Coming home to find a professional chef has taken over the helm in your kitchen would be a dream come true. Next-best option? Having one on call to help you through the cooking process, whether you’re whipping up a delicate cheese soufflé or a rack of lamb. TalkToChef provides exactly that service: Log on to TalkToChef.com or use the service as an app on your iPhone or iPad for swift, real-time support. You’ll be matched with one of more than 1,000 participating chefs for a video chat, and receive answers to your cooking challenge questions. The service is also perfect for travel, when your rented villa on a foreign coast inspires you to try preparing the local cuisine.

Chefs can also provide tips on how to make your favorite recipes healthier. The website’s Find a Chef option allows you to filter available chefs based on cooking method (grilled, molecular gastronomy, nose-to-tail, baked, etc.), diet type (gluten-free, kosher, paleo, raw, vegan, allergy-friendly, diabetic, new mothers, low carb, etc.) and a multitude of cuisines. Choices include Moroccan, Native American, Ottoman, Scandinavian, American Soul Food, American Creole, Classical French, and a host of others. Participating chefs include Aaron Cox, Aamir Abbasi, Ben Zang, Chatya Kurnia and hundreds of others around the world.