Hire a Private Chef Los Angeles

Short answer: Private chef: Typical: $40–$60/hr (about $83,000–$125,000 a year full-time) (salary guide). Free for families until January 2027, and candidates never pay. Agencies charge fees that vary by agency and role; HomeHire is a direct-hiring marketplace with no agency fees.

Hire a private chef in Los Angeles through a confidential brief and direct introductions, whether you need a full-time family chef, weekly meal prep or cooking across city and coast homes.

Where Los Angeles families hire private chefs

Where families often hire, and the roles they commonly ask about; this is local context, not a measure of demand.

  • Malibu: full-time and seasonal chefs, entertaining and coastal-home cooking.
  • Brentwood: family dinners, school-week meal prep and dietary plans.
  • Beverly Hills: full-time household chefs and dinner parties, often alongside house managers.
  • Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica: weekly meal prep and part-time cooking.

Full-time chef or weekly meal prep?

A full-time chef cooks most days and often plans menus, shops and manages the kitchen; a weekly meal-prep chef cooks in batches on set days and is usually agreed per visit or hourly.

Typical hourly pay in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area

Full-time annual equivalents use hourly pay × 2,080, rounded to the nearest $1,000; gross pay before tax. Private chef estimates cover full-time work for one family. Local salary guide.

US typical range; local pay varies with local wages and minimum-wage rules.

Based on Care.com and US Bureau of Labor Statistics pay data and published household-staff salary surveys, Oct 2026. Actual pay depends on duties, hours and experience.

Typical hourly pay in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area
RoleTypical pay
Private chefTypical: $40–$60/hr (about $83,000–$125,000 a year full-time); Estate or high-net-worth roles: $130,000–$250,000 a year

How hiring works on HomeHire

HomeHire is a self-service marketplace, not an agency: families review profiles, contact candidates and hire directly, and the family is the employer.

  1. Write a confidential brief for the private chef role: duties, hours, location in general terms and start date.
  2. Review structured profiles that candidates control.
  3. Do your own hiring checks. Families hire directly, are the employer and do their own checks. Contact references and confirm identity, right to work and role-specific qualifications yourself.
  4. Request introductions, interview and check references yourself.
  5. Agree pay and terms directly. Payroll and tax filing for household employees are planned through our partner, with availability subject to confirmation; until then the family arranges payroll as the employer.

Cost compared with an agency

Free for families until January 2027, and candidates never pay. Agencies charge fees that vary by agency and role; HomeHire is a direct-hiring marketplace with no agency fees. Wages, taxes and insurance are separate employer costs.

Related guides

Explore more hiring guides

Explore the US Salary Guide for national, state, and metro pay context.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a private chef cost in Los Angeles per hour, per visit or full-time?

For full-time work for one family, Typical: $40–$60/hr (about $83,000–$125,000 a year full-time); Estate or high-net-worth roles: $130,000–$250,000 a year; per-visit rates are agreed directly.

Should I hire a full-time private chef or weekly meal prep?

Choose full-time if you want daily cooking, menu planning and kitchen management, and weekly meal prep if batch-cooked meals on set days cover your needs.

Who pays for groceries when I hire a private chef?

The family normally pays for groceries separately from the chef's pay, so agree a grocery budget and how receipts are reimbursed in writing.

Can I hire a private chef for a Malibu or second-home season?

Yes; describe the dates, travel, housing and schedule for each home in your brief, and availability is not guaranteed.

How do I handle payroll for a full-time private chef?

As the employer you are responsible for payroll and taxes; payroll is planned through our partner, with availability subject to confirmation.

Is HomeHire free for Los Angeles families hiring a private chef?

Free for families until January 2027, and candidates never pay.

Get started with HomeHire

Start a confidential family brief · Register as a household professional (never pay)

Learn about hiring for families · Learn about opportunities for candidates