Most people picture a tasting menu when they hear "private chef." But the service I book most often in Denver and Boulder is weekly meal prep — and it looks a lot more like a well-stocked fridge on a Monday night than a white-tablecloth dinner.
If you've been curious about hiring a personal chef for meal prep but aren't sure what you'd actually be paying for, this is the full picture: how a week works, what ends up in your kitchen, who it's a good fit for, and what it costs.
How a meal prep week works
1. The first conversation
Before I cook anything, we talk. What does a normal week look like in your house? Who's eating, and when? Are there allergies, foods someone won't touch, or goals you're working toward — more protein, less inflammation, fewer processed ingredients, easier lunches for the kids? This is the part that makes the food yours instead of a generic plan.
2. The menu
A few days before each cook day, I send a menu for the week. A typical one has four or five main dishes, a couple of sides or grain bowls, a soup or salad, sauces and dressings, and often breakfasts or snacks. You can swap anything. Over time the menu gets sharper, because I keep track of what your household finished and what came back.
3. The shopping
I do all the sourcing — organic and seasonal wherever it's available, from farmers markets, local growers and the best grocers on the Front Range. You pay for groceries at cost; there's no markup on ingredients.
4. Cook day
I cook in your kitchen, usually over four to six hours depending on household size. You don't need to be home. Many clients leave me a door code and walk in that evening to a finished kitchen.
5. What's in your fridge
Everything is portioned into labeled glass containers with the dish name and simple reheating notes. Proteins, grains and vegetables are cooked so they hold their texture for days instead of turning soft by Wednesday. Dressings and sauces go on the side. Anything that doesn't keep well gets frozen or scheduled for early in the week.
Then I clean up. The kitchen should look the way I found it — or better.
A sample week for a two-person household: herb-roasted chicken thighs with salsa verde, a braised bean and greens stew, salmon with miso-glazed squash, turkey and vegetable meatballs, a big farro salad for lunches, overnight oats, two dressings, and roasted seasonal vegetables to mix and match.
Who meal prep is for
The clients who get the most out of it tend to fall into a few groups:
- Busy professionals and couples who want to stop defaulting to takeout without spending Sunday in the kitchen.
- Families juggling different schedules, picky eaters and school lunches.
- People with specific health goals — training, recovering, eating anti-inflammatory, gluten-free or dairy-free — who want food that follows the plan without tasting like one.
- New parents who need nourishing food in the house and zero extra work.
Why it's different from a meal delivery service
Meal kits and delivery services cook for thousands of people from a fixed menu. That's their business model, and it means compromises: shelf-stable ingredients, packaging, sodium and sugar to keep food "safe" and palatable after days in transit, and very little room for your specific needs.
A private chef cooks for one household. The food is made in your kitchen, from ingredients bought that week, to your preferences. Allergies aren't a checkbox — they're the starting point. And the menu evolves with you.
My approach: food as nourishment first
I spent three years apprenticing at a wellness retreat in Costa Rica, cooking for guests whose whole reason for being there was to feel better. That changed how I cook. Every weekly menu I write is built around whole, organic ingredients, real fats, plenty of vegetables, and flavor that comes from technique rather than from salt and sugar. Healthy food that nobody wants to eat doesn't help anyone.
What private chef meal prep costs in Denver
My weekly meal prep starts at $95 per hour, plus groceries at receipt price. Most households book one cook day per week or every other week, and the total depends mostly on how many people you're feeding and how many meals you want covered. For a detailed breakdown — including how it compares to eating out — read How Much Does a Private Chef Cost in Denver?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be home while you cook?
No. Plenty of clients are at work. A door code or lockbox is all I need.
How long does the food last?
Most dishes are built to hold well for four to five days refrigerated. Anything that won't gets portioned for the freezer or planned for early in the week.
Can you work around allergies or a specific diet?
Yes — every menu is written for your household, so dietary needs are built in from the start rather than substituted after the fact.
Do you serve outside Denver?
I cook throughout Denver, Boulder and the surrounding Front Range. Ask if you're outside that area.
Want a fridge like this every week?
Tell me about your household and I'll put together a sample menu.
Book a Consultation