Too busy to cook? Tired of eating out? More and more busy executives are eating in, but they aren't doing the cooking; they're hiring personal chefs to fill their refrigerators and their plates. For $300 to $450 a week, you can hire a personal chef to shop, cook and clean up for you. Typically the personal chef will spend one day in your kitchen preparing meals for the week.
Personal Cheffing 101. Master Chef Karl Friedenreich says personal cheffing is becoming so popular that the Culinary Arts program he runs at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale is considering adding it as an elective. In fact, the school has started an ad hoc service to meet the number of calls it receives for personal chef referrals. Johnson and Wales Culinary School in Miami recently recognized the field as a viable career option.
Promising Trend. The United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA), the first and largest professional organization for personal chefs, boasts a membership of 5,000, compared to 500 seven years ago. In the next five years, the association projects, 300,000 clients will be spending $1 billion a year for such services. The USPCA has more than 340 members in Florida and local chapters in Jacksonville, the Panhandle and the southeast.
Help Wanted. In need of a personal chef? Check out USPCA's hireachef.com and the American Personal Chef Association's personalchef.com.
GOURMET WITH A CHARITABLE TWIST
Personal chef Letty Vendrell's clients are mostly well-heeled, well-off and well-fed. But her business, The Compassionate Gourmet, affords another feel-good benefit. Vendrell donates 10% of her revenues to Compassion International, a Colorado-based charity that helps provide for underprivileged children. The Fort Lauderdale entrepreneur came up with the idea when she left a marketing and property-management career. She cooks for about six clients, bringing in up to $2,700 a week.
NO BUSY SIGNAL
Open a Schwab Private Client Account with $1 million to $2 million, and the brokerage will throw in 75 free trades a year and free investment advice. Also, no more holding the line for a rep. A dedicated phone number puts you directly through to your personal consultant.
HORSE PLAY
Clients of Bessemer Trust were treated to the Kentucky Derby this year, including private paddock tours, introductions to top thoroughbred owners and trainers as well as a National Thoroughbred Racing Association seminar for new horse owners.
PEAK PERFORMANCE
Like a tee time with that blood work? For executives and others who spend anywhere from $748 to $2,386 for high-end physical exams at programs like Rippe Health Assessment in Orlando, Shands Executive Health Center in Gainesville, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and Cleveland Clinic in Naples, that's not an unusual question.
In order to make the executives' checkups more appealing, the programs feature resort-like environs and other amenities, including customized hospital togs, transportation to and from regional airports, tee times at local golf courses and even trips to Disney for the patient's family.
TURNKEY DECORATING
For home buyers with lots of money but not a lot of time, The Setai, South Beach's newest luxury high-rise, is offering a turnkey decorating package. "This is a second, third or fourth home for these buyers," says sales director Nancy DiBernardo. "It's geared for people who want the simplicity of the package and a home ready to walk into."
One Size Fits All. Buy a one- or two-bedroom unit for $550,000 to $2 million -- penthouses start at $12 million -- and for an additional $150,000 to $200,000 have it decorated top to bottom, from sofas to table linens. But you have to like The Setai's Zen-like style because there's only one decorating option. Created by Malaysia-based Deniston International, the package features lots of black granite, teak and high-end kitchen appliances. Linen-colored walls, a neutral color scheme and sleek, clean lines complete the look.
Asian Emphasis. The 90-room hotel and 40-story condominium tower, set to open next spring, will be managed by Singapore-based GHM Hotels, known for its Asian style in both décor and impeccable customer service.
SKY CHAUFFEURS
Naples Municipal Airport is becoming the airport of choice for corporate and private aviators because of its proximity to resort communities and conference facilities. It's also enjoying the ripple effects of Naples' affluence. In six years, general aviation traffic has increased more than 11%, the bulk of that from corporate and private charters.
Jet 1 Charter flies both Lear jets and Citation 3s from Naples Municipal. It charges a per-hour fee. In-season, you'll need to book about a week ahead of time. Off season, "we can sometimes be ready to fly within two hours," says manager Fred Klotz.
The Lear costs $1,500 an hour; the Citation, $2,500 an hour. Round-trip to Boston on the Lear will cost about $10,800 plus tax; to Key West, about $4,500 round-trip.