HOW TO HIRE · PERSONAL & LIFESTYLE · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a personal chef in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A personal chef in Ireland costs €150–€600 per day, typically around €300. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a personal chef in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers personal chef work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — clean-Up Services — after cooking, personal chefs typically handle the clean-up, leaving your kitchen spotless.
- How does chef's experience change the price?Experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the menu change the price?It changes both what is used and how long it takes. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of the service change the price?The first hour costs more than the ones after it. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Cooking and Preparation — the chef cooks meals in your home, often using your kitchen equipment — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a personal chef job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES to chefs, stylists, organisers, errand runners or concierges. You are buying somebody's time, taste and access to your home, so the checks are about trust and what is written down rather than about law.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Whether they are a trader — a business name and an invoice, not a favour with money attached; Public liability insurance, and who the insurer is; For anyone in your home unaccompanied, references you actually telephone; For food, whether they hold food-safety training and where the food is prepared; Exactly what the hours cover and what counts as extra; Keys and access in writing: who holds what, and how it comes back.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect public liability; for food work, ask about product liability too. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers personal chef work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — clean-Up Services — after cooking, personal chefs typically handle the clean-up, leaving your kitchen spotless.
A good answer: Experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: It changes both what is used and how long it takes. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The first hour costs more than the ones after it. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Cooking and Preparation — the chef cooks meals in your home, often using your kitchen equipment — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a personal chef job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability; for food work, ask about product liability too — grocery Shopping — many personal chefs include grocery shopping in their services, sourcing fresh and high-quality ingredients.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the personal chef starts, and an itemised invoice after — cooking Classes — some personal chefs offer interactive cooking classes, teaching you how to prepare meals in a fun, hands-on environment.
Getting the quote right
- Chef's experience — experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish.
- Complexity of the menu — it changes both what is used and how long it takes.
- Duration of the service — the first hour costs more than the ones after it.
- Number of meals prepared — a bigger group takes longer to work through.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: chef's experience — experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the menu — it changes both what is used and how long it takes
- They will not talk about it: duration of the service — the first hour costs more than the ones after it
- A price for the personal chef before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the personal chef has begun
What a personal chef costs: €150–€600 per day
The figures are for the job, per day, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Meal prep and Event catering each carry their own band. Personal Chef price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Personal chefs near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstChef's experience — experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish — that is what the personal chef is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the menu — it changes both what is used and how long it takes — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfDuration of the service — the first hour costs more than the ones after it — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherNumber of meals prepared — a bigger group takes longer to work through — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the personal chef is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, any special dietary requirements — it moves the price in both directions depending on the job.
- Grocery Shopping
- Many personal chefs include grocery shopping in their services, sourcing fresh and high-quality ingredients.
- Cooking and Preparation
- The chef cooks meals in your home, often using your kitchen equipment.
- Clean-Up Services
- After cooking, personal chefs typically handle the clean-up, leaving your kitchen spotless.
- Meal Prep
- This involves preparing multiple meals in advance, allowing you to enjoy home-cooked dishes throughout the week.
- Special Occasion Dinners
- This includes creating a unique dining experience for celebrations, complete with custom menus and presentation.
- Dietary-specific Cooking
- Specialised meal preparation that adheres to specific dietary needs, such as keto, paleo, or allergen-free cooking.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a personal chef: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the chef's experience, the complexity of the menu, and the duration of the service. Additional factors include travel distance and special dietary requirements.
The duration of service can vary, but most personal chefs stay for about 2-4 hours for meal preparation and clean-up. For larger events, they may be on-site for the entire event duration.
Generally, a personal chef does not require specific qualifications unless they are preparing meals that require specialised skills, such as catering for food allergies. Most chefs have culinary training or extensive experience.
Many personal chefs require advance notice to prepare for your menu and grocery shopping. However, some may offer emergency or same-day services, depending on their availability.
Yes, many personal chefs offer additional services, such as meal prep for the week or cooking classes. Discuss your needs during the booking process to see what packages they offer.
Personal chefs usually do not handle tasks like grocery delivery or structural kitchen modifications. They focus on meal preparation and related services within the kitchen.
MORE GUIDES