Would you pay for someone to batch cook meals in your home?

[Ppppoppy]

Hello, just floating a question as it's a very new thought I've had (not seriously considering this as an all in, quit my job, start a business kind of thing haha, more just thinking out loud and curious what people think)
Cooking is my lifelong hobby/interest and I'm pretty good at it if I do say so myself. I've got varied and pretty extensive knowledge of food styles, recipes and prep, and lots of experience cooking for friends (usually family style, big dishes to share). I've also cooked for large group dinners in a b&b/hostel setting (this was a volunteer position but I learnt a lot about catering for bigger numbers there). I don't have professional chef experience but I have worked in F&B for 5 years so I've been around professional kitchens a lot, know how they run, processes, dietary stuff etc.
Wanted to ask if the idea of someone coming into your home for a few hours to meal prep for your family would appeal to you at all.
There's obviously a fair bit I'd need to sort before this could actually be a real thing, but here's roughly the shape of it in my head:

• I'd sort out hygiene certificates, insurance, etc, whatever's actually required to do this properly and safely (this one feels non negotiable to me tbh, letting someone into your home with your kids around, you'd want to know they're checked out)
• An initial call or chat first, talk through what you're after, how many people, how many meals, preferences, any dietary stuff, and specifically allergies and individual preferences likes and dislikes too
• Also chat through how involved you'd want to be, some people might want to pick the dishes themselves, others might just want to hand it over and be surprised, or anwhere in between
• You'd provide/ pay for the groceries, this could include using stuff you've already got in (only what you're happy for me to use obviously, not going through your cupboards uninvited lol) and then I'd put together an order for anything else needed. I'd do the actual ordering bit but always from your usual shop and sticking to your preferences on brands and budget and okay before it’s ordered etc
• I'd come at a time we'd agree in advance, could be while you’re in or out lit depending on what you wanted . I bring my own basic kit /appliances (knives , maybe frying pan / pot ) and seasonings if you'd rather I not use yours, then prep, cook, portion it all up and clean up properly after myself before I go
• Would want to talk about whether you're picturing freezer stash type meals, ready to eat that week, or a mix of both, probably depends on the person
• First session would basically be a trial for both of us really, see if it works, see if you like my cooking, see if it's not weird having someone in your kitchen haha

I do get that having a stranger cooking in your kitchen isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea and that's completely fair enough, just wondering if this is something anyone would actually want or if I'm being a bit mad haha
(also would maybe suit certain people more, new parents, people who've just had surgery or are recovering from something, elderly relatives, just busy families in general, so if you fall into one of those categories especially curious what you think)
Again very much just an idea floating around my head right now, not a proper plan yet!

No

Not RTFT but tbh I think you’re making it all too hard for yourself and your clients. You’d be half way between a private chef and the M&S chiller cabinet!
There’s also the matters of adequacy & safety of equipment in a client’s home especially re injury to yourself, people in the house, damage to their property etc. I could almost guarantee you’d always be short of one item or another, which would impact efficiency & / or quality.
IMO you’d be better off providing prepared, bespoke batch cooked meals either fresh or frozen.
Best wishes with it - sounds like hard work but also rather enjoyable!

(edited for grammar)

I don’t think k Mumsnet really is your target audience. However I know a lot of elderly / disabled people who would really welcome such a service. Particularly if you did it in different sized portions for those with smaller appetites. I do this for clients in their own homes as part of the care package. This morning whilst I was with one client I made a chicken casserole. I prepped it whilst she was having her breakfast. I transferred it to the slow cooker to cook. Then on my lunchtime call transferred it to portioned containers and into the cold box to cool. Then this evening on her last visit of the day it’s gone into the freezer. Another day I will do something different. All the ready meals are too big and Wiltshire farm foods is incredibly expensive and not brilliant quality.

I'd be surprised if you could make it into a paying job in the way you describe at a price that people would pay.

There are people who make the meals in a single location and deliver them, but you'd need a suitable kitchen and the price per meal would probably still be too high for most people - at least as expensive as a takeaway so not an everyday thing.

Where are you in the country? I’m rural and know a lot of farmers wives who have someone come in to do this in April/May to cover lambing/haymaking/harvest. I haven’t ever paid for it as I quite like batch cooking but know many who do.

Using out kitchens would work as many have massive kitchens, big Agas and the dishes. My mum would feed 10 people an evening meal for most of July, August and September so had the kit to be able to do ao.

I would pay for batch cooking, and even tried to find someone to do it when I had a baby last year. BUT I would want you to do it on your premises/ home and deliver it. I would rather pay by the hour for you to cook.

Great points thankyou :)
like I said this is a very new idea more than a definite plan and I haven’t thought about a lot of things in meaningful depth (as it’s more just a thought experiment at this stage! ) but I really appreciate what you’ve highlighted :)

I've bought some delicious Indian home cooked meals and had them delivered. I found a lady who cooks meals my family loves. I've ordered extra and frozen some. It's good if I have to be out quite late and DH has meetings so they all get a home cookedeal. I don't like Indian food but everyone else in my family loves it. I'd be less keen to have someone in my kitchen because then I'd have the mess and dishes to deal with whereas ordering in and having it delivered means no cooking dishes.

^ near me people do cook large amounts and sell it ( cultural food)

I’m located in the south east (herts ) , but that’s interesting to hear about!

I know a lot of people who use this kind of service but in every case it’s part of a broader job as housekeeper/mother’s help. So you’d be doing more hours for each family but it would include other jobs as well, not just cooking.

Same!

The Indian food sounds great ! Totally get that not everyone would want someone in their kitchen , although to clarify I think as part of my service I would be doing the cleaning of what I use to cook

I've been looking everywhere for someone to do this for my elderly mum. She wants control over what she eats and hates ready meals but hasn't the energy to do it all herself anymore. Food prepared in her own home with her own ingredients by someone else would be perfect for her

people may prefer more meals on wheels, or like a food truck version where you rock up at different factories etc and offer foods

I would love this.

I agree with most in that it sounds like you are over complicating it.

I could batch cook for myself, but I don't have that much freezer space and that mean I am eating the same meal all week, to use it up, which obviously I don't want to do.
If I were paying someone else to provide me with pre-cooked meals, then I'd rather have 5 different meals for the week, rather than the same meal 5x over.

Plus - like most - I'd rather you made it all in your own kitchen and it just arrived all ready. I see no advantage but several disadvantages to you coming into my kitchen to cook anything.

How about combining this with a kind of companion service for people who are housebound or have limited strength and miss being able to cook for themselves? You go round for half a day a week, help them cook a few things they enjoy, freeze some of them, clear up, help decide what they want to eat next week and place a supermarket order for the ingredients, to arrive on the day you come? It wouldn't be cheap but I would gladly pay for that if I lived alone and couldn't cook my own meals.

Why not just work as a home cook?

I can pick up homemade pies/lasagne/curry from my local deli but I’d love someone to come and cook for me a couple of nights a week.

nothing super fancy, but maybe some pan fried fish/meat with a couple of delicious salads/side dishes.

I’d defo want the shopping done for me though

I think this would be a great idea for say like
older people who no longer cook meals for themselves
Home cooked meals with fresh veg
Those companies that do supply meals are disgusting the veg is tinned and they don’t look at all appealing (I’ve seen Mil’s) Nor the meals on wheels, I don’t even like M&S ready meals

I would love it when I get to the point I no longer want to stand over a cooker and put a meal together.

Yes. As long as youre creative enough to ensure there is little food waste.

Oh good youre near me!

Yes ! Please do this 🙏
I was ill for about 18 months where I couldn't walk and also had chronic fatigue - got very fat off shite food as all I could manage. Having access to real food was a 'game changer' in recovery although still fat...

I could see alot of people needing something like this, there are so many people struggling with health / disabilities / exhausted by life / and all processed food is shit eating actual food makes such a fundamental difference to health and quality of life. Imo even the fanciest m&s ready meal still has preservatives, and the portion size is a piss take and hardly value for money( all though I'm newly obease, so I would say that)

I've also seen people on reddit bragging about the exact service your describing, hiring someone to do batch cooking In their kitchen with their ingredients in cupboards . I think they were two professionals who'd got a new born

Elderly, gym types, specialist diets, people with long commutes, gluten free, or disabled/ in recovery/ having a new born- I think so many people would want something like this

I regualrly see adverts for this service and I know someone who does it. She has a range of clients from single people to families. I think she charges £25ph and they of course buy ingredients (though I know she brings some of her own "secret" ingredients).

God yes I would love that. When can you start?