Dara Lyubinsky: So You Want To Launch a Private Chef Business

So you want to launch a private chef business? 👩‍🍳In this episode, we sit down with Dara Lyubinsky, founder of Nourish Culinary, to break down what it really takes to build a successful personal chef company; from cooking in New York’s high-pressure restaurant kitchens to serving private clients (including Eli Manning and Lorne Michaels) and scaling a 25-person private chef team.Dara shares her unconventional path from media (Time Magazine + TV food production for The View) into the culinary world, why she left restaurants after just a year, and how she turned a solo hustle into a thriving business of private chefs.We also get into:- The reality behind the “Instagram chef” lifestyle- What clients actually want (hint: it’s not fancy plated food)- How to hire the right chefs for in-home work- The business side no one talks about- And the wildest requests she’s ever gotten (yes… including gourmet baby food delivery)If you're thinking about becoming a private chef - or just want a behind-the-scenes look at this growing industry - this episode is packed with real talk, strategy, and insights.Chapters00:00 Intro00:52 Meet Dara Lebinsky (Nourish Culinary)01:28 From media career to culinary school02:54 Getting laid off & entering restaurant kitchens03:28 Why she left restaurants after 1 year04:20 Discovering private chef work05:15 Leveraging media + networking in NYC06:10 Cooking for high-profile clients07:20 Launching Nourish Culinary08:17 Moving from solo chef → business owner09:25 Scaling during COVID10:15 Letting go & trusting a team11:46 Growing to 25 chefs12:18 Hiring, training & building a brand13:19 “Hire slow, fire fast”13:44 Misconceptions about private chef life14:54 Social media vs reality16:03 Business skills chefs don’t expect16:28 Different types of clients17:20 Dinner parties vs weekly meal prep18:41 The reality of doing everything as a private chef19:29 Respect for restaurant chefs20:54 Food trends & what clients actually want22:40 Why vegetables are the real focus23:30 Meal kits vs private chefs25:44 Wild client requests (baby food story!)28:15 Cooking for athletes & private planes29:48 Behind the scenes of food on TV32:18 Building a healthy work culture34:41 Breaking toxic industry cycles36:26 Rapid fire questions (tools, mistakes, trends)37:58 OutroBrought to you by Back of HouseYour most trusted resource for restaurant tech. Stop guessing and start making data-driven decisions for your business.Learn more at: https://backofhouse.io/ Proudly Sponsored by, RestauRentThe no-fee booking platform helping restaurants and venues book private events.Try it risk-free (3 months free): https://bit.ly/soyouwanttorestaurent Connect with the PodcastFull Episodes: https://linktr.ee/soyouwanttorunarestaurantFollow Claudia: @claudia.saricFollow Spencer: @RestaurantSpenny