Terms of Service

Version 1.0 · Effective 27 July 2026 · ProjectChef Inc., Washington, DC

ProjectChef is a matching platform. We connect people who want a private chef with independent chefs who cook — and that is all we do. We do not cook, cater, or run events, and we do not employ chefs. The agreement for any event is between the host and the chef; our part is discovery, scheduling, payment and support. These terms explain what each side is agreeing to.

1. Who can use ProjectChef

You must be 18 or older and able to enter a binding contract. ProjectChef currently operates only in the United States, in and around Washington, DC. You agree to give accurate information, keep one account, and keep your password to yourself. You are responsible for what happens under your account.

2. ProjectChef is a matching platform

ProjectChef provides a technology platform that lets hosts find, contact and book independent professional chefs, and lets chefs offer their services and get paid. ProjectChef does not provide culinary, catering, food-preparation or event services. We are not a restaurant, a caterer, a food-service business, a staffing agency or an employer of chefs.

By using ProjectChef you acknowledge and agree that:

All cooking and event services are provided by independent third-party chefs who are not employed by, and are not agents of, ProjectChef.
The agreement for any event is between the host and the chef. ProjectChef is not a party to it.
ProjectChef does not direct, control or supervise any chef, what they cook, how they work, or what happens at your event.
ProjectChef does not own, operate or control any kitchen, home or venue where an event takes place.
ProjectChef makes no guarantee as to the quality, safety, suitability, timeliness or ability of any chef or any host, or that an event will meet your expectations.
Disputes arising from an event are between the host and the chef. We will help where we reasonably can, but we are not responsible for resolving them.

What we do do: we verify identity and food-safety credentials, check references, review each chef profile before it goes live, hold payment securely, and provide support. Vetting is a screen, not a warranty — it reduces risk, it does not remove it, and it is not a guarantee about any individual.

3. Payments

Payments are handled by Stripe. Card details go to Stripe directly — ProjectChef never sees or stores your full card number. By booking you authorise the charges described in the host section below.

4. Keeping bookings on ProjectChef

You agree not to arrange, or attempt to arrange, payment or bookings for ProjectChef-introduced work outside the platform. Messages between hosts and chefs are filtered for contact details before delivery, and repeated attempts to exchange them may lead to removal.

Why this matters to you, not just to us: bookings made off-platform have no deposit protection, no refund policy, no payment guarantee and no support if something goes wrong.

5. Content, photos and reviews

You keep ownership of what you upload. You give ProjectChef a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display and promote it in connection with the service. Only upload images you own or have the right to use.

Reviews may only be written by a host who actually booked that chef, and must be honest first-hand experience. Reviews may not be bought, traded or written in exchange for anything.

6. Behaviour we don't allow

False information, impersonation, or someone else's photos
Harassment, discrimination or threats toward anyone
Anything illegal, or anything that puts another person at risk
Interfering with the platform, or scraping it

We may suspend or remove any account that breaks these terms, and we may cancel affected bookings.

7. Cancelling your account

You can delete your account at any time from your account page. Deleting removes your profile and personal details. Records we must keep — completed bookings and payment records — are retained as required, with your name detached where possible.

8. Disclaimers and limits

The platform is provided "as is". Because chefs are independent contractors and we do not control events, ProjectChef is not liable for the acts, omissions, conduct or work of any chef or host, for the quality or safety of any food, or for anything that happens at an event. To the fullest extent the law allows, ProjectChef is not liable for indirect or consequential loss, and our total liability for any claim is limited to the platform fees we earned on the booking the claim relates to. Nothing here limits liability that cannot be limited by law, including for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud.

You agree to indemnify ProjectChef against claims arising from your own breach of these terms or your conduct at an event.

9. Disputes and governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the District of Columbia. Talk to us first — projectchef26@gmail.com — and we will try to resolve things directly. Disputes not resolved that way are subject to the courts of the District of Columbia.

10. Changes

We may update these terms. If a change is material we will tell you and ask you to accept the new version before you book or accept work again. Continuing to use ProjectChef after a change means you accept it.

11. Contact

ProjectChef Inc. · Washington, DC · projectchef26@gmail.com

Host terms

These apply in addition to the shared terms when you book a chef.

What you pay, and when

20% deposit is charged when you book. It secures your date.
The remaining balance is held on your card as a pending authorisation — held, not charged. For events booked further ahead the hold is renewed periodically, so you may see it release and reappear.
After the event you settle the final bill: the balance plus any tip you choose. Tips are optional and go 100% to your chef.
Prices are per guest. If your final guest count is higher than booked, the difference is added to the final bill.

Cancellation: cancel more than 48 hours before your event and your deposit is refunded in full. Within 48 hours the deposit is non-refundable — your chef has already shopped and turned down other work. You can cancel from your account page.

Allergies and dietary needs

This one is on you. You must tell us about every allergy, intolerance and dietary restriction for everyone attending, before the event, using the allergies field when you book. Your chef plans the menu and shops from what you enter. ProjectChef and your chef are not responsible for reactions to allergens you did not disclose. If something changes, tell your chef in the booking thread before they shop.

Your home and your kitchen

Give an accurate address and make sure your chef can get in at the agreed time.
Provide a safe, working kitchen with power, water and enough space to cook what you booked.
Tell your chef in advance about pets, stairs, parking, building access or anything that affects the job.
You are responsible for your guests' behaviour. Chefs may leave if they feel unsafe, and the booking will be treated as a late cancellation.

Credits and offers

You earn 3% of each completed booking as credit toward your next one, and 10% off your first booking. Credit is applied automatically at checkout. It has no cash value, cannot be transferred or withdrawn, and is void if the account is closed or terms are broken.

Your address and details

Your address is shared with your chef and our team so the event can happen. It is never shown publicly.

Chef terms

These apply in addition to the shared terms when you cook through ProjectChef.

You are an independent contractor

You are self-employed, not a ProjectChef employee. You decide which bookings to accept, what to charge, and how you cook.
You are responsible for your own taxes. Where required we will issue a Form 1099.
You are responsible for your own licences, food-handler certification and any permits your work requires, and for keeping them current.
ProjectChef does not provide you with insurance. You are responsible for deciding what cover you carry.

What you earn, and when

You set your own prices. ProjectChef charges a flat 12.5% platform fee on the booking value.
Tips are 100% yours and no fee is taken from them.
You are paid after the event, once the host has settled their final bill. Money that is only being held against a host's card is not yet payable.
If a host cancels within 48 hours, the deposit is passed to you as compensation for the lost date.

Food safety and allergies

Take allergy information seriously. Hosts must disclose allergies when booking, and you must read them before planning and shopping. If you cannot safely accommodate what has been disclosed, say so and decline the booking. You are responsible for safe food handling, storage and temperature control at the event, and for following all applicable food-safety law.

Your profile

Everything on it must be true — your experience, your certifications, your prices, and the food in your photos must be food you cooked.
Keep your availability current. Hosts book the dates you publish.
You consent to identity and reference checks as part of approval.

Turning up

Once you accept a booking, treat it as a commitment. Arrive on time with what you need.
If you genuinely cannot make it, tell us and the host as early as possible so we can try to find a replacement. Repeated late cancellations will lead to removal.
Respect the host's home. Leave the kitchen as you found it.

Working directly with hosts

Hosts introduced to you through ProjectChef are introduced through ProjectChef. Taking those bookings off-platform breaks these terms and will lead to removal from the roster — along with the review history and booking flow that brought them to you.