Remarkable Personal Chefs

I recently read Jeff Haden’s article, 8 Qualities of Remarkable Employees, on inc.com, and it really is so applicable to nearly any job or position, across any industry, including the personal/private chef world. As Atlanta Personal Chef Service interviews and hires personal chefs to work in client’s homes, we are looking for chefs with skills that aren’t limited to food preparation expertise, but who also demonstrate the intangible attributes outlined in Haden’s article. To summarize, those traits are as follows: 1. They ignore job descriptions. 2. They’re eccentric. 3. But they know when to dial it back. 4. They publically praise… 5. And they privately complain. 6. They speak when others won’t. 7. They like to prove others wrong. 8. They’re always fiddling.

While all eight outlined characteristics hold merit, I’d like to focus on a few in terms of how they relate to the Personal Chef position we’re hiring for at Atlanta Personal Chef Service. Great personal chefs are both eccentric, and know how to dial it back when appropriate. Eccentric personalities (in a good way) will “shake things up,” “keep work fun,” and add “flair and flavor.” Clearly, our clients want flavorful food, but as a personal chef is a frequent figure in the house cooking regular meals, we’re looking for chefs with pleasant and interesting personalities. At the same time, great personal chefs will know when to “dial it back,” both on the personality and the flavor and flair. Sometimes comfort foods and traditional recipes are the best way to go, and sometimes a more reserved personality is appreciated after a client’s long day at work. Our best employees know when to be playful and when to get down to business, a balance that, for some, can be a challenge to find.

Another trait that Haden emphasizes is that great employees like to prove others wrong. This trait is all about self-motivation. Regardless of what culinary degrees our chefs have, what chef competitions they have won, or which big-name celebrity chefs they have cooked with before, it’s all about drive. The best personal chefs have a deep-instilled desire to not just do the job, but to impress others by proving that their cooking talents far exceed what others might expect.

The desire to prove others wrong leads to the final quality I’d like to touch on, which is that “they’re always fiddling.” Some people are satisfied with completing tasks according to instructions, but great employees are always looking for ways to improve processes, or, in the world of personal chefs, to make recipes, cooking techniques, and presentation of even higher quality. Being a chef requires a mix of technical expertise as well as an artistic flair. Great employees can’t restrain from producing the best possible outcome. Great chefs can’t help but deliver the highest quality food possible.

The “remarkable” qualities outlined above are thought more highly of at Atlanta Personal Chef Service than perhaps, ten years experience as a personal chef. We’re looking to hire not good, but great, chefs in the Atlanta area. For a listing of our current job openings and instructions on how to apply, please click here.