GATTEO, Italy – Take a bunch of eclectic freelance chefs, stir in a pinch of 21st-century ingenuity, and add a heap of hungry people and you get an e-recipe for customized meals on your terms and on your own turf.
The upcoming launch of cheferia.com will link personal chefs and private cooks around the globe with local clients – sort of like speed dating – only a little spicier and with a dinner or two thrown in!
“Think of Cheferia as the MySpace for chefs,” says Andrea Marini, CEO of the culinary website. “It’s a way for chefs to connect and get their names out there. They just have to fill out their profiles and then start accepting quote requests for work. They’ll be able to book customers locally, regionally or on an international scope.”
Website features will enable freelance chefs to:
Get free professional exposure through their profiles, cooking tips and recipes.
Grow and manage their chef businesses through Cheferia’s message and booking system and other site apps.
Network with other cooking aficionados.
Advertise for free.
Use Cheferia’s badges and widgets on other websites and social networks – such as Facebook and Twitter – to link back to the booking pages at Cheferia.com.
Be a part of promoting passion for the culinary arts.
Advantages for chef clients include:
Chef services at affordable prices.
Free job quotes from personal chefs.
Meal services in the home as needed.
A rating system fueled by client feedback.
Recipes and tips from top freelance cooks.
Freedom to customize a menu for a special event, private dinner party or cooking technique class.
“People have busy lifestyles, but they still want to eat well. A personal chef satisfies both demands. You save time, and you develop healthier eating habits. Frequent visits to restaurants and getting take-out food hit you hard in the wallet and waistline. Cheferia solves both dilemmas,” says Marini.
While some chefs will be booked for a single event like a dinner party for friends or a business meeting buffet, others might provide meal service for six weeks for a family with a new baby or someone recovering from medical issues.
Initially, the Cheferia website will be open by invitation only. To request an invitation, go to www.cheferia.com and leave an email or contact Cheferia staff on Twitter (@cheferia).
There is no charge for a chef to post his or her profile on the website; however, clients will be responsible for paying a 10 percent user fee upon booking a chef’s services.
“Who knows…you might discover the next Emeril Lagasse, Rachel Ray or Giada De Laurentiis right in your very own kitchen,” said Marini.
