Q&A: Hiring a Michelin-trained chef for a private home
Should you add a Michelin-trained chef to your household staff? Gradito Co-Founder Sean Kommer shares his advice.
When you’re hiring a private chef, is it better to hire someone with a background in Michelin-star restaurants, or years of experience working in private service?
In this Q&A, we asked seasoned chef and Gradito Co-Founder Sean Kommer to share his opinion. Sean has worked in some of the world’s best restaurants, including Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Las Vegas, Disfrutar in Barcelona, and Quique Dacosta in Denia, Spain. Today, with his company Gradito, he helps private clients find Michelin-trained chefs for in-home events and longer-term placements. Below, he shares his take on when Michelin-star experience can be the right fit, and how to set chefs up for success in a new environment.
How does Michelin experience or Michelin training benefit the household and their principals?
Michelin-trained chefs are accustomed to consistently meeting high standards for food quality, presentation, and service. This translates very well to household work. Principals who enjoy variety can benefit from culinary innovation, creativity, and unique dishes from chefs who have built the muscle to look at ingredients differently. Adding a Michelin-trained chef to a property can also increase its luxury appeal and value, particularly for high-end homes and estates.
When should a household consider taking a risk on a great candidate with limited household experience?
When the chemistry is there. If the principals and the chef get along and understand each other — and they love the food — everything else will fall into place. Chefs who work in Michelin-star kitchens must learn quickly, and so long as the household staff is willing to teach the household ways, if the chef has a great attitude, the candidate is bound to succeed. Strong recommendations from previous employers should also support this.
What are the challenges for a chef working in a private household environment for the first time?
Personalization. Unlike restaurants, where chefs create menus for themselves, within the lens of the restaurant concept, private chefs in a household must tailor meals to the principals’ and family members’ specific preferences and dietary requirements. Private work is all about the client, and the chef’s success depends on their ability to adapt to those ever-changing preferences.
Also, Boundaries. Understanding and respecting household boundaries, including knowing when to engage and when to give the family space, is critical.
Finally, Flexibility. Chefs must be open to direct feedback and adapt their cooking styles and menus accordingly. Saying ‘Yes’ is the fast track to your principal’s good books.
What can estate managers and other leaders in the household do to help the chef get acclimated and set them up for success?
Establish clear guidelines and expectations for meal preferences, dietary restrictions, and service levels. Nines does a great job with the standardization element of these unique household guidelines.
Candidates should also be provided a thorough orientation that introduces the chef to the household’s routines, preferences, and other employees. Feedback sessions are also important to discuss performance, resolve issues, and provide support. Team-building activities work well here as well.
The chef must have access to high-quality ingredients, equipment, and other resources to carry out their duties successfully.
Any other tools or advice for estate managers or households hiring chefs?
Specialized recruitment agencies for private chefs like Gradito assess the needs of principals and match them with Michelin-trained chefs experienced with in-home dynamics. We present candidates with verified backgrounds and relevant experience based on the household’s unique requirements.
Standardized interview checklists are a great way to assess whether or not the candidate can fit within a household’s culture. Create a list of questions to assess the chef’s experience and suitability for the household’s needs.
Trial periods are essential. Consider scheduling a trial period during which the chef can prepare meals for the family for more than a couple of dinner parties and family dinners to see if the family really gels with the chef. This hands-on test can be extremely insightful.
Contact previous employers to understand the chef’s performance, dependability, and personality. Conduct a thorough background investigation to ensure the chef’s credibility and trustworthiness.
Finally, clear expectations should be drafted via a contract.