Questions About Experience and Speciality
A chef's speciality shapes everything — menu creativity, ingredient sourcing, plating style and the stories they'll tell about the food. These questions reveal whether their strengths align with what you're imagining for your event.
What you want to hear: specific cuisine names, training backgrounds (a chef who trained in a Japanese restaurant in Liberdade, São Paulo, or apprenticed under a French chef in Belo Horizonte carries that credential into your kitchen), and concrete examples of past events similar to yours.
✓What cuisines do you specialise in?
Listen for depth, not breadth. A chef who says 'everything' is less reliable than one who says 'I specialise in Bahian cuisine and have deep experience in Italian.'
✓How many events like mine have you done?
Frequency matters. A chef who has done 30 intimate dinners for two is better suited to a romantic evening than one who mainly cooks for corporate buffets.
✓Where did you train or develop your cooking?
Formal culinary school, restaurant experience and self-taught excellence are all valid paths — you just want to know which one shaped this person.
✓Can you share a recent sample menu for an occasion similar to mine?
A real menu — not a generic list of dishes — tells you whether the chef builds coherent, thoughtful dining experiences.
Questions About Dietary Handling and Food Safety
Food safety is non-negotiable. In Brazil, the ANVISA-aligned food handler's certificate (certificado de manipulador de alimentos) is the baseline credential, but it doesn't guarantee that a chef actively applies those standards at every booking. These questions let you assess actual practice.
Cross-contamination is the biggest risk for guests with allergies. A professional chef can describe their prevention protocols in concrete terms — separate cutting boards, dedicated utensils, thorough hand-washing and communication with guests throughout. If the answer is vague, that is informative.
✓Do you have a food handler's certification?
This is the Brazilian standard. The answer should be yes. Ask when it was last renewed.
✓How do you handle severe allergies or cross-contamination risks?
Look for specific protocols — not just 'I'll be careful.' A chef who says 'I bring separate utensils and use separate prep surfaces' is demonstrating real knowledge.
✓Have you cooked for guests with [specific restriction] before?
Experience with your specific dietary need — coeliac, tree nut allergy, severe lactose intolerance — is more reassuring than general food safety knowledge.
Pro Tip
Email or message your guest list's dietary restrictions to the chef in writing before the event, and ask for written confirmation that they have been noted. A paper trail protects everyone and forces clarity.
Questions About Logistics and the Day of the Event
Logistical misalignments are the most common source of avoidable friction on the day. These questions ensure that both you and the chef have identical expectations about timing, access and setup before the event, not during it.
A chef who asks you these logistical questions proactively — kitchen dimensions, oven type, parking, whether there's a doorman — is demonstrating professionalism. If they never ask, raise these topics yourself.
✓What time will you arrive, and how long do you need to set up?
For a multi-course dinner, most chefs need 1.5–3 hours of prep time. Know this so you can plan your guests' arrival accordingly.
✓Will you handle grocery shopping, or do I provide ingredients?
Most chefs prefer to shop — they know what quality looks like. Ingredient costs are typically charged at cost plus 10–15%. Confirm this arrangement before booking.
✓What kitchen equipment do you bring, and what do I need to provide?
Chefs bring their own knives and often specialty tools. You provide the stove, oven, refrigerator and basic cookware. Confirm specifics for unusual techniques.
✓Will you clean the kitchen after the event?
Post-cooking cleanup is standard in Brazil and should be included in the service. Confirm this explicitly so there are no misunderstandings after dinner.
Questions About Pricing and Payment
Personal chef pricing in Brazil has two components: the chef's service fee (their labour) and ingredient costs (charged at market price). Confusion between these two — or unexpected add-ons — is the most common source of billing disputes. These questions eliminate surprises.
Always get a written quote before confirming the booking. A reputable chef will provide a clear breakdown: service fee, estimated ingredient cost, travel (if applicable) and any assistant fees. If the answer to 'can I have a written quote?' is resistance, consider that a red flag.
✓What is your service fee for this event?
This is the chef's labour charge. Get the number in writing.
✓How do you charge for ingredients?
Standard practice is cost price plus a 10–15% handling fee. Some chefs include ingredients in a flat rate — confirm which model applies.
✓Are travel, parking or assistant fees included?
Chefs travelling across São Paulo or from one city neighbourhood to another may charge for Uber or fuel. Ask upfront.
✓What is your cancellation and rescheduling policy?
Know the rules before you pay a deposit. Most chefs offer full refund for cancellations 48–72 hours or more in advance.
Questions That Reveal Character and Fit
Beyond credentials and logistics, the best chef for your event is often the one whose personality matches the mood you're creating. A serious, quiet chef who focuses entirely on technique is perfect for a formal tasting menu. A warm, sociable chef who enjoys explaining each dish works beautifully for a casual dinner party where the cooking is part of the entertainment.
These last questions are conversational — and the answers are often more revealing than anything on a CV. Listen for enthusiasm, flexibility and honest self-awareness.
✓What do you enjoy cooking most?
A chef who lights up talking about a specific dish or technique is likely to bring that energy to your table.
✓How do you handle last-minute changes on the day?
Guest cancellations, dietary additions and ingredient unavailability all happen. A calm, solutions-oriented answer is what you want.
✓Are you comfortable with guests watching or asking questions while you cook?
For interactive, social dinners this matters enormously. For formal dining, the opposite preference may be ideal.
