How I Got Here: Wynona Davies on the reality of life as a private chef
image via @adashofwyn/instagram
as told to daisy henry
“We aren’t constantly perusing the garden for fresh vegetables in a perfectly pressed linen apron.”
Have you ever stalked someone on LinkedIn and wondered how on earth they managed to land that wildly impressive job? While the internet and social media might have us believe that our ideal job is a mere pipe dream, the individuals who have these jobs were, believe it or not, in the same position once, fantasising over someone else’s seemingly unattainable career.
But behind the awe-inspiring titles and the fancy work events lies a heck of a lot of hard work. So what lessons have been learnt and what skills have proved invaluable in getting them from daydreaming about success to actually reaching the top of their industry?
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Welcome to How I Got Here, where we talk to people who are killing it in their respective fields about how they landed their awe-inspiring jobs, exploring the peaks and pits, the failures and the wins, and most importantly, the knowledge, advice and practical tips they’ve gleaned along the way. For this instalment, we hear from Melbourne-based private chef, Wynona Davies.
For most of us, our ideas of what it means to be a private chef are shaped by whimsical ‘day in the life’ TikTok videos. At its most glamorous, it brings to mind a montage of market visits, large marble kitchens and plates upon plates of food. According to Winona, who’s been working full-time as a private chef for the past year, her days “are not always quite so aspirational”.
Although she grew up with a love of being in the kitchen and browsing food blogs, Wynona didn’t initially choose hospitality as a career. At 21, she was balancing a corporate marketing job, eventually picking up catering jobs on weekends. However, the turning point came in 2021 when she went on Masterchef Australia as a contestant. After leaving the show, her platform gained traction, leading to more catering jobs and a trip to the South of France in 2024, where she studied patisserie and French cuisine.
After spending some time dabbling in the restaurant scene, Wynona now works full-time in the Mornington Peninsula as a private chef to just one client. “I respect restaurant chefs and what they do so much, but I figured out pretty quickly that it probably wasn’t for me,” she says.
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Fashion Journal: Hi Wynona! What do you do and what’s your official job title?
Wynona: Hello! I’m Wyn and my official job title is private chef and content creator.
Did you have an idea of your dream job growing up?
In my early years, I was really into sport, dancing and musical theatre, so for a long time, I just imagined I’d work in one of those fields. Private chef certainly wasn’t on my radar back then. However, I grew up with a love for cooking and being in the kitchen with my mum. I definitely had a real interest in food from quite a young age. I remember spending the entire VET business class in high school on food blogs like Molly Yeh, and iamafoodblog, so I guess in a way, the career choice does check out.
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Take us back to when you were first starting out. Did you study to get into your chosen field, or did you start with an entry-level role and climb the ladder?
I sort of fell into private cheffing. At 21, I was working a corporate job in marketing and started out doing small catering jobs and grazing boards on weekends. I literally had no idea what I was doing when I look back on those early days, but I knew I had to give hospitality a go because sitting at a desk all day was just not me.
I suppose you could say the pivotal point was going on MasterChef Australia. Post-MasterChef I had the opportunity to work with an agency that would book me catering jobs around Melbourne. I did this alongside working on my own catering business, ‘adashofwyn’. People would often find me through Instagram or mutual acquaintances. Word of mouth is a powerful tool that was instrumental to finding new clients in those early days.
In 2024, I wanted to expand my knowledge of French food, so I booked a flight to the South of France to study patisserie and French cuisine.
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How does being a private chef differ from working in a restaurant kitchen in terms of pace, pressure and lifestyle?
I feel pretty lucky with my work-life balance now. I don’t feel like I could have the life I want if I was full-time in a kitchen. I respect restaurant chefs and what they do so much, but I figured out pretty quickly that it probably wasn’t for me.
Private cheffing has allowed me to be my own boss in terms of what I cook and create everyday, while also giving me the time to explore other passions and projects. In saying that, working in a restaurant was instrumental to my learning, and for me, a really important experience in the journey to becoming a good private chef.
Can you walk us through a typical day in your life on the job now? What are some of your daily tasks?
I’m currently working full-time for a couple, so my days do look a bit different to when I was working for various clients. I usually start my morning at around 10am, where I visit a few grocers and delicatessens on the Peninsula for different bits and pieces. I shop every morning for the day ahead.
Then, I get to the property at around 11 am. I’ll unpack the groceries, prep and cook lunch, arrange flowers, unpack and restack the dishwashers numerous times, make biscuits or any other baked goodies, cook dinner (which is always entree, main, dessert) and then clean down. I usually leave by 6:30pm. When I write it out like that it doesn’t sound like a nine hour day, but somehow it is.
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What has been a major career highlight for you so far?
Going to France to study was really significant for me. I’d been doing private cheffing for a couple of years prior to doing the course, but it really took my skill set to another level. It gave me a lot of confidence in myself and the food I could produce.
What challenges have you faced getting to where you are now? Can you tell us about one in particular?
I think the biggest challenge was when I was catering in different homes every week, working out of so many different kitchens with varying oven and stove set-ups. You really have no idea if you’re walking into. Gas, induction, electric, or just flat out not functional. You learn to improvise and think on your feet pretty quickly, and you make it work regardless.
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What would surprise people about your role?
Probably that it’s not always as whimsical as those ‘day in the life’ videos. And yes, I am definitely guilty of posting a few of those said videos, but my goodness, my days are not always quite so aspirational. Though there are moments of it, we aren’t constantly perusing the garden for fresh vegetables in a perfectly pressed linen apron.
What’s the best part about your role?
When the people you’re cooking for tell you they love your food, it really makes it all worthwhile. Hospitality can be tiring and thankless at times, but when someone goes out of their way to tell you something’s really good, that keeps you going. Cooking for people in their home, surrounded by their loved ones, for what’s usually a special occasion, is a pretty joyful environment to work in.
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What skills have served you well in your industry?
Being a confident, friendly, and positive person really goes a long way when you’re walking into strangers’ homes and taking over their kitchen for the evening. That’s definitely served me well when I was catering in different homes every week. I also don’t get stressed easily. I don’t know why that is, but I think the ability to remain calm has been a blessing in this industry.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a role like yours one day?
Learn as much as you can from the people around you – bartender, waitress, chef, it doesn’t matter. If you want to be a private chef, you might just have to utilise a few different skills at different points in your career. Ask questions and don’t be afraid to not know it all. When I was working front of house, I was constantly picking chefs’ brains about how and why they did things certain ways. From my experience, they love to share their knowledge (ideally just not in the middle of service).
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What about a practical tip?
Utilise the best produce you have on offer, don’t over complicate things and ditch the perfectionism – you’re cooking food, not saving lives. It’s meant to be joyful and playful. Have fun, enjoy the process and that will translate through to the food.
For more on life as a private chef, head here.
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