Exclusive chefs in London

Exclusive chefs for the private sector

The Specialist

Private chef consultancy, sourcing exclusive chefs for private positions internationally

We specialise in a range of placements encompassing part-time home cooks, private chef jobs and private yacht chefs to ensure we deliver a comprehensive private chef recruitment service for our clients. We cover a wide scope of assignments ranging from short-term live-out positions, to long-term live-in positions. No matter your project specification and budget we will be extremely happy to help. London born we have extended our services to meet our clients’ demands internationally. We provide a bespoke, confidential and personal service that keeps us at the forefront of the private culinary sector.

Our culinary talent pool includes experienced household cooks through to private chefs with extensive Michelin experience.

We provide a comprehensive private chef recruitment service:

Cooks that create home-style cuisine

Land based private chefs

Short-term & long-term villa & chalet chefs

Part-time chefs required a few days per week

Travelling private chefs

Yacht chefs - private and charter

Aviation chefs

We evaluate your assignment and produce a project brief to ensure we provide private chefs that meet your exact requirements, saving you valuable time during the evaluation process.

The growth in global business and leisure travel means that an international reach is essential. A worldwide network enables us to source very specific skill-sets from an extensive talent pool. With more demand for private chefs to provide their services on leisure breaks, corporate events, yachts, and between multiple properties, a global network is essential.

Specialist placements

We provide exclusive private chef recruitment consultancy across a range of specialisms.

Domestic residences

Super Yachts

Villas & Chalets

Luxury retreats

Private islands

Private aviation

International Places

We operate worldwide, with opportunities for private chef jobs in multiple territories including:

London & UK

Europe & Mediterranean

U.A.E & Middle East

United States & Canada

Asia & Australasia

Islands & archipelagos

DISCOVER MORE

The strategy of sourcing your private chef

Discover how the process of sourcing your private chef will work. Gain an insight into the strategies used during recruitment and the importance of designing and developing a detailed client brief. Understand how we use this as the foundation of a successful search.

Your assignment

Whether you are looking for a part-time cook or a live-in private chef we will be extremely happy to manage your project. If this is your first time considering private culinary staff then we will be pleased to answer your questions and give you advice based on our hands on knowledge of the industry. Equally if you have employed cooks or chefs before and would like some additional advice then we can help.

As our business is dedicated to the private culinary sector we have one of the most experienced and talented network of chefs. This network enables us to reach the right chef for your position quickly and effectively. Being 100% focused on the culinary sector means we’ll be completely focused on your assignment with no other domestic staff distractions.

Our exclusivity has helped us build an excellent portfolio of clients, generating a diverse and broad range of jobs. Our client base and our excellent career opportunities are a key ingredient for attracting the very best private chefs and cooks in the industry.

Join the Chef Xclusive team

Discover what is required when you apply to join us. We have a detailed and extensive process that once complete, opens your career opportunities up to some of the best global culinary positions in the private sector.

Private Chefs

With the large volume of publicity throughout the media the private culinary sector has developed into one of the most prestigious gastronomic careers. As you would expect this has increased the number of chefs who are actively looking for jobs within the private sector.

A small percentage of the population is in a position to consider employing culinary staff, whether a home cook or a private chef. It’s worth remembering that there is a high percentage of chefs looking for a job in a small and niche private market.

So what does this mean for the private chef? It means you need to be the best you possibly can. With a limited amount of positions and a vast talent pool of chefs, you need to excel in your area of the culinary private sector.

Our role is to assess your skill set and pair it with the right client assignment brief. We will advise you on which positions would match well and give you detailed information about the position to make sure it’s the right position for you. One of the most critical aspects of the process is to ensure that the position will feed your appetite inspiring you to deliver and reach the clients’ expectations. It is paramount that both the client and the chef are satisfied with the assignment. This in turn leads to long lasting and rewarding relationships.

How can a private chef improve their job opportunities?

As a private chef you should be investing time and effort into keeping your photo portfolio up to date and ready for new private chef job opportunities...

The image portfolio of a private chef, it’s a demon that can make or break your job application

Improving Your Opportunities as a Private Chef

As a private chef you should be investing time and effort into keeping your photo portfolio up to date and ready for new private chef job opportunities. Before my critics pounce upon me… I should explain that I am far from a professional photographer. This article isn’t designed to explain the professional aspects of food photography, I’ve written it because I’d like you to explore the possibilities available to you. When you apply for new positions to further your careeras a private chef, your photo gallery is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. Basically, they can make or break your opportunities.

The idea isn’t to have the most professional looking photos; the idea is to tell the right story. But how do you find the right story? That’s the job of your agent. I dedicate a large amount of my time into choosing the right photos for my private chef to support my clients’ brief, in other words – to tell the right story. You need to constantly keep your photography fresh and new so that it evolves along side your new dishes and new food trends. Then, when you apply for your new position, you will have a wide and varied portfolio to choose from.

One of my biggest concerns, and yes I’m going to moan a little here… are the incredible floating plates. Photos of dishes that magically hover in mid-air with no apparent connection to the laws of gravity… If the chef really is a magician then I would suggest waving a magic wand and creating an authentic backdrop for the photograph, maybe a table and cutlery could be a good idea? Remember, the purpose of your photos is to enable the client to connect with them, my advice is to keep your images realistic and don’t play with Photoshop software. Clients would rather see that your images are real than something that looks like it has been digitally doctored.

The objective is to demonstrate your ability as a private chef to deliver the culinary lifestyle that the client wants to achieve. The common mistake is to only photograph fine dining dishes. A private chef is required to produce far more than this and your choice of photos needs to demonstrate your skill set and your capability to provide what the client requires. So open your mind a little, if you have a kitchen garden where you are working, take some photos of the fresh produce you use. Do you make jams and chutneys? Do you grill over hot coals? Are you baking on a regular basis? Create a photographic culinary journey via your portfolio.

"Remember that photographing your food during the cooking process is another great tactic to employ."

It connects the person viewing the photo with the process and “brings it to life”. A perfectly cooked rib eye steak looks great on a clean white plate. Now, imagine taking a photo of the same steak grilling over coals or in a griddle pan… this image increases our imagination which engages other senses, you can almost hear the steak sizzling and smell the meat caramelising. A picture that’s taken during the cooking process increases our nostalgia, awakening our senses and our memories.

The one comment I hear time and time again is the time issues regarding taking photos during a busy service period. I agree, it’s hard, it’s not easy, and therefore it’s even more important to be prepared. If you have the opportunity to plate an additional dish, do it, and photograph it after the diner’s plates have been served. If that’s not possible, think carefully about photographing elements of a dish as they are being prepared prior to service. For example, making pasta is a prime example of an element that can be photographed during production and produces an excellent image for a portfolio. Perhaps you spend time designing and developing new dishes, this is a great opportunity for some snaps. When all said and done, even chefs need to eat… so surely it’s possible to plate your own food nicely and get that all important shot? What I’m trying to highlight here are the possibilities, and to ask you to think carefully about how you can take some great photos and increase the prospects of getting shortlisted for your job application.

Tel: +44 20 32869453

Email: office@chefxclusive.com

https://www.chefxclusive.com