Why intake matters more than the menu

A beautiful menu proposal means nothing if the client has allergies you didn't ask about, a kitchen that can't support your workflow, or expectations you can't meet. The pre-booking conversation is where you prevent the problems that no amount of cooking skill can fix after the fact.

The questions worth asking

Not all of these apply to every client — pick what fits your lane. But cover the categories, not just the easy ones.

Dietary and health

  • Allergies — confirmed medical allergies, not just preferences (these carry different stakes).
  • Strong dislikes or avoidances — things they won't eat regardless of preparation.
  • Dietary patterns — vegetarian, keto, low-sodium, cultural or religious guidelines.
  • Who decides? In a household, one person may handle communication while others have the actual restrictions. Ask who you're cooking for by name if possible.

Logistics and access

  • Kitchen setup — oven count, stove type, counter space, refrigerator/freezer capacity. You need to know before your first cook day, not during it.
  • Parking and entry — gated community, doorman, key/code, pet situation.
  • Storage — do they want meals in their containers or yours? Labeled? Dated? Reheating instructions?

Schedule and communication

  • Preferred cook day and time window.
  • How they want to communicate (text, email, app) — and how often.
  • Change/cancellation lead time they're comfortable with (compare to your policies from Lesson 3).

Expectations

  • Have they worked with a personal chef before? If yes, what worked and what didn't?
  • What does "success" look like to them in the first month?
  • Are they hiring you to replace daily cooking entirely, supplement, or handle specific meals (kids' lunches, dinners only, weekend prep)?

What to do with the answers

Record them. Not in your head — somewhere you can reference before every cook day. Written records of client preferences prevent the mistakes that erode trust silently over weeks.

When intake reveals a bad fit

Sometimes the answers tell you this isn't going to work: their expectations don't match your service, their kitchen can't support what they want, or the dietary complexity exceeds what you can safely deliver. It's better to say "I don't think I'm the right fit for what you need" now than to fail visibly later. A honest no builds more referrals than a strained yes.

Before you continue

Build your intake checklist — the questions you'll ask every new prospect before sending a proposal. Group them by category. You'll reference this list in the proposal lesson next.