Personal branding for chefs is about how you serve up your unique flavor.
First off, I’ll be upfront and share that my favorite chef personalities are Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsay. Tony for how he makes the correlation between food and culture as well as his poetic anecdotes. And Gordon for an equally caustic sense of humor but from whom I learned more about what to do in my own kitchen.
See? Chefs don’t just cook—they create experiences, tell stories, and connect people through food. In today’s world, talent alone isn’t enough to stand out in all lines of work. In the culinary world, whether you’re a private chef, a restaurateur, or someone dreaming of launching your own food brand, personal branding can be your secret ingredient.
Personal branding for chefs isn’t about swanky spaces or trendy ingredients—it’s about showcasing what makes you unique. It’s about sharing your story, your philosophy, and your vision for food in a way that resonates with your audience.
Your personal brand is what makes people choose you over the next chef, not just because of what you serve but because of how you make them feel.
Here’s my take on how chefs can leverage personal branding to elevate their services and stand out in a competitive industry.
Table of Contents
Why Personal Branding Matters for Chefs
I’ve had the honor to meet many chefs who are exceptional at their craft but struggle to articulate what makes their approach unique. The truth is that people don’t just book chefs for their menus—they book them for the experience, the story, and the connection.
Personal branding for chefs is how you show your audience who you are, what you stand for, and why your culinary perspective matters. It’s the thread that ties your dishes, your service, and your reputation together.
When I think about chefs with strong personal brands that make them unforgettable, it’s Toyoji Chikumoto-san of Izakaya Toyo. Why? When I visited Osaka in 2019, I made a call hoping to make reservations at his outdoor restaurant (they do not). Surprisingly, the man himself answered the call only to meet my broken Japanese. Even though it was a short call, I already knew how friendly and funny he was. Till today, I have not had the chance to dine at Izakaya Toyo but I really hope to in my next trip to Japan.
Granted, many chefs are also personable and many more whose restaurants are decorated with Michelin stars, but a chef’s personality creates connections that go beyond the plate.
Takeaway: Your brand is the story behind your food. Your personality matters. Use it to create a connection with those around you.
Define Your Culinary Identity
The first step in building your personal brand is defining your culinary identity. This goes beyond cuisine or technique—it’s about understanding your unique perspective on food.
Ask yourself:
- What inspires your cooking?
- What values drive your approach? (Sustainability? Tradition? Innovation?)
- How do you want your clients to feel when they experience your food?
For example, I was at a private dining and the chef who designed the dishes came out at the end of the courses to share his passion and his use of seasonal, local ingredients. Although the messaging would have been much more effective if had been before the dishes were served, many of us at the table mentioned that we did appreciate the flavors better after his story.
If better timed, his commitment to “celebrate the farmers and the land” would have amplified the dining experience and his culinary identity more distinctively.
Pro Tip: For chefs, personal branding will outline your culinary identity. And your culinary identity is your North Star. Use it to guide how you present yourself, from your website to your social media to your menus.
Offer Services That Reflect Your Brand
Personal branding isn’t just about marketing—it’s about shaping your services to align with your identity. For chefs, think about how your personal brand can influence the way you deliver your offerings.
For example:
- A chef with a passion for sustainability might offer zero-waste catering services.
- A chef known for blending global flavors could create curated, cultural-tasting menus.
- A private chef who values intimacy and connection might specialize in cooking for small gatherings or hosting immersive culinary workshops.
A private chef I know built her brand around the concept of “whatever that goes through your palate must be grown.” She not only prepared meals but also guided her clients through the nutritional benefits of an organic diet, emphasizing mindfulness and health. Her services were unique because they weren’t just meals—they were classes.
Action Step: Personal branding for chefs can design your services to reflect your brand values and create an experience that only you can offer.
Share Your Story to Build Connection
People connect with people, not just products or services. Sharing your story—your journey, your struggles, your victories—helps your audience understand who you are and why you do what you do.
I remember being brought to a dim sum place in Four Seasons when I was visiting Hong Kong years ago. My honest take on dim sum restaurants in hotels is that it can feel pretentious—are you actually just an upscale cha chaan teng?
Anyway, it’s been 15 years since. I don’t remember the dim sum I had but I remember the story one of the ladies told me: that the head chef at the time came out of retirement to join the establishment and that he previously retired to be a stay-at-home dad after the passing of his wife. It was the year after my grandfather passed and I somehow felt more appreciative of the food on the table after that story. I found out years later that the chef mentioned was Chan Yan-Tak.
The thing is that it doesn’t always have to be a life-changing story. It’s just that people are hard-wired to remember stories better than facts and real stories resonate because we’re all on life’s journey.
Pro Tip: Be authentic and relatable. Your story doesn’t have to be dramatic—it just has to be real.
“It doesn’t always have to be a life-changing story. It’s just that people are hard-wired to remember stories better than facts and real stories resonate because we’re all on life’s journey.”
Show Up Consistently (Online and Offline)
Your personal brand is only as strong as your consistency. Whether you’re posting on Instagram, creating TikToks, or meeting clients in person, your message and tone should align across all platforms.
I follow many food content personalities online and here are my top favorites and why:
- Lucas Sin – I love it when he shares about Chinese dishes and their history, and his sometimes comical, always entertaining derpy delivery always gets me
- Brandon Skier – I started noticing Brandon for the presentation of his food content but he gives some good tips for little details alongside cooking itself.
- Nara Smith – Nara makes everything from scratch because she has an autoimmune disease, which worsens her skin and I am always on the lookout for ingredients and recipes that reduce inflammation.
- Carolina Gelen – I like her personality! And that makes following her recipes less intimidating!
- Jessie Inchauspe – Jessie’s not a chef but a biochemist. She emphasizes the order of eating to reduce glucose intake and I found her when I was obsessed with insulin management for my late dad back in 2020.
I’ve seen food content personalities and chefs grow their brands by sharing consistently online. Be it cooking tutorials or quick behind-the-scenes glimpses of their life in the kitchen, building a sense of authenticity and accessibility can be rewarding.
Action Step: Choose platforms where your audience spends time and share content that reflects your brand regularly.
Embrace Collaboration to Expand Your Brand
Building a personal brand doesn’t mean doing it alone. Collaborations can help you reach new audiences and showcase your brand’s versatility.
Kitchen takeover events are particularly interesting to me because it is usually an intersection of a distinctive approach to something that is already known or expected. Events like that aren’t just about the food—it’s an opportunity to tell a story of one’s brand and their culinary innovation. I see more takeovers when it comes to bartenders but not as much for chefs just yet. A four-hands dinner, chefs?
Pro Tip: Look for partnerships that align with your brand values and enhance your story.
Align Branding with Your Long-Term Goals
Personal branding for chefs isn’t just about what you’re cooking up right now—it’s about what other line-ups you’d want to prep for. Are you looking to expand into catering? Launch a line of sauces? Open a restaurant? Your brand should set the stage for those future goals. So, think hard about your end-game and build your brand to prime and support that vision.
Takeaway: Think about your long-term vision and build a brand that supports it.
Deliver a Signature Experience
One of the most powerful ways to differentiate your personal brand is by delivering a signature experience that clients can’t get anywhere else.
During a work trip to Chicago in 2017, my former boss, a typical picky and time-conscious businessman, ended a business meeting early because he did not want to miss his reservation at Alinea. His PA later told me that they even had to work his day’s schedule around the reservation because it would’ve been impossible to get another timing match. And I thought—wow, is Grant Achatz that legendary? Turns out, according to my former boss, he is.
When a chef finds their signature touch—whether it’s personalized menus, interactive cooking sessions, or even handwritten notes for clients—it can make their brand so desirable, that their audience would go the distance for the experience.
Action Step: Identify one or two elements that can make your service uniquely yours.
Your Brand, Your Recipe for Success
As a chef, your personal brand is more than your image—it’s your recipe for connection, growth, and success. It’s the story behind your food, the values that guide your craft, and the experience that only you can create.
Building a personal brand isn’t about becoming someone you’re not—it’s about showing the world who you already are. So, embrace your journey, share your story, and create a brand that’s as memorable as your signature dish.
Because when people choose you, they’re not just choosing a meal—they’re choosing an experience, a connection, and a story they’ll never forget.
