WELL now! July marked the end of my 15th year in business! (Though I’ve been celebrating all year.)

That whole “time flies” when you are running a business is very true!

For those who have known me in other careers, you’d be shocked to hear that this is the longest I’ve ever ‘held’ any one job! (Or maybe you wouldn’t be!)

Since leaving school, I have spent:

  • 3 years teaching elementary school children
  • 5 years typing and doing graphics
  • 7 years with a British firm, ultimately as VP of Administration
  • Many years of freelance event planning,
  • Several years working for a wonderful catering company and then…

Tailored Taste Personal Chef  Service was born!

Those numerous other jobs have helped me grow throughout my personal chef career and in looking back over the years I found fun numbers to share:

Here are the TOP 3 recipe requests from clients over the last 1 1/2 decades:

Chicken Schnitzel
Maple-Pepper Salmon
Turkey Burgers

That’s a whole lotta Schnitzel

I have made Schnitzel for ONE client (as of June 28, 2019) 98 times  –  yes 98!

For another client, 43 times and a third client 27 times…that’s 168 times not counting some other random schnitzels for clients and my own family.

Decades with amazing families

My current main roster of clients have been with me a LONG time:

12 years for a household every 3 weeks
9 years for a couple TWICE a week
9 years for a single gentleman monthly
8 years with another family every three weeks
7 years with a young growing family weekly
6 years running a volunteer Chef’s Club at a local elementary school with an average of 50+ kids (4th-8th graders) twice a month throughout each academic year

And then there are the recurring parties

15 years creating a holiday dinner for 5 long-time friends (known as The Bad Girls)

10 years cooking two nights’ dinners for a family reunion of 50 ish folks each Easter

7 years making festive holiday food for 50 special guests at a gentleman’s infamous annual Christmas party

6 years conjuring up brunch for an annual family holiday gathering

5 years supplementing the brisket for an extended family Passover meal

2 wedding brunches, 5 years apart, for 2 sisters

And even more heartfelt reasons to cook

I’ve cooked for clients recovering from cancer, hip replacements and knee replacements; those learning to eat a diabetic diet, learning to deal with IBS/Crohn’s disease, women dealing with difficult/high-risk pregnancies, and those recuperating from various diseases.

I have watched several people retire and some marry and start new families. I’ve witnessed children grow, puppies arrive and elderly dogs head over the rainbow bridge.

It may sound trite but I truly love my job and feel lucky to be able to have such wonderful clients in my life.

And THIS is why I started coaching students who aspire to become personal chefs!

I am so thankful, from the bottom of my heart to each and every client, opportunity and student for whom I’ve had the privilege and honor to create with!

Monica

P.S.  If you’re interested in becoming a personal chef or want the tips, tools and business know-how, add your name and email and I’ll drop some wisdom into your inbox a couple of times a month.