Personal chefs plan and prepare a set number of meals for a number of clients based on their likes and needs. Some personal chefs prepare food in the client's home while others cook in their own kitchens and bring the food to their clients. The meals can then be refrigerated or frozen to be used later whenever the client wants.

Private chef services on the other hand prepare meals on a daily basis for an individual family. The number of personal chef services in America has grown in recent years. The personal chef industry has seen significant growth since its inception in 1988.

A recent study showed that over 90,000 consumers across the country used personal chefs in 2005. There are 5,000 personal chef businesses in North America, a number that has been growing by about 200 every year.

Most personal chef services arise where there is a need. The need usually coincides with busy professionals. There are a growing number of two-income families who want ways to eat healthier fare than fast food but need it to be affordable as well. Using a personal chef service is comparable to eating in a nice quality restaurant in terms of the cost and the quality of the meals.

The average cost of twenty plates of food prepared by a personal chef is between $300 and $400. Much of this cost depends on what individual clients ask the chef to prepare, however.

Being a personal chef is a good career for people who have a passion for good food and love serving others and making people happy with food.