Short answer
Talk first, then propose a menu built from their tastes. The first menu they see should come after you have listened, not from your back catalog.
After this lesson: You will hold the menu until after the in-home meeting and explain why listening first is the product.
When they ask for a sample menu
It happens on the first call or in an email: "Can you send a sample menu?" They want a preview of your style. That is reasonable.
A personal chef cooks what they want. A PDF from last month's client frames the conversation before you have heard them.
What I learned
The menu they see first becomes the anchor. Everything after gets compared to that document, even when you would have built something different after talking.
Why this works
Caterers lead with a fixed menu because that is their product. You lead with listening. The proposal after the meeting is their menu, not a generic packet. Even when the dishes look similar to something on a caterer's list, the client experienced custom design.
What to do
Offer the in-home meeting as the path to their tailored proposal.
Tell them what they get from meeting: conversation with everyone who eats, then a menu built from that conversation.
Book the meeting before you hang up.
Send the proposal on the date you committed to, usually about a week after the visit.
- Keep website photos and cuisine style visible for vibe, not a full event menu.
- Use one line: we talk first, I learn what you love, then I propose something built for you.
- Save sample menus for caterers; your deliverable is a proposal, not a catalog.
Lines to use
We talk first, I learn what you love, then I propose something built for you.
What you will get from our meeting is a menu designed around your household, not a PDF from someone else's dinner.
FAQ
- Won't clients think I am hiding my prices?
- Pricing follows scope. You can acknowledge that you quote after the meeting without sending a menu that pretends scope is already known.
- What if they insist on a menu before meeting?
- That is a signal. Some buyers want commodity catering. Explain your process calmly; if they only want a PDF, they may not be your buyer.
- Can I send cuisine examples without a full menu?
- Yes. Photos, style notes, and past work (with permission) show range without locking them into courses you have not discussed.
- When do I send the actual menu?
- After the in-home meeting, on the date you set. About a week is a confident timeline for a first proposal.
Related: Everyone who eats, in the room