Every private chef eventually takes a job that loses money. Not because the rate was bad on paper, but because the drive was ninety minutes each way, the kitchen had one working burner, or the scope crept past what the flat fee could absorb. The lesson is always the same: you needed boundaries you hadn't set yet.

This isn't about charging as much as possible. It's about knowing your floor—the point below which work costs you more than it earns.

Setting a Minimum That Reflects Real Costs

Your minimum isn't a marketing number. It's the lowest amount that covers your actual costs for a single job, including the parts clients don't see.

  • Food cost (COGS). The raw ingredients for the meal. For recurring prep, this is often 30–40% of what you charge. Track it—even roughly—so you know the real number.
  • Your time, honestly counted. Menu planning, shopping, travel, cooking, cleanup, communication. A "four-hour cook day" is rarely four hours once you include everything before and after.
  • Fixed overhead per job. Vehicle costs, insurance, supplies you bring, packaging. These are real expenses even if they're not line items on your invoice.

Add those up for a typical job. That's your floor. Everything below it is a subsidy from your own pocket.

A minimum protects you from the jobs that feel busy but leave you broke. It's not about being expensive—it's about not working for free.

Travel: Where the Math Breaks Down

Travel is where chefs most commonly undercharge. An extra thirty minutes each way doesn't just cost gas—it costs an hour of your day that could be spent cooking, prepping, or resting for tomorrow.

  • Define your core radius. The area you'll travel to without an extra charge. Be specific: "within 25 miles of [your area]" or "within 40 minutes in normal traffic."
  • Charge beyond it, clearly. A flat travel surcharge or per-mile rate. State it upfront, not after the first bill surprises someone.
  • Factor in round-trip time when booking. A client 45 minutes away doesn't just add 45 minutes—it adds 90 minutes to your day and makes it nearly impossible to fit a second job.

Some chefs set a hard boundary and decline work past it. Others charge enough that the travel is genuinely worth it. Either approach works, as long as you've done the math.

Kitchen Conditions You Can't Control

You're cooking in someone else's kitchen. That means working with whatever they have—which can range from a professional-grade setup to a galley kitchen with dull knives and one sheet pan.

  • Do a kitchen walkthrough before committing. For recurring clients, this is non-negotiable. You need to see the oven, counter space, storage, and basic equipment before you can scope the work.
  • Bring your own essentials. Knives, a thermometer, a cutting board, and anything else you rely on. Don't assume the client has what you need.
  • Adjust scope to the space. A kitchen with one oven and minimal counter space can't support the same menu as a full setup. Build that into your proposal rather than discovering it mid-cook.
  • Name your limits. If the kitchen isn't workable—no functional stove, unsafe conditions, pest issues—you need to be able to say "I can't cook here safely" without guilt.

The kitchen walkthrough isn't optional. It's the difference between a smooth first day and a stressful scramble that sets the wrong tone for months.

Putting It Together: Your Pricing Boundaries

None of these need to be rigid or complicated. A short document—even notes on your phone—that captures:

  • Your minimum fee and what it covers
  • Your travel radius and surcharge beyond it
  • Kitchen requirements (or deal-breakers)
  • What happens when scope changes mid-engagement

Review it every few months. As your costs shift or your schedule fills, your floor should shift too.

If you remember one thing: boundaries aren't barriers to getting clients—they're the reason you keep the good ones without burning out. Set your floor, communicate it clearly, and adjust it as your business evolves.