Become A Personal Chef

Become A Personal Chef

 The personal chef life is wild, profitable, meaningful — and absolutely not for the faint of heart. Join Louie as he spills the truth about clients, confidence, pricing, lifestyle, and everything they never taught you in culinary school. Come for the stories… stay for the transformation. 

  1. 4d ago

    40 - What You Should Know Now — Wrapping Up the First 40

    If you’re listening to this episode, you didn’t just find the show — you stayed. This milestone episode closes out the first 40 conversations of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast by zooming out and reflecting on what this journey has really been about. Not tactics. Not hacks. But identity. Across these episodes, we talked about calm as a professional skill, boundaries as respect, systems as relief, and the quiet intimacy of working in someone else’s home. On the surface, it sounded like business advice. Underneath, it was about becoming the kind of personal chef who lasts. In this episode, Louie reflects on the patterns that emerge after experience starts to settle in — less chaos, more clarity, stronger instincts, and a shift from reacting to leading. It’s about recognizing growth you may already feel, even if you haven’t named it yet. This is not a “how-to” episode.  It’s a pause.  A checkpoint.  A reminder that sustainable success comes from doing the right things — calmly, consistently, and with intention. If you’ve been listening along, this episode is for you. Take a breath.  You’re doing better than you think. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a...

    40 - What You Should Know Now — Wrapping Up the First 40
  2. Aug 10

    39 - Get It in Writing — Why ‘Nice’ Was Costing Us Money

    There’s a phase almost every personal chef goes through. I call it the nice phase. You’re flexible.  You’re accommodating.  You don’t want to scare anyone away. So you say things like:  “I’ll just figure it out.”  “Don’t worry about it.”  “We’ll play it by ear.” And slowly… quietly…  that niceness starts costing you. Payments drift.  Schedule changes become casual.  Groceries get fuzzy.  And you start hearing: “Oh, I didn’t realize that wasn’t included.” Here’s the truth we learned the hard way. We didn’t have bad clients.  We had unclear expectations. And clarity doesn’t make clients uncomfortable.  Ambiguity does. This is Louie, behind the scenes. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a...

    39 - Get It in Writing — Why ‘Nice’ Was Costing Us Money
  3. Aug 3

    38 - What No One Tells You About Being in Someone Else’s Kitchen

    No one tells you this when you become a personal chef:  the job isn’t just about food. It’s about stepping into other people’s lives—their routines, pets, habits, surprises, and most meaningful moments—and doing your work with grace. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan shares real stories from inside client homes that reveal what personal cheffing actually feels like: the intimacy, the humor, the trust, and the quiet responsibility of being a professional guest in someone else’s space. You’ll hear about: The moments that remind you you’re not “back of house” anymoreHow pets, guests, and households become part of the jobWhy personal cheffing is more intimate than anyone admitsHow professionalism shows up in small, unseen waysWhat it really means to be trusted in someone’s homeThis episode is for chefs who’ve ever laughed, paused, adapted, or felt the weight of being invited into someone’s life. Because personal cheffing isn’t just cooking.  It’s presence.  And it deserves care. 🎧 Listen in—and recognize yourself in the stories. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a...

    38 - What No One Tells You About Being in Someone Else’s Kitchen
  4. Jul 27

    37 - The Sunday Night Panic That Shouldn’t Exist

    That Sunday night anxiety?  The half-written menus, scattered notes, and feeling like you’re already behind? That’s not creativity struggling.  It’s structure missing. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan breaks down why weekly meal planning isn’t busywork—it’s a professional skill that protects your time, your energy, and your sanity. You’ll learn: Why “winging it” creates anxiety before the week even startsHow structure makes clients feel calm and taken care ofWhy fewer, clearer choices speed up approvalsHow templates eliminate endless revisions and late-night textsWhy planning systems are the backbone of sustainable growthThis episode is for chefs who love cooking—but are tired of Sundays feeling like a countdown to chaos. Because planning isn’t restrictive.  It’s freeing. 🎧 Listen in—and end the Sunday night panic for good. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a...

    37 - The Sunday Night Panic That Shouldn’t Exist
  5. Jul 13

    36 - Why Japanese Cuisine Changes the Trajectory of a Personal Chef Business

    What if one service could instantly change how clients perceive you — without louder marketing, more hustle, or explaining your worth? In this episode, Louie Montan unpacks why Japanese cuisine experiences act as a silent authority signal in the personal chef world. From omakase-style dinners to seasonal, ritual-driven service formats, this episode explores how restraint, precision, and intention create trust — and why trust closes sales faster than persuasion ever could. This conversation is less about food and more about identity, confidence, and positioning, and it pairs directly with Louie’s book Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Japanese Cuisine Experiences. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing great work but still getting compared on price, this episode will show you exactly what’s missing — and how to fix it. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a...

    36 - Why Japanese Cuisine Changes the Trajectory of a Personal Chef Business
  6. Jul 6

    35 - Your Knife Bag Is NOT Enough — Why Professional Tools Make or Break Your Cook Day

    Every personal chef remembers the moment they open a drawer and think,  “Oh no.” In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan breaks down why relying on client kitchens is one of the fastest ways to lose time, confidence, and control—and why professional chefs don’t hope the right tools are there. They bring them. You’ll learn: Why beautiful kitchens are often the least usableHow bad equipment quietly sabotages timing and food qualityWhy clients are impressed—not offended—when you bring your own toolsHow planning tools backward from the menu changes everythingWhy equipment isn’t an expense—it’s insuranceThis episode is for chefs who are done improvising with warped pans, dull knives, and mystery spatulas—and ready to work like the professional they already are. Because hope is not a strategy.  Preparation is. 🎧 Listen in—and stop gambling with your cook day. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a...

    35 - Your Knife Bag Is NOT Enough — Why Professional Tools Make or Break Your Cook Day
  7. Jun 29

    34 - The One Service That Quietly Turns Personal Chefs Into the Obvious Choice

    There is one service that quietly changes how clients see personal chefs — and it has nothing to do with trends, politics, or food labels. In this episode of the Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan breaks down why vegan cuisine functions as a business accelerator, not a dietary stance. When positioned correctly, plant-based services create instant clarity, deeper trust, stronger referrals, and higher perceived value — without chefs needing to change their identity or values. This episode explains why: Vegan and plant-based clients are no longer niche — they’re a loyal, referral-driven marketMastering plant-based cuisine shifts you from being compared to being chosenTechnique, restraint, and intention build more authority than indulgencePricing mastery beats pricing ingredients every timeThis niche naturally filters clients and strengthens your systemsLouie shares direct insights from his work with personal chefs and explains why vegan cuisine forces better communication, cleaner processes, and stronger professional boundaries — the very things most chefs struggle to build. This is not an episode about ideology.  It’s about positioning, trust, and building a business that lasts. 👉 Learn more at BecomeAPersonalChef.com 👉 Already a personal chef? Get listed on PersonalChefFinder.com 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a...

    34 - The One Service That Quietly Turns Personal Chefs Into the Obvious Choice
  8. Jun 22

    33 - Cooking Blindfolded? No Thanks — Why Allergies & Intolerances Can Make or Break Your Business

    Here’s an uncomfortable truth:  clients don’t always understand their own allergies—and that gap becomes your responsibility. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan breaks down why allergies and intolerances are one of the most dangerous blind spots in personal cheffing, and how guessing—even with good intentions—can end a business overnight. You’ll learn: Why clients often give incomplete or misleading allergy infoThe critical difference between allergies, sensitivities, and preferencesHow calm, detailed questions build trust—not discomfortWhy documentation protects you legally and professionallyWhy one bad allergy incident doesn’t slow a business—it ends itThis episode is for chefs who want to cook with confidence, protect their reputation, and never gamble with client safety. Because guessing isn’t a culinary technique.  It’s a liability. 🎧 Listen in—and stop cooking blindfolded. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a...

    33 - Cooking Blindfolded? No Thanks — Why Allergies & Intolerances Can Make or Break Your Business

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About

 The personal chef life is wild, profitable, meaningful — and absolutely not for the faint of heart. Join Louie as he spills the truth about clients, confidence, pricing, lifestyle, and everything they never taught you in culinary school. Come for the stories… stay for the transformation.