Trying to become a personal cook - ideas on where to advertise service? (Dallas: homes, neighborhoods)

[LacyD]

I've asked this same question on Yelp, but realized you guys may be able to help me with ideas as well (I'm a longtime lurker!)

I'm a 21-year-old food and nutrition nerd, and after doing lots of cooking for my family since I was young, I've decided to offer it as a service - which would include custom meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking, and clean-up - to other people. Just as a way to make some money part-time by taking on a few clients weekly while I start up my art business.

I have a website, have posted on craigslist, done some free cooking for family in exchange for word-of-mouth advertising, and distributed a few flyers in neighborhoods, but all to no avail - despite my prices being below the average. Anybody have some local advertising ideas?

Thanks in advance!

[hypocore]

I'd imagine there would not be much of market for this type service at this time with the economy causing so many to be so frugal. However, if you linked yourself with another business that offers services to busy families you might have more luck.

I know that many years ago when the Campfire organization opened it's child care prototype facility that they offered haircuts to kids and meals to go as extras., of course to be paid by the parents. I do not know how well it went over or if it even still exists. I could find no mention of it on their website.

[padcrasher]

Originally Posted by hypocore

I'd imagine there would not be much of market for this type service at this time with the economy causing so many to be so frugal. However, if you linked yourself with another business that offers services to busy families you might have more luck.

I know that many years ago when the Campfire organization opened it's child care prototype facility that they offered haircuts to kids and meals to go as extras., of course to be paid by the parents. I do not know how well it went over or if it even still exists. I could find no mention of it on their website.

People that can afford a personal chef are going through rough times?

I doubt that. From the objective info I read, they are doing just great.

[hypocore]

Originally Posted by padcrasher

People that can afford a personal chef are going through rough times?

I doubt that. From the objective info I read, they are doing just great.

There's a difference in having a personal chef, which to me means on staff, and having someone selling you meals once or on occasion, which is the impression I got from the OP.

[jcamber]

Maybe that's what the issue is. The OP is not on one side or the other and therefore not able to hit the right market. In other words, someone who can afford a personal cheff would probably not go with someone that does this on the side or occasionally and someone who would, probably couldn't afford it and therefore not use this type of service. I think you have to either become a personal cheff and chose that as your career OR do your thing to attract a bigger population of customers (like opening a small restaurant, food truck, etc).

[LuvsFW]

I have a friend who recently started a full-service business of babysitting, pet setting, chauffeuring (to the airport, drs. appts), personal shopping/errands and meal preparation and delivery.

The young lady who does the cooking part of the business used to work for a very popular catering company in FW and, while she hadn't built up a clientele of her own, a lot of people knew her name when she decided to join this new venture.

All the different players in the business are on Facebook, and they have extensive email contacts. They put magnet signs on their cars. Once a week, they send out an email with the meals for the week. It's very extensive but not too complicated. I have been looking through my emails trying to find one, but I must have deleted it...I'm sorry.

Anyway, social media is the ticket, IMO. And the market is not the VERY wealthy, but just the busy mom. I think their business is going great. Good luck!

[Johnhw2]

Find a way to focus on an oil and gas middle manager or low to mid level executives they have plenty of money these days and are a pretty good sized market niche to focus on in FW or Dallas

[loves2read]

my husband fits that description but we have no desire to get a personal chef even for dinner parties

but his boss had a chef fly in from Colorado where they had eaten at his restaurant several times (chef has restaurant that he closes several mo a year when skiing season is over and travels around to customers' homes in different areas and cooks special dinner parties
and he did a dinner for group of management guys/wives at the boss's "party" house--
food was nice but wine was better

so there definitely are people in FTW that make sure of services like that

consider running an ad on Groupon--not for free--but discount and just up your price a little
see if you could give demonstration to some of the social clubs--women's clubs-- in the area where you would want to travel/cook
you get jobs like this by personal connection and right now you have none

you call yourself a "food nerd" but if you don't have anything but home-grown skills--no experience/history working in restaurant or any type of chef school then I don't know how seriously anyone is going to take you
you could be excellent but people usually like to see something that is third-party proof that you are capable of doing what you claim---
a recommendation from your family is not the same thing

[hypocore]

Originally Posted by loves2read

a recommendation from your family is not the same thing

This is so very true. A co-worker of my oldest daughter wants to do something similar as the OP. She started by giving meals as gifts for Christmas as her family raves about her cooking.

Daughter brought one she was given to share with us and it was ok, but certainly nothing spectacular. Pulled pork, which is very easy to make for anyone, baked beans which not everyone likes and rolls.

Then she came up with a list of meals she will offer and prices to go along with it. So daughter bought one for us as gift and it was just barely edible. It was a pasta and chicken dish but it did not quite match what the name of the dish (which I no longer remember)

I cook, mostly from scratch, but thought it might be nice to help out this girl and not cook for one night. Won't make that mistake again.

I think it's similar to the kids whose parents always tell them how smart or beautiful they are when they are just average

[QuidStuprum]

Originally Posted by loves2read

a recommendation from your family is not the same thing

So are you saying I am not as strikingly handsome as my mother said I was?