If you or someone in your group has dietary requirements, you will know the feeling. That slight anxiety before every meal out. The awkward conversation with the waiter about what is actually in the sauce. The limited options on the menu. The worry about cross-contamination in a busy restaurant kitchen. On holiday, when you are supposed to be relaxing, managing dietary needs can become one of the most stressful parts of the trip.
This is one of the biggest reasons people book a private chef, and honestly, it is one of the areas where I think the service really shines. When I cook for you, every single dish is prepared with your specific requirements in mind, from scratch, in your own kitchen. There are no surprises, no guesswork, and absolutely no compromise on flavour.
Before your stay, I send every group a detailed questionnaire. This covers allergies, intolerances, dietary choices, and personal preferences for every person who will be eating, adults and children alike. I ask about the severity of allergies because there is a big difference between someone who prefers to avoid dairy and someone who has a severe anaphylactic reaction to it. I need to know these things so I can plan accordingly.
The questionnaire is not just a tick-box exercise. It is the foundation of your entire menu, and I take every answer seriously. If you tell me your daughter is coeliac and your partner is vegetarian and your best friend has a tree nut allergy, those requirements become the starting point for every dish I plan, not an afterthought bolted on at the end.
I genuinely love cooking vegetarian and vegan food. A lot of my cooking, particularly the Asian dishes I specialise in, is naturally plant-based or very easily adapted. A fragrant Thai green curry made with tofu and seasonal vegetables is every bit as delicious as the chicken version. A rich dal with all the right spices, served with fluffy rice and homemade naan, is comfort food at its finest.
For European-style menus, I draw on Italian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean traditions where vegetables are the star rather than a side dish. Think stuffed aubergines, creamy risottos, vibrant salads with interesting textures and dressings, and hearty vegetable tagines. My aim is always to create dishes where nobody at the table feels like they are eating the lesser option. Vegetarian and vegan guests should get food that is just as exciting and satisfying as everything else.
If only some members of your group are vegetarian or vegan, I design menus where the courses work together. I might serve a starter that everyone can eat, then offer two versions of the main course, or create a menu where the main dish is naturally vegan and I add a protein element on the side for those who want it. It is all about making the dining experience feel seamless and inclusive for everyone.
Gluten-free catering is an area where a private chef has an enormous advantage over restaurants. Many of my dishes are naturally gluten-free without any adaptation needed at all. A cauliflower veloute, for example, is just cauliflower, stock, cream, and seasoning. It is inherently gluten-free and it is one of the silkiest, most luxurious soups you will ever taste. Asian curries made with coconut milk and fresh spices are naturally free of gluten. Grilled fish with vegetables and a herb dressing, a beautifully cooked steak with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans, roasted chicken with all the trimmings using a gluten-free gravy; none of these dishes feel like a compromise.
Where gluten-free adaptations are needed, I make them carefully. I know which ingredients to substitute and how to adjust recipes so that the final dish is every bit as good as the original. I am also careful about hidden sources of gluten in sauces, stocks, and marinades that can catch people out.
Nut allergies, dairy-free requirements, shellfish allergies, egg-free cooking. Whatever your group needs, I can accommodate it. The beauty of having a private chef is that I am cooking exclusively for your group in your kitchen. I know exactly what goes into every dish because I prepared it myself from raw ingredients. There is no shared fryer, no communal prep area, and no risk of someone else's order contaminating yours.
This level of control is particularly important for severe allergies. In a restaurant, even the most careful kitchen has shared equipment, shared oil, and the ever-present risk of cross-contamination during a busy service. In your own chalet kitchen, with a chef who knows about your allergy and has planned every dish around it, that risk is virtually eliminated.
Families often book me because the children have different dietary needs to the adults, and managing both at every meal is exhausting. Perhaps the children are dairy-free while the adults are not. Or one child is gluten-free and the other is the fussiest eater in France. I cater for all of it.
I am very used to cooking separate children's meals served earlier in the evening, followed by the adult dinner later. The children's menu is tailored to their requirements and their preferences. I do not just serve them a plain plate of rice because they have allergies. I make them food they will actually enjoy, within whatever dietary boundaries they need. Children deserve good food too, and I take their menus just as seriously as the adults'.
One concern people sometimes have is that dietary requirements will limit the quality or sophistication of the food. I want to put that worry to rest completely. Some of the most elegant dishes I cook happen to be naturally free of common allergens. A beautifully presented cauliflower veloute with truffle oil is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free if I use a plant-based cream. A perfectly seared piece of sea bass with a Thai-inspired sauce, jasmine rice, and pak choi is free of gluten, dairy, and nuts. Asian cuisine in particular lends itself to accommodating multiple dietary requirements while still delivering bold, exciting flavours.
When I create your menu proposals, I build everything around your group's specific requirements from the very start. You will receive the same thoughtful, varied, delicious menus as anyone else. They are just designed with your needs woven in from the beginning.
If dietary requirements are making you anxious about your holiday meals, a private chef is the answer. No more scanning restaurant menus hoping there will be something suitable. No more trying to explain allergies in French to a busy waiter. No more wondering whether the kitchen truly understood your needs. Just sit down, relax, and enjoy food that has been made specifically for you.
Have a look at my services page for more details about how I work, or get in touch directly. Tell me about your group's requirements and I will show you just how delicious dietary-friendly dining can be.