Hire A Private Chef Today

Let’s imagine you want to take a dozen friends out for dinner at your favorite restaurant - how many hassles are involved? Well there is a better alternative in hiring a chef (with or without a back-up team of kitchen help) to provide the gourmet experience in your own home. The private chef does all the grocery shopping for the meal and once they have departed, the left-overs are in the freezer and your kitchen is spotlessly clean.

You are providing the wine and drinks and have the pleasure and security of entertaining in your own home - no second sittings, no snotty Maitre D’ and no annoying people at the next table. Dining at home has become more and more popular and hiring a private chef to prepare your meals makes sound sense. Retaining a private chef on a full-time basis has never been easier. Many of the most famous chefs in the world supplement their income by providing a private service for select clients on an ad hoc basis, but many well trained chefs are now finding that they can be better compensated by working in the domestic service field as opposed to the high pressure world of restaurants and hotels.

The secret is to either specialise in one particular style of cooking, be it geographically specific or by providing a specific type of cooking - organic, low fat, fusion, spa, or any other. But, conversely, the chefs who have little trouble in finding employment are those that can turn their hand to any style of cooking and any type of menu (but have their own specialities too).

A good chef in the private service field will have a portfolio of menus to fit every occasion. However, there can be no room for kitchens tantrums in the domestic kitchen. No Gordon Ramsay here! No matter how brilliant. Diplomacy and tact are paramount as much as the preparation of wonderful food for the clients.


Are you seeking a personal chef?


The first step is to contact us (http://tristatedomestic.net/) and tell us how we may accommodate you in confidence. Here at Tri State Domestic our Domestic Staff Professionals are the finest in the business.

Staff Retention and Household Prosperity

Staff Retention and Household Prosperity

The inability to attract or better yet keep new staff is one of the top dilemmas facing employer families today. Many families know the value of hiring key employees and the importance of keeping these men and women on board. The loss of an integral staff member can shake a household's foundation and cause distress for the family as well as the staff members.

In recruiting and retaining domestic staff, families must take into account several critical factors including their recruiting strategy, compensation plans, short and long-term incentive plans, culture, and employee recognition. The time to address retention is now.

Why Domestic Workers Quit?

<><>

Many employers believe that money is the top reason employees leave their jobs. This simply is not so. While compensation is important to everyone, when you look at the big picture it does not provide a complete answer to why domestic staff leaves employers. Consider a recent survey developed by The International Guild of Professional Butlers, whereby domestic staffs were asked which of the following is most likely to cause good employees to quit their jobs.

Their responses were as follows:

<><>

Lack of recognition	42%
Limited advancement	21%
Inadequate salary and benefits	14%
Unhappiness with employer	11%
Bored with job	7%
No response	5%

Given the importance of finding and keeping top staff, we would offer the following suggestions on how to address retention in your household:

Hire the right individual to begin with

Without a doubt, the single biggest reason an employee does not work out is the lack of fit within a family culture. As a potential employer, you should develop a detailed job description, making certain the person you hire "fits" your culture and the competencies needed via a thorough recruiting and interviewing process. Engaging an outside search firm may be an excellent option as well. Lastly, take the time to integrate this new person into your household through orientation, training and providing resources to them in their move and transition.

Provide Growth Opportunities

Keep in mind, advancement does not always mean moving upwards in the organizational chart. Providing the opportunity to lead a team on a specific project for instance can provide challenge and growth. If you look for ways to keep staff challenged and learning, they will stay. When you stretch the perceived capabilities of a high-performing staff member, they may surprise you with what they can do, and the risk will pay dividends down the road with better retention and employee motivation.

Recognition

Everyone wants to be appreciated and recognized for the hard work they put in. Your goal in recognition should be to strengthen the bond and affiliation an employee feels with the household. Recognition should be sincere and public when appropriate. It's the day-to-day interactions household staffs have with their employers that can often make the difference between motivating or losing a key staff member.

Culture

Every household has a culture associated with it. One way to find out what your culture is currently saying about you is through employee feedback. Provide channels through which employees can voice their opinions and speak out. Exit interviews can be especially important and should be analyzed. Losing staff will cost you the expenses of recruiting and training a replacement as well as lost productivity, reduced morale and lost intellectual capital. Often employers make the mistake of ignoring the causes of turnover in their household. Many employers also seem "not to care" as they will always blame the staff member who is leaving without questioning the high turnover.

Consequently, accountability in staff management is paramount. It takes teamwork on all fronts to run an effective household.