A Day in the Life of a Private Chalet Chef

Working as a private chalet chef during ski season is one of those jobs that’s hard work but incredibly rewarding. Your days revolve around the rhythm of the slopes—early breakfasts, quiet afternoons while guests are skiing, and cozy dinners in the evenings. No two weeks are quite the same, but here’s a glimpse into a typical day for me.

Early Mornings

My day usually starts early. I arrive at the chalet around 7:00 AM to prepare breakfast for guests coming down from 8:00 AM.

One of the first tasks is getting the afternoon tea cake in the oven because, when guests return from the slopes later, they are always starving. At 7:30 AM, I take tea and coffee up to the guests’ rooms, giving everyone a gentle start to the day while they wake up and get ready.

Guests slowly begin to come downstairs around 8:00 AM. I set up a breakfast spread that includes porridge, yogurt, cereal, pastries, fruit, and boiled eggs. I also cook a daily hot special to order—some days it’s Eggs Florentine, while my personal favorite to cook is Huevos Rancheros.

Once breakfast is finished, I clear everything away and help organize transfers to take the guests to the lift. When everyone has left for the slopes, the chalet becomes very quiet. This is the perfect time to finish the cake and start prepping for the evening.

I set out afternoon tea for when everyone returns from skiing. Some of my regular bakes include lemon drizzle cake, carrot cake with cream cheese icing, brown sugar chocolate cookies, and cherry Bakewell cupcakes. After that, I tidy up the communal areas and make the guests’ beds so everything feels fresh and welcoming when they return later in the day.

A Few Hours for Me to Enjoy the Mountains!

Between 12:00 PM and 5:30 PM, we usually have some time off. Sometimes I go skiing for a few hours or head into town to meet other chalet hosts for lunch or coffee. One of the best parts about doing a season is the lifestyle—you’re living somewhere people travel across the world to visit. On one of my days off, I even went paragliding with a view of Mont Blanc, which is definitely something I’ll never forget. I always have two days off a week, typically spent skiing or exploring the area.

The Evening Build-Up

Around 5:30 PM, it’s time to head back to the chalet and prepare for dinner service. Dinner is served at 7:30 PM and consists of a five-course meal: canapés, a starter, a main, dessert, and a cheese course. One menu I particularly enjoyed cooking included:

Starter: Petite tartiflette with a cresson salad and cornichons

Main: Pan-fried duck breast with fondant potatoes, confit beetroot, beetroot purée, burnt lemon mange tout, and a rosemary jus

Dessert: Gâteau St. Lucia with flambéed pears, which I flambé at the table for the guests

After dessert, I serve the cheese course with crackers, homemade chutney, and fresh fruit. I always share a little story about the cheese, which guests usually enjoy. After dinner, guests typically move to the sofas with wine to relax after a long day on the slopes.

Some groups love to chat and invite you to join them for a meal or games, while others prefer a bit more privacy. A big part of chalet hosting is being able to read the guests and adapt accordingly.

Cooking for Children

If children are staying in the chalet, they usually eat earlier at around 6:00 PM. Meals are simple, like sausages and mash with broccoli, or sometimes we have homemade pizza nights, where I make the pizzas with the children and let them choose their own toppings.

The Behind-the-Scenes Bits

Once a week, I do the food shop for the next group of guests. Before they arrive, we get an overview of the group, including any dietary requirements, so we can plan the menus. The shopping typically involves several different orders—meat from the butcher, bread orders, organic produce, and a supermarket order collected down the mountain.

When Things Don’t Quite Go to Plan

I’ll never forget Christmas Day when the chalet lost power (this happens quite frequently in the mountains!). The turkey had to be taken down the mountain to the  chalet company owner’s house (who was vegan!) to finish cooking in his oven just so the guests could still enjoy their Christmas dinner. Luckily, the power came back just in time for me to cook the rest of the trimmings before the turkey was brought back up to the chalet to be served.

Changeover Day

Sundays are always changeover days, meaning I say goodbye to the guests in the morning, followed by a full deep clean of the chalet before the next group arrives later that afternoon. These are definitely the longest days of the week, with no time to ski, but it’s always nice to meet a new group and start the week fresh.