The Personal Chef Starter Kit
A working first week for personal chefs — pricing framework, your first-job SOP, three social templates, and the 7-day launch tracker. Built from 13years operating Spiker Carpet & Tile Care in Galt, California. Print it, use it, start.
Stop pitching menus. Start cooking for one neighbor this week. In Personal Chef work, the fastest free customer is a busy parent or senior you already know. Knock on three doors on your block. Say: “I’m a personal chef launching. I’ll cook dinner for your family this Thursday—free. You buy the groceries. If you love it, hire me next week.” No contracts, no sample menu. Just one meal, their ingredients, your skill. That Thursday, arrive with your own knives, cutting board, and cooler. Wash hands on arrival. Cook three dishes, portion them into labeled containers, wipe down every surface, and leave the kitchen cleaner than you found it. Text them a photo of the plated meal before you go. That single act earns a five-star review because you solved their real problem—dinner and cleanup—not just cooking.
1 · Price with an anchor, not a guess
Don’t pick one price — present three. Most customers pick the middle tier, so build it as your most profitable package. Research 3–5 local competitors’ public rates first (their websites, their Google Business profiles), then set:
- Bronze. The stripped-down version — beats the cheapest competitor on simplicity, not price. This tier exists to make Silver look right.
- Silver. Your real offer. Price it at the local mid-market rate + 10%, justified by ONE guarantee competitors don't make (same-day response, photo documentation, fixed quote).
- Gold. Silver + the premium add-ons stacked in. Some buyers always take the top — never leave it off the menu.
2 · Your first-job SOP
- 01Scope in writing. Before starting: deliverables, timeline, price, and what's NOT included — in one short email the client confirms. Scope creep dies here.
- 02Kickoff with a question list. Collect everything you need in one structured intake — not fourteen back-and-forth messages. Your intake form is in the full bundle's CRM.
- 03Show progress early. Share a first slice at 25% done. Early correction is cheap; late correction is a refund request.
- 04Deliver + walk through. Never just send the file. A 5-minute walkthrough (loom or call) turns a deliverable into a relationship.
- 05Ask for the review. At the moment they say thanks: 'Reviews are how I compete with the big agencies — 30 seconds, here's the link.'
- 06Log + follow up. Log the project in your Personal Chef CRM. Follow up at 2 weeks: how's it performing? That message is where repeat work comes from.
3 · Three posts to announce you exist
I just opened a personal chef business serving [your area]. Here's the one thing I'm doing differently: [your guarantee — same-day response / fixed pricing / photo documentation on every job]. First [3] customers get [founding-customer offer]. DM me or call [number].
[Before/after photo or work sample]. This is what [job type] looks like when it's done right. If you've been putting this off, this week's schedule has [2] openings — [booking link].
"[Paste a real customer review — never invent one.]" — [first name], [area]. Reviews like this are why I do this. If you need personal chef work done, the link to book is in my bio.
4 · The 7-day launch tracker
- Day 1 — Duplicate your Personal Chef Notion CRM and load your first 10 prospects
- Day 2 — Customize the 3 highest-impact Canva templates with your name + colors
- Day 3 — Set up your Google Business Profile using the provided checklist
- Day 4 — Send your first outreach using the AI Sales Assistant scripts
- Day 5 — Publish your first 3 social posts from the marketing pack
- Day 6 — Set your pricing with the Bronze/Silver/Gold anchor system
- Day 7 — Book your first job and trigger the review-ask sequence