You need a personal Chef in your life...

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Did you know that we spend about 37 or more hours a week on preparing food?  This may or may not be surprising to you, but there is no denying that there is a lot to it - meal planning, shopping, prepping, cooking/assembly, and plating.  Then, there is the monetary cost - according to Rocketmoney.com, “an individual aged 19 – 50 will spend $306.90 to $371.70 per month on food.  A family of four, with two children aged 6 – 8, will pay about $1,299 monthly,” for food alone.  These figures don’t include the time spent cooking or cleaning. I don’t know about you, but I can tell you that my family of 3 far exceeds the $1300 a month and we definitely spend additional money eating out, as we live by the 80/20 rule.  Eighty percent of the meals we prepare at home, the other twenty percent is pizza and Indian carryout, but I digress.  With all of this in mind, I want to introduce my friend, hospitality expert, and personal Chef Tyler Toles.

 
 
I had the pleasure of experiencing his personal chef offerings when I was in the Hocking Hills for work.  He arrived promptly at the scheduled time, with a smile and everything he needed to sanitize the kitchen and definitely left the space cleaner that it was when he arrived (more about this in a little bit—I promise).  Tyler prepared not one but two amazing meals all in under an hour and a half.  As he cooked, we laughed, shared stories, and toasted kombucha because “we are Baddies.”  Let me tell you, I wish everyone could have this experience at least once in their lifetime.
I did a little Q and A with Chef Tyler during his meal-prepping and I wanted to share some of that conversation with you:
The first question I asked was at what age did he know that he wanted to be a chef and Tyler shared the following, “at 9 years old; I used to watch ‘Eddie’s Million Dollar Cook Off’ with my adoptive mom,” a show that inspired him to get into the kitchen.  Tyler loves to bring what he referred to as a bit of “Disney” magic to the kitchen and draws inspiration from the amazing meals that his mom used to prepare.
 
Like most chefs, what brings him the greatest joy is watching people’s reactions; the happy food dance.  In other situations, this might feel a bit creepy, but it always reaffirms that people are truly enjoying the experience, which is what matters most to him.  His focus is always in the seasoning– more season allows for more layers of flavor and we both agreed that the best golden rule is to, “cook with your ancestors, and season until they tell you to stop.”  Tyler loves to make some of his family’s recipes while also finding joy in creating new ones for future generations.
 
With over 19 years in hospitality, he’s held every position in the kitchen and “back of the house” management.  Tyler’s ideal client is someone who values the experience of healthy and amazing quality meals sprinkled with some of that hospitality entertainment.  He loves to provide his clients with a personalized dining experience and confidentiality is his priority—so he won’t be sharing his client list and trust me, I was so curious that I asked!  When I inquired about his average price point, I received some oh-so-true real-talk about food prep.  “It truly depends on the menu, travel, guest count; a good starting point is to ask yourself, ‘what would you pay for the meal out at a brick and mortar,’ then account for travel fees, wage fees (auto gratuity), plus about 20 bucks.”  You are paying for the experience, time savings, convenience, and truly quality ingredients.  Tyler can also accommodate a more luxurious experience, more like “balling on a budget,” with three course meals beginning at $199, though if additional staff is necessary, you can expect the price to rise.  
 
Personally, Chef Tyler prefers a vegan diet; Mediterranean food is his favorite and he prefers to cook what he referred to as haute cuisine.  If you are like me, I immediately ran to look up what this meant.  According Wiki, “Haute cuisine or grande cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by meticulous preparation, elaborate presentation, and the use of high-quality ingredients.  Typically prepared by highly skilled gourmet chefs, haute cuisine dishes are renowned for their high quality and are often offered at premium prices.… is fine food in any cuisine.”  This left me feeling all of the bougie feels.  When I asked him for three words to describe his vibe, without a bit of hesitation, he said, “Magic, luxurious, adventurous.”
 
During our exchanges as part of the booking process, he asked if I had any dietary considerations and sent several emails and confirmations.  The morning of, he arrived with everything needed—literally everything…the ingredients, spices, cooking utensils, and aforementioned cleaning supplies – it was amazing to watch.  It’s also important to note that his offering is not catering, but that he is a private chef, specializing in intimate celebrations.  His service area includes Central Ohio as well as parts of Florida and Tennessee, though he is always ready to travel for the ideal client.  The booking and confirmation were seamless – a contract was signed and deposit of 50% was due 30 days before my breakfast, with the balance paid in full prior to his arrival. I paid via Venmo, but he also accepts payments via Cash App, Apple Pay, Zelle, cash, and (with a 3.5% processing fee) credit cards.  Gratuity is included and additional gratuity is not expected but always appreciated.
 
So, what was on the menu?  Chef Tyler adhered to my request for a high protein offering and my preference of no pork.  Breakfast included fresh Strawberry Lemon Poppyseed Scones that were so buttery and delicious that I wanted to eat them all.  The entrée was Eggs Benedict; perfectly poached local farm fresh eggs, with his signature Tabasco hollandaise sauce adorned with micro greens, served over everything bagel toast with turkey sausage links and a fresh fruit parfait.
 
My “to go” lunch was a Quinoa Grain Bowl featuring Lemon Herb Quinoa, “tabouleh,” feta, watermelon radish, various olives, Persian cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, Medjool dates, peppers, brown sugar glazed chickpeas, and balsamic glazed Amish chicken, all dressed in a tahini dressing, served with a handcrafted Citron Raspberry Refresher as the beverage.

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It was the most amazing experience and I can’t wait to book him for my next dinner party.  His enthusiastic personality is priceless and the food was outstanding.  Not to sound like T. I. but “you can have whatever you like.”

Be sure to follow Chef Tyler Toles on socials @cheftylertoles