An external guest chef elevates your catering quality, but don't forget to pass on all costs. Many caterers only charge the hourly rate while forgetting additional expenses like travel and premium ingredients. Here's how to correctly factor all guest chef costs into your catering price.
Map out all guest chef costs
A guest chef brings more costs than just their hourly rate. For an accurate cost price, you need to include everything:
- Guest chef hourly rate: Often €75-150 per hour for experienced chefs
- Travel costs: Mileage or train costs to location
- Prep time: Preparation at home counts too
- Premium ingredients: Guest chefs often use more expensive products
- Extra equipment: Special knives, pans you need to rent
💡 Example:
Catering for 50 people with guest chef:
- Guest chef 8 hours × €100: €800
- Prep at home 4 hours × €100: €400
- Travel costs: €75
- Premium ingredients (20% extra): €300
Total guest chef costs: €1,575
Per person: €1,575 ÷ 50 = €31.50
Calculate hourly rate correctly
A guest chef's hourly rate isn't just the time on location. Also include:
- Menu development: 2-4 hours to come up with and test ideas
- Shopping time: Finding special ingredients takes time
- Mise-en-place at home: Prep work in their own kitchen
- Cleanup and finishing: There's still work after the event
⚠️ Note:
Many guest chefs charge a day rate instead of hourly. Always check what's included: just cooking, or also shopping and prep?
Pass on premium ingredients
Guest chefs often work with pricier ingredients than you're used to. This significantly bumps up your food cost:
- Organic products: 20-40% more expensive than regular
- Seasonal specialties: Can be 50-100% more expensive
- Artisanal products: Special cheeses, meat from specific farms
- Exotic ingredients: Truffles, special herbs, premium oils
💡 Example calculation:
Normal catering food cost: €15 per person
With guest chef premium ingredients: €22 per person
Extra ingredient costs: €7 per person
Calculate total cost price per person
For an accurate catering price, add up all costs and divide by the number of people. I've seen this mistake cost the average restaurant EUR 200-400 per month - they forget hidden costs and eat into their margins.
Formula:
Total guest chef costs = (Hourly rate × Total hours) + Travel costs + Extra ingredients + Equipment
Cost price per person:
Guest chef costs ÷ Number of people = Extra costs per person
💡 Complete calculation:
Catering for 80 people with guest chef:
- Normal catering: €35 per person
- Guest chef (12 hours × €120): €1,440
- Travel costs: €100
- Premium ingredients: €560 extra
- Special equipment rental: €200
Total guest chef costs: €2,300
Per person: €2,300 ÷ 80 = €28.75
New selling price: €35 + €28.75 = €63.75 per person
Maintain margin with guest chef
A guest chef increases your costs, but also your quality and price. Make sure your margin stays intact:
- Increase your selling price proportionally: Don't just pass on costs
- Communicate the added value: Explain why it's more expensive
- Minimum number of people: Guest chef becomes cheaper per person with larger groups
- Agree on fixed day rate: Prevents hours from running over
⚠️ Note:
With small groups (under 20 people), guest chef costs per person can get very high. Consider a minimum number of guests or fixed contribution.
Track catering cost price accurately
Food cost calculators help you track total catering costs including guest chef expenses. You can record all extra costs per event and see what your actual cost price per person is. This way you maintain control and protect your margin, even with complex catering involving external chefs.
How do you calculate guest chef costs in your catering price?
Inventory all guest chef costs
Make a list of all costs: hourly rate, prep time, travel costs, premium ingredients and any equipment. Don't forget hidden costs like menu development.
Calculate total guest chef investment
Add up all costs: (total hours × hourly rate) + travel costs + extra ingredients + equipment. This is your total guest chef investment for the event.
Divide by number of people
Divide the total guest chef costs by the number of guests. This gives you the extra costs per person you need to pass on in your catering price.
Add to normal catering price
Add the guest chef costs per person to your normal catering price. Make sure your margin stays intact by not just passing on costs, but also adding value.
✨ Pro tip
Track guest chef prep time for your first 5 collaborations - most caterers underestimate this by 40%. This data helps you quote more accurately for future events.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
What if the guest chef takes longer than planned?
Agree on a fixed day rate instead of hourly rate beforehand. Or make clear agreements about maximum hours. Otherwise your costs can run up significantly and you'll lose your margin.
How do I prevent my catering price from getting too high?
Work with a minimum number of people for guest chef events (for example 40+). With smaller groups, the costs per person become too high. Also consider a fixed contribution instead of calculating everything per person.
How do I calculate travel costs for the guest chef?
Use €0.23 per kilometer (fiscal allowance 2024) or public transport reimbursement. For long distances, accommodation costs may also apply. Always calculate this in advance.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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