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!

I would because I like cooking but I have two autistic children and one apparently neurotypical total fusspot. I struggle with having enough options for them day to day and would be thrilled if you would fill my freezer up for me.

The other thing that would really appeal would be for someone to cook alongside us, showing them how things like chicken goujons are made and then again, filling the freezer. I love to think I will get there one day but I can't cook safely alongside them atm.

No.but I might pay someone to make food and bring it over, for a special occasion.

Asians do this a lot, they tend to write up a list of meals they want for the week, and buy ingredients, then a lady would come in and do a few hours at around £15 an hour. I know 3 families who do this, who dont want to spend their spare time cooking. And it tastes much better if you get a decent cook.

No, half of the inconvenience is doing the shopping and thinking etc. I'd consider paying for someone to turn up and drop off a bunch of batch cooked meals, but would have no interest in them doing the cooking in my house.

Honestly, this sounds like a huge amount of faff and expense.

Why would I want to go out, fanny arse around buying food and then pay for someone to come into my home and cook it for me?

I think a lot of people are misreading the OP , you wouldn’t have to go out to get the groceries and I didn’t say that . I’ve clarified this further in my other posts.

I do totally get that this sort of thing wouldn’t be for everyone though !

(edited for clarity )

I think this would be great for older people, particularly if you could help them with ordering online in advance. Not sure on the legalities of it with POA as it could be a fine line if you had clients with the onset of dementia.

There's loads of older people that struggle with cooking because of mobility or arthritis that would appreciate this. Especially if they get a bit of company while you're with them too.

Home care is next to useless because they spend about 5 minutes in each house. If you could leave enough food for a few days in the fridge each time you go the carers could at least heat it up for them.

My MIL lived on a lot of crap ready meals before she went into a care home because carers seemed incapable of looking in the freezer and actually cooking something.

As usual, I like to play devil's advocate and give the other side to the dominant one, only when there is another valid justification to be had.

For older and vulnerable people this actually sounds like a great idea! To see the ingredients and cooking will be reassuring, not just a delivery, though of course these services are helpful.

I would like someone to be in my parents' kitchen making their favourite meals to eat hot and then freeze. Supermarket meals are full of preservatives, meals on wheels could be using the cheapest and fatty meats etc.

Definitely a niche to look into, give a quality service from ingredients chosen by the clients, recommendations soon go round.

Would love it OP.
Thinking about cooking and food is bane of my life.
Even better if you come to me to do it, when can you start?

What is tied to premises is registering as a food business with your local council, but that's registered against your home address as your base, it doesn't mean you can only cook there. Mobile caterers and personal/private chefs do exactly this all the time, they register their home as their base but then go and cook at other people's houses, events, wherever, completely normal and legal setup

Surely that isn't right? Part of the point of registration is the inspection of premises where food is stored, prepared, served. How would that work if you are using food stored at customer premises and preparing it there yourself? Mobile caterers have their vans and cooking premises inspected. But what you are offering is something different -- cooking from scratch on customer premises.

On your other points, this isn't a service I would consider using. Much too intrusive. And if I did have someone come onto the premises to cook, it wouldn't be to use up any of my existing food stocks. That would feel really odd. It would require so much input from me, explaining what we have in the cupboards, apologising for store cupboard ingredients way past their use by -- or providing proof that they are still in date, which you would require for your legally required food safety procedures.

Yep, it’s correct ,I’ve checked it out - it’s how private chefs operate .

totally get that you wouldn’t want someone cooking in your kitchen and this wouldn’t be for you! Although the using what people had would be IF they wanted

No. If you were cooking it at your house and doing the shopping, then yes. Otherwise I may as well do it myself.

I have friends who come and cook in their houses. They cook whatever my friends want, they need to buy the ingredients and the cook just gets on with it and charges by the hour.

My doula did this for us and it was incredible.

It was an integrated part of what she did along with cleaning and other support with the baby etc. But she was also just starting up a side business batch cooking for anyone who wanted it. I think she was doing it from her own kitchen and delivering the meals, rather than going into people's homes.

I think it might seem a bit weird to do it in people's homes if you weren't also doing nannying or cleaning etc. You could do it in your own home and deliver?

Either way, I would definitely target families with babies under 1!

I would like somebody to batch cook for me, but not in my home. It kinds of defeats the purpose. Yes it means I don't have to cook myself, but I would still have to get my kitchen ready and there would be clearing/clearing up afterwards even if you did the washing up etc.

Also - I'm fussy about my food. I wouldn't want you to cook a big batch of something I hadn't tasted beforehand.

So - the idea is good but needs more work. Now - if you had suggested coming to my home to cook for a special occasion, including serving etc., starters, mains, sides, desserts and coffee, then I think I would like that (if I could afford it). It would be lovely to host a dinner party for ten where all I had to do was prettify things beforehand, and I could have a bath, change into a nice outfit and take time to do my make up while somebody else did all the hard work.

It would be very inefficient. You could find that they didn't get quite enough of something, or they forgot a few ingredients. Then you have to spend the time cooking but what if they don't have space/a good cooker? Then you'd have to sit around while it cooled down so that it would be safe to freeze/refrigerate.

I’d be organising the ingredients so I’d have enough , I do hear you on the other practicalities thing though . The space thing - I think in a lot of scenarios I’d be able to offer something but maybe not as much as in a different space , same as with quality of appliances - although I’m pretty good at adapting - and I’d set out what’s possible individually depending . Also the having to cook before refrigerating / freezing thing is largely outdated advice with modern refrigerators! and I’d be planing to clean/ tidy for chunk at the end which would also help with that issue

Even without having to do the shopping, the idea of having someone come into my home to cook is really off-putting. It would mean I had to clean, get myself dressed and look presentable, and would then have to communicate with whoever it was while they took over my kitchen for several hours.

I think you would get much, much more interest if you did the cooking at your own home or in a rented kitchen and delivered.

Okay not for you then :) there are people on here who like the idea and would be happy with it - cooking elsewhere isn’t a possibility (atm) but appreciate your input .

I actually like the idea of it as well but I also know the reality would be very different.

Paying someone to cook for me in my own home sounds great - but then I'd have to get on with the person, trust them to cook to my tastes, hope they wouldn't judge me or my home etc. They'd need to be okay with my animals in the house, be able to cook in my tiny kitchen with minimal space to prep, and so on.

I'd need to get my kitchen prepared for them to come, make sure my cupboards were organised every week - it's a lot of work on my part just to be able to have the service provider come in to begin with.

NO.

The special occasion stuff is defo something I’d also be interested in doing too , although the meal prep thing is likely to be more steady /regular (granted , I realise this is more niche and has fewer people interested in this set-up , but there does appear to be some) with regular clients, and then the special occasions would be more of on an ad-hoc basis .

im talking about this like it’s a set plan haha but it’s still very much a thought experiment that might not amount to anything !- but I’m grateful for everyone’s input and it’s interesting nonetheless

Actually, if I had the finances I’d definitely do this. Even more likely to do it if they sent the Sainsbury’s basket for me to copy onto online!

No, I'd hate someone else using my kitchen.

Happy to have you batch cook then bring them over

I would not mind at all if I was ill or infirm and could not cook for myself. I would enjoy the company and talking about food and cooking. I do know from my local social media that this is a service offered and used in the Indian community quite regularly. So it is not a new concept for me. I can see how some people might prefer just to have food cooked to order and delivered so you could try both methods and see which is the most popular. Good luck.