FAQ’s
Why should I hire a personal chef?
Aside from giving you time, one of the most important aspects of having a personal chef is health. If you buy frozen entrees in the supermarket or get take-out, you never know exactly what you are eating. If you need a dictionary to decipher what is in your food, you shouldn’t eat it. Healthy Inner Beauty cooks with only whole, fresh foods tailored to your specific needs.
What do I do first?
Contact Healthy Inner Beauty to set up an initial consultation. We do this in your home. It typically takes 45-60 minutes and we sit down and talk about your dietary needs, likes and dislikes. From there, we create a custom meal plan specifically for you.
How often will you come?
It all depends on you! You can choose weekly, bi-weekly, monthly service, or occasionally. Every client is different. We can set a schedule based upon your needs.
What do you charge?
I charge $60 per hour. I can give a clearer estimate of what my services will cost when we talk specifically about how much food you will want.
When are payments due?
Payment is due the day of visit. Cash & personal checks. If prefer to pay by PayPal, then the payment must be made the day before.
How do you work out payment for groceries?
There is an initial deposit for the first cook date. After that, all grocery fees are due after each cook date. A receipt will be left for you on the day of the service and you may either send me a check or pay by PayPal. All of this will be discussed during our initial consultation.
Why do you need to cook in my home?
Under California law, personal chefs must cook in their client’s home or have access to approved commercial facilities. But don’t worry, the only evidence that I have been there will be a spotless kitchen and the lingering smells of home cooking.
Should I be home when you are cooking?
It is best for me to come during the day while you are out or at work. It will allow me to fully focus on cooking and prevent any mishaps due to distractions, but if you work from home, we can discuss those details during the initial consultation.
How far will you travel?
I mostly work with clients, who live in the East Bay, but I’m not limited to this area, but traveling fees may apply and will be discussed in our initial consultation.
What kind of food can I expect?
I specialize in healthy, delicious vegan and raw food. I cook fish and chicken upon request. I use beans, tofu, tempeh, quinoa and other products for protein. I buy organic whenever possible. Whether you are a meat-eater or not, Healthy Inner Beauty’s goal is to help introduce more healthy options with a variety of vegetables into your daily meals.
How long will the meals last?
Typically meals last one week in the fridge and up to a month in the freezer for most dishes. It will be specified if it is shorter.
What type of containers do you use?
I prefer to use Pyrex container’s as there is less contaminant than plastic containers. On occasion I may use Food Saver bags or zip lock bags. It varies on how often the meals will be consumed and if in the freezer or fridge. And should you not have enough or appropriate containers, there will be a one-time fee to purchase some which will be yours to keep. Healthy Inner Beauty requests that they be washed and set out for us to use on each cook date.
What if you have food allergies/sensitivities?
Not a problem! Healthy Inner Beauty has you fill out a questionnaire before our Initial Consultation so I can understand what your food allergies/sensitivities are.
Do I have to have a fully stocked kitchen?
It is not necessary to have a huge or elaborate equipped kitchen, but Healthy Inner Beauty will examine your kitchen in the Initial Consultation to understand the cooking equipment you have. We will then make possible recommendations based on our assessment or bring the rest of the equipment. We do request that you have relatively clean and organized kitchen for us to be able to work efficiently. If you need help with this, feel free to book one of our Kitchen Makeover sessions.
Why not just order take-out?
Getting take-out or going out to eat can get costly and you don’t always know what is going into your food. Healthy Inner Beauty takes the time and love to prepare healthy and delicious meals based on what you like. Now you don’t have to worry about not knowing if the restaurant you are going to will have something you like or if they can accommodate your dietary needs. Using our service you will know 100% where your food is coming from as the produce is purchased fresh that day and made that day.
How is it affordable?
After our initial consultation, we will decide on a plan that is right for you and your wallet! You decide how often you would like Healthy Inner Beauty to come and where you would like us to do the grocery shopping. We save you time going to the grocery store, waiting in line, going home to prepare, dice, cook and clean-up, giving you more time for you and/or family. Just imagine finally having time to do what you want to do, opening your fridge full of ready-to-eat meals and all you have to do is heat them up.
Also, a federal study found that an average family of four throws away about 120 pounds of food each month. That food waste comes from ingredients that are half used or not used at all. Throwing away food is the same as throwing away money. When meals are prepared for you, there will never be wasted ingredients. Personal chefs are often more affordable than going out to eat every night, considering the additions of tax and tip onto the price of food.
What are some dishes that you’d make for me?
Take a look at Dish Ideas for some examples of the type of food that you can get from me. If you don’t see something on there or want to try something new feel free to ask and we can see what we can do.
Do you cater or teach?
We do not do catering at this time, but we do have cooking classes. Check out Cooking Classes & Other Chef Services for classes we offer.
