Personal Chef Services Market

Personal Chef Services Market Outlook (2023 to 2033)

The global personal chef services market is expected to be worth US$ 13 billion in 2023 and expand at a CAGR of 4.2% to reach a market valuation of US$ 19.65 billion by the end of 2033.

• According to the United States Personal Chef Association, it has been estimated that there are more than 5,000 personal chef services businesses operating in the United States.

The country accounts for more than one-fourth of the total personal chef services business in the world.

Global rise in the working population is expected to drive the demand for personal chef services.

• According to a study by the World Bank, the worldwide working population was 3.1 billion in 2020 and has increased by 4% and reached 3.3 billion in 2022.

Working professionals lack the time to prepare meals and find it difficult to maintain a balance between personal and professional life; therefore, many of them appoint personal chefs who perform the tasks of grocery shopping, meal preparation, and kitchen cleaning services.

Working professionals could easily eliminate the worry of meal planning, quality meal, and tailor-made food with the appointment of a personal chef. A personal chef caters to requirements regarding meals and takes care of the dietary habit of the client.

• Personal chef services are expected to see significant growth post-COVID. Several restaurants were shut down during the COVID pandemic, and chefs went to offer their personal chef services to clients and set up start-ups.
• In the medium term, the market is projected to rise with growing health concerns among people and increasing demand for customized food services.
• In the long run, the market is projected to rise with continuous growth in the working population and a substantial increase in small events and catering services worldwide.
• North America and Europe are expected to exhibit leading shares in the market. Together, these regions will account for more than 50% share of the global market.

Report Attributes	Details
Market Size (2022A)	US$ 12.5 Billion
Estimated Market Value (2023E)	US$ 13 Billion
Forecasted Market Value (2033F)	US$ 19.6 Billion
Global Market Growth Rate (2023 to 2033)	~4.2% CAGR
North America Market Share (2022)	~41%
East Asia Market Growth Rate (2023 to 2033)	~5.9% CAGR
United States Market Growth Rate (2023 to 2033)	~3.9% CAGR
Key Companies Profiled	West Personal Chef; COOKINGENIE; Hire A Chef; Tailored Chef; La Belle Assiette; At Your Table; Dineindulge; Your Private Chef Houston; Culinista; Gather and Forge; Down to Earth; Take a Chef; Mike Fishpen; Chefs for Seniors; Friend That Cooks; Mint Personal Chef; LL Chef Services; Zest Culinary Services; Chesapeake Chef; Chris LaVecchia; Enjoy Culinary Co.

Increasing Popularity of Personal Chefs for Special Events

Personal chef services have gained immense popularity from catering events, where these professionals offer food equivalent to restaurant quality without the restaurant experience. Instead of worrying about groceries and the menu, hiring a personal chef provides convenience and comfort to the customer by taking care of customized meals, grocery buying, and others. Also, hiring a personal chef is a cost-efficient approach where an event could be concluded within a determined budget rather than dining outside.

Additionally, professional personal chefs can meet the demands of guests with dietary restrictions; they can either use ingredient substitutes or offer appropriate menu options to meet their vivid dietary needs. Owing to these benefits, the demand for personal chef services is rising in special events.

Growing Demand for Customized Meals

Increasing customer desire for self-expression and control has led to the demand for customized food & beverage solutions. People are preferring meals as per their tastes and likes or dislikes.

People going vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian are clear about their preferences related to food consumption. Customizing their meals according to the diseases such as allergies, obesity, and others can be done. In such a scenario, personal chef demand is growing for customized meals as per the preference of customers. Personal chefs can purchase groceries and ingredients that are preferred by their clients to meet their dietary needs.

Additionally, personal chefs choose vegetables and ingredients that ensure the clients' quality standards regarding their health and preferences. With the increase in demand for customized meals worldwide, the demand for personal chef services is expected to rise at a significant growth rate as well.

High Cost of Hiring Personal Chefs

Hiring a personal chef is costlier than cooking at home or eating at a restaurant. A personal chef independently provides various services regarding meal planning, purchase of groceries, cooking food, and cleaning the kitchen. Along with all these services, customers have to bear the additional cost of groceries, vegetables, and other ingredients.

The rate of personal chef services is dependent on the amount of food the chef makes for the customer each day, food requirements, and special orders that they take from the customers. All these services result in an excessive cost to the customer, which is a challenge for market expansion.

Image depicts market share analysis of personal chef services based on application and region. Total addressable market value in 2023 is expected to be US$ 13 billion.

Country-wise Insights

United States to Lead North American Market

The United States is a mature personal chef services market, accounting for a significant number of personal chef service providers in the country.

As per the Personal Chef Association, it has been estimated that there are 5,000 to 6,000 personal chefs working in the country.

The personal chef services market has expanded significantly post-2020 with the adverse effects of the pandemic on restaurants. This has pushed more out-of-work chefs to start their businesses and offer personal chef services. Rather than choosing restaurants to visit during COVID-19, people chose to appoint personal chefs who made restaurant-like food.

Additionally, an increase in health concerns among people along with rising cases of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes has stimulated the need for customized meals. This factor has fuelled the demand for personal chef service providers to fulfill the customized dietary needs of customers in the country.

Demand for Personal Chef Services to Grow Fastest in China

The Chinese market for personal chef services is expected to grow at the highest CAGR over the coming period. Factors such as increasing catering services, rising working population, and growing demand for customized meals are driving market growth.

China has a high number of working individuals and they have longer working hours, which results in a lack of appropriate time for these people to cook food. This factor is creating a high demand for personal chef services in the country, where professional chefs offer services regarding meal preparation, grocery purchasing, and customized meal preparation to individuals. Also, a high number of small events and parties without the worry of meal preparation is driving the demand for personal chef services across the country.

Additionally, with growing health concerns, the demand for personalized meals and nutritional diets is rising among people. Owing to this factor, personal chefs will enjoy high hiring in the country during the forecast period.

Category-wise Insights

Meal Preparation Accounts for Highest Revenue Generation

Meal preparation is a major service offered by private chefs. They look after the preference and likes or dislikes related to the meals of customers and prepare them accordingly. Professional chefs cater to dietary restrictions easily and choose ingredient substitutes or make changes in the menu to prepare meals liked by the customer.

With increasing parties and small events within homes, personal chef services have observed significant growth in the preparation of special dishes and the creation of unique seasonal appetizers. Owing to all these factors, among the service types, meal preparation is expected to hold a leading market share.

Demand for Individual Meal Services to Be High

Personal chefs are seeing huge demand from people regarding the preparation of individual meals. People express their individuality through the consumption of food they like. People prefer meals according to their interests to enjoy every meal they consume. Owing to this, the demand for personal chefs is expected to see significant growth in the preparation of individual meals.

With the increasingly busy lifestyle of the working population and bachelors, it is difficult for them to prepare food on their own, which escalates the demand for personal chefs that prepare meals as per the interest of the client.

Also, the appointment of personal chefs for individual meals is rising with the growing need for customized and tailored-made meals from individuals related to their health and dietary preferences. As a result, personal chef services are exceptionally high for individual clients.

Competitive Landscape

Key personal chef service providers are West Personal Chef, COOKINGENIE, Hire A Chef, Tailored Chef, La Belle Assiette, At Your Table, Dineindulge, Your Private Chef Houston, Culinista, Gather and Forge, Down to Earth, Take a Chef, Mike Fishpen, Chefs for Seniors, Friend That Cooks, Mint Personal Chef, LL Chef Services, Zest Culinary Services, Chesapeake Chef, Chris LaVecchia, and Enjoy Culinary Co.

The market is competitive with the presence of various small and big market players. Several players are opting for strategies such as service launches and expansion to drive their presence and enhance their consumer base in various regions.

For instance,

• In June 2022, Gather, a private chef and catering platform, expanded to Los Angeles, the United States, after being a big hit in Australia. The expansion includes the introduction of platforms where private chefs register themselves and make it easier for people to find and book them.

Fact.MR has provided detailed information about the providers of personal chef services positioned across regions, revenue growth, and service offering expansion, in the recently published report.

Segmentation of Personal Chef Services Industry Research

• By Service Type:

  • Meal Preparation
  • Customized Menu Planning
  • Grocery Shopping Services

• By Application:

  • Individual Meal
  • Family Meal
  • Catered Events

• By Region:

  • North America
  • Latin America
  • Europe
  • East Asia
  • South Asia & Oceania
  • Middle East & Africa