Become A Personal Chef

If someone asked your last client why they hired you, what would they say?

“Great menu”…
 or
 “They understood exactly what we needed”?

In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan breaks down the shift that separates busy, underpaid chefs from the ones who are remembered, referred, and booked without price fights.

Because the problem isn’t your food.
 It’s not your marketing.
 It’s your position...

There comes a moment in every personal chef’s journey when the goal quietly changes.

At first, you just want clients.
 Then you realize you want the right ones—the ones who recognize quality, talk about you, and don’t replace you.

In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan reflects on how the first signature service changes everything—from confidence and positioning to the kinds of clients who show up.

You...

 The Ideal Client Profile Worksheet Episode

Every personal chef has that client—the one who looked perfect on paper but quietly drained the joy from the work.

In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan shares the clients they should’ve said no to, the ones who changed everything, and why you don’t need more clients—you need the right five.

You’ll learn:

• Why bad clients don’t show obvious red flags
• How a...

Missing salt doesn’t seem like a big deal — until it sends you to the grocery store three times in one cook day.

In this episode of the Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie breaks down why pantry maintenance is one of the most overlooked professional habits in personal cheffing. From expired spices to empty oil bottles, you’ll learn how small pantry gaps cost time, energy, and focus — and how a simple weekly system protects your wo...

Infused dining isn’t edgy, experimental, or about getting people high.
 It’s about control, trust, and responsibility—and most chefs aren’t prepared for that.

In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan breaks down what infused cuisine really demands from a professional chef, and why the chefs who succeed in this niche sound calmer—not louder—than everyone else.

You’ll learn:

• Why infused dining is about...

What corporate clients actually pay for

If you think corporate and executive clients are hiring you for creativity, personality, or flashy menus, you’re already losing this market.

In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan explains why high-level clients don’t look for the “best chef in town”—they look for the safest decision.

Executives hire personal chefs to remove friction from their day, not add anot...

Your first real client interview can feel intimidating—racing heart, tight stomach, and the fear of saying the wrong thing.

But here’s the truth: clients aren’t listening for perfect answers.
 They’re listening for confidence.

In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan breaks down why confidence is audible, how early client calls were coached behind the scenes, and how calm leadership—not selling—gets cli...

Stop Selling Meals If You Want to Make More Money
 Subtitle: Why memorable chefs don’t compete on price

Podcast Description:

If clients keep asking “How much do you charge?” before they ask anything else, this episode is for you.

In this Signature Services episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan breaks down why most personal chefs stay stuck competing on price—and how the chefs who make real money escape it.

The...

You can be an incredible chef—and still lose clients before they ever talk to you.

Not because your food isn’t good.
 Not because you’re not trying hard enough.
 But because your website quietly pushes people away.

In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan breaks down ten simple, overlooked website issues that silently kill bookings—and how to fix them without posting more on social media or redesign...

Your client consultation is your audition — and most chefs wing it.
 Here, I walk you through the structure, psychology, and subtle signals that help you build trust fast, guide the conversation with confidence, and close the booking without feeling “salesy.”

This episode alone will raise your closing rate.

🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟

Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️

👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com ...

Now we take your niche and turn it into a show.
Not literally, but kind of. We explore how cultural storytelling, atmosphere, music, ingredients, plating, and sensory moments transform a dinner into something clients talk about for months.

If you want clients to book you again before dessert hits the table, this is your blueprint.

🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟

Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️

👉...

Before you dive into licenses, menus, and branding… you need to know whether this lifestyle is truly for you.

We take a clear-eyed look at the freedom, the responsibility, the unpredictability, and the joy of building a business in other people’s kitchens. Consider this your “Are you ready for this adventure?” test — with humor and compassion baked in.

🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟

Looking to grow your personal chef business...

Want to become unforgettable? Become the go-to chef for a specific cuisine. Whether you love Thai, Italian, Caribbean, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern flavors, specialization creates instant recognition and premium pricing opportunities.

This episode teaches how to build authority through culinary focus without becoming boxed in.

🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟

Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️

👉 Beco...

Ever wonder what a personal chef’s evening really looks like? This episode is a cinematic walk-through of a real service: the setup, the energy, the small crises, the big wins, and all the behind-the-scenes moments you’ll never forget.

It’s honest, funny, and eye-opening — like shadowing us for a night.

🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟

Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️

👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explor...

Pull up a chair for one of our most unbelievable cook-day stories — the kind that starts with “How bad could it be?” and ends with, “Oh my god, everything is on fire.”

This funny, vulnerable, totally real episode teaches the mindset and systems that prevent disasters… or at least help you laugh through them.
 You’ll walk away knowing that mistakes don’t make you unprofessional — how you handle them does.

🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS &...

Finally: the truth behind how personal chefs actually build full calendars.
 I break down the difference between weak and strong referral systems, the community presence strategies that worked for us, simple partnerships that bring in high-quality clients, and how to track where your leads come from.

No fluff — just what actually works in the wild.

🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟

Looking to grow your personal chef business...

Pricing is emotional. Let’s talk about it.
 I walk you through our biggest pricing mistakes, why separating food cost from service fees is a game-changer, and how to talk about price without apologizing or whispering.

You’ll learn why value matters more than hours, and how premium clients think about money differently.

If you’ve ever felt sick pressing “send” on your quote, this episode is for you.

🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT S...

Branding isn’t logos. It’s how you make people feel. Clients book the chef they trust, not the chef with the prettiest Instagram grid.

I share the story of why Chef Vanda’s clients remembered the experience she created far more than the dishes themselves — and how tiny habits like communication, consistency, and emotional safety become the most powerful branding tools you have.

By the end, you’ll know exactly how to build a brand tha...

Let’s save you from overwhelm — and from buying half of Restaurant Depot unnecessarily. I walk you through the lean, practical setup that powered our business from day one: a small SUV, a clean kit of essentials, professionalism over fancy gear, and a step-by-step checklist for legal and financial readiness.

If you’ve been procrastinating because you “don’t have everything yet,” this episode will set you free.

🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS &am...