FOR aspirational foodies, having a personal chef prepare a restaurant quality meal in their own kitchen may seem like an unattainable luxury.
But one young Middlewich chef is making this experience a reality as he turns his culinary expertise into a growing sideline.
As diners increasingly seek unique experiences, Dawid Zukowski is capitalising by swapping restaurant tables for his clients' own dining rooms.
After cooking in hotels, pubs, football stadiums, and fine dining kitchens, Dawid is now taking restaurant quality food directly into people’s homes.
The 31-year-old, who moved to Cheshire from Poland 12 years ago, has launched a private chef business alongside his role as sous chef at April’s Kitchen in Knutsford.
When the Guardian caught up with him, he was busy preparing an Italian feast for a private client.
For Dawid, his venture is the latest chapter in a culinary journey which began as a teenager in Cyprus, and has seen him rise from washing pots in a Middlewich hotel kitchen to becoming a head chef within just two years.
His first experience of professional cooking came at the age of 16 in Ayia Napa, where his dad was working as a chef.
When he later moved to Middlewich, he joined his dad once again at the Kinderton House Hotel, starting at the very bottom of the kitchen hierarchy.
Within two years, he had worked his way up from pot washer to head chef, while at the same time completing formal culinary training at South Cheshire College, where he studied professional cookery and pastry, as well as English and maths.
Dawid later worked at the Big Lock Inn and the Cholmondeley Arms in Malpas before returning to the Kinderton, where he met executive chef Flynn Bramley-Hall, who became one of the biggest influences on his career.
"Flynn is probably my true cooking mentor," Dawid said.
Bramley-Hall's career included time in the kitchens of the Royal Yacht Britannia, which has helped shape Dawid's approach to food and hospitality.
Dawid also broadened his experience through agency work at major sporting venues including Old Trafford and Anfield, before taking up his current position at April’s Kitchen.
The daytime hours at the popular Knutsford brunch and lunch spot have also given him something many chefs struggle to find.
"My fiancé used to work in hospitality, but now she works in a bank," he said.
"This means we can spend time together in the evenings when I am not cooking in people’s homes.
"I’m quite lucky that way because chefs often work terrible hours."
Despite building an impressive CV, Dawid insists his love of food remains as strong as ever.
"Cooking is more than a job for me,” he added.
“It is a passion, and something I absolutely love.
"I’m not one of these chefs who goes home and makes themselves instant noodles.
"For lunch today I had a ribeye steak."
At the moment, his private dining work is largely carried out through Yhangry Chef, a platform connecting chefs with customers looking for restaurant quality experiences at home.
Asked who decides what is on the menu, Dawid said flexibility is a key part of the service.
"It really depends," he said.
"With Yhangry Chef, you upload five sample menus and people choose between them.
"But if someone wants something particular, I can certainly do it for them.
"We can also talk it through and come up with a special menu together."
The service includes far more than simply turning up and cooking.
"I do all the shopping, which is included in the price, along with the cooking and cleaning," he said.
While many people associate private chefs with celebrity lifestyles and luxury living, Dawid believes the reality is often quite different.
"Clients of private chefs can be all sorts of people," he said.
"Sometimes they are wealthy, but sometimes it is just normal people giving themselves a treat.
"If you were planning a party for 20 people, it would definitely be cheaper with a private chef than taking them all to a restaurant where wine is £15 a glass.
"It can definitely work out more cost effective."
A meal for two typically costs around £200, although the price per head reduces as the size of the group increases.
As for his own culinary tastes, Dawid enjoys cooking a wide range of cuisines.
"I really enjoy cooking proper British cuisine," he said.
"Pies, hotpots, things like that.
"I also like Mexican, Italian, Spanish, even sushi."
When asked what his final meal would be, his answer came without much hesitation.
"I would have to say Sunday lunch," he said.
"Roast beef, and definitely cauliflower cheese."
After a brief pause, another favourite almost took top billing.
"I nearly said chilli con carne, which I also love, with lots of nice toppings.
"Pico de gallo, guacamole, things like that."
As his private chef venture continues to grow, Dawid says the support he has received locally has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience.
"When I posted about my new business, people in Middlewich were really supportive," he said.
"They know me here, as well as my fiancé, who also worked in the Kinderton as the restaurant manager.
"It’s a really nice community in that way."
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