Grocery store $ vs a local cook?

[Jim-Donna]

I really enjoy having a cook. In my job I have to cook for many all the time so no cooking is a true vacation for me. However I know I could cook cheaper.
Where we stay they ask for 30.00pp per day. seems like a lot to me.
Jim and I are not big eaters. Fruit and eggs, toast for breakfast, tuna or cheese sandwich for lunch, chicken or fish for supper.
The trouble with me is I have yet to see a receipt for the food.
Also one day a woman with a few items for sale stopped by and I bought a couple of things. As she was leaving she said something curious...and I quote " Spend your own money" ....nothing more was said.
Was she trying to tell me something? There has never been any $ left from the food kitty.
This year we will be with my brother and his wife, so the $ has to be accounted for.
We will be insisting on all food and drinks receipts.
So we will see how it goes.
Anyone else have any insight our experience with cooks?

With all that said I LOVE having a cook.......makes me feel like a "queen for a week"

[Chrispy]

When we went last year we sent some money ahead for the chef to buy some basics as well as cooking supplies - oil, flour spices etc. I was a little skeptical as well so we did the rest of the shopping in Mo Bay before driving to TB. We then bought fresh produce, fish, and lobster there in TB form locals. Produce car drives by each day and will stop at each house. We bought fish and lobster straight from the boat on the beach. Our chef had the receipt for the stuff she bought as well as change she used to buy fresh chicken. There are also many good little cook shops that have cheap meals, 3 dollar lunch at Likkel Diamond! Overall I thought the prices for food and drink at most places were cheaper than Negril.

[JitterBug]

I really enjoy having a cook. In my job I have to cook for many all the time so no cooking is a true vacation for me. However I know I could cook cheaper.
Where we stay they ask for 30.00pp per day. seems like a lot to me.
Jim and I are not big eaters. Fruit and eggs, toast for breakfast, tuna or cheese sandwich for lunch, chicken or fish for supper.
The trouble with me is I have yet to see a receipt for the food.
Also one day a woman with a few items for sale stopped by and I bought a couple of things. As she was leaving she said something curious...and I quote " Spend your own money" ....nothing more was said.
Was she trying to tell me something? There has never been any $ left from the food kitty.
This year we will be with my brother and his wife, so the $ has to be accounted for.
We will be insisting on all food and drinks receipts.
So we will see how it goes.
Anyone else have any insight our experience with cooks?

With all that said I LOVE having a cook.......makes me feel like a "queen for a week"

donna, your quote seems self explanatory . . . read it again . . .