You've booked the perfect villa in Mallorca. Sea views, infinity pool, 4 bedrooms for the whole family. Budget: €8,000 to €15,000 per week. But have you thought about what happens once you're there?
After 8 years cooking in villas across the Balearics, I've seen the same scenario play out dozens of times. Families arrive with dreams of the perfect holiday... and realise by day 2 that someone's going to have to handle the meals.
This article is the guide I wish I'd read before my first villa holiday. No fluff, just reality and the solutions that exist.
The dream they sell you
🌴 The brochure
Breakfast facing the sea. Aperitifs by the pool while the kids play. Dinner under the stars on the terrace. Everyone relaxed, tanned, happy.
And it's possible. Really. But it doesn't happen by itself.
The reality no one mentions
📋 What actually happens
Who does the shopping? Who cooks? Who sets the table? Who clears up? Who does the washing up? Three times a day. For seven days.
Here's how the week typically unfolds:
Shopping at the Palma supermarket. 2 hours in the aisles. Fill the fridge. First dinner improvised with whatever pasta you found.
"Right, whose turn is it tonight?" Negotiations begin. Someone sacrifices their aperitif to cook while the others are at the pool.
Try the restaurant in Deià. Fully booked. Try Sóller. 45 min drive on winding roads. Kids are exhausted. Bill: €280 for 6.
Back to the shops because the fridge is empty. The person cooking is starting to get fed up. Slight tension at washing-up time.
The same cycle continues. You've paid €12,000 for a villa to spend your days between the kitchen and the supermarket.
The 4 options available
Let's be honest and properly compare what's possible:
Option 1: Do everything yourself
- Cost: ~€300-400 in groceries for the week
- Total freedom over menus
- "Home from home" atmosphere
- 15-20 hours of work over the week
- Someone always sacrifices their time
- Mental load (planning, shopping, stock)
- It's not really a holiday for everyone
→ Honestly, this works if you love cooking and it's fairly shared. Otherwise, frustrations guaranteed.
Option 2: Restaurant every night
- No cooking, no washing up
- Local gastronomic discovery
- Budget: €200-350 per evening for 6 people
- That's €1,400 to €2,450 per week (dinners only)
- Must book 2-3 weeks ahead in summer
- 30-45 min drive to the good restaurants
- Tricky with tired children
- You don't get to enjoy your villa in the evening
→ Possible for 1-2 evenings, but not sustainable for the week. And you're paying for a villa with a terrace to dine... at a restaurant.
Option 3: Catering / Delivery
- Convenient, no cooking
- Mid-range budget (~€80-120/meal for 6)
- Reheated dishes, not fresh
- Variable quality
- No personalisation
- Few options in Mallorca outside Palma
- Delivery logistics to remote villas
→ Occasional backup, not a week-long solution.
Option 4: Private chef at the villa
- Zero mental load: shopping, cooking, service, cleaning
- Fresh meals, prepared in front of you
- Menus adapted (children, allergies, preferences)
- You enjoy YOUR villa
- Relaxed evenings by the pool
- Kids can go to bed on time
- Budget: €400-600/day all-inclusive
- That's €2,800-4,200 for 7 days
- Requires advance booking
→ Significant investment, but you get a real holiday.
Comparison
Let's put the figures side by side for a family of 6, 7 days:
| Option | Cost | "Work" time | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | ~€400 | 15-20h | Economical but exhausting |
| Restaurants | ~€2,000 | 0h cooking +7h transport |
Expensive and restrictive |
| Mix (2 restaurants + cooking) | ~€900 | ~12h | Awkward compromise |
| Private chef | ~€3,000 | 0h | A real holiday |
Who it's really for
I'm not saying a private chef is THE solution for everyone. It makes sense if you tick several of these boxes:
- You're travelling as 6+ people (extended family, friends)
- You have young children
- You genuinely want to switch off from daily life
- Meals are often a source of tension on holiday
- You've already invested a substantial budget in the villa
- You only have 1-2 weeks of holiday per year
If you're a couple without children who love cooking together, it's probably not for you. And that's absolutely fine.
How it works in practice
If you're curious about how a private villa chef works, here's the typical process:
Before the stay: We discuss your tastes, allergies, family habits. Do you like fish? Are the children fussy eaters? Is anyone vegetarian? I build the menus accordingly.
Each day: I handle shopping at the market (Sineu, Pollença, Santanyí... the best local produce). I cook at your villa. I plate up, serve, clear away, and clean. You do nothing.
Your only job: Enjoy the pool, the beach, your family. And come to the table when it's ready.
We did the maths afterwards: between the shopping we would have done, the restaurants, the time spent in the kitchen... The chef barely cost us more. But we had our first real holiday since the children were born.
Planning a trip to Mallorca?
I travel across the whole island: Deià, Sóller, Pollença, Alcúdia, Santanyí, Palma...
Let's discuss your project — no obligation.
In summary
A villa in Mallorca is a dream setting. But the setting doesn't make the holiday. What makes the holiday is being able to truly switch off.
Whatever option you choose, the important thing is to think about it BEFORE you leave. Not on day 2, when the question "who's cooking tonight?" starts causing tension.
Have a real holiday.
About the author: Adam Brunet has been a private chef since 2018. He travels to villas and chalets in France, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland to give his clients holidays free from kitchen duties.