Why be a Personal Chef?

Often people ask me what it's like being a personal chef. As with any profession, there are pros and cons. Let me say that first and foremost, no matter your career, you must have passion for what you do. If not, it's more like work than fun, and in my life, it better be more like fun than work. Second, you can't rely on luck to get business if you are self employed. You constantly must talk about what you do and have business cards in your pocket to hand out to everyone you meet. In other words, Network, Network, Network. Third, life is often difficult but circumstances do not trump joy. Once you accept that things do happen that inconveniece or hurt you, move on and dwell on the positive. Tracy likes the acronym "FIDO" - forget it and drive on. Don't you agree we should "FIDO" more often?

A personal chef runs every aspect of their business. All of us are good at some things and not as good at others. I love cooking, creating menus & events, teaching others (and sometimes myself!) about foods and cooking, and serving clients. However, I'm not so fond of loading and unloading my car with equipment or being on my feet for a zillion hours some days. And then there is grocery shopping. Not that I mind it in general, but some folks at my local Publix think I work there, if you get the picture.

When I teach classes to people who want to be a personal chef, some of them dream that rich celebrity clients will be "waiting" for them when they start their business, and pay big bucks for their service. My clients generally aren't rich or famous, and I like it that way. They use my cooking service for a variety of reasons but at the end of the day, they all sit down to a great, healthy meal. These folks are so very important in many ways as mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, teachers, employers, bosses, coworkers, and friends. You don't need to be famous to be outstanding in these roles. I appreciate all of my clients and some I feel are like family. It really is all about relationships.

Have you ever heard the starfish story? A man was on the beach that was filled with starfish, who would die if out of the saltwater for too long. He was furiously throwing each starfish he could into the water. Another man came up and asked him what he was doing and he said," I'm trying to save these starfish!" The second man looked around and said, "Why bother? There are just too many to make any difference." The first man picked up another starfish and gazed briefly at it. As he threw it into the surf he said, "But it made a difference to that one." Our time on earth is short but I believe that God has a distinct purpose for each of us to impact the lifes of others through our gifts and talents. That's why I'm a personal chef - to make a small difference in this big world.