How Does One Become a Private Chef in the Hamptons? Ask Wishbone Kitchen

Ever wanted to know what it’s actually like to work as a private chef? Meredith Hayden went from freelance food editor in New York City to a viral sensation—in what may seem to many as overnight. Her 2023 “A Day in the Life of a Hamptons Private Chef” vlog catapulted her to FoodTok stardom. Founder of Wishbone Kitchen and author of her new book, The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook, Hayden has build an impressive food media presence, amassing 83.5 million likes on TikTok, 2.3 million followers on TikTok, and 1.3 million followers on Instagram. 

“It truly does not feel real that this is where I’m at right now, but I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can. Because it’s kind of crazy,” she says.

Hayden joins All on the Table host Katie Lee Biegel to talk about her big viral moment and career evolution—from Vogue assistant to line cook to private chef. She loves making southern cathead biscuits, keeps Diet Coke in her fridge, and loves pasta more than pizza. This episode promises delicious food talk and juicy conversation—just be prepared to finish hungry!

Wishbone Kitchen Founder, Meredith Hayden, is the Viral Chef

Who is the woman behind Wishbone Kitchen?

Growing up watching Food Network, Hayden was always curious about how different dishes were made. The first recipe she ever Googled was “Cheesecake Factory Chicken Marsala”—though her mom’s attempt didn’t taste like the original. But this early experience spurred her love for cooking and getting in the kitchen to make those dishes herself. 

Early in her career, Hayden balanced a day job as an assistant at Vogue with culinary school at night, hoping to land a job in food media. Her fashion and food worlds converged when she began moonlighting as a private chef for fashion designer Joseph Altuzzara at his Hamptons’ home. 

“That’s when I realized that my true passion was home cooking and cooking really good, simple food that was delicious and not fussy,” Hayden explains.

When laid off from Conde Nast in August 2021, Hayden pivoted to full-time cooking. She started an Instagram cooking account to advertise her services and started vlogging “A Day in the Life of a Hamptons Private Chef” on her Wishbone Kitchen account. The videos took off, earning tens of millions of likes on TikTok. Today, she is a full-time content creator and recently released first cookbook, The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook.

A day in the life of a private chef in the Hamptons

Hayden’s describes much of her career as a “happy accident.” She ended up in the Hamptons after a New York City client asked her to come out with them for the summer. It was her first introduction to the world of at-home, in-house chef. “It was definitely an adjustment from a 9-to-5 and having a separation from work and personal to living with my boss,” she says.

Her typical Saturday begins around 6:30 a.m., after an evening of meal prep the night before. She grocery shops as early as possible to avoid the notorious Hamptons traffic. (Yeah, we can totally relate!) As soon as breakfast is over, she’ll start preparing lunch for about six people. Around happy hour time, she’ll deliver poolside snacks, then begin dinner prep. 

Despite the picturesque setting, Hayden doesn’t want people to confuse her career for ease. This is genuine work. “If you’re not in a food world, all you see is a beautiful garden, this backyard, the sunny skies, and the pool. Most people think, ‘Wow, it’s amazing,’ My videos make it seem like it’s easy, but if you are not in the food world, you don’t understand the work it takes,“ she says. But the truth is, Hayden is not the one swimming in the pool.

How to turn food into content creation

Hayden credits friends and family for keeping her humble. “That has maintained a level of normalcy and it’s kept me grounded. No one is blowing smoke up my butt, especially friends from preschool,” Hayden laughs.

Her cookbook, The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook, features practical menu planning. Hayden explains, “ I like to think of the menu section as kind of like a fashion stylist. Instead of just giving you a bunch of clothes and having you figure it out for yourself, I style the different recipes into menus.”

Her content creation process is straightforward. “I would literally prop my phone up on a bottle of olive oil and just hit record for like five to 10 minutes at a time and genuinely forget it was there. I have my phone with me all the time, so I thought I might as well film myself while I’m cooking,” she says.

Ultimately, Hayden dreams of writing cookbooks and sharing recipes and stories with people. To the critics who think anyone could be a chef content creator, Hayden says, “If it was that easy, then everyone would be doing it. It’s hard work, but it’s also really fulfilling creatively to have that autonomy with your recipes.”