What is a personal chef agreement?
A personal chef agreement sets out how a chef will cook for a client in the client's home or at their event. It covers two common arrangements: regular meal preparation (for example, a week of family dinners cooked, portioned and labelled every Monday) and a single private dinner or event. Either way, the details that matter most are the same: allergies, who buys the groceries, how the kitchen is left, what it costs, and what happens if someone cancels at short notice.
This template records the service type, start date and schedule, and exactly what the chef provides. The chef proposes menus a set number of days ahead for the client's approval. The allergies section lists every allergy and dietary need, requires the client to update it (including for guests), and explains honestly that a home kitchen can't be guaranteed free of all traces of an allergen. You choose how groceries work — the chef buys them and is reimbursed at cost, they're included, or the client buys from a shopping list — with an optional grocery advance. It also covers kitchen and food safety, the fee and any deposit, free-cancellation window and late-cancellation charge, notice to end regular service, privacy in the home and the chef's responsibilities.
- Best for
- Personal and private chefs, meal-prep services, dinner-party and event chefs
- Signed by
- The client and the chef
- Groceries
- Reimbursed at cost, included in the fee, or bought by the client
- Length
- 2–3 pages, initialled on every page
When to Use a personal chef agreement
- Weekly meal preparation for a busy family
- Meals for a client with medical or dietary needs, such as gluten-free or low-sodium
- A private dinner party, anniversary or birthday dinner at home
- A chef cooking for a holiday rental or villa stay
- Post-natal or recovery meal support for a few weeks
What You Fill In
21 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: chef, client.
1 The parties
- Chef or business*
- Your phone or email
- Client's name*
- Where the chef cooks*
2 The service
- Type of service* regular meal preparation · a private dinner or event
- Start date, or date of the event*
- Schedule or event times*
- What the chef provides*
3 Menus and dietary needs
- Menu proposed at least (days before)*
- Allergies and dietary needs
4 Groceries
- Groceries* The Chef buys them and the Client reimburses the cost · Groceries are included in the fee · The Client buys them from the Chef's shopping list
- Grocery advance
5 Fees
- Currency*
- Fee*
- Fee is charged* per session · per week · per hour · for the event · per guest
- Deposit to book
- Payment is due* before each session · weekly in advance · within 7 days of each invoice · on the day of the event
6 Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to (hours before)*
- Late cancellation charge (% of the fee)*
- Notice to end regular service (days)*
- Governing law*
7 Who signs
- Chef signature and date, initials on every page · The personal or private chef, or their business.
- Client signature and date, initials on every page · The person booking the chef, usually the host or head of the household.
What the personal chef agreement Covers
- The service
- Menus
- Allergies and dietary needs
- Groceries
- Kitchen and food safety
- Fees and payment
- Cancellation
- Your home and the Chef's responsibilities
- General
Using the personal chef agreement, step by step
1 Describe the service
Choose regular meal preparation or a private dinner or event, then enter the start or event date, the schedule or timings, and what you'll provide — number of meals, portions, courses, guests, serving and clean-up.
2 Record allergies carefully
List every allergy, intolerance and dietary requirement for everyone who will eat the food, and who has it. Leave the box empty only if there are none — the agreement then records that the client said so.
3 Choose how groceries work
Pick one of the three grocery options and add a grocery advance if you shop first. Receipts are shared with each invoice where you're reimbursed.
4 Set fees and cancellation, then send
Enter your fee and what it's charged per, any deposit, when payment is due, the free-cancellation window and the late-cancellation charge. For regular service, set the notice to end it.
Tips Before You Send It
- Ask the client to confirm guests' allergies in writing before each event menu is finalised — the agreement requires it.
- Label and date everything you leave in the fridge; the client is responsible for storage and reheating once food is handed over.
- Check whether local rules require a food-safety certificate or permit for private chefs where you work.
- Agree drinks separately. If the client serves alcohol, the agreement makes the client responsible for serving it responsibly.
Sign It Online In Minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Personal chef agreement: frequently asked questions
What if a guest has an allergic reaction?
The agreement requires the client to disclose all allergies in writing, including guests', and the chef to plan and cook with care to avoid them. It also explains that a home kitchen and bought ingredients can't be guaranteed free of all traces of an allergen. It doesn't remove any liability the law doesn't allow to be excluded.
What happens if the client cancels last minute?
Cancellation is free up to the number of hours you set. After that, the client pays the percentage of the fee you set, plus groceries already bought. If the chef cancels, they offer another date or refund what was paid.
Is a personal chef an employee?
Under this agreement the chef is self-employed, responsible for their own taxes and insurance. Whether that holds for a long-term, full-time arrangement depends on local employment law.
Is an e-signed chef agreement valid?
Electronic signatures are generally valid for ordinary service contracts like this in the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada. VergeHR keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF.