In a survey commissioned by the American Personal and Private Chef Association (APPCA), as of June 2006, there were approximately 9,000 personal chefs in the United States, and the APPCA represented nearly 4,000 active member chefs. The industry started in the 1980s and is still in its infancy.

Personal chefs in the United States are estimated to serve 72,000 clients a year, generating an annual revenue of $300 million. Industry predictions project that if the present rate of growth continues there will be nearly 25,000 personal chefs serving nearly 300,000 clients and contributing nearly $1.2 billion to the American economy annually within the next five years.

The personal chefing industry is growing quickly to keep up with demand. Many busy professionals find that they'd rather spend time eating dinner with their families than shopping and cooking. Additionally, with nutritional and health concerns for their families, they'd rather have a personal chef create healthy, balanced meals than have to rely on ordering out. Many singles, too, particularly men, use personal chefs to cook nutritious meals, which allows them to use the time they gain to go to the gym or socialize. Many have such hectic work schedules that they have little time or energy to devote to meal planning.