Full-Time Private Chef Placement for San Francisco's UHNW Families

Montclair Chef is a boutique private chef placement agency for ultra-high-net-worth families. It was founded by a Michelin-trained chef with 19 years serving UHNW households as a private chef, and it focuses on one thing: placing full-time private chefs across the Bay Area and worldwide. You can read more about our founder.

Every chef goes through full background verification, employment-history and criminal-record review, culinary assessment, and direct reference verification with previous UHNW employers. We place only chefs with a proven record of discretion and long-term private service. Most are Michelin-trained, and all have strong fine-dining backgrounds.

Every placement includes an up to 6-month replacement guarantee. If the chef does not meet expectations within that period, we provide a replacement at no additional placement fee.

Full-time private chefs in the Bay Area typically earn $140,000 to $300,000 or more per year, depending on experience, dietary specializations, and household complexity, with Peninsula estates commanding the upper end. This excludes food budgets and benefits. See our private chef salary guide for full ranges.

Full-time private chefs in Atherton, Woodside, and Portola Valley typically earn $160,000 to $300,000 or more per year, reflecting the complexity of Peninsula estates. Packages often include accommodation, a vehicle allowance, and travel compensation.

You can expect a shortlist of 3 to 5 vetted candidates within 10 days of starting a search. The full placement, including interviews and a trial day, usually takes 2 to 3 weeks, so the match between the chef and your household is precise rather than rushed.

It begins with a confidential consultation to understand your household. We then deliver a vetted shortlist within 10 days, you interview your favorites and arrange a paid trial day in your kitchen, and we finalize the placement with the 6-month guarantee.

Yes. A significant share of our Bay Area placements serve founders and senior executives across tech, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency, including post-IPO principals and Web3 entrepreneurs managing Peninsula and Pacific Heights estates. We understand the demands of high-performance households: tight schedules, performance nutrition requirements, international travel, and absolute discretion.

Discretion runs through every stage. Chefs sign a confidentiality agreement before any introduction, we share only what is strictly necessary about your household, and our vetting prioritizes candidates with proven records serving high-profile families who require absolute confidentiality.

Yes, this is a core specialty in the Bay Area. We place chefs trained in plant-based, keto, paleo, anti-inflammatory, and longevity-focused protocols, many of whom have worked alongside nutritionists and functional medicine practitioners. View our nutrition chef and performance chef placements.

Yes. Our chefs are experienced with severe allergies, autoimmune protocols, diabetic management, cardiac diets, and medically prescribed nutrition plans. They coordinate directly with your physicians or nutritionists so every requirement is met safely.

Yes. Many of our clients keep homes in Pacific Heights, Atherton, and Napa Valley, or split time with Los Angeles and New York. We place chefs experienced in running multiple kitchens, coordinating with staff at each property, and maintaining consistent standards at every residence.

Start with a confidential consultation. Tell us about your household and what you are looking for, and we will guide you through the shortlist, trial, and placement. Reach us through the form on this page, or schedule a consultation.