These terms are often used interchangeably and many times the answer will depend on who you are asking. Here, we provide the view of Epicurate:
We use the term private chef for the services that the talented chefs in our network provide to guests. Generally, these refer to high-quality chef services that are booked on an as-needed basis. This could be for a dinner party, a celebration (such as an anniversary or birthday), or a special time with friends or family.
Personal chefs are frequently hired by families or groups to provide regular chef services such as meal-prep or regularly prepared meals.
You can read more about the distinction in our blog post here.