Certification

With the rapid growth in the Personal Chef industry, potential clients are now interviewing Personal Chefs to determine credibility, compatibility and competency. The Certified Personal Chef (CPC) designation assures customers of the chef's commitment to excellence.

In 1996 the United States Personal Chef Association created a certification program with a three-fold purpose:

Personal Chef Certification
  1. To provide a standard by which the public could assess a Personal Chef’s competency.
  2. To provide the Personal Chef with industry recognition of their professional commitment.
  3. To establish standards by which the Personal Chef industry could become self-regulated.

The federally registered trademark Certified Personal Chef (CPC) is an industry endorsement of professional expertise. The Certified Personal Chef (CPC) designation assures customers of the chef’s commitment to excellence. The certification program requirements, standards, and procedures are established by the National Advisory Council of the USPCA and can change without notice to reflect, support, and enhance the personal chef industry's growth.

A Certified Personal Chef is a chef with a minimum of two (2) full years work as a personal chef who is engaged in the purchasing, preparing, cooking, and serving of foods on a “cook-for-hire” basis; is responsible for menu planning and development, marketing, financial management, and operational decisions of a private business; provides services to a variety of clients; possesses a thorough knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and nutrition; and has accumulated at least 48 points as defined below.

To apply for CPC certification, print and complete the application form. Please note, prior to submitting the application with supporting documentation and application fee, the personal chef must take, and have received written notice from the USPCA home office indicating they have passed the written CPC exam. Do not submit certification materials prior to taking and successfully passing the exam.

CPC - Certified Personal ChefRenewal of certification is required every five years. Renewing CPC’s are required to accumulate 30 points within that five years as defined below under renewal requirements, have a current ServeSafe certificate or certification by the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) in the USA or CRFA-Approved Food Safety Training Certificate in Canada, complete the recertification application, and forward all documents and a $25 processing fee to the home office for review.

In addition to completing the specified requirements, every Certified Personal Chef is expected to adhere to the USPCA Code of Ethics and Message Board Rules & Netiquette.

Certification Requirements

  1. Work experience to demonstrate two full years work as a personal chef - 8 qualifying points verified by testimonial letters from clients.
    • Client documentation - 3 points for each client retained for six months, or 2 points for each client retained for 3-6 months. (Letters can be prepared by chef but must be signed by client to be counted.)
  2. Education and Association Participation - 40 qualifying points verified by copies of certificates of completion.

    Education points are cumulative and can be from any of the listed categories but no more than the maximum points in each category will count towards qualification. You may only claim one degree above high school diploma.

    • Formal Education - 20 points maximum verified by copy of certificate of completion.
      • High school diploma - 5 points
      • Post-secondary non-degree culinary program - 7 points
      • Associate's degree - 10 points
      • Bachelor's degree - 15 points
      • Graduate degree – 20 points
    • Experience only - 2 points per year - max. 8 points
       
    • Degree Plus Experience - 2 points per year - max 4 points
       
    • Real World Experience - Jobs directly involved in:
      • Culinary Field
      • Marketing/Advertising/Sales
      • Finance
      • Management or General Administration.
        As proof of these jobs, we will need a letter from the former employer as to job title and time employed, on company letterhead. Real world experience must easily show how it helps you establish and maintain a successful personal chef business.
    • Culinary classes and Continuing Education - 15 points maximum verified by class description, date, and location
      • 1 point is awarded for each day attended, maximum 5 points per year. Culinary Inspirations class does count for 1 point
      • 2 points are awarded for each day of a class taught. (other than at conferences), maximum 6 points per year. You may only claim each class taught once per year.
    • Business classes - 5 points maximum verified by class description, date, and location of classes.
      • 1 point is awarded for each class completed
        (classes may include accounting, marketing, customer service, or public relations, or any class intended to help establish and maintain a successful business)
    • USPCA National Conference attendance - 10 points maximum verified by registration and class schedule
      • 5 points are awarded for registering and attending a national conference.
      • Conference participation - 1 point for each class attended, maximum 3 points per year.
      • Conference teacher – 3 points for each class taught, maximum 9 points.
    • Chapter participation - 6 points as a member, 10 points as officer maximum verified by letter from chapter president
      • 3 points each year as an active member.
      • 1 additional point is awarded for serving as vice president or secretary.
      • 2 additional points are awarded for serving as president.
    • Participation in the USPCA Chef to Chef Program - 4 points maximum verified by letter from NAC advisor.
    • Contributing articles to PC magazine - 6 points maximum verified by copy of article.
      • 1 point is awarded for each article published, maximum 3 points per year.
  3. Certificate of completion for Home Study OR a Certificate from CBA - required
     
  4. Certification by the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP)
    or ServSafe in the USA or CRFA-Approved Food Safety Training Certificate in
    Canada     - required
    • Course must have been completed with a passing grade within 5 years of
      application for certification.
  5. Written Examination – required Passing Grade on the USPCA Certification Exam.
    • Only valid for 2 years from date given.

Certification Renewal

  1. Continuing Education and Association Participation - 30 qualifying points verified by copies of certificates of completion.
    • Culinary classes and Continuing Education - 15 points maximum verified by class description, date, and location.
      • 1 point is awarded for each day attended, maximum 5 points per year
      • 2 points are awarded for each day of a class taught not at a USPCA conference.
        (You may only claim each class taught once per year maximum 6 points per year)
    • Business classes – 5 points maximum verified by class description, date, and location of classes.
      • One point is awarded for each class completed.
        (Classes may include accounting, marketing, customer service, or public relations, or any class intended to help establish and maintain a successful business)
    • USPCA National Conference attendance - 10 points maximum verified by registration and class schedule.
      • 5 points are awarded for registering and attending a national conference.
      • Conference participation – 1 point each class attended, maximum 3 points per year
      • Conference teacher – 3 points each class taught, maximum 9 points
    • Chapter participation - 10 points maximum verified by letter from chapter president
      • 3 points each year as an active member.
      • 1 additional point is awarded for serving as an officer.
      • 2 additional points are awarded for serving as president.
    • Participation in the USPCA Chef to Chef Program - 8 points maximum verified by letter from NAC advisor.
    • Contributing articles to PC magazine - 6 points maximum verified by copy of article
      • 1 point is awarded for each article published, maximum 3 points per year.
    • Serving a three year term on the NAC
      • 30 points if term has been completed, 20 points if still serving term.
  2. Certification by the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP)
    or ServSafe in the USA or CRFA-Approved Food Safety Training Certificate in
    Canada     - required
    • Course must have been completed with a passing grade within 5 years of
      application for certification.