Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Willig.
Hi Rachael, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Being a Personal Chef had always been my dream, but I realized that I needed to take the necessary time to develop my skills, knowledge, experience, and taste. After graduating culinary school at The Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State, I worked for 8 years in fine dining restaurants, catering services, and in Five Star hotel resorts, locally, and internationally. I had the opportunity to train as a chef in Courchevel, France, Marbella, Spain, and Florence, Italy.
During this time, I studied all of the tricks of the trade, the traditional recipes in the cities I lived, the produce that was grown locally, the traditions and religious holidays that are so interwoven with the food of the cultures, and of course, the business side of the hospitality industry. After moving home to Cincinnati in the fall of 2019, I launched The Family Chef LLC, the culinary venture I always dreamed of.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When I started my business, everything seemed to fall in place, that is with a ton of hard work behind it of course. However, when Covid 19 hit during our first year of operation, we took a hit. At the time, we had just hired a new Chef, and expanded, At the start of the pandemic, many of our clients called and canceled their services, leaving us almost completely out of work. This was devastating for a day or so, and then we realized that it was a new opportunity to do something new, think outside the box, and use the pandemic to our advantage. We then advertised to grocery shop and deliver meals to clients’ homes taking away the risk of them having to expose themselves to the virus by grocery shopping or going out to eat. What had started out as a challenge, later launched us into more success then ever.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The Family Chef LLC is an In-Home Weekly Personal Chef and Meal Preparation Service. Once a week, the Chef will write a menu specifically tailored to your preferences, grocery shop, and come to your home to prepare your meals. Our service is unique because you simply tell us what foods you like to eat; that’s it! It’s that simple! We write your menus, do the grocery shopping to handpick the freshest ingredients, prepare your meal employing professional, high-end chefs, clean your kitchen, and store your prepared meals in your refrigerator. Whether you want to experience a fine dining dinner in your home, have healthy salads prepared for your workday lunches, or have homemade free-range chicken fingers made for your kids, we do it all!
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I couldn’t be where I am today without the help and advice from my mentors. Before starting my business, I found a few successful personal chefs online and contacted them for advice. Today I still meet regularly with restaurant owners, chefs and business mentors who always help me along the way.
Contact Info:
- Email: rachwillig@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_family_chef_llc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFamilyChefLLC/
