Guide to Hiring a Private Chef For Christmas Day in the UK

The task begins by figuring out where to start searching. You will have to navigate through multiple platforms, checking availability and ensuring that the chef’s skills match your needs and requirements. Often, this process involves juggling various communication channels like emails, phone calls, or even WhatsApp messages, with no guarantee that the selected chef will be available.

A more efficient approach is to use dedicated platforms that simplify this process. For example, yhangry offers a streamlined solution that connects you with caterers in your area for better convenience and a more personalised experience.

Here is a step-by-step process to find and hire a chef for Christmas Day.

The first step in hiring a private chef is to establish your budget. Having a clear budget in mind will streamline your decision-making and help you efficiently decide the type of food, the number of courses, and any additional services you may want, such as wine pairing or a dessert station.

It is crucial to keep in mind that Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for private chefs, and they often command a premium for their services during this period. The rates during the holiday season are much higher than the average private chef’s cost per day in the UK. 

This is primarily because they are required to work during a national holiday, which comes at the expense of their own personal celebrations. Additionally, private chefs during Christmas often handle more complex and luxurious menus, which require extra time, skill, and effort to execute perfectly​. 

Keeping this in mind, yhangry has set a minimum total spend of £1500 for Christmas Day this year. If you desire to continue your festivities on New Year’s Eve, the minimum spend for that day is set at £500.

It is crucial to begin your search as early as possible, as private chefs are in high demand on Christmas Day. With restaurants and hotels bustling with holiday celebrations, they often need additional staff and turn to private chefs for help. 

This increases the private chef’s Christmas day cost even more. As such, finding a private chef during December can be a challenge. It is best to finalise your booking by the end of October to access the best options.

Start by exploring websites dedicated to private chef services, chef profiles on Facebook or Instagram, and freelance platforms.

A convenient way would be to book with yhangry, where you can just log on to their booking page, enter your location and date, and choose Christmas as the cuisine.

https://yhangry.com/booking/chefs

This will narrow it down to chefs available on Christmas Day in your location.

You can check each chef’s profile and ratings, reviews, and other details before messaging the most suitable ones about your requirements.

Communicate very clearly what your expectations are regarding the menu. Whether you want a simple meal or something customised to your family’s traditions, a private chef allows you to tailor everything to your needs. This is also where you will clarify all dietary requirements, such as gluten-free, vegan or any allergies. 

Christmas dinners are usually served family-style, with dishes passed around the table, but if you prefer something more refined, you can opt for a plated meal with full table service. Communicate this to the chef when sending your request so they can take your preferences into account in their menu and pricing. 

Discuss the dining style, including the number of courses, presentation, and the level of engagement you expect from the chef. This will also help decide whether you need additional wait staff for the event and factor in the cost.

If you choose a platform like yhangry, it becomes very easy to pass on all of this information in a seamless manner.

After sharing the necessary details, send your request, and you should receive quotes within a couple of hours, if not sooner. It’s wise to send requests to multiple chefs to have different options. Keep in mind that some chefs may appear available but could be in discussions with other clients and might not provide a quote. Also, comparing options from different chefs can be extremely helpful in making an informed decision. 

Once you have received responses from chefs, you can shortlist the ones that fit your requirements. Remember, this is not the final menu, and there is always room for further customisations, which most chefs will accommodate. 

You can discuss any required changes with the chefs and negotiate the pricing before confirming the booking. After all, you would not want to settle for anything less than perfect for Christmas. The booking is only confirmed once you make a partial or full payment.  

Now that you have finalised a chef to cook Christmas dinner at your home, consider opting for printed menus to elevate your celebration. A beautifully designed menu not only adds a touch of elegance to your event but also helps communicate the menu details clearly to your guests. 

It’s a small detail that gives a preview of the courses, making the dining experience feel smoother and carefully planned. Plus, printed menus can serve as thoughtful keepsakes, reminding everyone of the special occasion.

If you book with yhangry, you will get your printed Christmas menus delivered to your address at no additional cost.

Make sure your kitchen equipment is in good working condition, especially the oven, if you’re planning a traditional Christmas feast. Before the big day, check that your appliances, cookware, and utensils are ready to handle the demands of the meal. After confirming your booking, share crucial details with the chef, such as the number of ovens, stoves, etc. 

Clear your work surfaces to provide ample space, and ensure there’s enough fridge and storage space for ingredients. This preparation helps avoid any unwanted surprises on Christmas Day so that the only surprises will be the presents!

On Christmas Day, public transport options are limited, and chefs often rely on taxis, which can increase costs. It’s best to have clarity on this and include the charges in the total payment. 

To avoid any delays, provide explicit directions, especially if your location has weak network coverage. Consider sending a map with landmarks marked, as GPS can sometimes be inaccurate. Nothing is more stressful to a chef than being close to the address and not being able to find it and not being able to call because of poor network coverage.

If you select and hire a chef near your location who is familiar with the area, it will make everything much more convenient. 

Scheduling a pre-visit with your chef to familiarise them with your kitchen is a great idea. During the visit, you can review the kitchen setup, confirm equipment functionality, confirm the timing and all other minute details. This might not always be possible and might incur extra costs, so an alternative is to send the chef photos of the kitchen so they get a sense of the appliances and surface space available. This can ensure a smooth, stress-free experience on Christmas Day, with everything checked and no last-minute mishaps.

On the day of the event, it is necessary to make sure that everything is ready for the chef and that the service runs smoothly. Here’s a quick checklist to consider:

Christmas dinners are bound to leave you with leftovers. If you want to embrace the tradition of Christmas leftovers, you can enjoy turkey sandwiches for days after the event. But make sure you have enough storage containers and fridge space ready.

If you’d prefer not to keep the leftovers, consider offering them to the chef, who may donate them to a nearby charity, helping to avoid food waste. Discuss with your chef how they can help pack up the leftovers and perhaps even get some creative ideas for repurposing them into new meals.

Now that you have all the tips and tricks for hiring a private chef for Christmas Day, it’s time to take the next step and make it all come together. You can do this with minimal effort by choosing yhangry as we have highlighted throughout.

Yhangry provides a centralised hub where all relevant information about chefs, menus, costs, and services offered is easily accessible, allowing you to make an informed decision. With a more straightforward and reliable approach, hiring a chef for a major occasion is much simpler. 

The best Christmas memories are made around the table. Choose a private chef from yhangry and give yourself the gift of time this Christmas to enjoy these moments to the fullest.