Beyond the Stove: The Real Skills That Make a Retreat Chef

When people think about what makes a good chef, the first thing that comes to mind is the food. And yes — flavour, technique, seasoning, knowing how to build a dish that actually moves people — that all matters enormously. But after cooking for retreats — and making my share of mistakes along the way — I can tell you with full confidence: the cooking is maybe 50% of the job. The other half happens before you ever light the stove.

Here is what I have learned, the hard way and the good way.

Organisation is your best ingredient

The French say "mise en place" — everything in its place. It sounds like a cooking term, and it is. But I use it for the whole retreat, not just my kitchen counter.

Before a retreat begins, there is a quiet mountain of work to do. Menu planning, shopping lists, supplier calls, understanding the dietary needs of the group, briefing any helpers. If I haven't done this groundwork properly, no amount of talent at the stove will save me. The execution is only as smooth as the preparation behind it.

Organisation is not glamorous. Nobody is going to photograph your spreadsheet. But trust me — a well-prepared chef is a calm chef, and a calm chef cooks better food.

Talk to your client. Really talk to them.

Aligning with the retreat organiser or facilitator is one of the most important things you can do. They know their group. They know the energy of the retreat, what is being asked of participants emotionally and physically, whether the group is mostly beginners or experienced practitioners. All of this shapes what I cook.

One thing I always do early: understand the dietary needs in full detail. Not just "two vegans" but why they eat the way they do, whether there are intolerances, allergies, or simply strong preferences. A guest who feels truly nourished — seen, even — through their food carries that feeling into the rest of the retreat. That is a gift you can give them.

Know your numbers — or find someone who does

Here is where my corporate past becomes unexpectedly useful. I spent years as a Business Controller at Siemens Gamesa — not something you would guess from the way I talk about herbs and fermentation, maybe. But those years taught me to respect numbers.

As a retreat chef, you are running a small business every time you take a booking. You need to assess your time honestly, cost your ingredients properly, account for prep days, travel, the energy you pour into menu development. If you underprice, you will burn out — and burned-out chefs do not cook with love.

In Polish we say "jak sobie pościelesz, tak się wyśpisz" — roughly, you sleep in the bed you make. Price your work fairly, because you are the one who has to lie in it.

If numbers are not your strength, that is completely fine. Use the tools available — a simple spreadsheet, a pricing calculator, or even a conversation with someone who does this well. The important thing is not to ignore it.

Recovery is the Key Retreat by Justyna at Moodz, Portugal

Take care of your body — it is your most important tool

This is one people forget until they cannot walk properly on day three of a seven-day retreat.

Cooking for a group is physical. Standing for many hours, lifting heavy pots, doing dishes, moving between prep and service — it asks a lot of your legs, your back, your shoulders. I do yoga, I run, I move my body in different ways. Not just because I enjoy it (I do), but because I genuinely need it for this work.

As the Latin proverb says — mens sana in corpore sano — a healthy mind in a healthy body. Well, a healthy body in the kitchen too.

If you are coming into retreat cooking from a more sedentary background, I would say: start moving before your first big gig. Your back will thank you.

Be resourceful — community is a superpower

Last-minute situations happen. The shop is out of the one ingredient you built the menu around. You need an extra pair of hands and you need them today. A guest mentions something at breakfast that changes what you planned for lunch.

The retreat chefs I admire are not the ones who never face these moments — everyone does. They are the ones who know how to navigate them. Who to ask. Where to look. How to stay calm and improvise without the group ever noticing there was a problem.

That comes from being embedded in a community — local, online, professional. From having said yes to people when they needed help, so that when you need it, the answer comes back.

If you are building a retreat business and looking for more resources and a community of like-minded professionals, you can also find me at Tulsisphere.

And one more thing — enjoy it

Not every retreat will be perfect. Not every dish will land the way you imagined. But if you are organised, connected to your client, priced fairly, physically strong, and surrounded by people you trust — you will be in a position to actually enjoy this work.

And that energy — that enjoyment — goes into the food. Guests feel it, even if they cannot name it.

That is why I do this. And I imagine, if you are reading this, it is why you do too. Balbina / Retreat Chef / Co-founder, LUMA Goa & Roots & Bloom Café

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