Cooking for a Premier League Footballer: Inside the Life of a Personal Chef

Being a personal chef means wearing many hats: chef, planner, nutrition collaborator and sometimes therapist. But working with a professional footballer from the Premier League takes that to another level.

For the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of cooking for a high-performance athlete, three evenings a week, in the comfort of his London home. The brief? Clear and specific: delicious, nutrient-dense meals tailored to his goals, built around a rotating menu that keeps things interesting: all while supporting recovery, performance and long-term health.

The Structure: Discipline and Flexibility

We operate on a 3-evenings-per-week schedule, aligned with his training, match days, and travel plans. Every session is built around:

• A freshly cooked, plated dinner

• Additional meals or snacks (prepped and packed as needed)

• Light kitchen resets so everything’s left spotless

But beyond the logistics, the real key is consistency. He expects a certain level and it’s my job to deliver it every time.

Nutrition Is a Team Effort

Each week, I’m in direct communication with his professional nutritionist. Together, we review:

• Caloric and macronutrient goals

• Recovery-focused meals after games or intense training

• Hydration and supplementation support

• Ingredients to increase or avoid based on his cycle

  
  

This collaboration keeps things clear. I’m not just cooking what sounds goodd, I’m cooking with purpose. Every dish is designed to fuel, replenish and support performance.

The Menus: Clean, Creative, Balanced

Contrary to what many people expect, most elite athletes don’t want steak and truffle pasta every night. They want clean, real food made from scratch but with flavour and variety.

Some examples from recent menus include:

• Grilled miso salmon with black rice, roasted aubergine and sesame greens

• Slow-braised chicken thighs with wild mushrooms, lentils and cavolo nero

• Chickpea tagine with saffron cauliflower couscous and preserved lemon

• Sweet potato & quinoa cakes with avocado salsa and turmeric tahini

• High-protein energy snacks made in-house (no bars, no sugar bombs)

Every week, I design a new menu, never repeating dishes unless requested. Seasonality leads the way. Ingredients are always organic, local, and traceable.

Adapting in Real Time

One thing I’ve learned: you need to be hyper-flexible. Schedules change, appetites shift, and some days they want simplicity over complexity. Other times, things go wrong — and you need to think like a chef, not panic like a caterer.

• No two weeks are the same

• Recovery days = high-fat, antioxidant-rich meals

• Match days = lighter, carb-supported dinners

• Post-travel = rehydrating, digestion-friendly menus

Case in point:

One evening, I was scheduled to cook for 10 guests at the footballer’s home, a beautiful, elegant dinner that had been carefully planned and agreed with the nutritionist. But just hours before service, my entire food delivery was delayed (I could not get through customer service... thank you Waitrose!! due to a driver issue.

No ingredients. No time to reorder. No backup plan.

Rather than cancel or compromise, I did what every seasoned chef learns to do, I worked with what I had. I checked the pantry, fridge and everywhere. I found:

• 2 trays of chicken thighs

• Some lentils, brown rice and oats - thanks God!!

• Greek yogurt and a selection of seasonal vegetables

• Spices, preserved lemons and fresh herbs from the kitchen garden - Yes, they have a small kitchen garden!

• A random basket of avocados, sweet potatoes and baby spinach

I immediately restructured the menu on the spot, creating a new 3-course meal that still fit his dietary plan and looked completely intentional:

• Starter: Grilled baby carrots with cumin yogurt, toasted seeds & harissa oil

• Main: Spiced roast chicken thighs with lentil pilaf, charred broccoli & herb gremolata

• Dessert: Warm oat crumble with roasted plums, date syrup & coconut yogurt

Everything was fresh, nutrient-dense and plated with style. The guests never knew anything had gone wrong. That’s the part they shouldn’t see. However, since I have a very good relation with my client, I was honest with him and he said literally: That's fine, I trust you implicitly with your cooking, do whatever you can!

In this role, you need more than technique, you need calm, clarity and creativity under pressure.

You need to know the client, not just what they eat, but how they feel. That’s where the real value of a private chef comes in.

Why It Works

This arrangement works because it’s built on trust, discretion and consistency. I work quietly, cleanly and always adapt to the home and its rhythm. He doesn’t need to worry about groceries, meal planning, prepping or tracking. He just eats well, every time.

Final Thoughts

Cooking for a professional footballer isn’t about showmanship, it’s about supporting a high-performance lifestyle with care, structure and creativity.

It’s a reminder that private chef work isn’t only for events or holidays. For some clients, it’s part of their daily foundation and I’m proud to be part of that system.

If you're an athlete, public figure, or professional seeking discreet, performance-focused private chef services, get in touch. I build every plan from scratch, no templates, no compromises.