and arrive on the day with everything needed. They will then cook, serve and leave your kitchen sparkling clean!





Hire a local private chef for your special occasion. They buy the ingredients, cook and do the washing up.
Prices start at £30/head. Search here.

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