How much does a personal chef cost in Chicago?

If you’re searching “personal chef cost Chicago,” you probably already know you want this — you just need the real numbers. Here’s a transparent breakdown of what weekly personal chef service actually costs, with no guessing games.

Personal Chef Cost in Chicago: Weekly Pricing

My weekly meal prep pricing is pretty simple: it’s based on how many entrées you want for the week, plus sides. And that price covers everything: the menu planning, the grocery shopping, the cooking, the packing, all the behind-the-scenes coordination. You just open the fridge and eat.

Quick note on what I mean by “entrée”: think of it as one full recipe. So if you go with 3 entrées, that’s 3 totally different dishes. The more entrées you choose, the more variety you get in your week! And every entrée comes with sides, usually a starch (rice, quinoa, roasted potatoes, orzo — you name it) plus a veggie, so each plate feels complete.

And here’s the flexible part: each entrée can be scaled up to 5 servings, so that’s up to 5 meals of the same dish, for the same price.

And every order comes with a little something extra, on the house: fresh cut fruit (I’ll usually ask about your favorites, and rotate in seasonal picks), included complimentary with every entrée order, healthy snacking, no upcharge.

What a Week of 3 Entrées Looks Like

To make this concrete, here’s an example of what ordering 3 entrées could look like in a real week — three completely different dishes, each with its own starch and vegetable side, so nothing feels repetitive by Wednesday.

• Apple Cider-Glazed Salmon
  Tender salmon glazed with a lightly sweet, savory apple cider reduction — an elevated dish that feels special enough for a dinner party, but easy enough for a Tuesday night. Served with lemony orzo and sautéed green beans (or the sides of your choice)
• Chicken Tacos
  Seasoned chicken served taco-night style, with all your favorite toppings on the side — guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, lettuce, flour or corn tortillas, lemon wedges, and fresh cilantro – you name it! Build them exactly how you like.
• Grilled Argentinian Flank Steak with Chimichurri
  A total favorite — grilled flank steak finished with fresh chimichurri, served alongside roasted asparagus and crispy air-fryer potato fries. Bold, herby, and always a hit.

This is just one example of what a week could look like — the combination is always yours to choose, depending on what your week calls for.

What’s Included (and What’s Not)

The price covers everything from planning your menu to the final delivery, you’re not paying separately for the thinking, shopping list, or coordination that goes into your week. Groceries are billed separately, based on what’s actually purchased for your menu that week, so you always see exactly what you’re paying for.

This structure also means your menu never feels boxed in. Want to keep it simple with 1 entrée this week and go all-in with 4 the next? The pricing flexes with you!

How This Compares to Other Options

A Quick Note on Groceries

Since groceries are billed separately from your entrée pricing, your weekly grocery total can shift a little depending on what’s on the menu that week — and that’s totally normal!

If you love organic, wild-caught, or grass-fed ingredients, those tend to come with a slightly higher price tag at the store — but hey, quality shows up on the plate. On the flip side, if your week leans more plant-based — think veggies, whole grains, and legumes — your grocery total usually comes in a bit lighter.

Is a Personal Chef Worth It?

Honestly? This is the question that gets most of my clients to finally reach out.

Here’s the thing, it’s less about comparing my pricing to a grocery receipt, and more about what you’re getting back: your time, and meals made with real, whole foods. No more standing in front of the fridge at 6pm with zero energy for dinner, no more Sunday afternoons lost to meal planning and grocery runs, and no more settling for whatever’s fast and convenient, especially with the rising cost of eating out in Chicago.

For families, it’s also about knowing your kids are eating something wholesome, not just whatever’s quickest. A lot of my clients realize that once they factor in what they were already spending on takeout and delivery apps, hiring a personal chef barely changes the budget, it just changes where that money goes. Instead of a lukewarm delivery order, it’s a week of healthy, whole foods meals made just for their family, ready in the fridge.

So, worth it? If you value your time and want your family eating well (genuinely well) without the mental load of planning it all, yeah, I’d say so. 💛

Areas I Serve & How to Reach Me

I’m based in Chicago and serve clients throughout the city and surrounding neighborhoods. If you’re not sure whether your area is covered, just ask — I’m happy to check.

The easiest way to get started is to reach out directly at my email chefluisana@gmail.com, or use the contact form below and I’ll get back to you with next steps.