Kitchen Chronicles: Solo vs Team of Chefs
Private Chef Plated Dining Experience in 30A, FL showing Chef Jojo & Chef Jose’ Castro
The Struggle of Being a Private Chef: The Battle of Team vs Solo
Hey Foodies & Chefs! I’m back, and I can’t wait to share what’s on my mind lately. A lot of people ask me, “Do you work alone or with a team?” The answer? I do both, and they have their own pros and cons. Let’s just dive right in and let me vent about the struggles of being a private chef: flying solo versus having a squad! ✈️
Chef Joanna Mercado
The Solo Chef Life: Chef Jojo vs The World 🥊
The Dream: You're a chef bringing your own culinary visions to life, calling all the shots, raking in all the dough, and reporting to NO ONE! Making your own schedule, and not hearing the drone of the nonstop printing of the ticket machine in my dreams!
The Reality: You're literally doing ALL THE THINGS, and sometimes you want to yell into a mixing bowl! It’s really not all sunshine and rainbows. A lot of sleepless nights and stressful days have gotten me to where I am now. My hopes are that for those of you who wish to be a private chef, you can learn from these takeaways and be better prepared!
When Solo Life is AMAZING ✨
Total Creative Freedom: Need to switch up the menu at the last minute because you stumbled across incredible heirloom tomatoes at the farmer's market? DO IT! No committee meetings, no "but what if" discussions – just unadulterated foodie liberty! (that is unless you have an allergy, and of course the dreaded “picky eaters” which every group will have. The secret (cut things up really small if it isn’t an allergy, what they can’t see they can’t complain about. Unless the client told you what they really do not like to eat, it’s better to try and push the boundaries and give them something that maybe they wouldn’t always try and see if they like it prepared a better way! (Sometimes one negative experience can shape the way a person perceives a food, and as a chef there is no better compliment than to be able to replace that negative with a positive memorable experience.)
All the Profit is YOURS: All the dollars earned go directly into your bank account (okay, after taxes and expenses, but I think you get my drift!). No dividing profits, no paying team members, no complicated payment schedules. It’s so much easier to manage when you are alone than with a team. Everyone wants their money right away, and you quickly understand why your employer needed 2 weeks to pay you. Keeping up with payroll is a lot of work, possibly a full time job if your payouts are complicated enough when managing multiple team members. Just having under 10 contracted employees can equal to thousands of dollars a week in no time! Fitting in payroll can be a pain. Do yourself a favor and setup a system to begin with. DO NOT JUST USE VENMO. I wish I would have had someone tell me this because I could have saved myself a lot of money. Gusto is one of the best payroll tools I have been able to find, and saves a lot of time for you on an HR role when your staff need things for their day to day lives. You have to remember that if you are successful and have staff, they are relying on this money as their livelihood. That means certain documents for taxes, loan agreements, and background checks are looking for paystubs and documentation that can be a lot to gather, especially if everyone asks all at once at tax season! Imagine trying to get through a week of payroll at the same time as doing events at the same time as trying to get this all out. It is not easy.
Flexible Schedule Queen: Want to take Wednesday off? Cool! Need to leave early for your bestie’s birthday? No problem! You’re the boss of your own calendar! LOL I WISH THIS WAS TRUE. When starting your own business(which this is what you are doing, even if just doing private events for yourself, you are the business owner of your own business. It’s really hard to take time off when just starting if really giving it your all. You will miss important life events if you aren’t carefully planning every step of the way. Make sure you aren’t losing site of the big picture of why you started your business in the first place. Make time for your loved ones now even when you are busy. I promise it is worth it.
Personal Client Relationships: When it’s just you, families really get to know YOU. You become part of their story, their trusted food person, and their go-to for everything culinary. I have been part of the biggest family events life has to offer, from births to weddings, to the last trip with family members who are ill. These are memories that will be cherished forever, and the food you cook really does matter. Cooking with love is the main ingredient, and although that may sound cheesy, I promise this is lactose free advice. (Okay. That was cheesy) I have some clients that I have had now for 5 years, since the first summer I started my shift from the restaurant to the private kitchen. I can honestly say now that my family is never ending. The more I am part of these memories, the more family I gain every year.
When Solo Life Makes You Want to Hide Under a Rock 🪨
You are EVERYTHING: cook, dishwasher, grocery shopper, menu planner, accountant, customer service rep, marketing team… I’m getting exhausted just typing this list! It’s important to remember that the goal is to get to the point where you are building a team that can make this big picture happen together. But to start, it really is just you. And it can be miserable at times. The only thing that has gotten me by is the vision board in my mind that is always updating to the most recalibrated 10 year plan. Most recently I have started to just really dive into manifesting and praying to God for exactly what I need and want to happen, setting my intentions on how I would like things to go and why, envisioning my goals that I have set, all of which include some sort of charity or giving back.
Sick Days Don’t Exist: Feeling under the weather? Too bad! The Johnson family still needs dinner, and little Timmy’s birthday cake isn’t going to make itself! The pressure of knowing people are counting on you when you can barely function is REAL. But this is why being part of a community is so important. You have to be able to find another chef on the fly on Labor Day weekend sometimes,and it’s just part of life. You can’t control everything but you can control those moments by having a solid back up plan at all times. (This means that you have to be available as well for your fellow private chefs, because why wouldn’t you want to help them A. And B. how can you have someone on your fallback plan but not be willing to return the favor?
No Plan B: Oven malfunctions in the middle of service? Equipment malfunction? You're figuring it out as you go with no one to assist with brainstorming or fill in while you deal with the crisis. There is always a way to cook. Find it. Oven. Stove. Grill. None of those? Go buy a burner or always have one with you. Worst case scenario you are buying the best carry out food ever!
Lonely Kitchen Syndrome: Occasionally, you just wish someone would taste your sauce and assure you it's perfect, or share a chuckle with you when something goes awfully awry. Cooking by yourself can be, Well, lonely! And this is serious. Event after event alone can really add up. And not having someone there to experience it all with you can make you extra lonely. It’s the price you pay for adding the extra cash to your pocket and not having a team member there.
The Mental Load is HEAVY: Every decision, every issue, every success story, every failure – it all falls on you. Sometimes you just wish someone else would make the decision on what appetizer to make! But also, it does make you stronger. I can literally keep my cool in most scenarios now, and I think it’s this mental workout that has helped me with this. I will say it’s pretty cool to stay calm and set a standard of happiness that the event follows.
Chef Jojo, Chef Carlos, & Chef Fleur at a Private Chef Catered Event in Blue Mountain Beach, FL.
Team Life: When You've Got a Squad (And All the Drama That Comes With It!)
The Dream: You're in charge of this great culinary team, assigning tasks like a boss, cooking up amazing meals through collaboration and teamwork! It’s so much fun to have a team, and for some it can be the lifeline needed when you have been grinding alone for some time.
The Reality: People Management IS HARD, and at times, you wish for the simplicity of just cooking alone! But you have to remind yourself that you can only grow so much alone, but there are ways to do that (which we will get into that at another time) I know that for some, it may make sense to just manage yourself, say no to more events, and charge more for your services. That’s totally okay. But if you are wanting to scale and grow, you have to learn how to manage people.
When Team Life is THE BEST
Shared Mental Load: Someone can shop for groceries while you take care of preparation, and someone else can do cleanup while you finish off plating the last course. The beauty of not having to do literally everything is amazing. Take advantage of having a team and have them do things that you have had to do over the years alone. But make sure to not over do it. Don’t be the person who doesn’t clean up after themselves or doesn’t allow the other chefs to do anything fun at the event.
Backup and Support: Having an off day? Your sous chef can work it! Equipment breaking? You've got extra pairs of hands to troubleshoot and maintain service. This is really so great. I honestly prefer to always work as a team. It also offers a level of accountability for the event and it just goes well!
Creative Collaboration: Two (or three, or four) heads really are better than one at times! Your staff may have solutions you would never have considered, methods that will enhance your technique, or solutions to issues you've been wrestling with. This is something I have really leaned into, and it’s so nice to have others figure things out for you.
Professional Growth: Running a team helps you develop leadership, communication, and training skills. Essentially, it makes you a better all-around business person. I have grown so much as a person the last few years and I definitely owe it to my staff for helping to grow my patience LOL.
More Ambitious Projects: Want to do that 50-person wedding? A multi-course tasting menu for 20? With a good team, you can take on bigger, more exciting (and profitable!) events. And the more people you can feed at once, the higher profits you will have. Pacing your staff for work and not overdoing it is important though. Make sure to take your time and not overbook.
Chef Jojo’s Serious Face while plating Caesar Salads with Chef Jose’ Castro
When Team Life Makes You Wonder About Everything 😵💫
Managing People is TIRESOME: Conflict scheduling, personality conflicts, varied working styles, training new individuals, and coping with call-outs. You find yourself being a HR department AND a chef at the same time! Not to mention the millions of message you’re receiving, plus the clients who are reaching out to you. It can be a lot sometimes, like you’re being pulled into so many different directions at once.
Quality Control Stress: When you're the sole operator, you have a handle on everything that goes out. Working with others, you're continually double-checking, sampling, and ensuring everyone is upholding your standards. Having your reputation in someone else's hands is heavy pressure. Training is everything and you can never train enough. I have been working on this and I still am so I’ll get back to you on this when I have more information.
Money Gets Complicated: Paying employees means profit margins decrease. Suddenly, you're running payroll, handling employee taxes, and trying to determine equitable pay – it gets painfully complicated as a business! More money more problems is so true. But I wouldn’t change a thing!
Communication Issues: Miscommunications can happen fast. "I thought you said to use the other pan!" or "Did anyone start the sauce?" Clear communication is now the key, and anything that goes wrong can create chaos. I love to text for this reason. In person I like to repeat back what I heard.
Varying Expectations: What you deem perfectly seasoned may be over-salted to your team members, and your perception of proper plating may appear sloppy to others. To agree with everyone is time- and patience-consuming. Recipes matter. And make them at the start and save yourself some trouble!
Private Chef Catered Christmas Party in Bay Point Panama City Beach, Florida.
The Real Talk: Both methods have their advantages.
Here's what I've gathered after years of alternating between solo and team modes:
Solo Works Best When:
You're dealing with smaller, cozy events (2-8 guests)
The menu is in your comfort zone and you can get it done single-handedly
You value maximum profit margins
You like having total control over every little detail
The client actually prefers that personal, one-chef experience
Team Works Best When:
You're coordinating bigger events (15+ individuals)
The menu is sophisticated, with many courses and components
You're working on more complex projects
You're growing your business
You appreciate the creative collaboration and support system
Chef Jojo torching some Creme Brulees in Laguna Beach, Florida.
My Current Hybrid Approach (Because Life is Complicated!)
Honestly, I've learned to be more flexible and adjust my approach based on each situation.
For private dinners and regular family clients: Solo all the way! These families hired me myself specifically for my personal touch, and that's what they're paying me for.
For large events and special functions: Team mode activated! I have a few tried and tested collaborators that I call when I need additional hands and creative ideas.
For my sanity: I’ve learned to outsource the activities I despise, even when alone. This enables me to concentrate on the cooking process I enjoy.
Filet Mignon being sliced by Chef Jojo in Laguna Beach, FL.
The Skills Each Path Teaches You 🎓
Solo Chef Skills:
Time management that would impress a CEO
Problem-solving under pressure
Customer service excellence
Financial management
Self-motivation and discipline
Team Leader Skills:
Communication and delegation
Conflict resolution (because kitchen drama is REAL)
Training and mentorship
Project management
Leadership under stress
Both paths make you a better chef, just in different ways!
Chef Jojo preparing Brunch in 30A, FL.
My honest advice for new private chefs
Start solo. Seriously! You need to know your own capabilities, develop your systems, and build confidence before you start managing other people. Plus, it’s easier to build client relationships when it’s just you.
However, don’t be afraid to evolve! As you grow, as your client needs change, and as your business goals shift, be open to bringing in help when it makes sense.
Find your support system whether it’s a formal team or just other chef friends you can vent to. Don’t try to do this completely alone emotionally!
Know your numbers! Whether you’re paying yourself or paying a team, understand the financial side so you can make smart decisions about when to scale up or down.
Private Chef Plated Dinner in 30A Florida: Citrus Salad with Orange Supremes and Bourbon Dressing
The Plot Twist: It's Not Actually Team vs. Solo
All the meandering (apologies not accepted!), and here's what I've learned: the actual battle isn't team vs. solo - it's becoming okay with being uncomfortable!
You'll have days where you feel really comfortable working alone. The following day, you will want the energy and support from the team. Some clients require the personal touch of the solo chef, while others want the polish that's associated with a coordinated team effort.
The real secret? There’s no perfect answer. Just be honest about what every situation requires and to be flexible enough to change. And for real? Both roads have taught me things about business, cooking, and myself that I never would have discovered otherwise.
So what's your take, friends? Are you team Solo Chef or Team Squad? Have you tried both? What's been your biggest surprise about working alone vs. with others? Drop your experiences in the comments because I know I'm not the only one who's had 3 AM anxiety about whether to hire help or go it alone! 😂
Keep cooking (however many of you there are!), Chef Jojo 🍳💕
P.S. – If you're reading this at 2 AM wondering if you should hire an assistant or tough it out alone for another month, just know that you're not alone in this struggle! We've all been there! 🌙
Keep cooking with love, Chef Jojo 🍳💋