With his outgoing personality and penchant for storytelling—not to mention that Australian accent—it’s easy to envision chef James Saftich hosting his own cooking show. However, the San Antonio-based private chef prefers to keep a low profile or, as he puts it, to “fly under the radar.” That’s understandable, given the nature of his work, where the emphasis is on private.

As Saftich takes great pains to explain, there is a difference between a private chef and a personal chef. A personal chef is one who goes to a client’s home and cooks or delivers pre-cooked meals, such as lasagna or meatloaf; whereas, a private chef prepares everything from scratch with freshly-bought ingredients specifically for that meal. “The bottom line,” he stresses, “is the quality of the food.” One of the greatest challenges a private chef faces is creating original meal plans on a daily basis and avoiding repetition, requiring what Saftich refers to as an “amazing array” of recipes in his repertoire.

Perhaps a more important distinction involves chef-client confidentiality. Because a private chef has more of a partner relationship with his clients, it is imperative that the utmost discretion is observed. In determining whether he and the client are a good fit, not only does the client interview Saftich, but Saftich invites the potential client to a consultation at his home in San Antonio’s Mary Mont neighborhood, where he prepares a six to eight-course taste flight. The final meal is served at the dining room table in order to discuss specific details, including “lots of variables that depend on personal preference,” Saftich says.

In addition to private chef services, Saftich, whose business is the cleverly named Our Private Chef (the capital letters aren’t heard when a client says to a friend or colleague, “I would recommend Our Private Chef,”), is also available for dinner parties and offers three levels of service: Silver, Gold and Platinum with each level building on the previous level.

Silver service is buffet-style and typically involves cocktail parties and business functions. Gold service includes printed menus, individual plating and a brief explanation by Saftich of the dishes. Platinum service is limited to a maximum of 10 guests, because of the preparation and work involved. Guests are given a choice of two menus, a complete course explanation, tableside finishing and wine pairings, along with an optional cooking demonstration.

The Language of Fine Cuisine

Interestingly, Saftich took a rather circuitous route to becoming a chef. A first-generation Australian born to Italian parents, it was his dream to become an interpreter. After completing his studies in European linguistics in Italy, he returned to Australia, only to discover the government wanted embassy employees to hold economics degrees. Perhaps even more disappointing was the salary.

Thinking, “There’s got to be a better way,” Saftich went into sales, eventually landing in marketing and advertising and going on to open his own ad agency in New York, where he met his future wife, Jenn.

By 2005, feeling “burned out” and having made “enough money to walk away and do what I’d always wanted to do—become a chef,” Saftich enrolled in the prestigious French Culinary Institute, from which he graduated with honors.

Explaining, “I was a little older than the [average graduate], I had made a career change, and I didn’t have 10 years to establish myself,” he realized he could either work for a restaurant chain or “hunker down and go with the big guys.” And the latter is exactly what he did. He worked with such Michelin superstars of the culinary world as George Mendes, Daniel Boulud and Jean Georges Vongerichten at his eponymous restaurant in NYC.

Saftich relocated to San Antonio in 2007, when his wife’s job took them to the city. He noticed the growing trend of individuals renovating their kitchens to semi-professional standards, but not taking full advantage of their capabilities. The idea to become a private chef—to take fine dining into individual clients’ homes—was born.

Introducing New Traditions

With the holidays approaching, who better to ask for holiday dinner ideas than a private chef? Saftich learned the hard way not to go against tradition years ago when his in-laws went to New York to visit his wife and him during the Christmas holidays and accepted his offer to cook the holiday meal. Not wanting to prepare the “same old tired bird,” Saftich created a feast that was not a traditional Pennsylvania-Dutch Christmas dinner and was soundly “raked over the coals,” according to his telling. He laughs now, but says he learned “not to mess with tradition,” particularly a holiday tradition.

Instead of trying to convince people to give up their long-held Christmas dinner traditions, which may have been in the family for generations, Saftich often suggests what he calls a simple “after-party” meal, consisting of a six to eight-course taste flight. Country Lifestyle Magazine recently had the pleasure of being invited to his home to witness the preparation of such a meal.

After-party Menu

Scallops, “Confiture de figues” and Prosciutto Powder
Braised Rabbit Agnolotti & Sauce Espagnole
Green & White Asparagus & Black Winter Truffle Vinaigrette
Wild Boar Braised Ribs in Red Wine
    Garnish:
    Gratin Dauphinois
    Pear Onions—Glacer a blanc
    Bacon and Mushrooms
    Baby Globe Carrots
    Harcourt Verts

Dessert: Duo Winter Ice Cream
    Cinnamon Ice Cream with Candied Walnuts
    Burnt Orange Ice Cream

On an enormous blackboard on the wall of his kitchen, Saftich diagrams the entire meal with sketches and lists of ingredients and arrows directing him to the next step—much like a scientific formula or mathematical equation.

As he cooks, Saftich, who offers cooking lessons from beginner to advanced, explains what he’s doing. His conversation is liberally sprinkled with his favorite expression, “I’ll be honest,” as he offers tips for the less-gifted among us.

“The difference between a good restaurant and a Michelin-starred restaurant is consistency, and the only way to achieve that is to cook in grams.”

“When boiling water for pasta or vegetables, use enough salt for the water to taste like the ocean.”

“In any recipe that calls for onions, swap for shallots—they’re sweeter.”

“If I can’t see the eyes of the fish [to check for freshness], I will never buy it.”

“[When sautéing], add olive oil to the butter to keep it from burning.”

“If your wild boar tastes too gamey, introduce juniper or another strong, heavy flavor.”

Sharing his love and knowledge of Australian wines, Saftich suggests, “Anything from Western Australian, the Margaret River Region—all winners. Grange Hermitage, if you can afford it, is an investment; you want to cellar it for five, 10 or 20 years. And, if you’re offered Yellow Tail, don’t drink it!” he says with a hearty laugh.

As we begin sampling each dish—from the succulent scallops, their flavor enhanced by the sweetness of the fig jam and the savory taste of the Prosciutto, to the “zingy” asparagus salad (“to re-awaken your palate”) to the tender braised boar—we feel confident that this is one private chef whose reputation will not be an inside secret much longer.