Dream Dinners, Super Supers..how can we survive?

[CCuisine]

Hi! I am a Cooking Instructor/Personal chef. I got request from clients who are using " Dream diners", and other pre-prepared meals. When I show my cost the usual used by Personal Chef they say this is the double from what they paid at DD!
My question is how can we make the difference? Why clients will use a Personal Chef when they can pay half-price?

[jeanmarie]

Dream Dinners aren't that good. They aren't as healthy as meals a personal chef can provide. They use lots of prepared products (like cream soups, commercial gravys and other processed foods). Stress fresh foods, and less processed goods, and personal chefs should come out ahead.

[LorrieP]

Hi,
There are two main reasons why we are able to charge more for our services...the first is that we are using FRESH ingredients and customizing the menus to what our clients not only want, but need. The second is we are providing a service for our clients...we are the ones going to them, or providing for them.
These dream dinners and the like are geared more for the families that want to cook, but don't really know how to organize their time, ingredients, and recipes in a such a way that they can make multiple meals. I personally do not care for these places, but if they get people away from the fast food restaurants thats a small success.

I offer Once a Month Cooking classes for those folks that want to have their freezer full, but don't want the services of a Personal Chef. I teach them how to organize their cooking and recipes. This allows me to market to those people who wouldn't want to pay the 'extra' for my chef services. And in that process I also teach them the importance of fresh ingredients, healthier recipes, and proper cooking ...

I hope this eases your concerns a little:)

Have A Great Day!
Lorrie:)

[Chef Terry]

The answer is in our title, PERSONAL! There are a ton of reasons why people choose us, we supply a PERSONAL service, our menus are customised for each client, as Lorrie says we use fresh ingredients, where as the DD's of this world are mass produced!!, my brother works for a company over here that is very similar, but caters more for diets, people use their services once or twice then go!!, I had clients in Canada for over five years, you become part of the family, and after all what price do your clients put on their time?? it all comes down to how you sell your service.I have had people say the same thing to me, but by the time you work down the list of benefits, the client sees your value!!! Don't be afraid to espouse your value, and perhaps get a little script going on what you are going to say when people make a statement like that.
Hope this helps?

[CPPCS]

Chef Terry, been missing reading your posts. Good to see you are still out there.

[Chef Terry]

Hi Sheila, yes I am still around, I am working at a private retreat in Essex and really enjoying it, it allows me to work seven days on seven days off, so in my down time I am working on a new alliance for PC's in England where the industry has HUGE potential, and now with my new laptop I can stay in touch when I am on the island, so exciting times ahead.

[thecooktoo]

CCuisine - You are not competing with any of the easy prep guys. At least you should not be. They are selling food. If you try to sell food you will not succeed as a personal chef.

You are changing peoples lives by changing they way they get their primany meals. If you try to sell food, just rmember that your clients can get food a lot cheaper at the easy prep places, Applebies or any of the other family style restaurants.

Your service is the difference. People that can afford your service don't have any more time for the easy preps now than they did before.

Jim

[CPPCS]

Terry, certainly glad all is well. Looking forward to seeing you here more often.

[Frantastic]

Next time you have a few moments, go check out your competition. It's nothing more than prepared ingredients and powdered mixes/spices with fancy names. I was shocked to see the pricing for what you get and the quality you get, but then they have to pay for their rent, right? It's a franchise - anyone can do it, and usually they are not culinary professionals. I went into one and a lady was rolling out a dough with her hair hanging over the dough, painted long fingernails and a pretty apron on. Ugh.

[Culinary Artist]

Also remember with Dream Dinners et al, they still have to cook it at home. For the most part what we do is ensure they have little work as possible once they decide what to have for dinner.

[Amykr]

I own a non chain meal assembly kitchen that also offers catering and cooking classes. You compete the same was we do. You give personalized service cating specificially to your clients needs and not repackaging prepackaged products. You show how much healthier the food is and you compare how your prices when you eliminate the waste and eating out will save them money. Trust me they will come.

Amy

[ChefLisa]

Our clients are usually...busy....hte to cook...on restricted diets for illnesses or allergies... don't want to have to show up and package up their ingredients and then cook them. For my clients, at least, the whole point is, as Chef Terry said, is PERSONAL. They get exactly what they want, exactly the way they want it.

These are two different markets. We just got a Dream Dinners in my area in Nov. A couple of people checked it out. They told me A. Too much work. B. too much time. C. No ability to choose EXACTLY what they want or need. D. And it seemed to them, it was more for getting out and hanging with friends, not having a made just for you meal sitting in your fridge and all you have to do is heat it up.

All of which are fine if that's what you're looking for. My clients would rather not bother. They chose my service because it serves their wants and needs. I'm glad they tried the new business out. Now they know why they are quite a bit cheaper than I am and why they'd rather have me.
Chef Lisa

[ChefLisa]

Our clients are usually...busy....hate to cook...on restricted diets for illnesses or allergies... don't want to have to show up and package up their ingredients and then cook them. For my clients, at least, the whole point is, as Chef Terry said, is PERSONAL. They get exactly what they want, exactly the way they want it.

These are two different markets. We just got a Dream Dinners in my area in Nov. A couple of people checked it out. They told me A. Too much work. B. too much time. C. No ability to choose EXACTLY what they want or need. D. And it seemed to them, it was more for getting out and hanging with friends, not having a made just for you meal sitting in your fridge and all you have to do is heat it up.

All of which are fine if that's what you're looking for. My clients would rather not bother. They chose my service because it serves their wants and needs. I'm glad they tried the new business out. Now they know why they are quite a bit cheaper than I am and why they'd rather have me.
Chef Lisa