The private chef industry is booming. As James Burke points out in this piece for The Times, more and more people want “restaurant-level food without leaving their gated driveways.” But what is it really like behind those gates? Burke lifts the lid on a world of “cruelty, chaos and cocaine consumption.” It may sound glamorous, but only those with serious stamina and a thick skin will survive this career choice.
Then again, I’ve also cooked for a mysterious heiress who lived in a seven-floor compound in west London. There were two security huts, a fingerprint scanner and five flights down to the basement kitchen — a dungeon of stainless steel. I never saw her face and was probably never closer than seven rooms away. I only felt her presence in the terror of her staff, each of wh…
The private chef industry is booming. As James Burke points out in this piece for The Times, more and more people want “restaurant-level food without leaving their gated driveways.” But what is it really like behind those gates? Burke lifts the lid on a world of “cruelty, chaos and cocaine consumption.” It may sound glamorous, but only those with serious stamina and a thick skin will survive this career choice.
Then again, I’ve also cooked for a mysterious heiress who lived in a seven-floor compound in west London. There were two security huts, a fingerprint scanner and five flights down to the basement kitchen — a dungeon of stainless steel. I never saw her face and was probably never closer than seven rooms away. I only felt her presence in the terror of her staff, each of whom, at some point, came into the kitchen in tears.
I made lunch seven times that day, and every time it was sent back. Eventually, I realised that she preferred her cucumbers to be cut into diamonds rather than circles. I decided not to go back the next day.
More picks on food
A Recipe Engraved on a Gravestone Helps to Remember the Dearly Departed and Keep Part of Them Alive
Michele Herrmann | Smithsonian | October 10, 2025 | 1,551 words
“Culinary epitaphs offer a point of connection to the deceased’s descendants and anyone else who comes across them.”
The Life and Death of the American Foodie
Jaya Saxena | Eater | September 24, 2025 | 4,580 words
”When food culture became pop culture, a new national persona was born. We regret to inform you, it’s probably you.”
Stew Kids on the Block
John Devore | Taste Cooking | September 8, 2025 | 2,370 words
“The rise of the stewfluencer is more than a TikTok trend. It’s a way of life.”
The Messy Reality of Feeding Alaska
Eva Holland | High Country News / FERN | 2,726 words | September 4, 2025
“After Trump threatened Canada, a writer discovers the uncertainty of the state’s food supply chain.”
Hot Dog University
Celia Aniskovich | Switchboard | August 24, 2025 | 10,450 words
“Different zip codes, different lives, but somehow, they all trace the same strange road back to a place called Hot Dog University.”
How America Got Its Baby Back, Baby Back, Baby Back
Dan Kois | Slate | August 11, 2025 | 4,865 words
“Chili’s was once a relic of the ’90s. Then it blew past its competitors—and conquered casual American dining. In its Texas test kitchen, I saw how.”