If you are raising a busy family in Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt or Düsseldorf, you have probably wondered how to get good, home-cooked food on the table without spending every evening in the kitchen. Two options usually come up first: hire a caterer or order meal delivery. A third option, a long-term private chef, is less familiar to many families in Germany, yet it often solves the problem best. Here is how the three compare in practice.
What a caterer does
A caterer is built for events. Think of a birthday party, a company reception, a christening or a summer garden dinner for forty guests. The food is usually prepared in a professional kitchen elsewhere, then delivered, set up and served. Once the event is over, the caterer moves on to the next client.
Catering works very well when you need volume for a single date. It is not designed to feed the same family well on an ordinary Tuesday, week after week.
What meal delivery offers
Meal delivery services and meal kits bring convenience. You pick dishes from a menu, they arrive at your door, and dinner is sorted in minutes. The trade-off is that the food is made for thousands of customers, not for you. Portions, seasoning and ingredients are standardised, and there is little room to adapt them to a child who refuses anything green, an allergy or a specific nutrition goal.
What a long-term private chef does
A long-term private chef cooks in your own kitchen, every week, for your family. Instead of a one-off service, it is an ongoing relationship. In practice, that means:
- Menus planned with you each week, around your schedule, your tastes and the season.
- Kids' meals that children actually enjoy, alongside dishes for the adults.
- Dietary needs handled properly, from allergies and intolerances to plant-based, low-sugar or wellness-focused eating.
- Shopping done by the chef, so your fridge and pantry are taken care of.
- A clean kitchen at the end of every service.
- Continuity: the same chef learns your family's habits and preferences over time.
Caterer vs meal delivery vs private chef at a glance
| Caterer | Meal delivery | Long-term private chef | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | One-off events and parties | Quick convenience | Everyday family meals |
| Where the food is cooked | Off-site, then delivered and served | Central kitchen, then delivered | In your own home kitchen |
| Frequency | Occasional | Whenever you order | Every week, on a regular schedule |
| Menu | Event menu chosen in advance | Fixed catalogue | Planned weekly with your family |
| Kids and dietary needs | Handled per event | Limited options | Built around each family member |
| Grocery shopping | Not included | Not included | Done by the chef |
| Kitchen afterwards | Event clean-up | Packaging to dispose of | Left clean after every service |
| Relationship | Transactional | Anonymous | Ongoing, with the same chef |
Which one does your family need? A quick checklist
Choose a caterer if...
- You are hosting a one-off event with many guests.
- You need staff to serve on the day.
- Your day-to-day family meals are already under control.
Choose meal delivery if...
- You mainly need quick convenience on a few evenings.
- Nobody in the household has specific dietary needs.
- Speed matters more to you than freshness and variety.
Choose a long-term private chef if...
- You want fresh, home-cooked meals on most days of the week.
- You have children, allergies or nutrition goals to plan around.
- You have relocated to Germany and want one less thing to organise.
- You value having the same trusted person in your kitchen.
If most of the last list sounds like your family, a private chef is likely the right fit.
How Le Petit Marché works in Germany
Le Petit Marché places experienced private chefs with families on a long-term basis. We started in Singapore and now serve families in Germany, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg and Monaco. Placements include full-time household chefs, seasonal or extended stays, nutrition and wellness cooking, and family or estate chef management.
- Every placement starts with a trial day or trial week, so you can be confident about the fit.
- Weekly menus are agreed with your family.
- Your chef does the shopping, and food cost is billed separately based on receipts.
- If your chef is sick or on leave, we arrange replacement cover.
- Regular check-ins keep everything on track.
- It all sits under one monthly agreement.
Our chefs are managed by Le Petit Marché, so you always have one point of contact. Find out more on our private chef in Germany page.
A note from Nicolas
"I have been a chef for 26 years, and my background in longevity coaching taught me how much everyday food shapes how a family feels. A great caterer makes one evening special. A private chef who knows your children, your schedule and your health goals makes every ordinary day better. That is what we built Le Petit Marché to do."
Nicolas Reynard, founder of Le Petit Marché
Frequently asked questions
Can a private chef also cook for our events at home?
Many families ask their chef to prepare a dinner party or family celebration at home on top of the weekly meals. For large events with many guests, a caterer may still be the better option.
How do we know the chef is the right fit?
Every placement with Le Petit Marché starts with a trial day or trial week. You taste the food, see how the chef works in your kitchen and decide before committing.
Who pays for the groceries?
The chef does the shopping, and the food cost is billed separately based on receipts, so you pay for exactly what is bought.
Request a private chef
Ready for home-cooked family meals without the daily effort? Tell us about your household and we will suggest the right chef for you.
