National Personal Chef Day - Today we honor the relentless hard work and efforts of personal chefs.

National Personal Chef Day 2025 – July 16, 2025

Always ready to save the day by making warm homemade meals, personal chefs are celebrated on National Personal Chef Day on July 16. The day is commemorated to honor the relentless hard work and efforts of personal chefs that can range from standing for long hours every day to going shopping for ingredients to taking care of special cravings and/or dietary restrictions. 

History of National Personal Chef Day

The National Personal Chef Day was created by the United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA). In recent years, there has been a growing demand for personal chefs and, seeing this, the association was established. The USPCA is known for being the ultimate place to research and hire the perfect personal chef. Several personal chefs have enlisted themselves as members of the USPCA. The association also provides people with help in establishing and expanding their personal chef business. A USPCA membership can offer insurance coverage, educational conferences, partnerships, and many other benefits. A personal chef is often the answer for people with hectic and busy schedules that prevent them from eating fresh, home-cooked meals. Previously, hiring personal chefs was considered exclusively reserved for the elite. Yet, with the improving economic conditions of many households, more and more people are able to hire these professionals for their dietary needs.A personal chef’s job is not just to cook food for their clients. They have to start by learning about their clients’ eating habits, preferences, and any dietary restrictions/allergies. A personal chef can offer clients ideas by showing them their personal menu cards. Once the meals are decided, clients can decide on the days and timings they would like to have their meals prepared. Depending on a client’s situation, a personal chef will also be able to help them to obtain the right ingredients. In ancient times, royals and aristocrats hired a team of chefs. As the years passed, not much changed as wealthy people continue to hire people who refer to themselves as private chefs. Private chefs exclusively cook for one client or household. Usually, private chefs also stay in the same house as their employers. Personal chefs, in contrast, work for multiple clients for a fixed period. Personal chefs are also people who graduated from culinary schools, are employed in culinary departments, or are normal people who have a special interest in food.  

National Personal Chef Day timeline

1700s–1800s
Napoleon’s Personal Chef

While Napoleon Bonaparte is famous for his conquests, he is also famous for his pickiness when it comes to food, and it is his personal chef’s invention of chicken Marengo that ends up satisfying his taste buds.

21st Century
Personal Chefs on the Rise

The improving economic conditions of many American households sees an increase in people hiring personal chefs for their food needs.

Early 2000s
A Personal Chef’s Soaring Career

Giada De Laurentiis, the famous Italian celebrity chef, starts her career as a personal chef before hitting it big on the Food Network and other platforms.

2017
Registered Personal Chefs

There are 10,000 registered personal chefs in America, a significant increase compare to the mere 5,000 registrations a few years before.

National Personal Chef Day FAQs

What day is National Personal Chef Day?

The National Personal Chef Day is on July 16 every year. 

What is the difference between a private chef and a personal chef?

A private chef will likely work for only one client, but a personal chef will work for multiple clients. 

How much does a personal chef make per meal?

A personal chef will cost about $35/meal for four family members. If you want to hire a personal chef for cooking just one meal for you, it could cost you anywhere between $12,000 to $25,000 per year. 

National Personal Chef Day Activities

  1. Reverse the roles for a day

    If you have a personal chef or know one, use this day as a chance to treat them for a change. Prepare them a warm and hearty meal. Plan ahead so you have enough time to find the required ingredients.

  2. Enjoy a high-end meal

    To really appreciate the amazing culinary skills of chefs, go out for a meal at a high-end restaurant. Chefs know the value of good food and the whole culinary experience. Indulge in the delicious creations of the chefs at fine dining restaurants.

  3. Give or take a day off

    If you have a personal chef or you are one yourself, there’s no better way to celebrate than by either giving your personal chef a day off or taking a day off if you are one. You can also gift your personal chef shopping and spa vouchers or spoil yourself with this if you’re the personal chef.

5 Facts About Chefs That Will Blow Your Mind

  1. A higher chance of meeting celebrities

    Chefs have a higher chance of meeting well-known figures as many tend to visit hotels and restaurants for their professional meetings.

  2. Vast knowledge of different cultures

    Many chefs attend culinary schools or travel abroad in order to learn about different flavors and techniques all around the world.

  3. Chefs use art and science

    Chefs have to study the chemistry of flavors and techniques as well as the overall look of a dish in order to churn out noteworthy and lip-smacking food.

  4. The chef’s hat

    The folds in a chef’s hat are meant to represent the number of different ways a chef can cook an egg.

  5. Sharp knives for sharp chef careers

    A chef will have a set of favorite knives that they will always turn to in order to cook their best dishes.

Why We Love National Personal Chef Day

  1. It’s a celebration of personal chefs

    Personal chefs are some of the most sought-after professionals in the industry. They have honed their skills over long periods of time, and they know the art of cooking requires the utmost dedication and concentration.

  2. It’s a celebration of feeding others

    The 21st-century lifestyle means long hours at work with little free time to spare for ourselves. This is where a personal chef can help. There’s joy in feeding others and having them appreciate and savor the wonderful food you cooked for them.

  3. It’s a celebration of cooking

    We eat food for survival but cooking is also a science and an art. The right balance of ingredients can help you create the tastiest meals, but the wrong calculations can also turn them into a disaster. Cooking is a delicate dance that not all can master.

National Personal Chef Day dates

Year Date Day
2023 July 16 Sunday
2024 July 16 Tuesday
2025 July 16 Wednesday
2026 July 16 Thursday
2027 July 16 Friday