Private chef placement agency for UHNW families
Boutique Michelin-trained private chef placement · 14-day shortlist · Up to 6-month replacement guarantee on Executive placements
Schedule a Confidential ConsultationMontclair Chef is a private chef agency founded by a Michelin-trained private chef. We operate mostly across the US, UK and Europe and specialise in long-term, full-time private chef placements.
Our private chef placement work serves ultra-high-net-worth families, high-profile households and family offices, including families of billionaires. Our founder spent 19 years as a private chef to billionaires, so whether you want to hire a private chef for your residence or a household chef who moves with you between homes, we know what the role demands.
As of October 2026, about 30% of the chefs in our network have trained or worked in Michelin-starred kitchens. Among the chefs we present to families, that share is 58%. Here is what we do:
We put forward only the chefs who fit your household, your cuisine and the way you live.
As of October 2026, the share of chefs in each region who have trained or worked in Michelin-starred kitchens, alongside their private household experience.
Select a region to see how we place private chefs there.
Montclair Chef network data, October 2026. Counts chefs registered with us who are based in the region or have applied for roles there, excluding chefs we have declined. Rounded down. *Share of the chefs we have reviewed in that pool.
Looking for a more specialised private chef?
See all our private chef specialisms.
1. Consultation. A confidential call with our founder Chris Demaillet to understand your household, dietary needs, and the personality that fits.
2. Shortlist in 14 days. Carefully selected, reference-checked private chefs matched to your household.
3. Trial day. Interview your favourites and arrange a paid trial day in your own kitchen.
4. Placement and support. Up to 6-month replacement guarantee on Executive placements, with continued support after the chef joins.
Private chefs who have trained in Michelin-starred kitchens usually command a premium, often 15 to 20% more. That premium reflects their skills, discipline, organisation and dedication, built while training under some of the best chefs in the world.
It does not mean they only cook tasting menus. The best of them are versatile: simple family-style food, cooking for families with young children, healthy Mediterranean-style diets (very much requested today), elegant tasting menus, special events and company lunches.
For the full picture, read how much a full-time private chef costs, or use our private chef salary calculator, which shows private chef compensation bands by city and role.
For healthy diets, see our health and nutrition chefs and performance chefs. For families who move between homes, see our traveling private chefs.
They may well recreate the best dishes you have had at their restaurant. But think twice: cooking in a private residence is very different from working in a busy restaurant brigade, and it often takes a real transition to become a great private chef.
Our 24-step private chef trial guide was written for families like yours and the people who run their homes. It covers what to prepare before the chef arrives, what to watch for while the chef is in the house, and how to debrief and decide after the trial so you get the most from it.
Start with a confidential consultation with our founder. We then send you a shortlist of carefully selected, reference-checked candidates within 14 days. You interview your favourites and see them cook at a paid trial day in your own kitchen before any commitment.
Chefs who have trained in Michelin-starred kitchens usually command a premium, often 15 to 20% more, because of the skills, discipline, organisation and dedication they built under some of the best chefs in the world. Most are versatile and cook everything from simple family meals and healthy Mediterranean-style food to tasting menus and company lunches.
As of October 2026, our London pool holds more than 800 chefs, and 40% of them have trained or worked in Michelin-starred kitchens. We specialise in long-term, full-time placements for London households. See our private chef in London page.
A private chef works full-time for one household as part of your staff and runs the entire food operation. A personal chef serves several clients and visits on a schedule to batch-cook meals. Read our private chef vs personal chef comparison.
Yes. Many of the families we work with split time between residences in different countries. We place chefs experienced in travelling with the family, adapting to unfamiliar kitchens and keeping the same standard at every property.
You receive a shortlist within 14 days of your consultation. The full process, including interviews and a paid trial day, usually runs 3 to 6 weeks depending on your schedule and location.
Yes, both live-in and live-out household chefs. Live-in arrangements are common on larger estates with staff accommodation, and we factor that into the search from the brief onward.
No. As of October 2026, about 30% of the chefs in our network have trained or worked in Michelin-starred kitchens. Of the chefs we present to families, 58% have Michelin-starred restaurant backgrounds, because we select for it.
No. Montclair Chef is a private chef agency for long-term, full-time roles only. We do not arrange events, catering or short-term bookings.
You get a personal reply within 24 hours or less.
A shortlist of carefully selected, reference-checked private chefs in 14 days, and a personal reply in 24 hours or less.
Schedule a Confidential Consultation