Legal
Client Terms
These terms explain how clients should use the platform when browsing chefs, creating requests, communicating with chefs, and paying for bookings. You must review and accept the current terms before using platform services.
Version 2026-04Applies to client accounts and client-side bookings
Client responsibilities
- ChefaChef operates as an online marketplace and technology platform connecting clients with independent/self-employed private chefs; chefs are not ChefaChef employees.
- Provide accurate event details, guest counts, timing, location, and budget information when creating a request or confirming a booking.
- Review chef proposals carefully and only confirm services that you genuinely intend to book through the platform.
- Treat chefs, support staff, and other users respectfully in all platform interactions.
Platform-only booking and payment
- All active booking discussions, proposals, scheduling updates, and payments must remain inside the platform.
- Clients must not request direct payment, off-platform transfers, or side arrangements for bookings first introduced through the website.
- Sharing contact information to move conversations off-platform for active bookings is a breach of these terms and may result in account suspension.
- All communication, booking coordination, proposals, and payment arrangements for active transactions must remain inside the platform. Sharing personal contact details, moving bookings off-platform, or attempting to bypass platform checkout is not allowed under the platform terms.
Off-platform bookings / platform circumvention
- Clients must not solicit or complete off-platform bookings for chefs, leads, proposals, or bookings introduced through ChefaChef for the purpose of bypassing the platform booking system or platform rules.
- Bookings originating through ChefaChef must be completed through ChefaChef. Users must not solicit direct payment or off-platform arrangements to bypass the platform booking system, and attempts to circumvent the platform may lead to account enforcement.
- Payments made through ChefaChef remain within the platform payment process and benefit from the payment, booking and dispute protections available through ChefaChef. Payments made directly outside ChefaChef are outside those protections and ChefaChef may be unable to assist with recovery or disputes.
- Any Public Liability Insurance remains the Chef’s own responsibility and is subject to the terms of their policy and insurer. ChefaChef cannot provide platform assistance or protections for transactions arranged outside ChefaChef.
- Clients must not use chef details, proposals, messages, or booking leads received through ChefaChef to arrange direct bookings outside the platform.
- Suspected platform circumvention may result in account review, booking restrictions, suspension, or permanent removal where supported by platform enforcement tools.
Cancellation policy
- Clients may cancel bookings subject to the timing of cancellation relative to the event date and the chef's cancellation policy.
- Cancellations made more than 7 days before the event may qualify for a full refund minus any platform fees.
- Cancellations made between 3-7 days before the event may qualify for a 50% refund.
- Cancellations made less than 3 days before the event may not be eligible for refund unless exceptional circumstances apply.
- The platform reserves the right to review cancellation requests on a case-by-case basis for exceptional circumstances.
Refund policy
- Refunds are processed back to the original payment method used for the booking.
- Refund processing times depend on the payment provider and may take 5-14 business days to appear in your account.
- Platform fees are non-refundable once a booking is confirmed and paid, unless the cancellation qualifies for a full refund under our policy.
- In cases of chef cancellation or no-show, clients are entitled to a full refund including platform fees.
Dispute resolution
- In the event of a dispute, clients should first attempt to resolve the issue directly with the chef through the platform messaging system.
- If direct resolution fails, clients may escalate the dispute to the platform support team for mediation.
- The platform reserves the right to make final decisions on disputes based on available evidence and these terms.
- Abusive or fraudulent dispute claims may result in account suspension.
Suspension and platform controls
- The platform may suspend, restrict, or remove accounts that misuse the service, bypass checkout, share personal contact details for active off-platform transactions, or otherwise breach platform rules.
- The platform may pause or remove listings, requests, bookings, or messaging access where moderation, fraud, safety, or compliance concerns arise.
- Repeated violations of platform policies may result in permanent account termination.
Acceptance of terms
By registering, signing in, creating requests, sending messages, accepting proposals, or paying for bookings through the platform, you confirm that you have reviewed and accepted the current client terms and related platform policies.