How to Find the Best Private Chefs in Miami

Miami is a foodie paradise, with an exploding restaurant scene, signature food-and-wine festivals, a cosmopolitan clientele and innovative celebrity chefs.

But, sometimes, there’s no place like home for a five-star meal. And when that’s what you crave, there’s no one like a personal chef to man the kitchen while you enjoy the company of your guests.

The American Personal & Private Chef Association calls personal chefs “today’s culinary entrepreneurs” who are shaping the eating habits of tomorrow. Indeed, the organization says roughly 9,000 personal chefs currently serve 72,000 customers in the United States, and they expect those numbers to double over the next five years.

What’s driving the growth? Busy parents. Health-conscious professionals. Diners with dietary restrictions. People who want to eat well but don’t know a slotted spoon from a spatula.

So how do you find a great private chef in Miami — short of calling your favorite restaurant and trying to wheedle someone away from the commercial stove (good luck with that!)?

Here are a few excellent places to begin your search for the best private chefs in Miami:

The American Personal & Private Chef Association

As the largest organization for professional private chefs in the United States, the APPCA serves as a clearinghouse of information for both chefs and the diners who hire them.

What’s more, the group’s Personal Chef Search allows you to look for a chef by city and state.

The United States Personal Chef Association

This 25-year-old organization is devoted to helping personal chefs succeed, but it also manages Hire a Chef, which it describes as a “one-stop source for affordable meal and dining experiences in your home.”

If this is your first time to book a cook, the USPCA’s guide to hiring a personal chef is indispensable.

Private Chefs Inc.

This international agency helps you hire chefs for events, interactive cooking classes and short- or long-term placements in your home, aboard your yacht or on your private jet.

No matter what you’re looking for through this particular service, the process begins with a Profile Event Form so the agency can play matchmaker.

Local review sites

You can also find personal chefs through Thumbtack and Yelp, where reviews of each chef or catering service listed are available for all the world to sample.