*What to Bring to a Meal Prep Session as a Personal Chef (Checklist)
Personal chefs bring a small set of essential tools to every meal prep session, including knives, utensils, and dishtowels. This allows you to work efficiently without relying on the client’s kitchen. Most personal chefs develop a simple, consistent equipment box they bring to every appointment.
This personal chef checklist covers what to bring to a meal prep session so you can work efficiently in any kitchen.
I'm often surprised at items that some client kitchens don’t have like a cheese grater, citrus press, or liquid measuring cup. For this reason, I bring along a small box of kitchen gear, but it wasn’t always like this.
When I first started, I would pack specifically for the client’s kitchen I was visiting. If I knew the house didn’t have a good non-stick skillet, I would bring that, my favorite cooking spoon, and of course knives.
As my clientele built up and for ease of packing each morning, I now have a basic checklist of kitchen gear that fits into a small plastic bin brought to every appointment.
Personal Chef Checklist: What to Bring to a Meal Prep Session
Over time, I stopped customizing what I bring for each client and created a simple, repeatable setup.
Here’s what I keep in my everyday box:
- Chef’s knife
- Paring knife
- Cooking spoon or spatula
- Citrus press
- Cheese grater
- Liquid measuring cup
- Dishtowels (usually one to two per hour I’ll be there)
You can see everything I keep in my everyday box here →
Why Personal Chefs Bring Their Own Equipment
Even in well-equipped kitchens, tools may be hard to find, poor quality, or not what you are used to using.
Bringing your own basics saves time and keeps your workflow consistent from client to client.
There is much discussion about knives out there. Everyone has a different style, but I’m a minimalist and use my basic chef’s knife for everything plus a small paring knife for cutting small items such as deveining shrimp.
The goal is not to bring everything. The goal is to bring what allows you to work efficiently without relying on the client’s kitchen.
Why I Always Bring My Own Dishtowels
I also always bring my own stack of dishtowels, usually one to two for each hour I’ll be there.
This way when I leave, the trash has been taken out and the client does not have dirty dishtowels, so there is nothing for them to clean up, just reheat dinner and serve.
The goal is to make things easier for the client.
Should Personal Chefs Bring Their Own Cookware?
Most personal chefs do not need to bring cookware.
I've found that the majority of kitchens are well equipped with barely used pots and pans.
Occasionally I will come across poor quality “college pans” as I call them. You know, the kind that burns everything cooked in them except water.
For these homes, I may bring along a couple skillets, but most of the time I make due with what's on hand.
When to Bring Your Own Cookware
- When pans burn food easily
- When heat is inconsistent
- When cooking quality slows you down
Obviously this is just what I do and you of course will do what works for you. That's the cool thing about running your own business. You get to do what you think is best for your clients and your business model.
Keep Your Setup Consistent
As your business grows, packing differently for every client becomes inefficient.
A small, consistent equipment box saves time each morning and keeps your workflow smooth from one home to the next.
If you are still figuring out how your services work, read this next: What Does a Personal Chef Do
FAQ
What should a personal chef bring to a client’s house?
Personal chefs typically bring knives, utensils, measuring tools, and dishtowels so they can work efficiently without relying on the client’s kitchen.
Do personal chefs bring their own equipment?
Yes. Most personal chefs bring a small set of essential tools to stay consistent and efficient across different kitchens.
Do personal chefs bring cookware?
Usually no. Most kitchens have usable cookware, but some chefs bring a pan or two if needed.
How many dishtowels should a personal chef bring?
Plan for one to two dishtowels per hour so you can clean as you go and leave the kitchen in excellent condition.
If you want to skip the trial and error, check out my Meal Prep Kitchen Equipment box here →
If you want to run your business efficiently from the start, join the full program here →
Resources
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All-Inclusive Program
PERSONAL CHEF
BUSINESS PROGRAM
All-Inclusive Program
BUSINESS PROGRAM
Go from "I don't know where to begin" to running a profitable personal chef business so you have control over your own hours and income.
Modules Included:
1 - Define Your Competitive Advantage
2 - Determine Pricing
3 - Meal Prep 101
4 - Dinner Party 101
5 - Become Legal & Insured
6 - Create a Lead Generating Website
7 - Craft a Marketing Plan
8 - Test Various Marketing Strategies
9 - Bookkeeping
10 - Social Media
Personal Chef Mentor
Virginia Stockwell
Virginia Stockwell is a personal chef business mentor from California, now living in Austin, TX. She's had careers as a chiropractor and Realtor, then finally found her calling as a personal chef. Starting in catering in 2005, she began her personal chef business in 2012, quickly growing to a waiting list of clients thanks to her local marketing expertise. She now empowers home cooks and professional chefs to start their own meal prep and dinner party businesses, creating a life of hours and income they control. She lives the life of a minimalist both personally and professionally, reads cookbooks like novels, and is locally famous for her taco and margarita parties (check out "A Taco Walks into a Bar" on Amazon).
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