Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Modern Home Chef is a team of classically trained, nutritionist-educated private chefs serving the Portland metro area. We offer weekly meal prep, private chef services, and event catering in Portland, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Vancouver WA, and Camas WA.

  • Most chefs cook. Most nutritionists advise. We do both. Chef Rafi holds a B.S. in Clinical Nutrition from UC Davis and a professional culinary certification from Le Cordon Bleu Paris. That combination of clinical nutrition training and formal culinary craft is uncommon in private chef work, and it directly shapes how every menu is built.

  • We offer weekly in-home or delivered meal prep, private chef services for regular household cooking, and event and dinner party catering. Every service starts with a free consultation to understand your household's needs.

  • It starts with a free consultation where we learn about your dietary needs, preferences, and schedule. From there, we send a personalized menu proposal every weekend for you to review and approve by Sunday. On your cook day, we arrive with groceries, cook your full week of meals in your kitchen, store everything in reusable glass containers, and leave your kitchen clean.

    If you opt for a delivery service, we shop, prepare the meals in our Licensed Kitchen, and drop off the same day.

  • No. You don't need to be present. We arrive, cook, clean up, and leave your fridge stocked. Most clients are at work or running errands during their cook day.

  • Unlike most meal prep services that store everything in one container, we separate components. Proteins, grains, vegetables, and sauces are stored individually so you can bring the meal together fresh at home in about twenty minutes. Some things get a quick reheat. Some stay crisp and cold. The result tastes nothing like a leftover because it isn't one.

  • Everything is stored in reusable glass containers. No plastic, no single-use packaging. Glass keeps food fresher, is safer for reheating, and creates significantly less waste than standard meal prep or delivery services.

  • Yes. For clients who prefer not to have anyone in their home, we prepare meals in a Licensed Commercial Kitchen and deliver them same day. Same quality, same personalization, different setup.

  • Gluten-free and celiac-safe, keto and low-carb, low-FODMAP and SIBO-specific, AIP (Autoimmune Protocol), anti-inflammatory, low-histamine, vegan and plant-based, paleo, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, high-protein for athletes, and postpartum and recovery nutrition. If you follow a protocol not listed here, reach out. If it's a real dietary need, we've likely worked with it.

  • Yes, and this is common. One partner on keto, another eating plant-based, kids with allergy restrictions- we plan for all of it in a single service without running separate prep tracks.

  • Service fees typically range from $275 to $700 per cook day depending on scope, household size, and dietary complexity. Groceries are billed separately based on your household's needs. Most weekly meal prep clients invest between $400 and $1,000 per week total. Book a free consultation for a custom quote.

  • No contracts. We book on a month to month basis and ask for a 2 week prior notice for a cancel service. Most clients stay because the service changes how their household eats, not because they're locked in.

  • Book a free 20-minute consultation. We'll learn about your household, walk you through the options, and give you a clear picture of what the service would look like and what it would cost. No pressure, no commitment required.

  • Portland OR, Lake Oswego OR, West Linn OR, Vancouver WA, and Camas WA. Travel outside the Portland metro area is available on a case-by-case basis.

  • Yes. Chef Rafi is a member of the United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA), holds a current ServSafe certification, and carries full liability coverage.