Open request
Describe your event on the booking form. ChefFlow shares the request only with matched chefs in the area. No payment is due at this stage, and the request is not a confirmed booking.
How it works
ChefFlow does not use one generic booking path. You can browse the current directory, send an open request to matched chefs, or contact a specific chef directly. Some chefs may also offer instant booking with a Stripe deposit.
Direct chef inquiry
When you choose a chef profile, your details go directly to that chef. The next step is menu, pricing, timing, and fit. No payment is due when you send the inquiry.
Instant book when offered
Some chefs may enable an instant-book path. In that case, Stripe checkout collects the deposit and the booking is confirmed after payment succeeds.
Before you inquire directly
A strong direct inquiry helps the chef decide faster. Some profiles publish a response window, policies, and current-record badges, but those signals are profile-specific and not a marketplace-wide guarantee.
Event date, city, and venue type
Guest count and the kind of service you want
Budget range and dietary constraints
Any timing, kitchen-access, or travel limitations that could affect fit
If you are looking for a chef
1. Browse the current directory or describe your event
You can browse the chef directory and reach out to a specific chef, or use the booking form to describe your event and let matched chefs decide whether to reply. The directory is curated, and ChefFlow accepts requests from anywhere in the United States.
2. The next step depends on the path you chose
Open booking shares your request with matched chefs. Direct inquiry goes only to the chef whose profile you chose. Instant-book, when enabled, confirms the date after a Stripe deposit. The path matters because reply timing and payment expectations are not the same across all three.
3. Review written terms before you pay
Menu, pricing, deposit, cancellation, and what-is-included terms come from the chef agreement or booking terms. ChefFlow does not publish one universal refund rule for every chef. Read the written terms before you commit or pay.
If you are a chef
Create your public profile
Sign up, publish your services, cuisines, service area, pricing guidance, and policies. Directory approval is a profile-quality review, not a background check.
Publish trust signals clearly
If you upload insurance or certification records, ChefFlow can surface public badges on your profile. Self-reported service settings help buyers plan, but they do not create a current-record badge on their own. Sample menus, pricing guidance, response-time signals, and gallery photos make the page more buyer-ready.
Run the workflow from inquiry to payout
ChefFlow covers inquiry intake, proposals, menu costing, event management, payment records, and reconciliation. Core workflows are free today, and the exact current pricing state lives on the pricing page.
Need the trust details?
Review the Trust Center for the plain-English version of what ChefFlow verifies, what it does not verify, how payment records work, and how support escalation starts.