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The term “Chef and Society” in today’s analogy is like “Cup and Saucer” - inseparable.

The evolution of Chef and Society have a long history which goes back as far back as the “Before Christ” era. Before the French Revolution in 1789, chefs were not considered to be an important part of the society although three restaurants were opened in Paris - Boulanger (1765), Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau (1766) and Beauvilliers(1782). These three were established before the French revolution. They were the first restaurants in the modern sense of the term.

The profession of a chef can be honorable was first demonstrated by Georges-Auguste Escoffier, (born October 28, 1846, Villeneuve-Loubet, France—died February 12, 1935, Monte Carlo, Monaco), who was known as “the king of chefs and the chef of kings”. It was with him the word “Chef” came into being in a true sense. The culinary discipline, skill and culture started to grow.

Then came the age of Internet and globalization of everything including Culinary were enhanced and spread all over the world and the Chefs started to receive the honor they deserve from the society. The most prominent expression of honor for the chefs is that each year on July 16th, National Personal Chef Day recognizes the dedication and hard work of personal chefs across the United States. October 20 is observed as International Chefs' Day to celebrate the profession. All Chefs from around the globe are invited to host their very own Healthy Food for the Future workshop in their region. If you as a chef are interested to host a workshop, please contact International Chefs Day Committee at internationalchefsday@worldchefs.org. In Canada there is a special day called “Food Day Canada”. The Food Day Canada in 2022 is on 30th July, 2022. Food Day Canada is the nation’s largest and longest-running celebration of Canadian food. It’s an opportunity for all Canadians to show their support for our chefs, farmers, fishers and producers, and to celebrate the culinary diversity of Canadian food. Founded in 2003, FDC is an opportunity for Canadians to talk about our regional and national food systems and showcase Canadian ingredients, producers, and culinary prowess. It’s also a day to explore ideas of food sovereignty and food security, in recognition that we still have work to do in our communities, and on a national level.

Chefs have been broadly classified in two categories:

1. Personal Chef
2. Private Chef

A Private Chef is employed by a single household on a full-time basis, cooking every meal, every day. Private chefs are part of the household staff; they may live on or off the premises. A Personal Chef prepares meal for multiple clients, either in a client's kitchen or out of a commercial kitchen. Personal Chefs also do shopping for all ingredients. Preparation of meals in client's kitchen – sometimes using their equipment but often providing their own, such as a professional set of knives. Leaving detailed instructions for clients for reheating and/or freezing and cleaning up utensils used for cooking.

As society evolved, the need for a personal chef has also become a necessity in various ways. They help people to find their time to cope up with the extreme work pressure through out the week by preparing healthy foods. They do everything, shopping, cooking and cleaning. If a chef cooks twice in a week, the client can easily thrive on it. The clients never have to take all the pressure or even think of what to eat during the week. Personal chefs are so affordable while the private chefs are costly. Engaging personal chef is gradually becoming the life style phenomenon.

The personal chefs play even a key role when people celebrate their birthday or anniversary. It is difficult to get reservation for all the guests in a restaurant. Then there is the question of timing, may be one or two guests come late, there is again cost of car parking. The seating arrangement may not be good for interaction. It is not possible to sing, dance or speak loudly at a restaurant summarily its only eating not celebration that too against a huge bill. The personal chefs solve all these problems in one go. You can celebrate your birthday or anniversary as you like it. Its complete freedom more over it is a delightful sight to see the personal chef preparing all the desired dishes, then he plates it nicely for the guests and finally cleans up the kitchen. The most stunning thing is that all these come at the cost of your drinks at the restaurant. The same chef when cooks at the restaurant your bill is astronomical and when he cooks at your kitchen it is nominal. More over all the ingredients are of your choice at the cost price. This is how the chefs are taking part in the societal evolution.

The journey to become a chef is a long and painstaking way. After the school education they have to go through culinary colleges and then seek for jobs in restaurants. The positional ladder from the bottom is something like this:

1. Executive Chef

2. Head Chef (Chef de Cuisine)

3. Deputy Chef (Sous Chef)

4. Station Chef (Chef de Party)

5. Junior Chef (Commis Chef)

6. Kitchen Porter

Promotion to each step is a matter of hard work and diligence. Somewhere in between the stages, personal chefs come out to work individually. These personal chefs are enablers, they enable you to manage your work front while caring for your health through hearty, healthy and heavenly food.