Become A Personal Chef

Have you ever stopped to think about how ridiculously lucky we are to love food right now ? For most of human history, dinner was determined by geography, season, preservation, wealth—and sometimes simple survival. Today? We complain when the supermarket is out of cilantro. In Episode 42 of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan takes a trip through culinary history - from cooking over...

Being a talented cook may get you hired but becoming an operator is what helps you build a personal chef business that lasts. In Episode 41, we talk about the moment every personal chef eventually faces: realizing that cooking is only one part of the job. Behind every successful cook day are menus, shopping, scheduling, client communication, payments, containers, travel, boundaries, follow-ups, an...

If you’re listening to this episode, you didn’t just find the show — you stayed. This milestone episode closes out the first 40 conversations of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast by zooming out and reflecting on what this journey has really been about. Not tactics. Not hacks. But identity. Across these episodes, we talked about calm as a professional skill, boundaries as respect, systems as relie...

There’s a phase almost every personal chef goes through. I call it the nice phase . You’re flexible.  You’re accommodating.  You don’t want to scare anyone away. So you say things like:  “I’ll just figure it out.”  “Don’t worry about it.”  “We’ll play it by ear.” And slowly… quietly…  that niceness starts costing you. Payments drift.  Schedule changes become casual.  Groceries get fuzzy.  And you...

No one tells you this when you become a personal chef:  the job isn’t just about food. It’s about stepping into other people’s lives—their routines, pets, habits, surprises, and most meaningful moments—and doing your work with grace. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan shares real stories from inside client homes that reveal what personal cheffing actually feels li...

That Sunday night anxiety?  The half-written menus, scattered notes, and feeling like you’re already behind? That’s not creativity struggling.  It’s structure missing. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan breaks down why weekly meal planning isn’t busywork—it’s a professional skill that protects your time, your energy, and your sanity. You’ll learn: Why “winging it”...

What if one service could instantly change how clients perceive you — without louder marketing, more hustle, or explaining your worth? In this episode, Louie Montan unpacks why Japanese cuisine experiences act as a silent authority signal in the personal chef world. From omakase-style dinners to seasonal, ritual-driven service formats, this episode explores how restraint, precision, and intention...

Every personal chef remembers the moment they open a drawer and think,  “Oh no.” In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan breaks down why relying on client kitchens is one of the fastest ways to lose time, confidence, and control—and why professional chefs don’t hope the right tools are there. They bring them. You’ll learn: Why beautiful kitchens are often the least usa...

There is one service that quietly changes how clients see personal chefs — and it has nothing to do with trends, politics, or food labels. In this episode of the Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan breaks down why vegan cuisine functions as a business accelerator , not a dietary stance. When positioned correctly, plant-based services create instant clarity, deeper trust, stronger referra...

Here’s an uncomfortable truth:  clients don’t always understand their own allergies—and that gap becomes your responsibility. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan breaks down why allergies and intolerances are one of the most dangerous blind spots in personal cheffing, and how guessing—even with good intentions—can end a business overnight. You’ll learn: Why clients...

Your first cook day isn’t dramatic.  It’s quiet, nervous, careful—and deeply formative. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan reflects on the first real cook day and the moment he realized confidence isn’t loud, performative, or flashy—it’s calm, prepared, and steady. You’ll learn: Why your first cook day isn’t about perfection What new-chef nerves actually mean (and...

Clients don’t hire personal chefs to follow them.  They hire chefs who can lead them. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan breaks down what real confidence looks like in high-pressure client situations—from powerful executives to anxious brides to overwhelmed households. This isn’t about ego or bravado.  It’s about calm, earned leadership. You’ll learn: Why clients...

Most chefs think being a personal chef means cooking all day.  The reality is very different—and once you see it clearly, everything gets easier. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan pulls back the curtain on what the personal chef business actually is, why so many talented chefs struggle early on, and how clarity—not hustle—is what changes the game. You’ll learn: W...

If talking about price makes you tense, awkward, or hesitant—this episode is for you. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan reframes sales for chefs who don’t want to be pushy, persuasive, or “salesy,” but still want to book confidently and get paid well. Because the truth is:  most chefs don’t hate sales.  They hate who they think sales turns them into. You’ll learn...

Chefs think choices are generous.  Clients experience them as stress. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan breaks down why oversized menus slow approvals, create confusion, and quietly drain both you and your clients—and how simple menu structure does the opposite. You’ll learn: Why too many options feels like homework, not luxury How menu templates create calm and...

If cooking feels heavier than it used to… this episode is for you. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan talks honestly about burnout—why it hits personal chefs differently, how it creeps in quietly, and what it’s really trying to tell you. Because personal chef burnout isn’t loud chaos.  It’s being always on . Always thinking. Always carrying it alone. You’ll learn:...

Surprises don’t make you better.  They make you reactive—and reactive kills calm. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan explains why the kitchen walkthrough is one of the most overlooked professional habits in personal cheffing, and how five minutes of scouting can save hours of stress. You’ll learn: Why personal chefs can’t afford to “cook blind” How walkthroughs pr...

Not every client deserves a personal chef.  And not every client deserves you . In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan walks through the client red flags every chef eventually meets—the polite energy drains, the boundary blurriers, and the situations that quietly cost you time, money, and sanity. With humor, honesty, and hard-earned perspective, you’ll learn: Why “I’m...

Here’s a hard truth most personal chefs don’t want to admit:  your food isn’t judged on cook day. It’s judged three days later—standing in front of the fridge, tired, hungry, and reheating it the wrong way. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan breaks down why great food loses trust in leftovers, how reheating failures quietly damage client confidence, and why storag...

This episode isn’t about pricing, niches, or marketing.  It’s about who you become when things go sideways. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan explores the mindset that separates chefs who burn out from chefs who last—calm, kindness, boundaries, and craftsmanship. Because personal cheffing isn’t loud chaos.  It’s quiet pressure. You’ll learn: Why intensity doesn’t...

If someone asked your last client why they hired you, what would they say? “Great menu”…  or  “They understood exactly what we needed”? In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan breaks down the shift that separates busy, underpaid chefs from the ones who are remembered, referred, and booked without price fights. Because the problem isn’t your food.  It’s not your marketi...

There comes a moment in every personal chef’s journey when the goal quietly changes. At first, you just want clients.  Then you realize you want the right ones —the ones who recognize quality, talk about you, and don’t replace you. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan reflects on how the first signature service changes everything—from confidence and positioning to t...

 The Ideal Client Profile Worksheet Episode Every personal chef has that client—the one who looked perfect on paper but quietly drained the joy from the work. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan shares the clients they should’ve said no to, the ones who changed everything, and why you don’t need more clients—you need the right five. You’ll learn: Why bad clients do...

Missing salt doesn’t seem like a big deal — until it sends you to the grocery store three times in one cook day. In this episode of the Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie breaks down why pantry maintenance is one of the most overlooked professional habits in personal cheffing. From expired spices to empty oil bottles, you’ll learn how small pantry gaps cost time, energy, and focus — and how a...

Infused dining isn’t edgy, experimental, or about getting people high.  It’s about control, trust, and responsibility—and most chefs aren’t prepared for that. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast , Louie Montan breaks down what infused cuisine really demands from a professional chef, and why the chefs who succeed in this niche sound calmer—not louder—than everyone else. You’ll lea...