By Yohann Perié, private chef
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A chalet in Courchevel, a week on the slopes, and the temptation to stop thinking about meals altogether. The question is what a resident chef actually costs, and above all what lies behind the headline price. In a ski resort, more than anywhere else, the extras matter: the journey up to the Tarentaise, a car on site, somewhere for me to stay. I set it all out below, with nothing rounded off.
Priced by the day, however many skiers
I cook for the whole stay, not for a single dinner: three days at the very least, and usually the full week, to fit in with resort lets. The rate is charged per day and stays the same from 2 to 10 guests. For more than ten, I prepare a bespoke quote.
The package you choose depends on how many meals you would like me to take care of each day. In the mountains, the ski day decides:
- Confort, from €400 a day: one meal, usually dinner. You have lunch on the slopes and come back to dinner ready in the evening.
- Sérénité, from €500 a day: two meals of your choice. An early breakfast before the first lift, say, and dinner. Or the children's afternoon tea and dinner.
- Prestige, from €600 a day: every meal, from breakfast and lunch to afternoon tea and dinner. For days spent at the chalet, or for a group that would rather not plan anything.
Full details are on the Courchevel page.
What the rate covers
The chef's work, from the first shopping trip to the last course served. I go down to the valley for the produce: the Moûtiers dairy cooperative for Beaufort and other Savoie cheeses, the Tarentaise markets, the local charcutiers and market gardeners. I plan the menus day by day, cook, serve, and leave the kitchen clean and tidy after every meal.
Being at altitude does not mean eating heavily every night. Raclette and fondue have their place, made with proper cheeses from the valley, but I alternate them with lighter, more refined cooking. Children's meals, allergies and special diets are all settled before you arrive.
The extras that come with the mountains
In a resort, four items come on top of the package. Travel, the car and my accommodation are priced on the quote before you commit; the ingredients are charged at cost, against receipts.
- Ingredients, charged to the euro against receipts, which I pass on to you every day.
- My travel to the Tarentaise.
- A hire car for use on site, for the trips down to the valley. The shopping is done in Moûtiers and the villages below, not at 1850.
- My accommodation near the chalet. I find it myself and keep it simple, so that this line stays as low as possible.
Wine and other drinks are yours to choose and pay for. I am happy to point you towards Savoie wines: Apremont, Chignin-Bergeron, Mondeuse.
Three sample weeks, priced from the rates
Below is the cost of the package alone, before ingredients, travel, car and accommodation.
Three days for four, Confort. One dinner a night: 3 × €400, or €1,200.
A ski week for six, Sérénité. Breakfast and dinner for seven days: 7 × €500, or €3,500. Around €83 per person per day for two meals.
A week for eight, Prestige. Every meal for seven days: 7 × €600, or €4,200. That works out at €75 per person per day for four meals.
The logic is simple: as the day costs the same for 2 to 10 guests, each extra skier lowers everyone's share.
What the food shopping costs
Food shopping is not included in the package: it is charged at cost, against receipts. To help you plan, here is an order of magnitude. On my full-package stays, for groups of ten to fifteen people, the shopping comes to around €150 a day, or €10 to €15 per person per day.
| Guests | Food shopping per day, full package (order of magnitude) |
|---|---|
| 4 | €40 to €60 |
| 6 | €60 to €90 |
| 8 | €80 to €120 |
| 10 | €100 to €150 |
These are guidelines, not a flat fee. For a smaller table, the cost per person is often a little higher; with one or two meals a day, it drops accordingly. Festive produce, such as for New Year's Eve, and drinks come on top. If you have a budget in mind, tell me: I will do everything I can to stay within it.
Reading the quote
The quote is set out line by line, and nothing is added afterwards:
- The package, priced by the day and multiplied by the number of days.
- My travel costs to the Tarentaise.
- The hire car I use on site.
- My accommodation near the chalet.
These lines are fixed before you agree. The food shopping comes next, at cost, against receipts. If you have given me a budget for the shopping, I will do everything I can to keep to it.
To receive yours, tell me about your week: the dates, the chalet, the number of guests, what you love and what you do not eat. A phone call or the form on the Courchevel page is all it takes.
Your questions about a private chef in Courchevel
How much does a private chef cost in Courchevel?
I charge by the day: from €400 for one meal a day, €500 for two and €600 for every meal, at the same rate for 2 to 10 guests. Beyond that, I provide a bespoke quote. Ingredients, my travel, the car and my accommodation are extra, all priced on the quote.
How much does a private chef cost for a ski week?
For seven days, the package comes to €2,800 with Confort, €3,500 with Sérénité and €4,200 with Prestige, for 2 to 10 guests. On top of that come the ingredients at cost, my travel, the car and my accommodation: everything fixed is priced on the quote before you agree, and the ingredients are added at cost, against receipts.
Is the price per person?
No. The day costs the same for 2 to 10 guests. The fuller the chalet, the smaller each person's share.
Is the food shopping included?
No. It is recharged at cost, with the receipts passed on to you every day. You pay for exactly what is bought for you, with no flat fee and no mark-up.
Can I book a chef for just one evening at the chalet?
Not with me. I come up to the Tarentaise for stays of at least three consecutive days, usually the whole week.
Should I tip a private chef?
Nothing is expected: the rate covers all of my work. If you would like to leave something at the end of your stay, that is entirely up to you.
Book early, very early
I take only one stay at a time, and the school holiday and New Year weeks are the most sought-after in the resort. Get in touch as soon as your dates are fixed.
If your week includes 31 December, read how I organise New Year's Eve at the chalet. And to compare with the resort's restaurants, see private chef or restaurant in Courchevel.
