30 - What I Thought This Business Was… vs. What It Actually Is

30 - What I Thought This Business Was… vs. What It Actually Is

Most chefs think being a personal chef means cooking all day.  The reality is very different—and once you see it clearly, everything gets easier. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan pulls back the curtain on what the personal chef business actually is, why so many talented chefs struggle early on, and how clarity—not hustle—is what changes the game. You’ll learn: * Why great cooks fail without a map * How personal cheffing is a small, focused business—not a volume grind * What chefs usually misunderstand at the very beginning * How systems replace chaos and guesswork with calm * Why you don’t need permission—you need a plan This episode is for chefs at the start of the journey, and for those already in it who feel like they’re working harder than they need to. Because this business isn’t harder than you thought.  It’s just different—and once you understand that, it becomes doable. 🎧 Listen in—and get the map you wish you had on day one. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST [https://amzn.to/4owVJST] ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO [https://amzn.to/4oELsUO] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN [https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO [https://amzn.to/48RLHqO] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a... [https://amzn.to/3MjLN1R]

29 - If Talking About Price Makes You Uncomfortable, It’s Not Because You’re Bad at Sales — It’s Because No One Ever Taught You How Professionals Actually Sell.

If talking about price makes you tense, awkward, or hesitant—this episode is for you. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan reframes sales for chefs who don’t want to be pushy, persuasive, or “salesy,” but still want to book confidently and get paid well. Because the truth is:  most chefs don’t hate sales.  They hate who they think sales turns them into. You’ll learn: * Why avoiding price conversations creates uncertainty, not kindness * How real professionals sell without pressure or persuasion * Why clients aren’t afraid of your price—they’re afraid of choosing wrong * How asking the right questions sells more than explaining ever will * Why confidence in pricing is a form of service, not ego This episode is for chefs who want sales conversations to feel calm, clear, and human—and who are ready to stop undercutting themselves out of discomfort. Because selling isn’t about pushing people forward.  It’s about leading them out of uncertainty. 🎧 Listen in—and learn why sales, done right, is service. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST [https://amzn.to/4owVJST] ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO [https://amzn.to/4oELsUO] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN [https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO [https://amzn.to/48RLHqO] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a... [https://amzn.to/3MjLN1R]

28 - Why Too Many Choices Feels Like Bad Service — How Menus Quietly Sell for You

Chefs think choices are generous.  Clients experience them as stress. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan breaks down why oversized menus slow approvals, create confusion, and quietly drain both you and your clients—and how simple menu structure does the opposite. You’ll learn: * Why too many options feels like homework, not luxury * How menu templates create calm and faster approvals * Why structure builds trust without limiting creativity * How written menus reduce revisions, texts, and chaos * Why better guidance sells your service for you This episode is for chefs who want smoother weeks, calmer clients, and menus that support the business instead of complicating it. Because great service isn’t about more choices.  It’s about better guidance. 🎧 Listen in—and let your menus do the heavy lifting. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST [https://amzn.to/4owVJST] ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO [https://amzn.to/4oELsUO] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN [https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO [https://amzn.to/48RLHqO] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a... [https://amzn.to/3MjLN1R]

27 - Burnout Isn’t a Badge of Honor — It’s a Warning Light

If cooking feels heavier than it used to… this episode is for you. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan talks honestly about burnout—why it hits personal chefs differently, how it creeps in quietly, and what it’s really trying to tell you. Because personal chef burnout isn’t loud chaos.  It’s being always on. Always thinking. Always carrying it alone. You’ll learn: * Why freedom without structure leads to exhaustion * The early signs of burnout chefs tend to ignore * How boundaries protect your nervous system * Why systems, routines, and community are forms of self-care * How calm, not hustle, is what keeps you in this career long-term This episode isn’t about pushing harder.  It’s about staying in the work without losing yourself. Because burnout isn’t proof you’re committed.  It’s a signal that something needs to change. 🎧 Listen in—and put yourself back on the menu. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST [https://amzn.to/4owVJST] ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO [https://amzn.to/4oELsUO] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN [https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO [https://amzn.to/48RLHqO] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a... [https://amzn.to/3MjLN1R]

26 - Before You Cook, You Scout — The Kitchen Walkthrough That Saves Your Sanity

Surprises don’t make you better.  They make you reactive—and reactive kills calm. In this episode of The Become A Personal Chef Podcast, Louie Montan explains why the kitchen walkthrough is one of the most overlooked professional habits in personal cheffing, and how five minutes of scouting can save hours of stress. You’ll learn: * Why personal chefs can’t afford to “cook blind” * How walkthroughs protect your mental bandwidth * What to scan for before you unpack your knives * How the kitchen environment shapes timing, menus, and confidence This isn’t about judging someone’s home.  It’s about preparing yourself to cook with clarity instead of chaos. Because calm doesn’t come from improvising.  It comes from knowing your environment. 🎧 Listen in—and scout before you cook. 🌟 RESOURCES, LINKS & NEXT STEPS 🌟 Looking to grow your personal chef business? Start here ⬇️ 👉 BecomeAPersonalChef.com — Explore our brand-new bookstore & resources 👉 PersonalChefFinder.com — Working chefs: claim your listing and get discovered 📚 Books to Build, Grow & Niche Your Personal Chef Business ➡️How To Run A Successful Personal Chef Service The step-by-step guide to turning your passion for cooking into a profitable business https://amzn.to/4owVJST [https://amzn.to/4owVJST] ➡️The Personal Chef Sales Manual Close clients, communicate like a pro, and build trust in any kitchen https://amzn.to/4oELsUO [https://amzn.to/4oELsUO] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Special Diets Specialize, stand out, and scale with confidence https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN [https://amzn.to/3KDQ8MN] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Signature Services Design, price, and deliver high-value experiences that set you apart https://amzn.to/48RLHqO [https://amzn.to/48RLHqO] ➡️Niche Up Your Personal Chef Service with Teaching & Classes Turn your cooking skills into income, influence, and independence https://a... [https://amzn.to/3MjLN1R]