Cooks, Private Household
Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.
Also known as: Certified Personal Chef (CPC), Cook, Cooking Chef, Culinary Artist, Culinary Chef, Culinary Specialist, Culinary Worker, Dinner Cook, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Faster than average)
What You'd Do
- Plan menus according to employers' needs and diet restrictions.
- Shop for or order food and kitchen supplies and equipment.
- Peel, wash, trim, and cook vegetables and meats, and bake breads and pastries.
- Prepare meals in private homes according to employers' recipes or tastes, handling all meals for the family and possibly for other household staff.
- Stock, organize, and clean kitchens and cooking utensils.
- Specialize in preparing fancy dishes or food for special diets.
- Create and explore new cuisines.
- Direct the operation and organization of kitchens and all food-related activities, including the presentation and serving of food.
- Plan and prepare food for parties, holiday meals, luncheons, special functions, and other social events.
- Serve meals and snacks to employing families and their guests.
- Cool, package, label, and freeze foods for later consumption and provide instructions for reheating.
- Keep records pertaining to menus, finances, and other business-related issues.
- Travel with employers to vacation homes to provide meal preparation at those locations.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.