1. About ChowFlex
1.1 ChowFlex Ltd ("ChowFlex", "we", "us", "our") is a company registered in England and Wales. Our registered address and company number are available on our Contact page.
1.2 ChowFlex operates a two-sided online marketplace that connects independent home cooks ("Cooks") with customers who wish to order home-cooked food ("Customers"). ChowFlex also operates ChowFlex Market, a marketplace for fresh African and Caribbean produce.
1.3 ChowFlex is a marketplace platform. We are not a food business, a restaurant, or a food delivery service. We do not prepare or deliver food ourselves. The contract for the supply of food is between the Customer and the Cook directly. ChowFlex acts as a commercial agent facilitating that transaction.
1.4 These Terms govern your use of the ChowFlex platform (website at chowflex.co.uk and any associated mobile applications).
2. Eligibility and accounts
2.1 To use ChowFlex, you must be at least 18 years old and resident in the United Kingdom.
2.2 You must create an account to place orders. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account and for all activity that occurs under it.
2.3 You must provide accurate information when creating your account. If your details change, you must update your account promptly.
2.4 ChowFlex reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or that we reasonably believe are being used fraudulently.
3. Ordering food (for Customers)
3.1 The ChowFlex platform is a pre-order marketplace. Most orders must be placed in advance of the Cook's delivery day. The order window for each Cook is displayed on their profile.
3.2 A contract for the supply of food is formed between you (the Customer) and the Cook when you place an order and the Cook accepts it. ChowFlex is not a party to this contract.
3.3 The minimum order value is £25 per Cook. Individual dish prices are set by Cooks and displayed on the platform.
3.4 A Cook may decline your order at their discretion within the acceptance window. If declined, any payment authorisation is immediately released.
3.5 You may cancel an order before the Cook's weekly order cutoff deadline (displayed for each Cook on the platform). After the cutoff, the Cook will have begun purchasing ingredients and orders cannot be cancelled. This is consistent with your rights under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, which excludes the right to cancel distance contracts for perishable goods once supplied.
3.6 Custom orders posted by Customers are visible to Cooks on the platform. By posting a custom order, you consent to ChowFlex sharing the details of your request (excluding your personal contact information) with Cooks and, where no Cook match is found, using the request to generate cook recruitment content.
4. Payments
4.1 Payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. By placing an order, you agree to Stripe's terms of service.
4.2 Your payment method is authorised at the time of ordering. Funds are not captured until your order is delivered and confirmed.
4.3 If an order is cancelled (by you before the cutoff, by the Cook, or due to a failed delivery), your payment authorisation is released and no charge is made.
4.4 Delivery fees are displayed at checkout and calculated based on your delivery address and the Cook's location. Delivery is handled by Uber Direct.
4.5 ChowFlex collects payment on behalf of Cooks as their commercial agent. The receipt of payment by ChowFlex discharges your payment obligation to the Cook.
5. Food safety and allergens
5.1 Every Cook on ChowFlex must hold a current Food Hygiene Level 2 certificate and be registered as a food business with their local authority before going live. ChowFlex verifies these requirements.
5.2 Cooks are legally responsible for declaring all 14 major allergens present in each dish, in accordance with the Food Information Regulations 2014 (as amended by Natasha's Law). Allergen information displayed on ChowFlex is provided by Cooks and has not been independently verified by ChowFlex.
5.3 If you have a severe or life-threatening allergy, you must contact the Cook directly before placing an order to discuss your requirements. ChowFlex shall not be liable for allergic reactions arising from inaccurate allergen declarations by Cooks.
5.4 ChowFlex is not a food business and is not responsible for the quality, safety, or fitness for purpose of food prepared by Cooks. Responsibility for food safety rests with the Cook.
6. Halal certification
6.1 ChowFlex operates a three-tier halal certification system:
(a) Tier 1 (Self-declared): The Cook has declared their practices meet halal requirements. This is not independently verified by ChowFlex.
(b) Tier 2 (HFA Certified): The Cook holds a current certificate from the Halal Food Authority. ChowFlex has verified the certificate against the HFA register.
(c) Tier 3 (HMC Certified): The Cook holds a current certificate from the Halal Monitoring Committee. ChowFlex has verified the certificate against the HMC register.
6.2 ChowFlex does not independently audit Cook kitchens or supply chains. Verification for Tier 2 and Tier 3 is limited to confirming the Cook holds a valid certificate from the relevant certification body.
6.3 ChowFlex makes no representations as to the absolute halal compliance of any Cook and shall not be liable for claims arising from alleged non-compliance.
7. Subscriptions
7.1 ChowFlex offers three subscription tiers: Chef subscription (locked to a specific Cook), Meal subscription (matched by dish across Cooks), and Meal Plan (curated weekly meals).
7.2 Subscriptions are set up to recur weekly. You will receive a notification on your publishing day each week confirming your upcoming order. You may skip, modify, or cancel before the weekly cutoff deadline.
7.3 For the Meal subscription tier, if your usual Cook is unavailable, ChowFlex will notify you and suggest an alternative Cook making the same dish. You must confirm the substitution before your order is placed.
7.4 Subscriptions may be cancelled at any time via your account settings. Cancellation takes effect from the next order cycle after the cutoff has passed. We will not charge you for orders cancelled before the cutoff.
7.5 ChowFlex reserves the right to modify subscription terms with 14 days' notice. If changes are materially unfavourable to you, you may cancel without penalty within the notice period.
8. Disputes and refunds
8.1 If you have a concern about your order, you must raise a dispute within 24 hours of delivery via the ChowFlex app or by emailing disputes@chowflex.co.uk.
8.2 ChowFlex will review evidence from both the Customer and the Cook and issue a decision within 72 hours.
8.3 Where ChowFlex finds in favour of the Customer, a full or partial refund will be issued to the original payment method within 5–10 business days.
8.4 For ChowFlex Market orders (fresh produce), disputes regarding the condition or weight of goods must be raised within 2 hours of delivery, supported by photographic evidence.
8.5 ChowFlex's dispute resolution process does not affect your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
9. Featured cooks and advertising
9.1 Cooks may pay ChowFlex to have their profile displayed as a "Featured" or "Sponsored" listing on the browse page or homepage. All paid placements are clearly marked as "Sponsored" or "Featured".
9.2 Featured status does not constitute an endorsement by ChowFlex of the Cook's food quality, safety, or reliability. All Cooks, whether featured or not, are subject to the same verification requirements.
9.3 The ranking of non-featured Cooks in search results is based on factors including rating, order volume, response speed, and profile completeness.
10. Becoming a Cook
10.1 Cooks are independent contractors operating their own food businesses. They are not employees, workers, or agents of ChowFlex. ChowFlex does not control the manner in which Cooks prepare food, source ingredients, or organise their kitchens.
10.2 Cooks are solely responsible for: (a) compliance with all applicable food safety laws; (b) accurate allergen declarations; (c) maintaining valid food business registration; (d) the quality and safety of food supplied to Customers.
10.3 ChowFlex earns a commission of 15% of the order value (10% for B2B orders on ChowFlex Market). The remainder (85%) is paid to the Cook weekly via Stripe.
10.4 ChowFlex reserves the right to suspend or remove a Cook from the platform for non-compliance with these Terms, failure to maintain required certifications, or repeated customer complaints.
11. Limitation of liability
11.1 ChowFlex is a marketplace platform. Subject to clause 11.3, ChowFlex shall not be liable for: (a) the quality, safety, or fitness for purpose of food prepared by Cooks; (b) personal injury caused by food prepared by Cooks; (c) allergic reactions arising from food prepared by Cooks; (d) late or failed deliveries by Uber Direct couriers; (e) loss or damage arising from inaccurate information provided by Cooks.
11.2 ChowFlex's total liability to any Customer or Cook in connection with the platform shall not exceed the greater of: (a) the total fees paid to ChowFlex in the 12 months preceding the claim; or (b) £500.
11.3 Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes ChowFlex's liability for: (a) death or personal injury caused by ChowFlex's own negligence; (b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; (c) any liability that cannot be excluded by law.
12. Intellectual property
12.1 The ChowFlex platform, including its software, design, and content created by ChowFlex, is owned by ChowFlex Ltd and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.
12.2 Cooks retain ownership of photographs and content they upload to the platform, but grant ChowFlex a non-exclusive licence to display and promote that content on the platform and in marketing materials.
12.3 You may not copy, reproduce, or redistribute any part of the ChowFlex platform without our written permission.
13. Governing law
13.1 These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
13.2 If you are a consumer, you may also be entitled to bring proceedings in the courts of your country of habitual residence.
13.3 These Terms do not affect your statutory rights as a consumer under UK law.
14. Changes to these Terms
14.1 ChowFlex may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by email at least 14 days before they take effect.
14.2 Your continued use of ChowFlex after the effective date of changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
14.3 If you do not agree with updated Terms, you may close your account before the effective date without penalty.
15. Contact
For any questions about these Terms, please contact:
Email: legal@chowflex.co.uk Post: ChowFlex Ltd, [Registered address] Company number: [Companies House registration number]