HOW TO HIRE · PERSONAL & LIFESTYLE · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a private chef in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A private chef in Ireland costs €50–€150 per head, typically around €90. 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 private chef in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers private chef work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — event Catering — for special occasions, private chefs can cater events, providing a customised menu that suits the theme and number of guests.
- How does chef's experience change the price?A senior person finishes in less time than a junior one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the menu change the price?Providers quote this separately because it varies so much. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does number of guests change the price?Each one still has to be done properly, however many there are. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Meal Preparation — private chefs typically handle the entire meal preparation process, from planning the menu to cooking and plating — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a private 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 private chef work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — event Catering — for special occasions, private chefs can cater events, providing a customised menu that suits the theme and number of guests.
A good answer: A senior person finishes in less time than a junior one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Providers quote this separately because it varies so much. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Each one still has to be done properly, however many there are. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Meal Preparation — private chefs typically handle the entire meal preparation process, from planning the menu to cooking and plating — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a private 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 — family Meal Planning — developing a weekly meal plan and preparing nutritious meals for busy families.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the private chef starts, and an itemised invoice after — special Dietary Cooking — focusing on meals that cater to specific dietary restrictions such as vegan, gluten-free, or allergen-free diets.
Getting the quote right
- Chef's experience — a senior person finishes in less time than a junior one.
- Complexity of the menu — providers quote this separately because it varies so much.
- Number of guests — each one still has to be done properly, however many there are.
- Quality of ingredients used — consumables add up quietly across a long job.
- 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 — a senior person finishes in less time than a junior one
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the menu — providers quote this separately because it varies so much
- They will not talk about it: number of guests — each one still has to be done properly, however many there are
- A price for the private 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 private chef has begun
What a private chef costs: €50–€150 per head
The figures are for the job, per head, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Event catering and Meal prep each carry their own band. Private 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
Private 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 — a senior person finishes in less time than a junior one — that is what the private chef is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the menu — providers quote this separately because it varies so much — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfNumber of guests — each one still has to be done properly, however many there are — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherQuality of ingredients used — consumables add up quietly across a long job — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the private chef is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, travel distance — being far from the main towns narrows the choice and lifts the price.
- Meal Preparation
- Private chefs typically handle the entire meal preparation process, from planning the menu to cooking and plating.
- Event Catering
- For special occasions, private chefs can cater events, providing a customised menu that suits the theme and number of guests.
- Dinner Parties
- Creating a multi-course meal for you and your guests, complete with table service and a curated menu.
- Cooking Classes
- An interactive experience where the chef teaches you how to prepare specific dishes or cuisines.
- Special Dietary Cooking
- Focusing on meals that cater to specific dietary restrictions such as vegan, gluten-free, or allergen-free diets.
- Family Meal Planning
- Developing a weekly meal plan and preparing nutritious meals for busy families.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a private chef: questions people ask
The cost of hiring a private chef can vary based on several factors, including the chef's experience, the complexity of the menu, and the number of guests. Additional services like grocery shopping and clean-up can also impact the overall price.
The duration of a private chef's service can vary widely depending on the meal type and guest count. For a multi-course dinner, a chef may be on-site for 3-6 hours, including preparation, cooking, and clean-up.
Private chefs generally focus on meal preparation and may not handle tasks like event planning, serving staff, or extensive kitchen repairs. It's important to clarify the scope of services when booking to avoid misunderstandings.
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.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
Two or three, each for the same written scope. Quotes for different scopes are not comparable, which is how the cheapest one wins and then grows.
MORE GUIDES