Tips from experienced Elves

Use the advice from experienced Elves to be successful.

Service tips

Successful Elves get repeat appointments from exceptional customer service. 

Be personal

• Customers need to like your food and you.
• Pay extra special attention to pets and kids (remember their names and bring little treats).
• Let your customer dictate the level of conversation (don't be too chatty).
• Go above and beyond to impress (make their kitchen look spotless).
• Leave your problems in the car (always walk in happy).
• Start a text dialog the night prior to your appointment. 

Show enthusiasm about cooking for them. Ask questions about their appointment notes. 

If you need to buy a small quantity of a grocery item (e.g., one egg), ask if they already have it. Don't ask about staples (you bring 'em). 

• Dinner Elf may is a rare experience for your customers. Wow them. 
• Show up on time and minimize requests to change times (this is customers' number one complaint).
• Look sharp: keep your hair back and wear a chef coat or professional apron.

Be responsive

• If you're running late or early, keep them updated by text.

Get raving fans

Here's a real review from a raving fan on Nov 29, 2022:

Chef Beth has cooked for my family of 4 multiple times. Well, I’d give more than 5 stars if I could. My kids don’t love cilantro or too much lemon so I let her know and she immediately made changes—simple as that! I highly recommend giving the chefs a chance to get to know you and your preferences. Everyone is different! Beth always leaves our kitchen spotless. She brings little treats for our kids and the pets. Our cat Bixby knows when she comes in the house and immediately hangs out near her—and she is so sweet to him! She’s also so kind and patient with our 4 year old who has really taken a liking to her and likes to talk her ear off about all sorts of things (hot wheels, Bluey, Minecraft, Super Mario Bros). I could hear them chatting away and it was just so nice. She really feels like a part of the family when she comes in to cook for us. I mean this—I can’t recommend her enough. So friendly, leaves the kitchen without a crumb, organizes all the food in the fridge beautifully, messages me if she knows I have some fresh ingredients she could use rather than buying at the store (we both share a love of plants/gardening!). We will continue to use her for the foreseeable future. She is AMAZING!

Speed tips

Stay time-efficient in your appointments to benefit both you and customers. 

Night prior

• Review the recipes and appointment notes
• Fill out the menu card(s) with recipe names
• Pack small cooking tools (e.g., measuring spoons)

Grocery shopping

• Shop at only a few grocery stores in the zones where you have appointments. Knowing the layout of a store saves time.
• Don't waste time hunting for something. Ask a store employee.

Upon arrival

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
• Find the sheet pans, pots, sauté pan, bowls, and colander
• (optional) Ask the customer for their wi-fi password (or they enter it)
• Open all cans and wash and prep all produce.
• Use mise en place to make meal prep easier.

Workspace

• Minimize the surfaces you use in a kitchen (less cleanup).
• Designate a space for groceries and staples for easy access.
• Designate a space for cutting/chopping near the sink or trashcan for easy disposal of waste.
• Lay out a clean towel by the sink to rinse and leave frequently used tools for reuse, like measuring spoons and spatulas.
• Lay out a paper towel by the stove to set down messy spoons/spatulas.
• Friendly and polite socializing is good, but chatty will run you off shift times. Use friendly language like "I'm going to get into my cooking zone now. I'll check back with you when I'm cleaning up."

Recipes

• Recipes are presented in recommended cook order but always review for common sense (prepare items with long bake times first).
• Prep all produce for all recipes first.
• Use recipes as guides, but expect variations in stovetops and ovens. Keep an eye on items as they cook to keep things from burning.
• Cook multiple recipes at once (don't wait for one to finish).

Dishes

• Reuse dishes and cooking tools before cleaning them if you are using the same ingredient across multiple recipes (i.e. chopping veggies).
• If you have a dirty dish with "sticky" food, wash it immediately.
• Use the storage container as a bowl in a recipe so you won't have to wash it.
• Wash dishes as you go (don't wait until the end).

Tip for clean ovens

• If you bake a ‘runny’ dish (e.g. fish) on a flat baking sheet (not rimmed), you run the risk of making a mess in the oven. Use a rimmed dish or build "aluminum foil walls" around the baking sheet to prevent juice from dropping.
• Add a sheet of foil to the bottom-most rack of the oven to catch drippings, and throw this away when you are finished cooking. 
• Do NOT place foil directly on the bottom wall of the oven, as it can melt and adhere to the oven surface.

Cooling

• Minimize the number of times you open a customer's refrigerator door to keep the internal temperature cool.
• Leave containers uncovered until the very end of your shift, when you take your food photo, to maximize cooling.
• Save your cold-prep dishes, such as salads, for last so that all hot items have the chance to cool as long as possible before lids are applied.
• If a dish is not given enough time to cool without a lid, the customer will come home to a bunch of condensation and a soggy dinner.  If needed, leave the lid cracked and make a note of that on the table tent.

Promotional tips

Chef Hollie is consistently 100% booked with 10 appointments per week (2 per day, M-F). Watch this 3 minute video for nuggets of how you grow your chef practice. This video is gold. 😍

• 0:00 - The night prior: Text them
• 0:17 - First appointment: Be personal
• 0:45 - First appointment: Discuss future needs
• 1:15 - After the appointment: Text for feedback
• 2:12 - After 3 appointments: Send personal texts
• 2:45 - Wrap up: Communicate before, during, and after appointments

Other tips:

• Ask customers to recommend you in neighborhood Facebook groups (our best tool for referrals)
• Ask customers to review you (from their appointment page)
• Add more personal photos to your chef profile page