Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
We supply cooks and chefs to clients at every level. When an enquiry comes in we advertise the position on our website and contact those candidates who best fit your requirements. You will then be sent CVs of cooks who are interested in the position along with their references and any menus they might have provided for previous clients so you can make a decision on whether you would like to proceed with a booking or an interview/trial if it’s for a longer term position.
2. What will it cost to employ a cook through Book a Cook?
There are two separate costs for booking a cook, what the cook charges and a placement fee. Book a Cook will liaise with you to negotiate the fee for the cook’s time. This depends on experience and the hours the cook will be expected to work and the numbers he or she will be cooking for. Typically, our cooks charge between £100-200 per day for their services. But over a period of a week, most are happy to reduce their daily rate and weekly fees vary from £500-£1000 on the whole. As in most cases these fees may be higher over Bank Holidays. All cook/chefs invoice the client directly and you are responsible for any taxes and NI payments. Book a Cook’s placement fees our listed in our Terms and Conditions (T&C’s).
3. What happens if the cook doesn’t work out?
In the rare case that a cook doesn’t work out mid-booking, Book a Cook will seek to find a suitable replacement. Temporary fees are not refunded, but we work hard to ensure our cooks are of a certain standard and professionalism and problems therefore rarely occur. If a longer term placement doesn’t work out, there is a fee refund structure in place within our T&C’s.
4. If I wish to use the cook’s services again – what happens?
Clients must contact Book a Cook for each booking as per our T&C’s, if you use the same cook again, we reduce our fees to take into account client/cook loyalty.
5. Who pays for the cook’s interview/travel costs?
Cooks usually charge clients approx £0.40p per mile for their mileage getting to and from their jobs. You would also be expected to pay any train, taxi and flights where applicable. This is something for you to discuss directly with the cook in question.
6. Who does the shopping for the food?
The cooks are usually happy to do all the necessary shopping and would present receipts for the goods. In this case prompt re-imbursement is important.
7. For a larger event, can your cooks organize staff and equipment hire such as crockery and glassware?
Yes, our cooks often know waiting staff they have worked with before on previous jobs so it’s well worth asking, alternatively Book a Cook can help with finding any additional staffing. Cooks also have good networks of providers and can organize china and glasses although there may be an additional cost involved.
8. What happens if I make a booking and then need to cancel?
It depends on how long you have left it prior to the booking taking place. There would be a charge for a cancellation within two weeks of the booking commencement date. Full details can be found within our T&C’s.
