There's no sign that Americans will have more time to shop and to cook anytime soon. With the average work week getting longer and scheduled activities for kids on the rise, personal chefs will continue to be in demand. Additionally, as the population continues to age, there will be an increased need for personal chefs to cook for those who can't but still wish to live independently. As the personal chef industry continues to develop and expand, more and more people will want to benefit from its services. You can adapt to the market by adding high-demand items and services.

Sugar-Free and Low-Fat Desserts

Most clients don't ask for desserts in their meal plan. If you can offer reasonably priced delicious desserts that are sugar free, you can target your services to the growing diabetic market. Modify some of your regular dessert recipes and use Splenda and other sweeteners that are okay for diabetics. This will differentiate your company from others.

Kosher Clients

If you're in an area with many professional Jewish singles, families, and older adults, you might want to target personal chefing services for clients who keep kosher. There are more than 2 million people in the United States who keep kosher homes, and these people tend to live in just a few cities. The biggest area of Jewish population in the country is the Metropolitan New York region, which includes Northern New Jersey, Long Island, and Southern Connecticut. Los Angeles, including Riverside and Orange Counties, is the second largest, and Miami — Fort Lauderdale is the third-largest market. The greater Philadelphia metropolitan area and the Chicago area round out the top five markets.

You need to understand how a kosher kitchen is organized and know which ingredients can be mixed together and which must be avoided altogether. Once you understand how to cook in a kosher kitchen, you can cook in clients' homes. The key differences between a kosher and nonkosher kitchen are:

• There are separate sets of cookware, silverware, utensils, and plates for meat dishes and dairy dishes.

• Only kosher cuts of meat and fish may be used. Unkosher cuts of beef like sirloin and filet mignon cannot be used. No pork may be used. Shellfish may not be used.

• Dairy may not be mixed with meat. Milk, for example, may not be used to coat chicken, veal, or any other kind of meat. Cheese may not be used with meat, so a traditional lasagna recipe must be modified. Fish are considered pareve — not meat or dairy — but it may not be eaten or cooked with poultry.

Often, kosher kitchens have a split sink. One side is used for dairy dishes and one side for meat. The two must be kept separate at all times. Kosher kitchens may also have separate ovens, dishwashers, and refrigerators. Talk to your clients to find out the details of their kitchens.

You can charge a premium for cooking kosher meals in a client's home because the restrictions will make extra work. You'll have to cook some pareve meals like fish and vegetarian casseroles and some separate meat meals and dairy meals. Most likely, cooking for kosher clients will take a bit more time, so charge accordingly.

Vegetarian and Vegan Clients

The number of people in the United States who define themselves as vegetarian or vegan is growing. Approximately 7 percent of Americans are vegetarians, and this market is expanding as people become more and more concerned about their health, their food's health, and the environment's health. The market for vegetarians is estimated to be between 21 and 25 million people in the United States. If there is a growing vegetarian population in your area, you may want to specialize in vegetarian cooking.

There are several different types of vegetarianism, so check with each client to make sure you know what you can and cannot cook. Some vegetarians do not eat dairy and eggs, while others eat one of the two, and still others consume both. Strict vegans abstain from eating anything with animal products. This includes honey, which is made by bees.