Full-Time Private Chef Placement for the Hamptons' 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 Hamptons and worldwide. You can read more about our founder.

Every chef goes through full background verification, employment-history review, and direct reference verification with previous UHNW households. We place only chefs with a proven record of discretion and long-term private service, never event or short-term cooks. 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.

Both. Many Hamptons households bring a chef for the full summer season, while others place a chef year-round across the Hamptons and a primary residence. We place for either, and for families who move between homes we coordinate the chef's schedule around your calendar.

Full-time private chefs in the Hamptons typically earn $140,000 to $250,000 or more per year, in line with the wider New York market and depending on experience, specialisation, and household complexity. Seasonal summer placements are usually quoted pro-rata. This excludes food budgets and benefits. See our private chef salary guide for full ranges.

For most placements we deliver a shortlist of 3 to 5 vetted candidates within 10 days. The full process, including interviews and a paid trial day, usually runs a few weeks, and we move faster as the season approaches.

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

Discretion runs through every stage. Chefs sign a confidentiality agreement before any introduction, we share only what is strictly necessary about your household, and we have a proven record placing chefs in some of the Hamptons' most prominent and private compounds.

Yes, and it is one of the most common Hamptons requests. Many families split the year between Manhattan and the Hamptons, and keep further homes in Los Angeles, London, or Monaco. We place chefs who adapt menus seasonally, coordinate logistics between properties, and travel with the family. See our Manhattan and New York placements.

Yes. Our chefs are used to working alongside estate managers, house managers, and household staff, following established reporting lines and security protocols. They integrate into an existing household team rather than disrupting it.

Yes. We place chefs experienced with wellness and longevity nutrition, Kosher, plant-based cuisine, and performance diets for athletes, as well as allergies and medically guided programmes. View our nutrition chef and specialized chef placements.

A private chef works exclusively for one household full-time, managing daily dining, dietary needs, and the kitchen. A personal chef usually serves several clients on a rotating basis. Every Montclair Chef placement is an exclusive, full-time private chef dedicated to your household.

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.