Is a private chef cheaper than catering (for around 25 guests)?

[Fressia123]

We've finally found the venue for our wedding, it's a beautiful beach house. My DM thinks that a private chef would end up being cheaper than catering and that s/he would also be more flexible than a catering company.

I was thinking of getting canapés from Waitrose/ M&S and the chef would do the main wedding breakfast and probably a pre wedding dinner.

A catering company will also organise staff to serve the food. There are so many variables you'll need to get quotes to compare.

Catering company will also assist with tableware etc.

All tableware is included with the hiring of the house and my DM wants to get a cleaner for the weekend. I haven't asked for a proper quote at the catering companies I've seen because none of their sample menus would work. We need it to be semi kosher and that would be hard to explain.

I have always found it cheaper to hire a private chef than a caterer for under 100 people and we always do that for smaller events. But I do tend to hire Indian chefs & then ask them to make the cuisine. Might be more expensive outside the Indian / desi wedding market.

A private chef in my experience prepares the dinner there and then from fresh, and it tastes much better. Catering companies in my experience usually have more than just your event/wedding and alot of things are done well in advance. It is less personal too.

I would always try out the chef first to be sure though, and have a plan B should they be ill!

We prefer private chefs for smallish events (less than 100), but you also need to think about how the food is served and tidied up, the chef may be able to recommend waiting staff as well.

I've done private chef work, it depends on your requirements eg number of hours for cost but I charged £50 and hour plus travel and any hotel cost if applicable for labour to give you an idea - I'm at the cheaper end of the market though as I've not worked in famous restaurants, someone whose got that on their cv will be more. I then charge the cost of the ingredients so overall cost will be depending a lot on what you choose - perhaps £15-25 a head I would estimate if you are willing to use Waitrose entertaining for the fiddly time consuming canapés not including alcohol.

My DM wants to hire a cleaner anyways...we're having a wedding planner too (she comes with the house) so I think she'd be able to source waiting staff. (we'd only need one anyways as we're going to have a help yourself bar for the rest of the day).

That's very helpful @mootymoo . In your experience would it be ok if I source the ingredients?

Any decent catering company or chef will be able to meet your requirements for semi kosher.

They can, but whenever vibe asked for "swaps" prices almost double. £50 for a very normal and simple three course menu, no thanks!

I'm guessing they can't get kosher ingredients in bulk from their usual suppliers? Have you tried specialist Jewish caterers like the ones who do bat and bag mitzvah's?

Bah mitzvahs autocorrect

We don't need it to be certified kosher just follow some certain guidelines. But most things have either a pork or a seafood starter, both are no-no's do when I asked if those could be swapped they charge extra. They could be veggie options (which tend to be the same price) but I don't know if they hear kosher and they think that automatically it should be more expensive

I wouldn't be surprised because they have their standard menus and they're going to have to engage their brains.

I would definitely contact a couple of Jewish caterers and see what they charge. At least you know they're going to understand what kosher means!

I thought about that @Clymene but to come to Cornwall I'd have to pay a high price tag and I don't need it to be strict kosher, just to follow certain simple guidelines.

Yeah I wouldn’t use the word kosher, with caterers that aren’t used to providing kosher or halal etc they seem to take advantage - or maybe it’s just they panic and charge more for the novelty of needing to think about it.

So just look at their menu options and say you don’t like the sound of x, could you have y instead without giving reasons.

@Fressia123

We don't need it to be certified kosher just follow some certain guidelines. But most things have either a pork or a seafood starter, both are no-no's do when I asked if those could be swapped they charge extra. They could be veggie options (which tend to be the same price) but I don't know if they hear kosher and they think that automatically it should be more expensive

Raja’s Banquet. I remember them from a white friend’s wedding a couple of years ago. The food was amazing and not Indian at all - they worked with her to design a menu. But not sure how expensive it was.

@Fressia123

I thought about that *@Clymene* but to come to Cornwall I'd have to pay a high price tag and I don't need it to be strict kosher, just to follow certain simple guidelines.

Oh I didn't realise it was Cornwall!

In that case do what @Grooticle suggests - it's very easy to say you have a guest who has shellfish allergies and you're not keen or pork or whatever.