Author Unknown

Don't we all love to be pampered? The ultimate dream, for me, has always been a spa week-end --staying at a beautiful inn somewhere with nothing to do but relax in a hot tub, eat wonderful gourmet meals and wile away the hours with a massage, a manicure, a pedicure, a mud wrap and a facial.

That was the ultimate until, that is, a press release crossed my desk extolling the virtues of hiring a personal chef. It specifically talked about Chef Terry Henderson who has operated ChefByNite in the Toronto area for the last few years.

"For many, hiring a personal chef is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. People who hate to cook, want to spend more time with their families, or spend a fortune on fast foods, are turning to personal chefs for the convenience and healthy home cooked meals these chefs provide," the release said.

I like to cook, and often do on the week-ends, but planning menus and making healthy home cooked meals after working all day is simply too daunting of a task most days. Instead of planning ahead, we'll often eat whatever we can find; sometimes that means potato chips or microwave popcorn.

Maybe I do need a personal chef ...

Mr. Henderson comes to your home with the goal of making "every meal the best meal you have ever tasted ... by preparing most any style of food or cuisine to your specifications as well as preparing any favorite recipes you may have."

"Once a week, personal chefs shop for the groceries, come to the client's home with their own utensils and equipment, prepare several entrees at one time in the client's kitchen, then package and store those meals in the refrigerator or freezer and provide the clients with re-heating instructions." the press release said.

It gets even better ...

"Your kitchen is left clean and your home smelling wonderful, and Terry also leaves you fresh flowers." the release continues. "You simply heat the meals and enjoy the free time, the clean kitchen and the fabulous food.

A working couple can expect to spend about $200 plus the cost of groceries for 20 home-cooked dinners.

"At first clients may be concerned that a personal chef could be considered a frilly expense. But when you factor in the time it takes to plan menus, do the shopping, do the cooking and then do the cleaning, it starts to make sense to people," Mr. Henderson says.

Since ChefByNite only operates in the Toronto area, I wonder if I could talk my mother into being my personal chef. My favorite dishes are, after all, the ones she made when I was a kid.

Update (June 2005) : ChefbyNite no longer provides servcies in Canada, and is no longer a part of The Canadian Personal Chef Alliance/ The Chef Alliance.

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