United States Personal Chef Association

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For the U.S. Personal Chef Association, which was founded in 1993, the greatest challenge is educating the public about the services of the organization's 1,200 members. Too often, says executive director David MacKay, the public confuses a private chef with a personal chef. "A private chef is a person who cooks for a family. Oprah Winfrey has a private chef," MacKay said.

"A personal chef may only come in once a month and whip up a few meals for them. A personal chef cooks for more than one family. A private chef is at the beck and call of one family."

Although hiring a personal chef is cheaper than having your own private chef, the personal chef service still isn't cheap. For a single person, the Warrens charge $175 for 10 dinners. For couples, the charge is $275 for 10 dinners. For additional family members or roommates, the charge is another $30 to $50 per person, depending on the age and appetite.

Still, for some families, personal chefs are becoming a popular alternative to yet another night of Big Macs and pizza.

"This is a new industry," MacKay said. "But it's a business whose time has come. We're a business that fits well into the baby boomer generation. There are millions of middle-aged baby boomers who are in their prime earning years, but who also realize they have to eat healthier. But baby boomers want convenience. We want dinner now. That's where we provide an effective service."

Some cities, such as Tampa, have sprouted dozens of personal chef services. Others, like Orlando-and surprisingly, Washington-have been a little slow to pick up on the trend. But Central Florida is now home to at least four members of the Chef's Association, including the Warrens.

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Opportunity KNOCKS ; Bleak job market spurs many local residents to launch their own businesses The Patriot Ledger Quincy, MA; 10/10/2009 ...Stoughton took $3,000 from her personal savings and flew to Atlanta to enroll in classes through the United States Personal Chef Association. There she learned the finer points of establishing a business and marketing herself as a personal chef... ...more