The private chef industry is booming. As James Burke points out in this piece for The Times, more and more people want “restaurant-level food without leaving their gated driveways.” But what is it really like behind those gates? Burke lifts the lid on a world of “cruelty, chaos and cocaine consumption.” It may sound glamorous, but only those with serious stamina and a thick skin will survive this career choice.
Then again, I’ve also cooked for a mysterious heiress who lived in a seven-floor compound in west London. There were two security huts, a fingerprint scanner and five flights down to the basement kitchen — a dungeon of stainless steel. I never saw her face and was probably never closer than seven rooms away. I only felt her presence in the terror of her staff, each of whom, at some point, came into the kitchen in tears.
I made lunch seven times that day, and every time it was sent back. Eventually, I realised that she preferred her cucumbers to be cut into diamonds rather than circles. I decided not to go back the next day.
More picks on food
This Bottle of Dijon Mustard from Costco is Crazy Hot. A Months-Long Investigation Revealed the Surprising Reason Why.
“The search for an answer took us to a mustard dynasty in France, a Hamilton mustard mill and Palliser’s Triangle.”
In the Age of AI, the Analog Restaurant Feels Radical
“Some restaurants are leaning into handmade touches, as AI-generated food photos and flyers become commonplace.”
Gassed Up
“Tomato ripening rooms reveal the growing costs of the produce industry’s massive consolidation.”
Why Are Berries Everywhere, in Every Season? Driscoll’s.
“The California giant has helped turn a local, seasonal treat into a worldwide refrigerator staple and marketing juggernaut.”
America’s Greatest Hot Dog
“The price and quality of the $1.50 Costco frank haven’t budged in 40 years. It’s the last—and best—deal in the country.”
Inside the Food Truck Mafia Wreaking Havoc Around the National Mall
“Turf wars. Food and fire hazards. $15 ice-cream cones. How an organized network of unlicensed food trucks took over America’s Front Lawn.”
