From “could you arrange a chef?” to a confirmed evening
A private chef request sounds simple until the date changes, the party grows, and the supplier has only held the evening provisionally. Good concierge service makes those details feel effortless to the guest because someone is keeping them straight behind the scenes.
Keep the guest request, supplier offer and confirmed arrangement separate. Move to “confirmed” only when the required parties have agreed.
Collect a brief a supplier can act on
For a chef, start with the property, date, preferred time, number of diners, budget and the kind of evening the guest wants. Ask about dietary requirements and any children who need a different menu.
Only collect details relevant to the service and share them with the people who need them. Avoid forwarding an entire guest conversation when a short brief would do.
Ask about flexibility when availability may be tight. A guest who can move dinner by a day gives the concierge more useful options than a request with one assumed date. Read back the essentials so the guest can correct them before you approach suppliers.
Make offers easy to compare
Record what the supplier is offering, what is included, the total quoted price, any payment arrangements and how long the offer remains available. Confirm whether travel, equipment, service staff and clearing up are included where those matter.
Do not treat a supplier's general rate card as a quote for this party. A different headcount or location may change the price or make the service unavailable.
If your business earns a commission, track it separately from the guest's total and the amount due to the supplier. Your team needs to understand both the guest commitment and the commercial record without reconstructing them from chat messages.
Send a confirmation that closes the gaps
Before telling the guest the evening is booked, check the steps required for that supplier. These may include accepting a menu, agreeing the price, paying a deposit or confirming access.
A clear confirmation should cover:
- The service, property, date and agreed timing.
- The confirmed party size and relevant requirements.
- The price, inclusions and any outstanding payment step.
- The agreed terms for changes or cancellation.
- Who the guest should contact if plans change.
State an outstanding step plainly. “The chef is available; your booking is awaiting the deposit” is more useful than “all sorted” when the evening is still provisional.
Handle a change as a fresh agreement
If the guest adds four diners, ask the supplier to confirm the revised arrangement. Do not silently edit the headcount and assume that the kitchen, staff and price still work.
Keep the previous agreement available, mark what changed and record who accepted the revision. Send the guest one current summary so they do not have to compare several messages.
Before the service, check that the supplier knows how to reach the property and whom to contact on arrival. Afterwards, record completion and any unresolved payment or service issue while the details are still clear.
Where an AI employee can support the service
An AI concierge can help gather the request, answer questions from approved information and pass a concise brief to the team. At Isla, Lucia looks after the guest conversation and Marco handles the operations side.
Agree which parts of a service each employee will handle for your account. Ask for a demonstration that includes a changed date or an unavailable supplier. The measure of useful help is whether the next person knows exactly what remains to be done.
Written by the Isla team, who build AI employees for hospitality businesses. Our guides share practical approaches; the scope of each hire is agreed for your operation.
