Stephany Victoria started cooking for her client in October 2023

• Stephany Victoria started her career as a private chef in early 2019, but her passion for cooking started much earlier in her life

• In October 2023, Victoria connected through an agency with an NBA player looking for an in-house private chef in Miami; This was something he had never tried before.

• Victoria is responsible for menu development, meal preparation and cooking, as well as grocery shopping.

• Since she began working with the client a year ago, Victoria has continued to create content from her work on her TikTok and Instagram accounts, where she has amassed over 676,000 and 444,000 followers respectively.

Stephany Victoria wakes up every day at 8 a.m. Before starting her job as a private chef, she spends her mornings focusing on herself: going to the gym, taking a shower, having breakfast and taking care of personal errands.

Originally from Queens, New York, Victoria began her career as a private chef in early 2019, but her passion for cooking began much earlier in her life. She tells PEOPLE that she always wanted to go to culinary school, but she had already studied physical therapy as a teenager and pursuing formal culinary training didn’t seem like the right move at the time.

Victoria, who passed in her place @stephanyvicx She taught herself to cook by learning on social media, from Food Network shows, and by watching her grandmother and mother prepare traditional Dominican family recipes. “I have followed many recipes online and will also try them,” she says.

Eventually, Victoria, who is also a certified yoga instructor, started posting her meal creations on social media, and a few people reached out to ask if she could meal prep for them. This led him to his first client, a fashion influencer, and he began preparing and delivering meals for her.

Then in October 2023, Victoria connected through an agency with an NBA player looking for an in-house private chef in Miami; This was something he had never done before. (Cannot reveal the identity of the player.)

“I did a two-week trial and they loved my food,” says Victoria, who moved to Florida for work. “After the hearing, they decided to keep me, but they wanted to hire me privately. They did not want me to stay in the agency, where I felt bad. But I said yes and now I only cook. The client is under my own business.”

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“I was nervous going into this job because my client was quite high-profile and I didn’t know what to expect. I thought they might not be that friendly,” he adds. “But they’re actually very friendly and very cool. I really enjoy working for them. It’s been a really great experience.”

In her first month on the job, Victoria overcooked a Thai-inspired dish, making the tiger steak cry. But “it was the only time something like this happened,” he adds. “They were very nice about it. They said, ‘The flavors were great. We just prefer our steaks to be a little rarer.’ And I said, ‘Okay, I noted it.'”

The night before a typical workday, Victoria spends time developing a menu. What he loves most about his clients is that they are given complete creative freedom, which he describes as “the chef’s dream.” Naturally, he is careful to avoid ingredients that his customers are allergic to or dislike.

Victoria doesn’t prepare breakfast for her client and her family; They prefer to keep breakfast simple with eggs and fruit. Instead, she focuses on preparing lunch once she gets home, which usually consists of protein, salad, and some veggies. He always makes sure to have homemade salad dressings in the refrigerator.

“The food is very healthy, nutrient-dense and delicious,” he says. “I cook with a holistic approach, using high-quality ingredients that are not only good for the body but also visually appealing.”

After packing lunch, Victoria spends the rest of her time focusing on cooking fresh dinners, which she says can sometimes be the most challenging part of the day.

“After I make lunch, I have to make sure I have enough time to make dinner,” she says. “I always like to make appetizers, main courses, and some nights I make dessert, too. So I have to make sure everything is ready on time. They like to have dinner around 6:15 or 6:30 p.m., so I make sure everything is ready by then.” I need to make sure, I don’t like keeping them waiting.”

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“Whenever there is a game night in our hometown, those nights they eat dinner very late, around 11:30 or 12 p.m., when they get back from the game,” he adds. “So I have to be there on those nights with dinner ready for him and his wife, who usually goes to the game.”

“I try to keep these meals lighter since it is so late at night and they will be asleep soon,” she adds. “So I make sure there are plenty of vegetables that are rich in protein, and I try to keep the carbs pretty low so it’s easier on my stomach before bed.”

His schedule varies depending on whether his client is in town or away for a game. When she goes to the grocery store, she says she typically spends between $300 and $500 each time, depending on the amount of groceries needed. He goes to the store regularly on the days he works, which are on average 18 to 22 days a month.

“I know it seems like a lot, but I’m not just feeding one person,” she says. “My client, his wife, and sometimes they have guests over for dinner — friends, family, or business partners. So I cook for them, too. They have a nanny, too, so I make sure there’s enough food for the nanny, too.”

He adds that while the client’s kitchen is full of brand new, state-of-the-art appliances, if something he needs is missing, the client will ask his assistant and get it for him.

“That’s the beauty of working with this client,” he says. “I would tell other customers what I needed, but I wouldn’t ask for too much because that could get really expensive.”

Since starting her business, Victoria has continued to create content from her work on her site. tiktok And instagram accounts where he has amassed over 676,000 and 444,000 followers respectively.

Victoria adds that she asks her clients for permission before sharing any content; It’s okay as long as he doesn’t show them on camera.

“When I read the comments lately I get a lot of good feedback and support and I love it,” she says. “This really pushes me to create content. There are times when I get some negative comments and it’s not a good feeling, but I try not to focus on the negative ones and just focus on the positive ones.”

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Victoria also tries to prepare some meals for herself on her days off. If he doesn’t have time to do this, he’ll quickly whip up something simple while he’s at the client’s home. “I take a break to eat,” he says. “I’ll throw a steak on the grill, maybe some vegetables, or cook salmon with some vegetables and eat it right away for dinner.”

“I like to relax, too,” he adds. “I love what I do, but it requires a lot of work and can be a bit tiring. So it’s great to stay at home and unwind. I still make sure to go to the gym. I also do yoga, which helps a lot. I’ve also been enjoying taking serums for my health lately, too. “So I do more self-care and take care of things around the house like cleaning and making sure everything is OK.”