I’m often asked about the value of having a chef come to your home and cook for you in your kitchen.

I came across a very interesting study by Harvard Business School recently. In a study of customer satisfaction a group of researchers set up four scenarios in a real cafeteria for two weeks. In the first, diners and cooks couldn’t view one another; in the second the diners could see the cooks; in the third the cooks could see the diners; and in the fourth diners and cooks were able to see each other. Prep time and service matched for all four scenarios but when the coos could see their patrons the food quality got higher ratings. In fact, when customers and cooks could see each other customer satisfaction raised 17.3%.

There was lots more to the study, particularly as the researchers looked to extend the importance of transparency to other professions and industries.

But it brought that value proposition to the forefront since it is what personal chefs do every day and it is something restaurants will rarely, if ever duplicate. Its just not how they’re designed. Personal Chefs are just that: personal. Someone cooking in a consumer’s kitchen is sure to engage with the consumer and satisfaction (and food quality) is sure to soar…just as this study proved. That’s A LOT of value!

The public would be wise to look closely at a great way to dine at home for the ultimate satisfaction.