Personal Chef Industry Statistics
The personal-chef segment overlaps with both catering and private hospitality. Numbers below are sourced from the US Personal Chef Association and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics.
Last updated
13,200
Active personal chefs in the US
165,000+
US households with a recurring personal chef relationship
$48/hr
Median personal chef hourly rate (cooking time)
$95-$140
Per-person cost of a typical 5-course private dinner
73%
Personal chefs offering meal-prep service (multi-day batch cooking)
+8.4%
YoY growth in active personal chef businesses (2024)
Full statistics with sources
| Metric | Value | Source | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active personal chefs in the US | 13,200 | US Personal Chef Association | USPCA 2024 industry survey |
| US households with a recurring personal chef relationship | 165,000+ | American Personal & Private Chef Association | APPCA 2024 |
| Median personal chef hourly rate (cooking time) | $48/hr | US Bureau of Labor Statistics — OEWS, Chefs and Head Cooks | OEWS May 2024 |
| Per-person cost of a typical 5-course private dinner | $95-$140 | American Personal & Private Chef Association | 2024 |
| Personal chefs offering meal-prep service (multi-day batch cooking) | 73% | US Personal Chef Association | 2024 |
| YoY growth in active personal chef businesses (2024) | +8.4% | US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Self-Employed Persons by Occupation | CPS 2024 |
| Median weekly clients per established personal chef | 9.2 | US Personal Chef Association | 2024 |
What the numbers mean
13,200 — Active personal chefs in the US
Includes solo operators, two-person teams, and chefs working under franchise networks (eg The Culinary Edge, Personal Chef To Go).
Source: US Personal Chef Association · USPCA 2024 industry survey
165,000+ — US households with a recurring personal chef relationship
Concentrated in major metros (NYC, LA, SF, Miami, Chicago, DC) plus high-income suburban markets.
Source: American Personal & Private Chef Association · APPCA 2024
$48/hr — Median personal chef hourly rate (cooking time)
Range: $32-$95/hr depending on specialty, metro, and tenure. Specialty diets (keto, AIP, GLP-1-compatible) typically command a 30% premium.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics — OEWS, Chefs and Head Cooks · OEWS May 2024
$95-$140 — Per-person cost of a typical 5-course private dinner
Includes shopping, prep, service, and cleanup. Wine pairings and high-end protein selections push this higher.
Source: American Personal & Private Chef Association · 2024
73% — Personal chefs offering meal-prep service (multi-day batch cooking)
Recurring weekly meal-prep is now the dominant business model. One-off dinners remain a meaningful but smaller revenue line for most operators.
Source: US Personal Chef Association · 2024
+8.4% — YoY growth in active personal chef businesses (2024)
Personal chef is among the fastest-growing self-employed culinary categories, fueled by remote work, GLP-1-driven dietary specialization, and wellness spending.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Self-Employed Persons by Occupation · CPS 2024
9.2 — Median weekly clients per established personal chef
Established (5+ years in operation) personal chefs typically maintain 8-12 weekly clients. New entrants serve 2-5 in their first year.
Source: US Personal Chef Association · 2024
Related on CaterCamp
The benchmarks above sit alongside our product and operator-guide pages. Use these to apply the data to your own catering or foodservice operation.