Ireland's private chefs: 'The big anxiety people have around the idea of bringing in a chef or waiters is that their guests may feel they are developing notions'

"We might think they're the preserve of the rich and famous, but many private chefs say plenty of regular Irish families avail of their services, whether to prepare weekly meals or throw dinner parties Paul McVeigh doesn't hesitate when asked about the highlight of his career as a private chef - the week he spent in the Galapagos Islands, the remote location famed for its wildlife and for inspiring Charles Darwin."

"Today McVeigh owns the popular Dublin restaurants Mister S and Featherblade, but in his 20s, he spent time as a private chef to movie stars and wealthy business people in the US and further afield. It was while crewing on a Russian billionaire's superyacht that he got to sail around South America."

Private chefs frequently work for regular Irish families, providing weekly meals and catering for dinner parties as well as serving wealthy clients. Paul McVeigh identifies a career highlight spent in the Galapagos Islands, a remote location famed for wildlife and for inspiring Charles Darwin. McVeigh now owns Dublin restaurants Mister S and Featherblade after earlier work as a private chef to movie stars and wealthy business people in the US and abroad. Crewing on a Russian billionaire's superyacht enabled McVeigh to sail around South America, illustrating the travel opportunities in private-chef work.

Read at Independent