Richmond Personal Chefs Richmond, VA

Richmond personal chefs discuss their services

What services do you offer?

Dawn Schick: "I do the personal chef service two days a week. Occasionally, I'll do cooking classes."

Robert LaSalata: "I'm a stay-at-home dad, so I build my business around my family. I typically do the personal chef service."

Jill Garloff: "Right now, I'm doing more personal cheffing, but I also do cooking classes and kids cooking camps."

Do you offer personal meal planning and preparation?

Schick: "After I interview the client and find out their needs, I design seven entrees for them to choose from."

LaSalata: "Yes, I consult with the clients and plan menus based on that."

Garloff: "After the culinary assessment, I'll build a menu based on that. If they have any requests, I'll do whatever I can to fulfill them."

Will you prepare breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Schick: "Just dinner. There's not a huge interest in the lunch thing."

LaSalata: "Usually, it's just dinner."

Garloff: "Usually, just dinner."

How do you charge for your services, and what's the cost?

Schick: "I charge a flat fee. Five meals, with four entrees and two sides, is $300. That covers everything, including groceries."

LaSalata: "A typical package of five entrees of four servings each is $385, all-inclusive."

Garloff: "A basic plan is five meals, two entrees, with side dishes. I will charge $300 for that and it includes groceries."

What dish is your specialty?

Schick: "Seafood and healthy cooking overall. We make our own soups, sauces and pestos."

LaSalata: "I do a good Italian lasagna and a good chicken Parmesan."

Garloff: "I can do anything."

Do you have a dish you prepare that's the most popular with your clients?

Schick: "I have a meatloaf with Granny Smith apples and a Chinese five-spice glaze and a pancetta-wrapped turkey meatloaf sandwich. Both are definitely comfort foods."

LaSalata: "I get a lot of requests for fish, and for my grilled beef fillet with sautéed spinach, roasted portabello mushrooms, roasted shallots and a vermouth demi-glace."

Garloff: "My low-salt clients like my butterflied shrimp with vegetable stir-fry. My flank steak with bourbon sauce is a real big crowd pleaser."

Where do you prepare the meals?

Schick: "I have a commercial kitchen, and we deliver the meals."

LaSalata: "I go to the client's house."

Garloff: "I do it in their kitchen."

What's one spice or ingredient you couldn't live without and why?

Schick: "Basil and lemon. Both of those are really key to making flavors pop."

LaSalata: "Garlic. It's good for you and you can do a lot of things with it."

Garloff: "Butter. I don't go crazy with it, but I'm nuts about butter. It's a really good ingredient."