Terms and Conditions

1. About Us

Up Chef LTD ("UpChef," "we," "us," or "our") operates an online marketplace (the "Platform") that connects customers ("Customers") with independent chefs, caterers, and event professionals ("Chefs"). Our Platform includes the website upchef.app and UpChef mobile apps for iOS and Android.

For questions, contact us at support@upchef.app.

2. Coverage

These Terms apply to your use of the Platform in every country where UpChef operates.

Additional terms may apply for specific features or services, and these will be provided when relevant.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use the Platform. By using UpChef, you confirm that you meet this requirement.

4. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If changes are material, we will notify you via the Platform or email. Continued use after the effective date means you accept the updated Terms.

5. Privacy

Your use of the Platform is also subject to our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data.

6. Access to the Platform

• •The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available."
• •We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access.
• •You are responsible for obtaining Internet access and compatible devices.

7. Your Account

• •Keep your account credentials confidential.
• •Provide accurate and up-to-date information.
• •Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.

8. Lawful Use

You agree not to:

• •Use the Platform for any unlawful or fraudulent purpose.
• •Upload or transmit viruses or harmful code.
• •Interfere with the operation of the Platform.

9. Bookings & Payments

When you book a service through UpChef:

• •Marketplace: UpChef facilitates connections between Customers and Chefs. We are not a party to the actual service agreement between you and the Chef.
• •Chef Verification: Before a Chef appears on the Platform they must submit a government-issued identity document and either a culinary certificate or a letter evidencing professional experience, and be approved by UpChef. In countries served by Stripe, a Chef must also complete Stripe Connect onboarding before they can accept a paid booking. Verification is a review of the documents supplied to us; it is not a guarantee of a Chef's conduct or of the quality of their work.
• •Quotes & Pricing: Chefs set their own prices. UpChef takes no commission from Chefs.
• •Service Fee: A platform service fee of 7% of the order value is added at checkout and paid by the Customer. Tax is applied to that fee at the rate of the Chef's country — except in the United Arab Emirates, where 5% VAT is applied to the full order total as required by UAE law. The full total, including all fees and taxes, is always shown before you confirm payment.
• •Payments: Payments are processed securely through the Platform by our payment providers — Tap Payments in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and Stripe in all other supported countries. You agree to pay all fees associated with your booking.
• •Escrow & Payout: When you book by card, an authorization hold is placed on your payment method and is only captured once the Chef accepts your booking. Funds are held securely until the service is completed and are then released to the Chef following a short dispute window. UpChef retains the Customer-paid service fee.
• •Booking Requests: If a Chef has not yet completed payout onboarding, your booking is sent as a request and no hold is placed on your payment method. The Chef is asked to complete onboarding so they can accept. A request that is not accepted expires automatically after 48 hours and you are not charged.
• •If a Chef Does Not Respond: An authorization hold is not open-ended. If the Chef does not accept before the acceptance deadline, or the hold reaches its expiry (approximately seven days), the authorization is released in full and nothing is charged. Your bank may take a few days to show the released funds.
• •Chef Payouts: Chefs outside Saudi Arabia and the UAE are connected directly to Stripe through Stripe Connect. When a booking is paid, the funds are held in the Chef's own Stripe account and are released automatically after the service is completed. In Saudi Arabia and the UAE, payouts are processed by UpChef to the Chef's registered bank account. UpChef takes no commission on a Chef's menu price. A payment processing fee of 6% of the booking value is deducted before payout, covering the card and payout costs charged by our payment providers.
• •Cancellations: A single platform-wide policy applies to all bookings: (a) cancel 7 or more days before the event — 100% refund, including the service fee and any tax; (b) cancel within 7 days of the event — the booking is non-refundable; (c) bookings on peak dates (25 December and 31 December) are non-refundable regardless of notice; (d) if the Chef cancels, we will help you find a replacement Chef or refund you 100%. Refunds are returned to the original payment method, typically within 5–10 business days.
• •Statutory Cancellation Rights: Where you book a service for a specific date, the statutory 14-day right to cancel a distance contract does not apply. Both UK law (the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, regulation 28(1)(h)) and EU law (Directive 2011/83/EU, Article 16(l)) exclude the supply of services related to leisure activities where the contract provides for a specific date or period of performance. A booking made through UpChef is such a service: you choose the date and time, and the chef reserves it for you. The cancellation policy above applies instead. Nothing in these Terms removes any statutory right you have as a consumer.
• •If the Chef Cancels: The Customer receives a full refund and the Chef is paid nothing for that booking. Repeated cancellations may lead to reduced visibility, suspension or removal from the Platform, at UpChef's discretion. We take genuine emergencies into account.
• •If the Customer Is Not There: If the Customer is not present at the agreed address at the agreed time, or refuses the service for a reason not attributable to the Chef, the booking is treated as delivered. No refund is issued and the Chef is paid in full.
• •Rescheduling: A booking may be moved to a different date at any time before the event if both the Customer and the Chef agree. If they cannot agree, the cancellation policy above applies. Rescheduling does not restart the cancellation window: the original event date continues to apply.
• •Disputes: After a Chef marks a booking complete, payment is held for a short window — currently three hours from the scheduled service time — during which you may raise a dispute in the app. Doing so suspends the payout until UpChef has reviewed it. We may resolve a dispute by refunding the full amount, or by refunding the service price while retaining the service fee and any tax, depending on what occurred. The Chef has 48 hours to respond. UpChef reviews the case and issues a decision within 7 days of the dispute being raised.
• •Chargebacks: If a Customer raises a chargeback or payment dispute directly with their bank or card issuer, the disputed amount and any fee charged by our payment provider may be deducted from the Chef's balance or from future payouts. Nothing here limits a Customer's statutory right to raise a chargeback, but the dispute process below usually resolves an issue faster.

10. User Content

• •You retain ownership of content you upload (e.g., reviews, photos).
• •By uploading, you grant UpChef a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute your content for Platform operations and marketing.
• •We may remove content that violates these Terms or applicable laws.
• •Customers may review bookings they have made. We remove reviews that are abusive, fraudulent, off-topic or retaliatory. We do not remove a review only because the Chef disagrees with it.

11. Intellectual Property

All content, trademarks, and technology on the Platform are owned by or licensed to UpChef. You may not copy, modify, or distribute our content without permission.

Reporting infringement: If you believe content on the Platform infringes your rights, email support@upchef.app with your contact details, a link to the content, the right you say is infringed, and a statement that the information you have given is accurate. We review every notice and remove content where the claim is made out.

12. Trademarks

"UpChef," our logo, and related marks are trademarks of Up Chef LTD. Use of these marks without permission is prohibited.

13. Third-Party Content

The Platform may contain links or content from third parties. We are not responsible for such content or external websites.

14. Prohibited Activities

• •Reverse engineer or attempt to extract source code.
• •Use bots, scrapers, or automated tools.
• •Frame or mirror the Platform without permission.
• •Impersonate others or misrepresent your identity.
• •Arrange or accept payment outside the Platform for a booking that began on it — we may suspend or close the account and charge the service fee that would have applied.

15. Availability

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Platform at any time without notice. We are not liable for any unavailability.

16. Disclaimers

• •Marketplace Role: UpChef is a marketplace only. We do not provide chef or catering services ourselves.
• •Independent Chefs: Chefs are independent businesses, not employees, agents, partners, or representatives of UpChef. UpChef does not supervise, direct, or control the services Chefs provide. UpChef takes no commission from Chefs; our revenue comes from software subscriptions paid by Chefs and the service fee paid by Customers. UpChef is not a party to, and receives no share of, the service agreement between Customer and Chef.
• •Food Safety & Allergies: Chefs are solely responsible for food safety, hygiene, allergen handling, and compliance with all applicable food laws. UpChef does not prepare, handle, inspect, or taste any food. Customers must communicate all allergies and dietary restrictions directly to the Chef before the event. To the fullest extent permitted by law, UpChef accepts no liability for illness, allergic reaction, or injury arising from services provided by Chefs.
• •Chef Obligations: Chefs are solely responsible for their own licenses, permits, insurance, and the declaration and payment of all taxes on their earnings. UpChef does not withhold taxes on behalf of Chefs.
• •Insurance: UpChef does not hold insurance covering claims arising from services provided by Chefs. Chefs are responsible for their own insurance and for any claim brought against them in connection with a booking.
• •Verification Is Not an Endorsement: Identity verification (whether performed by our team or by Stripe) confirms identity only. It is not an endorsement, guarantee, or warranty of any Chef’s skills, qualifications, licensing, or the quality or legality of their services.
• •No Warranties: We disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including fitness for a particular purpose.
• •Information Accuracy: We make reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy but do not guarantee that all information is complete or error-free.

17. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, UpChef shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, including loss of profits, data, or goodwill. Our total aggregate liability to you — under or in connection with these Terms, any booking, or your use of the Platform, whether in contract, tort, breach of statutory duty or otherwise — is limited to the greater of (a) the fees UpChef received from you in the 12 months before the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) USD 500. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any statutory right you have as a consumer.

Our total liability for any claim shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the 12 months prior to the claim.

Some jurisdictions do not allow exclusions of liability for certain damages, so some of these limitations may not apply to you.

18. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless UpChef, its affiliates, officers, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from your use of the Platform or breach of these Terms.

19. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Platform at any time for any reason, including violation of these Terms. Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately.

20. Linking to the Platform

You may link to our public pages, provided you do so in a way that is fair, legal, and does not damage our reputation. You must not establish a link in a way that suggests any form of association, approval, or endorsement on our part where none exists.

21. Notices

We may send notices to you via email, push notification, or through the Platform. You agree to receive communications electronically.

22. Governing Law & Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have non-exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute. Nothing in this section removes the mandatory consumer-protection rights you have under the laws of the country where you live.

23. General

• •Entire Agreement: These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and UpChef regarding your use of the Platform.
• •Severability: If any provision is found invalid, the remaining provisions remain in effect.
• •No Waiver: Failure to enforce any provision does not waive our right to do so later.
• •Assignment: You may not assign your rights under these Terms. We may assign ours without notice.
• •Force Majeure: We are not liable for delays or failures caused by events beyond our reasonable control.