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.

Not sure here, but a friend of mine does it in dubai, he charges about 5k for the night.

The amount of food I’ve had to buy has cost a small fortune as no one has offered to bring anything.

You can ask them

We have the money to pay for everything but it’s not the point really.

Did you invite them? Kind of odd to then take issue with the funding of it.

Did they invite themselves? That's the point where you either say 'no', because you don't want the financial outlay or 'yes, can you bring X and Jimmy can bring Y'

we did an excellent posh dinner for 10 that wasn't at Christmas with a private chef for £70 per head. given a Christmas premium for making them miss their own Christmas, I wouldn't expect to pay less than £100 per head if good quality. you could probably find one for cheaper than this but i would be suspicious of quality if much cheaper.

There will be 10 of us for christmas dinner. 4 of us will prob do the prep/cooking and 3 guests have contributed £20 each which we were totally not expecting. We tried to give it back but they insisted. We usually have turkey roast potatoes, pigs in blankets and vegetables and a bought christmas pudding and a different pud (possibly home made but not neccessarily) for those who dislike christmas pudding. No starters. Dsis usually brings some booze or a pud. D uncle usually brings himself! Lol.

jamie oliver has one last program on tv for 12 people. it looked easier.
he did some stuff the previous day. there wasnt much effort there.

i know this wont go down well on a trhead whre your stressed.but i dont get it.and i know i know its not just a roast dinner...but it really is with a few more dishes so therefore more planning and time.meat.veg.prep.i think the stress comes more from the pressure on oneself to do something fantastic.or what other are expecting of us.
that surrounded by the rest of the stuff that comes with christmas time i dont think its the actual meals fault half the time.

but you do need to:make others bring stuff
get others in the family to help chop and prep with you.

I am in the industry you wouldn’t get anyone I know for less than £2-4K for the day. Worry it if that’s what you have to spend.

Why not go out? We go out every year to a fancy hotel it’s £235 per adult & it’s amazing!! Totally worth it & no washing up or stress and I get to dress up nicely & actually enjoy Christmas.

It's cheaper to hire the chef and get him/her to buy the food as part of the deal - they get trade prices.

M&S do Christmas dinner in a box, which couldn't be less effort as everything cooks in the oven at the same temp.

I saw a Youtuber use this company: www.bitearoundtheworld.com. Looked delicious and seemed like they delivered everything already cooked to her place and set it all up. I don't know if they do Christmas food but might be worth asking them the question?

If your hosting next year make up a list for each guest to bring stuff. When my sister hosted years ago we bought all the puddings from M&S, cream and brought wine. My mum brought the starter and some pre prepared veg plus wine. My sister and her hubby did the main course and we put in £5.00 each for meat. We all laid it out and cleaned up. I would never expect anyone to pay for everything.

I googled it- average price is £140 per head. Yikes! Thats £1680.
Just go out for lunch! Its one day- I wouldn't spend that much on one dinner.

We always cook 12-16 at Christmas, mostly adults. I find most of our guests are very helpful and bring a dessert or cheese and always beer and wine. Normally I get a confirmation before Christmas about what we need which is helpful. If I am ever a guest I do the same.

Keep it simple and do what you enjoy. I bought a food warmer and that took off the pressure.

If they are not offering politely confirm the time with them and ask them to prepare a home made dessert to share.

Just buy a job lot from Cook. It’s very nice and all you have to do is put it in the oven.

You have probably left it too late for a private chef as Christmas / winter tends to be their busy season. Suggest you strip back Christmas dinner to the basics - ask the guests to bring extras if needed.

Not sure if they do Christmas Day but we had a private chef on the weekend for my work party. Cost £260 for 7 of us for a 4 course meal. The chef turned up, got on with cooking in the kitchen, served us at the table and washed up and cleaned after himself (you couldn’t even tell someone had cooked in the kitchen when he left) food was lovely. Website we used was dineindulge.

Cook Christmas lunch for 12. £177 in total (although you may want extras). £14.75 per head.

www.cookfood.net/menu/christmas/christmas-day/christmas-lunch-bundles/Christmas-Lunch-for-12

My sister is a chef and runs a small catering business she has done this several times. Takes the meat already cooked ( I think ) and the rest of the food is cooked at their houses , takes a waitress with her . Depends where you are in the country as to how much you pay obviously but I don't recall it being absolutely ridiculous. Maybe look for a small catering company as opposed to a larger one, could well be more reasonably priced .

Why can’t you ask your guests to bring things? It isn’t fair to leave you to do absolutely everything. Do they help you clear up afterwards?

Cook is better quality than M&S btw.

It's just a roast with more sides. Cook and freeze red cabbage now. Get guests peeling and chopping veg and spuds the night before, make pigs in blankets and stuffing ahead or just buy them. Buy ready prepared turkey and posh turkey gravy from markses. If anyone doesn't want turkey, they can provide the alternative. Generously, you've cooked a ham on Christmas eve that they can tuck into.

And give people jobs to do on the day. If no one can be arsed to join yiu in the kitchen, make yourself a sandwich and sit down and join them. It's your Christmas, too, and it's not a family celebration if you're martyring yourself while everyone else partakes of too much Christmas spirit.

I just won't have that many people round I can't cope with it. The noise alone would do my head in. The first big Christmas do I had was the last, this year it's just me and the cat (happy days).
One of my mothers friends regularly does this for dinner parties and I think pays about £50 a head but over Christmas you can triple that.

I would have a chef. We have had them before for big parties and it's been great.

We have a big crowd for Christmas lunch, but my dh does all the cooking and loves it. He makes everything from scratch too and starts prepping on Christmas eve. I'd have a panic attack, but I am not a cook.

I make a roast dinner for 10 with starter every week I don't get the issue with it.

It's just meat and veg

If you can afford it, why not!