Has anyone ever hired a private chef for Christmas dinner?

[Soulsista14]

I’m cooking dinner for 12 this year and I’ve felt stressed about it for the last month. The amount of food I’ve had to buy has cost a small fortune as no one has offered to bring anything. We have the money to pay for everything but it’s not the point really.

WIBU to consider hiring a private chef next year for dinner? I know it’ll be ridiculously expensive, but how much are we really talking? £50 per head? £100? £200? I have no idea, but the thought of having to do this next year is making me want to cancel all future Christmas’s.

Never done it, often thought about it! X

Suggest you all go out for lunch - if they disagree because of costs then tell them it’s not something you can afford to keep doing . It’s bloody rude that they haven’t offered to at least bring something to help out

I know you're saying no one has offered but can you not ask anyone to bring anything? They maybe just assume you happily have it covered. I'm sure people wouldn't mind bringing the soup, desserts or Cheeses.

Instead of hiring a private chef for you know you can book a pre prepared Christmas dinner. My friend has a butcher who also trained as a chef. He prepares all the veg, potatoes and meat and basically all they do is stick it in the oven on Christmas day. No fuss.
Or why not buy everything from Marks? Again all meat, potato, veg, starter and dessert all done and dusted. Collect on Christmas eve and bung in the oven on Christmas day. It's way cheaper than hiring a personal chef!

We are doing it for 18, all from Marks and Spencer’s. Its still really hard work, and stressful, so following for possibility of also hiring private chef!

I’d love to but I’m not sure I could. I felt guilty for buying pre-prepared roast potatoes!

Can't help with the private chef but could you not, after the lunch just say quite lightheartedly that you're glad you got through it in one piece, it's quite stressful and you're looking forward to somebody else doing it next year.

My sister did several M&S Christmas lunches and found that really easy so you could do that.

Few butchers Around here do “the works” for a set price think it ranges from £15pp-£30pp depending what you opt for. Might be worth while looking into it in your area?

As a one-off Christmas lunch for 12, I don't think you'd see much change from £3-5k, if you went via an agency, plus cost of groceries etc, and you would still be washing plates/glasses etc - they mostly only clear up after themselves

Why do you have to do it next year? When people start discussing Christmas plans say "sorry I wont be able to host this time, it was so stressful last year". If nobody else volunteers then just do a smaller christmas for your immediate family.

It would be cheaper to go out for dinner. Even a fancy christmas dinner is less than £100ph, I think you would pay more than that for a private chef- I'm sure they will charge a lot more on christmas day when they could be with their families.

12? My record is 27 (I'm one of 8 children, all with our own kids) All on garden tables and boxes! Luckily I have a large kitchen diner. You just have to be prepared, and 100% get others to do stuff, for example one family member brings the vegetables all peeled so I can cook them. Cook the meats early in the morning and the Yorkshires/pigs in blankets the day before. That just leaves you to heat them up on the day and cook potatoes and veg. I always forget the stuffing!! I make it but leave it in the fridge or oven!!

I have one of those hot food plates and everyone helps themselves. I love it!!

Starters we prepare as we are talking, normally prawn cocktail or melon.

We're going to the pub. Bugger all the faff and stress of cooking. And NO washing up!

labelleassiette.co.uk/collection/new-years-eve
This is prices for a NYE menu which is probably similar to Christmas day.

Both websites I looked at, Christmas day was not an option to book.

Also why haven't you asked people to bring stuff? Its rude that they haven't offered but I dont think its unreasonable to ask. At the very least I would ask people to provide their own drinks.

85 per head - 3 courses not on Christmas Day. So would imagine you might incur a premium !
She was really wonderful. You can hire a kitchen hand to stack the dishwasher/serve drinks. But guests are fascinated by it so tend to 'pop' into the kitchen to help.
If you can afford it OP then do it. Ask our guests to provide booze/nibbles/cheese so your not footing all the bill.

I'm thinking that unless you are incredibly well off, then look at Entertaining packages from retailers like Morrison's. M and S etc etc. It's a bit late to suddenly suggest everyone goes out and pays their own way, although that would be even better financially for you.

I have a sneaking suspicion that you might have left it all too late - chef, no chef aside. Whatever you do, move quickly before your options slip away altogether.

Can you not all go out to dinner, (and pay for yourselves!)

Bollocks to that, having 12 around and funding it myself!

I cannot imagine cooking single handedly for 6, never mind 12! I have a similar number of guests.
My cleaner is an excellent hobby cook (much better than myself), and is doing the whole package for £200 (labour only) this year (for the new year rather than christmas). Tidy up included in the price.

Our local gastropub does a ‘takeaway’ Christmas dinner - £40 a head for 3 courses plus mince pies. All you have to do is put it in the oven. It’s amazing. Do any of the restaurants round you offer that?

No because I'm not a millionaire

I've got friends who did this. They had a chef who stayed in their house over Christmas. Cooked a lovely breakfast on Christmas day, and then a Christmas lunch with all the trimmings. Big family get-together and there had recently been a bereavement so they wanted to do something different from what had gone before. It went very well apparently. I'm sure it was v pricey but worked well for them.

Have you ever cooked Christmas dinner for 12 before? I was stressed the first time I did it but was fine after that.
Make a schedule working backwards from the time you want to eat. I keep my schedule inside the cover of my Nigella Christmas cookbook so I can always find it.
I have my veg peeled and chopped the day before. The cauliflower cheese is already made and just has to be heated. Same with gratin potatoes and the gravy.
The red cabbage comes from M&S.

On the day it is really just timing everything. And I use disposable foil trays so I can just lift the prepared dishes from the fridge and put them in the oven.

I don’t wait for people to offer to bring something I tell them.

What world do you even live in

Did it really have to cost a small fortune? If people haven’t offered what has stopped you saying “could you bring starter and a bottle of x Amy?.....Dave could you bring pudding & a bottle of y?”

We had 17 last year, it was a bit of a squeeze so won’t do that many again, but it’s only as expensive and stressful as you make it. It’s just a big roast dinner at the end of the day.