What to Look For When Hiring a Private Chef: Ingredients, Quality & Sustainability

Hiring a private chef is about more than finding someone who can cook well.

Whether you're looking for a chef for your home, a villa stay, a retreat or a few days of holiday cooking, there are a few things worth thinking about before you book.

1. Ask where they source their ingredients

You don't necessarily need a chef who buys everything locally or exclusively from small farms.

What matters more is whether they care about the quality and origin of what they're buying.

Ask where they source their fish, meat, vegetables and other main ingredients. A good chef should be able to tell you why they have chosen particular suppliers and products.

In Lisbon, there are some excellent markets, fishmongers, butchers and small producers, so it's worth asking how a chef makes use of what is available locally.

2. Look for a chef who cooks with the seasons

A seasonal menu doesn't have to mean complicated food.

Often, it means doing less and letting good ingredients do the work.

Ask whether the chef changes their menus throughout the year or tends to offer the same dishes regardless of the season.

This can make a noticeable difference to flavour, freshness and variety.

3. Think about how they approach healthy food

If you're looking for a healthy private chef, it's worth asking what that actually means to them.

For some people it might mean Mediterranean-style cooking, plenty of vegetables and whole foods. For others it could mean higher-protein meals, plant-based food, gluten-free cooking or simply meals that leave them feeling good rather than overly heavy.

There isn't one definition of healthy eating.

The important thing is whether the chef can understand your preferences and dietary requirements while still making food that you genuinely enjoy eating.

4. Ask about food waste

This is an easy one to overlook.

Ask what happens to unused ingredients and leftovers.

Does the chef plan portions carefully? Do they use ingredients across several dishes? Can vegetable trimmings, herbs and other parts of ingredients be put to good use?

A chef doesn't need to be perfect, but thoughtful planning can make a big difference.

5. Make sure they understand how you actually want to eat

A private chef isn't just cooking a menu for you. They're cooking for you.

Do you like simple breakfasts and bigger dinners? Do you want healthy meals ready when you arrive home? Are you travelling with children? Do you want lots of vegetables, local fish, Mediterranean flavours or mostly plant-based meals?

A good private chef should ask these questions before they start planning.

The best private chef experience isn't necessarily the one with the most elaborate menu.

It's the one where you feel that the food has been thought about properly - from the ingredients that were bought to the way the meals fit into your day.

If you're looking for a private chef in Lisbon, these are the things I'd suggest asking about before you book.