Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a personal chef and a private chef?
A private chef is the employee of an individual or family, available to cook meals whenever they want. A personal chef comes to cook in your house on a regular schedule (weekly, every other week, monthly), but packages meals in your refrigerator or freezer for you to heat and eat at a later time unless catering a dinner party. Personal chefs serve many clients, while private chefs work for only one.
What do you get when you take advantage of Max’s Kitchen and Garden’s meal preparation services?
After holding an initial free consultation to discuss your needs and expectations, Chef Max will make menu suggestions based on your requested level of service, food preferences, needs, dietary restrictions, food sensitivities, and food allergies. On your cook date, Chef Max will shop for groceries and transport them to your home under proper sanitary conditions and prepare the agreed upon entrées. He will then package and label your food in individual or family-size servings and place it in the refrigerator and/or freezer, providing any needed reheating, preparation, or serving instructions. Prior to leaving, Chef Max will clean and wash all kitchen equipment and areas used during cooking.
I require a special diet. Can you accommodate my needs?
Max’s Kitchen and Garden’s meal preparation services are designed to meet your needs and make life easier for you. During the free consultation we will discuss your likes and dislikes, along with any dietary restrictions, food sensitivities, and food allergies. Chef Max will research and plan menus specifically for you. That’s the beauty of hiring a personal chef. To understand the breadth of Chef Max’s repertoire scroll through his blog posts, which highlights more than 200 of his recipes.
Why must Chef Max cook in your kitchen? Can’t he cook in his kitchen and bring the food to me?
New York State law prohibits chefs from cooking in their personal kitchen space. While they can rent and cook in certified kitchens and deliver food, this would be cost prohibitive. By cooking in your home using your equipment, costs are kept to a minimum and meals are cooked meeting the highest safety standards. The added benefit is that you come home to your house smelling of delicious home-cooked food.
How long will Chef Max be in my home?
To prepare the agreed upon number of entrées, Chef Max will need full access to the kitchen area for anywhere from three to seven hours. He can work with you to schedule cooking at the most convenient, unobtrusive time.
How much will meal preparation services cost?
The price for meal preparation services varies depending on how many meals you want prepared. General pricing starts at $500 plus the cost of groceries to feed a family of four for a week. To discuss pricing for your specific circumstances, please contact Chef Max for a free consultation. Pricing includes shopping time, food preparation, and cleaning. You pay for all groceries purchased. Additional fees may be added for specific circumstances, and all applicable sales taxes apply.
How do I pay?
Your service is booked on the calendar when Max’s Kitchen and Garden receives a deposit of $100, which is necessary to partially cover the cost of groceries and will be deducted from your balance upon completion of each cook date. Invoices are provided and full payment is due at the completion of the cook day. Max’s Kitchen and Garden does NOT accept credit cards. Payment can be in the form of cash, personal check (to “Max’s Kitchen and Garden, LLC”), Venmo (@maxstrieb), or Zelle (maxskitchenandgarden@gmail.com).
Will the food be prepared to meet safety standards?
Max’s Kitchen and Garden works in a manner that rigorously meets all safety standards. We will shop for your meals on your agreed upon cook date ensuring freshness, and groceries needing refrigeration will be transported to your home in insulated bags. Meat, poultry, and seafood will be transported in insulated bags separate from other items to prevent cross contamination. Chef Max is Food Manager (safety) Certified in Suffolk and Nassau Counties and will transport, prepare, and package food to meet all provisions of the New York Sanitary Code.
How will food be stored?
As dishes are completed, Chef Max will properly cool your food and package it for storage in your refrigerator or freezer so you can reheat it at your leisure. Simple reheating instructions will be provided. Food will be packaged in food-safe containers either in single serving or family style portions, whatever works best for you. Max’s Kitchen and Garden will provide disposable plastic containers (which cannot be used in a conventional oven) for a small fee, if needed. These can be washed and reused. However, if you plan to continue to use our services, the most eco-friendly option is to purchase Pyrex containers that can go directly from refrigerator to a microwave or cool oven.
How do I heat the food?
Simple heating instructions will be provided, whether you use a conventional oven, air fryer, toaster oven, or microwave. It is important to note that heating times will be approximate, as all ovens and microwaves vary in strength and temperature. Max’s Kitchen and Garden strongly recommends that you purchase an instant read stem-type thermometer to safely reheat food to 165 oF.
Where does Max’s Kitchen and Garden shop for groceries?
Max’s Kitchen and Garden shops for the freshest ingredients only at reputable establishments – Whole Foods, Wild By Nature, Trader Joe’s, Stop & Shop, and other local stores, for example. While your fee includes shopping time, you pay the cost of groceries. Chef Max can shop at your favorite stores to buy ingredients that fit your needs, although numerous stops or shopping for specialty or hard to find items may incur an additional fee.
Do you use organic ingredients?
Max’s Kitchen and Garden shops and prepares food according to your needs. Since you pay for groceries, we can purchase organic or non-organic ingredients based on your preferences. In addition, we will use fresh-picked organic produce from Chef Max’s garden whenever it is available. Similarly, we will purchase the grade of meat and poultry you choose.
Do I have to sign a contract for a particular length of service?
No. There is no contract requiring an obligatory time commitment or number of cook days for either you or Max’s Kitchen and Garden. You and Max’s Kitchen and Garden are free to terminate this relationship at any time, with the exception of already scheduled cook dates. Because Chef Max has scheduled a particular cook date for you and is therefore not available for other clients, if you cancel an already scheduled cook date, cancellation fees will apply.
To learn more about meal prep services, please contact Chef Max at (631) 606-0551 or maxskitchenandgarden@gmail.com.
Max’s Kitchen and Garden, LLC is licensed and insured in Suffolk and Nassau Counties, NY.
