#4248Housekeeper (Spain, Marbella)
Villa in Marbella, family of 4, seasonal residence with guests; Format: full-time, live-in (private room with bathroom); 5/2 schedule, paid vacation, annual flights home
Country🇪🇸 Spain
Salary€3,300 net/month
Private home cook for your family
Cooks with proven experience in private households
Menus tailored to the family, the children and home cuisine
Live-in, full-time or flexible schedule placementsRoyal Keeper places private home cooks who prepare fresh breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day, cook family favourites and keep the menu varied — live-in or on a schedule that suits you.
When a Family Needs a Home Cook
A home cook prepares meals for the family every day: breakfasts, lunches and dinners, family favourites, baking and meal prep. Families most often come to us when they have children and want fresh home-made food instead of ready meals and delivery, when parents work long hours, when they run a large house or a country residence, when they live abroad and miss the food they grew up with, or when they need a live-in cook. What the family wants is not restaurant sophistication but the taste of home: hearty soups, porridges, meatballs, pies and national dishes cooked from fresh produce. We select cooks who can run a home menu for weeks without repeats, balance the tastes of adults and children, keep the kitchen spotless and respect the family's privacy.
Family with children
The cook prepares children's and adult menus, takes age and allergies into account, bakes wholesome treats and packs snacks for school, clubs and outings.
Home cuisine abroad
For families living in Europe, the UAE or Asia, the cook recreates the dishes they grew up with and sources the right ingredients at local markets.
Large household and guests
In a busy household the cook feeds the whole family and the staff, prepares Sunday family lunches and hosts guests without outside catering.
Live-in
A live-in cook follows the family's routine, cooks from breakfast to dinner, manages grocery shopping and pantry stock, and has meals ready when the family arrives.
Home cook profile examples
What home cooks do we present to families
Before concluding a contract and discussing your request in detail, we can send you several chef profiles as examples, however their current availability and relevance to a specific vacancy will need to be clarified separately.
Maurizio
EducationHotel and culinary institute I.P.S.S.A.R. Federico de Gennaro: cook (1997); HACCP certificate
LanguagesItalian - Native, English - Basic, Spanish - Basic
Work experience2025: live-in cook for private families, in villas and on yachts in Sardinia; 2017–2018: private chef for families in Milan and Sardinia; since 2021: cook in Rome
Professional strengthsAuthentic Italian and Mediterranean home cooking, menus built around the family's tastes, family lunches, dinners and special occasions, independent kitchen management, live-in experience
Italian cook with over 25 years behind the stove who cooks for private families in their homes, villas and on yachts. Plans the menu around the family's tastes and brings genuine Italian home cooking to the table every day. EU passport, open to live-in work.
Rusell
EducationUniversity of Baguio: business management
LanguagesEnglish - Fluent
Work experienceSince 2023: family cook in a 500–600 m² apartment in Kowloon, Hong Kong; 2013–2019: family cook in a 600 m² apartment in the New Territories, Hong Kong
Professional strengthsDaily meals for the whole family, weekly menu planning, grocery shopping and pantry control, a spotless kitchen, help with children, ironing and home organisation
Filipino family cook with more than 10 years of experience in private households in Hong Kong. Cooks breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, plans the menu and shopping, and easily takes on help with children and the home. Fluent English, used to working abroad.
Julia
EducationUniversidad del Claustro de Sor Juana: Master's degree in food and beverage management and planning (2025)
LanguagesSpanish - Native, English - Fluent
Work experience2012–2017: private family chef in Guadalajara (family of 4–5); 2018–2019: private chef in Mexico City; 2020–2024: executive chef of a restaurant in Mexico City; 2024–2025: cook in Italy
Professional strengthsWeekly family menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, children's dietary needs, portion and calorie calculation, hot and cold dishes and baking, Mexican and international cuisine; US and Canada visas
Mexican chef who cooked for one family for five years and later ran a restaurant kitchen in Mexico City. Plans the weekly family menu around the children's needs, bakes and keeps the kitchen perfectly organised. Lives in Canada, holds US and Canada visas.
Dominique
EducationCulinary arts institute: chef (1997)
LanguagesEnglish - Intermediate
Work experience2004–2025: family chef for a family of 8 in Nicosia, Cyprus — more than 20 years with one family
Professional strengthsItalian, French, Japanese and Moroccan cuisine, menu planning, grocery shopping, everyday meals for a large family and guests, rare loyalty and reliability
Professional chef who cooked for one family of eight in Nicosia for more than 20 years. Plans menus, shops for produce and cooks Italian, French, Japanese and Moroccan dishes for every day and for guests. EU passport.
Vadims
EducationCulinary school: cook (2008)
LanguagesRussian - Native, English - Fluent
Work experienceSince 2009: cook for families of 4–6 in Paris, the Czech Republic and Spain; head chef of hotel restaurants in Austria (Kaprun), Italy (Como) and Germany
Professional strengthsEuropean, Italian and French cuisine, menus and recipe cards, serving, banquets and family celebrations, full kitchen management and supplier control
Cook with hotel head-chef experience in Austria, Italy and Germany who has been cooking for private families in France, the Czech Republic and Spain for many years. Combines restaurant-level technique with warm home cooking. EU passport, fluent English.
Sevil
EducationCulinary college in Turkmenbashi: cook (2016)
LanguagesRussian - Fluent, English - Intermediate
Work experience2023–2024: live-in family cook on Palm Jumeirah, Dubai (family of 5); 2023–2026: personal cook for a family in Dubai; 2024–2026: chef at a resort restaurant in Dubai
Professional strengthsHome-style, Russian, Arabic and European cuisine, breakfasts, lunches, dinners and school lunch boxes, family events and receiving guests, dietary requirements, grocery shopping and food storage
Family cook based in Dubai who has worked live-in for a family on Palm Jumeirah and as a personal cook for another family. Cooks home-style and Arabic dishes, prepares lunch boxes for children and hosts family events. UAE resident visa.
Maurizio
EducationHotel and culinary institute I.P.S.S.A.R. Federico de Gennaro: cook (1997); HACCP certificate
LanguagesItalian - Native, English - Basic, Spanish - Basic
Work experience2025: live-in cook for private families, in villas and on yachts in Sardinia; 2017–2018: private chef for families in Milan and Sardinia; since 2021: cook in Rome
Professional strengthsAuthentic Italian and Mediterranean home cooking, menus built around the family's tastes, family lunches, dinners and special occasions, independent kitchen management, live-in experience
Italian cook with over 25 years behind the stove who cooks for private families in their homes, villas and on yachts. Plans the menu around the family's tastes and brings genuine Italian home cooking to the table every day. EU passport, open to live-in work.
Rusell
EducationUniversity of Baguio: business management
LanguagesEnglish - Fluent
Work experienceSince 2023: family cook in a 500–600 m² apartment in Kowloon, Hong Kong; 2013–2019: family cook in a 600 m² apartment in the New Territories, Hong Kong
Professional strengthsDaily meals for the whole family, weekly menu planning, grocery shopping and pantry control, a spotless kitchen, help with children, ironing and home organisation
Filipino family cook with more than 10 years of experience in private households in Hong Kong. Cooks breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, plans the menu and shopping, and easily takes on help with children and the home. Fluent English, used to working abroad.
Julia
EducationUniversidad del Claustro de Sor Juana: Master's degree in food and beverage management and planning (2025)
LanguagesSpanish - Native, English - Fluent
Work experience2012–2017: private family chef in Guadalajara (family of 4–5); 2018–2019: private chef in Mexico City; 2020–2024: executive chef of a restaurant in Mexico City; 2024–2025: cook in Italy
Professional strengthsWeekly family menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, children's dietary needs, portion and calorie calculation, hot and cold dishes and baking, Mexican and international cuisine; US and Canada visas
Mexican chef who cooked for one family for five years and later ran a restaurant kitchen in Mexico City. Plans the weekly family menu around the children's needs, bakes and keeps the kitchen perfectly organised. Lives in Canada, holds US and Canada visas.
Dominique
EducationCulinary arts institute: chef (1997)
LanguagesEnglish - Intermediate
Work experience2004–2025: family chef for a family of 8 in Nicosia, Cyprus — more than 20 years with one family
Professional strengthsItalian, French, Japanese and Moroccan cuisine, menu planning, grocery shopping, everyday meals for a large family and guests, rare loyalty and reliability
Professional chef who cooked for one family of eight in Nicosia for more than 20 years. Plans menus, shops for produce and cooks Italian, French, Japanese and Moroccan dishes for every day and for guests. EU passport.
Vadims
EducationCulinary school: cook (2008)
LanguagesRussian - Native, English - Fluent
Work experienceSince 2009: cook for families of 4–6 in Paris, the Czech Republic and Spain; head chef of hotel restaurants in Austria (Kaprun), Italy (Como) and Germany
Professional strengthsEuropean, Italian and French cuisine, menus and recipe cards, serving, banquets and family celebrations, full kitchen management and supplier control
Cook with hotel head-chef experience in Austria, Italy and Germany who has been cooking for private families in France, the Czech Republic and Spain for many years. Combines restaurant-level technique with warm home cooking. EU passport, fluent English.
Sevil
EducationCulinary college in Turkmenbashi: cook (2016)
LanguagesRussian - Fluent, English - Intermediate
Work experience2023–2024: live-in family cook on Palm Jumeirah, Dubai (family of 5); 2023–2026: personal cook for a family in Dubai; 2024–2026: chef at a resort restaurant in Dubai
Professional strengthsHome-style, Russian, Arabic and European cuisine, breakfasts, lunches, dinners and school lunch boxes, family events and receiving guests, dietary requirements, grocery shopping and food storage
Family cook based in Dubai who has worked live-in for a family on Palm Jumeirah and as a personal cook for another family. Cooks home-style and Arabic dishes, prepares lunch boxes for children and hosts family events. UAE resident visa.
Maurizio
EducationHotel and culinary institute I.P.S.S.A.R. Federico de Gennaro: cook (1997); HACCP certificate
LanguagesItalian - Native, English - Basic, Spanish - Basic
Work experience2025: live-in cook for private families, in villas and on yachts in Sardinia; 2017–2018: private chef for families in Milan and Sardinia; since 2021: cook in Rome
Professional strengthsAuthentic Italian and Mediterranean home cooking, menus built around the family's tastes, family lunches, dinners and special occasions, independent kitchen management, live-in experience
Italian cook with over 25 years behind the stove who cooks for private families in their homes, villas and on yachts. Plans the menu around the family's tastes and brings genuine Italian home cooking to the table every day. EU passport, open to live-in work.
Rusell
EducationUniversity of Baguio: business management
LanguagesEnglish - Fluent
Work experienceSince 2023: family cook in a 500–600 m² apartment in Kowloon, Hong Kong; 2013–2019: family cook in a 600 m² apartment in the New Territories, Hong Kong
Professional strengthsDaily meals for the whole family, weekly menu planning, grocery shopping and pantry control, a spotless kitchen, help with children, ironing and home organisation
Filipino family cook with more than 10 years of experience in private households in Hong Kong. Cooks breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, plans the menu and shopping, and easily takes on help with children and the home. Fluent English, used to working abroad.
Julia
EducationUniversidad del Claustro de Sor Juana: Master's degree in food and beverage management and planning (2025)
LanguagesSpanish - Native, English - Fluent
Work experience2012–2017: private family chef in Guadalajara (family of 4–5); 2018–2019: private chef in Mexico City; 2020–2024: executive chef of a restaurant in Mexico City; 2024–2025: cook in Italy
Professional strengthsWeekly family menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, children's dietary needs, portion and calorie calculation, hot and cold dishes and baking, Mexican and international cuisine; US and Canada visas
Mexican chef who cooked for one family for five years and later ran a restaurant kitchen in Mexico City. Plans the weekly family menu around the children's needs, bakes and keeps the kitchen perfectly organised. Lives in Canada, holds US and Canada visas.
Dominique
EducationCulinary arts institute: chef (1997)
LanguagesEnglish - Intermediate
Work experience2004–2025: family chef for a family of 8 in Nicosia, Cyprus — more than 20 years with one family
Professional strengthsItalian, French, Japanese and Moroccan cuisine, menu planning, grocery shopping, everyday meals for a large family and guests, rare loyalty and reliability
Professional chef who cooked for one family of eight in Nicosia for more than 20 years. Plans menus, shops for produce and cooks Italian, French, Japanese and Moroccan dishes for every day and for guests. EU passport.
Vadims
EducationCulinary school: cook (2008)
LanguagesRussian - Native, English - Fluent
Work experienceSince 2009: cook for families of 4–6 in Paris, the Czech Republic and Spain; head chef of hotel restaurants in Austria (Kaprun), Italy (Como) and Germany
Professional strengthsEuropean, Italian and French cuisine, menus and recipe cards, serving, banquets and family celebrations, full kitchen management and supplier control
Cook with hotel head-chef experience in Austria, Italy and Germany who has been cooking for private families in France, the Czech Republic and Spain for many years. Combines restaurant-level technique with warm home cooking. EU passport, fluent English.
Sevil
EducationCulinary college in Turkmenbashi: cook (2016)
LanguagesRussian - Fluent, English - Intermediate
Work experience2023–2024: live-in family cook on Palm Jumeirah, Dubai (family of 5); 2023–2026: personal cook for a family in Dubai; 2024–2026: chef at a resort restaurant in Dubai
Professional strengthsHome-style, Russian, Arabic and European cuisine, breakfasts, lunches, dinners and school lunch boxes, family events and receiving guests, dietary requirements, grocery shopping and food storage
Family cook based in Dubai who has worked live-in for a family on Palm Jumeirah and as a personal cook for another family. Cooks home-style and Arabic dishes, prepares lunch boxes for children and hosts family events. UAE resident visa.
Home cook placement geography
A home cook wherever your family lives
We place home cooks with families in Europe, the UAE, the US and Asia — both specialists already living in the country and those ready to relocate. We take into account visas and the language of communication, as well as how well the cook knows your family's cuisine and can find familiar ingredients at local markets. For families with several residences, we find cooks who are willing to move with the family between homes and for the season.
Chef duties
What a home cook does for your family
The functionality is always tailored to the family, but most often it includes the following.
Everyday home cooking
- Cooks breakfast, lunch and dinner — fresh meals every day in line with the family's routine.
- Plans the weekly home menu — soups, sides, meat, fish, porridges and salads without repeats.
- Bakes and batch-cooks — pies, pancakes, homemade bread, dumplings and freezer-ready meals.
- Handles grocery shopping — picks fresh produce at markets and shops and keeps track of food expenses.
- Looks after the kitchen — cleanliness, order, correct food storage and hygiene standards.
- When needed, cooks for the staff — feeds the nanny, driver and other household employees.
Menus for family, children and occasions
- Caters to everyone's taste — adults' favourite dishes, a children's menu, allergies and excluded foods.
- Cooks national cuisines — Russian, Ukrainian, Caucasian, Mediterranean and others at the family's request.
- Feeds the children — wholesome breakfasts, snacks for school and clubs, dishes children actually enjoy.
- Works with restrictions — fasting, vegetarian, gluten-free or gentle diets following the family doctor's advice.
- Prepares for family occasions — birthdays, Sunday lunches and entertaining guests at home.
- Travels with the family — cooks at the country house, the villa and on trips, keeping the familiar menu.
Additional services such as event catering, travel accompaniment, and wine pairing are discussed individually and stated in the contract.
Why choose Royal Keeper when hiring a personal chef
We help families skip months of searching and connect directly with vetted chefs — locally and worldwide
Limited access to strong candidates
Royal Keeper has a large private database: we have been working since 2000, and many chefs deliberately do not post their CVs online or enter the open market. You gain access to professionals impossible to find through regular listings.
Fast selection of experienced chefs
When a family needs a personal chef at short notice, independent searching takes weeks. We already know who is currently available and can present first candidates quickly for both permanent and event-based roles.
Continuity when a chef departs
Chef departures happen. The agency ensures you are never left without support: we immediately launch a new search and arrange a smooth handover to maintain your daily culinary standards.
Support for international and relocation needs
When relocating to another country it is difficult to know where to find a personal chef locally, whom to trust and what the market expects. Royal Keeper operates worldwide and helps source chefs in different countries, taking language, culture and culinary nuances into account.
Risk of fraud and unqualified candidates
Over the years we have built extensive candidate histories: we know where and how they worked, which families recommended them and how they handled challenges. This lets us filter out suspicious and unqualified profiles before they ever reach your interview stage.
Most families who first try to find a personal chef on their own encounter the same difficulties — lack of time, uncertainty and the risk of making a mistake. Royal Keeper takes care of all that so you can focus on your family instead of endless interviews.
Need household staff or a nanny?
Leave a request and a Royal Keeper recruiter will get in touch
to discuss your needs and propose the first candidates.
Our approach to recruitment
How we recruit staff
01
Request diagnostics
We discuss the family's lifestyle, schedule, level of responsibility, and service expectations — not just a list of duties.
02
Contract signing
We record all key collaboration terms in an individual contract. After signing, the team launches the project.
03
Search and selection
We run an extensive search, interview candidates, and verify their experience, references, and work history.
04
Finalist presentation
You receive a shortlist with detailed profiles and recruiter notes; interviews are arranged with selected candidates.
05
Onboarding support
We help agree on terms, support onboarding, and remain available for any questions after the candidate starts.
01
Request diagnostics
We discuss the family's lifestyle, schedule, level of responsibility, and service expectations — not just a list of duties.
02
Contract signing
We record all key collaboration terms in an individual contract. After signing, the team launches the project.
03
Search and selection
We run an extensive search, interview candidates, and verify their experience, references, and work history.
04
Finalist presentation
You receive a shortlist with detailed profiles and recruiter notes; interviews are arranged with selected candidates.
05
Onboarding support
We help agree on terms, support onboarding, and remain available for any questions after the candidate starts.
Family safety and privacy
Safety and privacy
standards
standards
We work with private households where what matters
is not just skills, but the professional's ethics too.
Verified experience in private households and checked references.
Competency-based interviews: reactions to non-standard situations, respect for house rules and the family's personal boundaries.
Confidentiality: ban on publishing family photos and information, NDA on request.
VIP environment understanding: many candidates have already worked in public and international families.
About Royal Keeper
About Us
Royal Keeper is an international agency for the selection of premium household staff and nannies for families around the world, founded in 2000. For over 25 years we have combined luxury service standards with a very attentive approach to each family.
Our recruitment team speaks several languages and works with clients across Europe, the UK, the USA, the Middle East and Asia, so we understand the cultural nuances and requirements of different countries.
We build long-term relationships: most families come back to us or refer their friends, and candidates bring their colleagues and acquaintances.
Year founded
2000
Countries of presence
20+
Years of experience in private service
25+
Successfully filled vacancies
14 000+
Candidates in the agency database
85 000+
Year founded
2000
Countries of presence
20+
Years of experience in private service
25+
Successfully filled vacancies
14 000+
Candidates in the agency database
85 000+
Nanny placement terms with Royal Keeper
Service pricing and cooperation terms
We work transparently: you understand the interaction format and fee structure in advance.
Ranges from 12% to 22% of the specialist’s annual salary and depends on the country of recruitment, the level of the position, the urgency of the search, and the selected contract format. The replacement guarantee period ranges from 6 to 12 months, and the number of replacements depends on the selected contract.
Payment is made in two stages: an initial deposit is required to confirm the order and start work on the request, and the remaining balance is paid after the candidate has been approved.
Special conditions are available for returning clients, repeat requests, and orders involving the selection of several specialists for one family.
Home Cook RecruitmentHome
Home
Cook
A home cook is a professional who prepares familiar, hearty and wholesome food for the family every day: soups, main courses, sides, porridges, baking and batch cooking. Unlike a personal chef, who focuses on signature menus and restaurant-style presentation, a home cook is responsible for reliable everyday meals for the whole family — from the children's breakfast to the adults' dinner and food for guests.
Royal Keeper recruits private home cooks for houses, apartments and country residences, matching each candidate to your family traditions, tastes, lifestyle and favourite dishes. Every candidate goes through a rigorous multi-stage selection: a personal interview, reference checks with previous employers and a background check by our security team. We assess how the cook plans a weekly menu, how well they know traditional recipes and national cuisines, whether they can cook for children and around dietary restrictions, how tidy they are in the kitchen and how strictly they follow hygiene and food safety standards.
You can hire a family cook on a live-in basis, full-time, on a weekday schedule or for the season — for example, for a summer at the villa or the country house. We find cooks already based in your country as well as those ready to relocate to Europe or the UAE. The agency takes care of the job description, schedule, duties and terms of employment, so that working with your cook is comfortable and secure for your family.
Latest Royal Keeper vacanciesLatest
Latest
vacancies
We update the list of vacancies daily for nannies, housekeepers, chefs, estate managers and other staff. Pick a role and a country to see offers that best match your experience.