By JODI SOKOLOWSKI
Buffalo Law Journal

Time is money. What happens when busy professionals don't have time to run errands, cook dinner or pick up their dry cleaning? They hire someone to do it for them.

"As a busy professional, I have to take advantage of any service that can simplify my life," said Julia Kreher, a partner at Hodgson Russ LLP.

To help lessen the load on her busy schedule, Kreher uses drive-through dry-cleaning and online shopping and banking, as well as a personal chef.

"My clients are people who really value their time and realize that they can't possibly do everything," said personal chef Laura Whalen of Thyme to Savor, who counts Kreher as one of her clients. "It's not just about the cooking, it's the planning, shopping and prep work."

Recipe for happiness

Unlike private chefs, who cook for just one family, personal chefs have multiple clients. Both prepare meals in clients' homes, but personal chefs usually cook a week's worth of meals at the same time.

The chefs first hold meetings with prospective clients to determine their dietary requirements, likes and dislikes and the frequency of the service needed. Whalen said while some clients give her free reign in planning a menu, which she calls "a great compliment," others want more say in their meals.

"My goal is to have people sit down at the table, enjoy a meal and savor your relationships - hence the name of my business," Whalen said.

Especially for working parents, the service can create a whole new family dinner experience.

"After a long day of work, just knowing that dinner is waiting is a relief. It's just one less thing to worry about," said chef Denise Clark of Cuisine Concierge.

For Alice and Jeremy Jacobs Jr., hiring Whalen has "transformed" their family life.

"We are able to relax at home and enjoy family dinnertime together more often," Alice Jacobs said, noting that her family eats more healthfully and spends less on dinner than they used to. They used to go out to dinner several nights a week, she said, but no longer need to do so.

Kreher agrees that the service is a "much healthier and tastier alternative" to fast food, take-out or pizza.

"What could be better than gourmet food right from your own refrigerator or freezer?" she asked.

Go-fer it

Colvin Cleaners has offered a pick-up and drop-off service for more than 30 years, says owner Paul Billoni.

While the service originated to serve people who didn't have cars, the pick-up and drop-off of dry cleaning continues to be popular because of the convenience factor. He said lawyer clients generally prefer to have the service come to their homes, but the company can also go to their offices.

"It works out so much nicer for them because they don't know if they're going to the office or to court. They don't want to go back to the office and schlep around dry cleaning," he said.

And with the increasing cost of gas, hiring errand runners may be well worth the cost. A.J. di Pota of Concierge of Buffalo charges a flat fee of $30 an hour.

"(My clients) make more sitting in their office than they do having me do their errands," di Pota said. "Lawyers have enough stress as it is. Why not let someone take some of the personal stress off you."

His services range from the weekly tasks of grocery shopping and general errand-running to more specialized needs such as house or pet sitting and event and vacation planning.

Concierge of Buffalo also meets extraordinary requests, such as walking the red carpet at Hollywood award shows or driving a Formula 1 car, through its Red Velvet Rope Club.

While not everyone can afford personal services, many busy professionals find that the convenience outweighs the cost.

"For everybody that might not balance out, but in my case, that kind of convenience is worth it to me," said Rich Barnes, a member of Cellino & Barnes PC - and a single father since his wife passed away in July. He has Gretchen Ohar, of Dinner by Gretchen, cook for the family about twice a month, and uses Ultra Cleaners' pick-up and drop-off service.

"Who wants to worry about the everyday mundane things," Ohar asked, "when you can do things more exciting?"