A private cook can wear many different hats. There are many things a cook can do; the responsibilities may include meal planning, shopping for ingredients, cooking, and even cleaning up after the meals are made. There are times when private cooks manage a team of cooks during special occasions. This profession requires more than excellent cooking skills; a cook must also make sure he or she knows a little bit about nutrition because there are times when a client needs to follow certain dietary guidelines.

Private cooks work closely together with clients. They have to take into consideration the clients' preferences when crafting a meal plan. It is important to follow these instructions carefully to ensure client satisfaction. A private cook has to be ready to do everything necessary to get meal preparation right. Only the exact ingredients must be used in all meal plans. That means if a client prefers a certain kind of cheese or nut, the cook must use that. Even if it means he or she has to drive around town for hours, searching for the store where that ingredient is available. Precision and accuracy is important.

Compared to professional chefs, private cooks enjoy more flexible work schedules. Since families employ them, private cooks need to be at the clients' homes most of the time to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In most cases, breakfast is prepared the night before as many cooks are not required to be at the house early. Some families are also more likely to skip breakfast and opt for cereals or freshly baked bread, which can be delivered to the home.

Some cooks may work for more than 10 hours a day, depending on the needs of the family. However, there are also times when a cook can clock in only a few hours or not work for several days at times when a family is on vacation.

One has to get formal training to become a private cook. Some people may take a vocational course or get a culinary degree from a university straight out of high school. But it's not uncommon to see some people switch careers and take up culinary courses.

Aspiring personal cooks need to have organizational and people skills to do well in their line of work. Meal planning will need a lot of focus and proper organizational skills to avoid making a mistake. Some clients may need to stick to a very specific diet, and their private chef has to make sure to stick to it.

Without the right organizational skills, a personal cook cannot prepare meals on time. That is not going to sit well with clients. It is also important that aspiring cooks know how to behave around people. Even though they are treated like part of the family, they still have to observe the right etiquette especially at times when prominent guests are invited to the house.

In the United States, the American Personal & Private Chef Association (APPCA) is the biggest trade association that helps individuals set up and operate this kind of business. In England, the North East Culinary Trade Association (NECTA) helps provide skills and opportunities to chefs, food producers, and cooks.

The following are some of the top culinary schools in the world:

• Grand Rapids Community College (USA)

• Le Cordon Bleu (France)

• International Centre for Culinary Arts (Dubai)

• Johnson & Wales University (USA)

• Hong Kong Culinary Academy (Hong Kong)

• The Culinary Institute of America (USA)

• The French Culinary Institute (USA)

• Culinary Academy of India (India)

• Hattori Nutrition College (Japan)

• Keiser University Centre for Culinary Arts (USA, Australia)

Private cooks usually work in their clients' homes. It is uncommon for cooks to prepare meals at their own homes because specific laws prohibit this to avoid food poisoning and other issues with food preparation. Personal cooks can also rent a kitchen to prepare dishes and then just deliver them to the client's home.

Because food preparation takes a lot of time, private cooks may spend many hours in the client's home. That means working more than 12 hours is not uncommon. Though some families treat their cooks no differently than a family member, they still have to maintain a little distance and not overstep some boundaries. It is very uncommon for private cooks to dine together with the family.

Private cooks have different rates. The pay depends on experience, employer, and the place. Take note that there are some cooks who may get paid less. But with a certification, enough experience, and the right employer, the salary will be higher.

Most cooks in the U.S. and countries like Australia can charge between $25 and $50 per hour. A lot of cooks prefer to charge hourly since this is the most effective way to price their services. There are some private cooks who charge per serving. The going rate for this is between $10 and $18 per serving.