If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a private chef in Cornwall, it’s that no two weeks are ever the same. Some flow like clockwork. Others feel like a challenge from the universe to see just how much one person can juggle. This was one of those weeks. And somehow, it turned into one of the best I’ve ever had.
It started with a quiet Monday, the kind that usually means I can get ahead on planning. I had one dinner for Friday locked in, a tasting menu for a couple celebrating their engagement. Then my phone lit up.
Tuesday: The Corporate Call
A client I had worked with before called in a panic. Their corporate retreat had lost their caterer, and they needed a lunch for twenty guests on Thursday. Simple stuff, they said. Something light, seasonal, impressive but not over the top. I said yes.
Menus got drafted that night. I built everything around spring ingredients—a fresh pea and mint velouté, grilled asparagus with burrata, and Cornish chicken with wild garlic jus. By midnight, my fridge was full and my prep list had doubled.
Wednesday: Prep and a Twist
Wednesday should have been a full prep day. But just after breakfast, I got a message: a family of four on holiday had heard about me from a past guest. They wanted a last minute booking for a private dinner that evening. Casual, nothing fancy, just good food for a birthday celebration.
Luckily, I had enough ingredients to pull something together without skimping on flavour. I served slow cooked lamb shoulder with flatbreads and pickled cabbage, a dish from A Private Table that always hits the spot. We finished with chocolate brownie and clotted cream. Job done, smiles all round, and I was back to prepping by 10pm.
Thursday: The Corporate Lunch
Thursday came fast. I arrived early, set up, and got cooking. The lunch went off without a hitch—seasonal, bright, and full of flavour. I even had time to chat with some of the guests who were curious about how private cheffing works. One of them asked for a quote on the spot for a dinner in a few months. Always a bonus.
Friday: The Big One
This was the one I had planned from the start. A six course tasting menu for two. Everything needed to be exact—timing, seasoning, plating. The dishes included mackerel pâté with sourdough, hand rolled pasta with crab, and a finale of homemade honeycomb and triple chocolate brownie.
I talked them through each dish, gave them a story behind every ingredient, and watched as they lingered over each bite. By the end of the night, they were already asking about booking the next one. That’s what it’s all about.
The Takeaway
This week was chaos, yes. But it reminded me why I love what I do. It is about more than food. It is about adapting, reading the room, and creating something memorable in whatever time and space you are given.
Not every week is this full on. But when they are, I would not trade it for anything.
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