Our Secrets & Advice on How to Cook and eat Healthy & Tasty all Week — The Private Chef Principles
Everyone wants delicious, healthy dinners every week, but none of us can spend the hours required every day to make this happen. The real game-changer — and it’s actually just one simple thing — is routines. Below we’re sharing our secrets and advice from our day-to-day life as private chefs (the same principles we use when we cook in a client’s kitchen) that make real, tasty food easy to prepare and enjoy all week — without the daily, never-ending hustle.
Our Principles (routines)
1. Ingredient basics — build your kitchen like a Mediterranean pantry
Start by stocking a handful of high-quality staples. These small investments lift every dish:
Fats & oils
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) — for finishing, dressings, and low-to-medium cooking.
Butter — for roasting and flavor (use alongside EVOO for depth).
Grains
Rice (short or long grain)
Quinoa, bulgur, or couscous (quick-cooking salad bases)
Barley or farro (hearty salads, stews)
Dairy & Cheeses
Plain Greek yogurt (sauce, dressings, finish)
Feta or a brined cheese for salads and finishing
A block of good butter
Fresh veg, herbs & citrus
Staple vegetables: onion, garlic, carrot, celery, potatoes, leeks
Seasonal vegetables: zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, cabbage
Leafy greens: spinach, rocket, lettuce, kale
Fresh herbs: parsley, oregano, dill, thyme, rosemary, mint, basil
Citrus: Lemons (always), oranges, limes, mandarins
Pantry basics
Tinned tomatoes, chickpeas, cannellini beans, lentils — long shelf life and super versatile
Vinegars: red wine vinegar, balsamic and sherry vinegar for cooking & dressings
Spices: sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano, sweet paprika, cumin, cinnamon stick, bayleaves — great for one-pot depth
Seeds & nuts: sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds — for texture and healthy fats
Why this matters: when you cook with high-quality basics, simple recipes taste like something special. You’ll get far with just quality EVOO, good salt, one fresh herb, and a lemon.
2. Meal prep - Cook smart in batches— what to actually cook (staple techniques & methods adaptable to your favourite ingredients)
A smart weekly menu mixes methods and textures so you use equipment efficiently and get variety. Here are the staple dish ideas that we use to create our weekly menu for our clients:
1. Slow-cooked & braised dishes
These are your “make-once, eat-all-week” meals. They simmer low and slow, developing deep flavors that taste even better the next day.
Lamb, beef chuck or pork shoulder braised with vegetables, herbs and citrus (zest & juice)
Hearty bean stews (like Mediterranean butter beans with sausage)
2. Roasts (oven baked dishes)
Marinate, chop, mix, and wrap in baking paper — then the oven does most of the work, leaving you free to prepare other dishes. Roasts are versatile and can be made with meat or fish and a plethora of vegetables and herbs.
Kleftiko-style lamb — slow-roasted with carrots, potatoes, lemon & herbs
Roasted whole chicken or chicken thighs with peppers, rosemary & garlic
Roasted cod with tomato, olives, leek, fennel & capers
3. Grilled Proteins
These cook fast and are perfect for balance and low time spent on them — The secret is a good marinade — let proteins develop flavour while you prepare the more time-consuming dishes.
Souvlaki chicken thighs, pork neck or lamb
Grilled salmon or whole trout fillets
Garlic-herb prawns
Meatballs (beef, lamb, or chicken) — mix the ground meat with onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, herbs for binding and flavour.
4. Grains & Legumes/ Pulses
Grains and legumes keep well, are affordable, and make hearty bases for stews, salads or sides. A couple of one-pot meals stretch beautifully into the week.
Bulgur and quinoa salads with roasted vegetables, feta, and lemon vinaigrette
Lentil and chickpeas salads with kefir or tahini vinaigrette with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers
Cannellini bean cassoulet with zucchini, corn, and chervil
5. Garnishes & sides that revive the plate
Delicious sides elevate every grilled or braised meat & fish to a new level. A spoonful of purée, greek roasted potatoes, or a spoon of tangy tzatziki or spicy feta dip can change the whole feel of the dish.
Silky vegetable purées (carrot, cauliflower, celeriac, broccoli)
Grilled vegetables: peppers, courgettes, aubergine, fennel
Crispy roasted potatoes or creamy mash potato
Fresh herb gremolata, punchy tzatziki or citrus yoghurt sauce and a tangy spicy feta dip
6. Salads that hold on their own but also be the perfect partners
Not every salad is boring or prone to wilting overnight — it can be the exact opposite. Grain and bean-based salads are hearty, filling, protein rich and taste even better after resting in the fridge.
Quinoa tabbouleh-style salad with lots of parsley, tomato and lemon
Chickpea salad with tahini dressing, cucumber, feta, and oregano
Lentil salad with confit tomatoes and citrus zest
3. How we use time & equipment (our 4–5 hour playbook)
When we cook 6 dishes in 4–5 hours, it’s not magic — it’s planning and smart thinking. Here is our playbook:
Share the load: plan some dishes to slow-cook in the oven, others to grill quickly, some to simmer on the stove, some to boil briefly, and a few fresh/raw salads — this prevents equipment clashes.
Start with the longest cooks (roasts, braises). Put them in the oven first.
Marinate your grilled meats and fish. Let flavour develop while you’re cooking the on hand dishes.
While they marinate and the roasts already cooking, use the stove for stews and sauces. Set the slow items to simmer while you prep other components.
Use downtime smart: while some dishes are done and resting, pack containers, wash as you go, do choppings and dressings.
Scale tasks: use multiple burners and extra oven trays to roast several items at once — this multiplies output without stress.
4. Delivery shopping vs daily market visits — why paying a little extra once, saves actually a lot in money & time
One simple habit lifts our whole week: skip market visits every day.
Ordering a weekly grocery delivery (for the cost of 80 NOK for example) saves you money and time — time spent travelling back and forth, searching for items, walking around thinking if you need something else besides your list and waiting in queues.
If a single shopping trip takes 60–120 minutes (travel + in-store time), a weekly delivery typically requires 20–30 minutes to review the order and 10 minutes to put things away — often saving 3–4 hours per week. Those hours can be spent on what matters most, and deliveries also improve consistency and reduce impulse buys.
Bulk shopping lets you buy larger packs of grains, tins, and oils — better value and fewer trips to the store.
Win-win from every perspective.
5. Storage & Reheating — keep flavour and texture alive like you just cooked
How you reheat changes everything. Label containers with the name and a short heating note. Example reheating plan:
Braises & stews: warm gently on the pot until hot.
Oven dishes & grilled vegetables: preheat to 180–200°C; reheat covered for 5–10 minutes so they don’t dry out.
Grilled meats & fish: 220°C for a few minutes to revive texture.
Delicate dips & sauces: serve at room temperature or warm very gently.
Pro Tip: always remove from fridge couple of hours before reheating for more even warming.
6. Finish as you would when cooking fresh - Game changer
A small fresh touch turns reheated food into a meal: squeeze and zest a lemon, sprinkle chopped herbs, add crumbled feta, spoon on a little yoghurt, or drizzle high-quality EVOO. These finishes bring brightness and contrast to any dish.
Serve with a final touch on the table — a zesty gremolata, a tangy tzatziki or spicy feta dip, a bit of extra sauce from the stew, or a drizzle of good EVOO to elevate the whole meal.
Sample weekly 6-dish menu (kids-friendly, healthy & family dinner style)
Beef Bourguignon + cauliflower gratin (braise + oven)
Mediterranean butter beans with salsiccia (Italian sausage) — or use your favourite sausage (pot stew)
Kleftiko-style lamb (slow roast)
Grilled salmon with citrus gremolata + Israeli-style quinoa salad (grill + grain)
Italian meatballs in tomato sauce + roasted potatoes (oven + pan + oven)
Chickpea salad with crisp vegetables and tahini dressing (cold — just chop and blend the dressing)
Each dish uses overlapping ingredients and different equipment so you stay efficient. Pack, label, and you’re done.
Healthy, tasty eating is all about routines and smart moves instead of just skill or talent. Build smart pantry basics, shop for fresh ingredients, cook 4–5 proteins and 4–6 complementary dishes, use delivery shopping to save time, and rehearse gentle reheating and fresh finishes. Follow those steps and you’ll trade cooking stress and bad habits for daily meals that taste great and make you feel good.