Terms of Service

Welcome to LocalChefRI. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. LocalChefRI provides a marketplace that connects customers with independent chefs for private dining experiences across Rhode Island.

LocalChefRI is a service operated by LocalChef LLC, a Rhode Island limited liability company registered with the Rhode Island Secretary of State. In these terms, “LocalChefRI”, “we”, “us”, and “our” mean LocalChef LLC. These terms form an agreement between you and LocalChef LLC, and every right, disclaimer, limitation of liability, and indemnity in them runs in favour of LocalChef LLC and its owners, officers, employees, and agents.

Please read these terms carefully. If you do not agree, you may not use the platform.

LocalChefRI is a marketplace platform. We are not the provider of chef services. Chefs listed on our platform are independent contractors and are solely responsible for the services they provide.

We facilitate:

• Chef discovery and profile browsing
• Messaging between customers and chefs
• Booking management and scheduling
• Secure payment processing

Users must be at least 18 years old to use the platform. By creating an account or placing a booking, you confirm that you have the legal capacity to enter into agreements and that all information you provide is accurate and complete.

All bookings must be completed through LocalChefRI.

• Customers agree to pay the total amount shown at checkout
• The chef sets a list price. A 3% LocalChef service fee is added to that list price at checkout and shown on its own line. LocalChef charges the chef a 15% partner fee on the list price, or 12% for a founding chef, so the chef receives the remainder of the list price plus 100% of any voluntary tip. Rhode Island sales tax and the local meals and beverage tax, 8% combined, are added at checkout, charged to and funded by the customer, and collected and remitted by LocalChef.
• Payments are processed securely through Stripe
• Chefs receive payouts after the experience is completed

Platform messaging is the primary channel for communication between customers and chefs, and is the record of what was agreed. Users may message through the platform before booking to discuss event details, dietary needs, and other logistics.

• Sharing personal contact information before a booking is confirmed is prohibited
• Attempts to bypass the platform for bookings may result in account suspension

After a booking is confirmed, customers and chefs may exchange contact details solely to coordinate that specific booking. LocalChefRI does not currently relay or mask personal phone numbers. Any number you choose to share is your real number, it is shared directly with the other party, and we do not screen, record, or have visibility into calls or messages sent outside the platform. Share contact details only if you are willing for the other party to hold them.

Contact details obtained through the platform may not be used to solicit or arrange bookings outside it, to market any product or service, or to add any person to a contact or mailing list. This restriction continues to apply after the booking has been completed.

Cancellations are based on how far in advance you cancel before the scheduled event date:

7.1 Independent contractor status

Chefs are independent contractors. Nothing in these terms creates an employment, agency, partnership, joint venture, or franchise relationship between a chef and LocalChefRI. Chefs are not employees of LocalChefRI and are not eligible for wages, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, or any employee benefit from LocalChefRI.

Chefs control their own rates, their own schedule, which bookings they accept, their own menus and methods, and the tools and ingredients they use. Chefs are free to offer their services to the public through any other channel, including in direct competition with this platform.

7.2 Licenses, permits, and legal compliance

Each chef is solely responsible for obtaining and continuously maintaining, at their own expense, every license, permit, certification, and registration required to lawfully provide their services in Rhode Island, and for operating in full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local law. Requirements depend on how a chef operates and may change. It is the chef's obligation, not ours, to determine what applies to them and to keep it current. Depending on the operation these may include:

• A Rhode Island Department of Health food safety manager certification, and a food handler certification for anyone preparing or serving food
• A RIDOH caterer, commissary, or food service license where food is prepared in one location and served in another
• A Class P liquor license, or any other license required by the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, before selling, serving, or charging any fee associated with alcoholic beverages
• Business registration, a state tax identification number, and any municipal permit required where the chef operates

Chefs represent and warrant that they hold every credential required for the services they list, that the information they provide about those credentials is accurate, and that they will notify us immediately if any credential lapses, is suspended, or is revoked. LocalChefRI may suspend or remove any listing at any time, without notice, where we believe a required credential is missing, expired, or misrepresented.

7.3 Liability insurance

Rhode Island law does not require a private chef to carry general liability insurance. LocalChef LLC does not require it either. Each chef is an independent business, and whether to carry insurance of any kind is the chef's own decision, made at the chef's own risk and expense. We do not require, request, collect, review, or verify any certificate of insurance, and no statement anywhere on this platform should be read as telling a customer that a given chef is insured.

A chef who chooses not to carry insurance bears personally, and without any contribution from LocalChef LLC, every cost, claim, judgment, and expense arising from their services. A chef who does carry insurance is responsible for confirming that their policy covers the preparation and service of food in private residences, and remains responsible for anything the policy does not cover.

LocalChefRI does not provide, procure, or extend insurance of any kind to chefs or to customers. We are not an insurer. Any insurance we may carry is for our own benefit only and confers no rights, coverage, or benefit on any chef, customer, or other person.

Customers should assume no chef is insured unless they have asked that chef directly and satisfied themselves of the answer. If insurance matters to you, ask before you book.

7.4 Taxes

LocalChefRI calculates, collects, and remits Rhode Island sales tax and the local meals and beverage tax on bookings made through the platform. Those taxes are charged to and funded by the customer, and they are never deducted from chef payouts. Chefs remain solely responsible for their own federal and state income tax and self-employment tax on what they earn. LocalChefRI does not withhold taxes from chef payouts. Chef payouts are made through Stripe. Where required by law, we or our payment processor will report amounts paid to a chef and issue the corresponding tax form. Chefs are treated as independent contractors for tax purposes and do not receive a W-2 from LocalChefRI.

7.5 Service obligations

By listing services on LocalChefRI, chefs also agree to:

• Provide services as described in their listing
• Maintain accurate pricing, availability, and profile information
• Honor all confirmed bookings or cancel with adequate notice
• Follow all applicable food safety, allergen, hygiene, and temperature control requirements, and take reasonable steps to prevent cross contact where a customer has disclosed an allergy
• Respect customer property and leave the kitchen clean
• Arrive prepared with all necessary ingredients and equipment

7.6 Identity, account sharing, and substitution

Everything you submit about yourself must be truthful and must be about you. Your account, your login, and any verification or screening credential attached to them are personal to you: they may not be transferred, sold, loaned, or shared, and one person may not complete verification or screening for another.

Only the chef identified on a booking may perform the service. No substitute, assistant, or additional worker may enter a customer’s home under a booking unless disclosed in advance and separately approved under LocalChef’s policies. A person who has not completed LocalChef’s required verification and screening must never perform a booking under another chef’s profile.

We may pause or remove an account, without refund of any screening fee already spent with our screening provider, where we reasonably believe there has been impersonation, an identity mismatch, account sharing, unauthorized substitution, or falsified information. We may also require reverification or rescreening with appropriate notice and your authorization. Completing verification, screening, or payment does not guarantee approval, publication, bookings, or a Founding Chef slot, and verification does not eliminate all risk.

By booking through LocalChefRI, customers agree to:

• Provide accurate event details including guest count and location
• Disclose all allergies and dietary restrictions before the event
• Provide a safe and suitable environment with kitchen access for the chef
• Treat chefs with respect and provide honest reviews
• Honor cancellation policies as outlined above

Users may not:

• Conduct transactions outside the platform to avoid service fees
• Share misleading, false, or fraudulent information
• Harass, discriminate against, or threaten other users
• Violate any applicable local, state, or federal laws
• Interfere with platform functionality or security
• Create multiple accounts for deceptive purposes

LocalChefRI reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Attempts to bypass platform payments
• Repeated cancellations or no-shows
• Fraudulent activity or misrepresentation
• Harassment or abusive behavior toward other users

Suspended users may appeal the decision by contacting our support team, who will explain the reason for the suspension.

11.1 We are not the provider

LocalChefRI is a marketplace. We do not prepare, cook, serve, supervise, inspect, or deliver food, and we are not a party to the agreement between a customer and a chef. Every chef service is provided by an independent chef, entirely at that chef's own direction and risk. Any screening or verification we perform is limited, is not a guarantee of any chef's skill, conduct, credentials, or safety, and must not be relied on as one.

11.2 Disclaimer of warranties

The platform is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranty of any kind. To the fullest extent permitted by Rhode Island law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the platform will be uninterrupted, secure, or error free, or that any listing, credential, review, or other content is accurate or complete.

11.3 No liability for chef services

To the fullest extent permitted by law, LocalChefRI is not liable for any claim, injury, illness, allergic reaction, foodborne illness, death, property damage, theft, loss, delay, cancellation, or dispute arising out of or relating to any chef service, any chef's acts or omissions, any customer's acts or omissions, the condition of any premises or kitchen, or any interaction between users, whether occurring on or off the platform. This applies whether the claim is brought in contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or any other theory.

Your recourse is against the chef. A booking is an agreement between a customer and an independent chef, and LocalChef LLC is not a party to it. A customer who suffers injury, illness, or property damage in connection with a chef service may pursue that chef directly, including in court, and nothing in these terms limits that right. Chefs are not required to carry insurance and may have none, which means a chef may be unable to satisfy a judgment. That risk sits with the customer and the chef, and to the fullest extent permitted by law it does not transfer to LocalChef LLC. Where you believe another user has caused you harm, we will, on lawful request, provide the booking and contact records we hold.

11.4 Exclusion of certain damages

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profit, revenue, data, goodwill, or business opportunity, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

11.5 Cap on liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total aggregate liability to any user for all claims arising out of or relating to the platform or these terms will not exceed the greater of the total service fees that user paid to LocalChefRI in the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim, or one hundred dollars ($100).

11.6 What this section does not limit

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under Rhode Island law, including liability for our own fraud, gross negligence, or willful misconduct. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain exclusions or limitations, so parts of this section may not apply to you. Where a limitation is held unenforceable, the remaining limitations continue to apply to the fullest extent permitted.

Booking a chef to cook in a private home carries risk that no platform can remove. By using LocalChefRI you accept that risk knowingly and voluntarily, and you accept responsibility for the consequences.

Customers are responsible for providing a safe kitchen and premises, including working appliances, sound electrical and gas supply, and safe access. Customers are responsible for their guests. Chefs are responsible for assessing whether a kitchen is safe to work in and for declining or stopping work where it is not.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless LocalChefRI and its owners, officers, employees, and agents from and against any claim, demand, loss, damage, liability, penalty, fine, cost, or expense, including reasonable legal fees, arising out of or relating to:

• Your use of the platform, or any booking you make or accept
• Any service you provide or receive, including any injury, illness, allergic reaction, or property damage arising from it
• Your breach of these terms, or of any representation or warranty you make in them
• Your violation of any law, or of any right of a third party, including any failure to hold a required license, permit, certification, or insurance
• Any tax you were responsible for under section 7.4 and failed to report or remit

We may assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification by you, at your expense, and you agree to cooperate with that defense.

Any disputes between users should first be attempted to be resolved through the platform's messaging system. LocalChefRI may assist in mediation but is not obligated to do so.

If a resolution cannot be reached, users may contact our support team for further assistance at support@localchefri.com.

We may update these Terms of Service at any time to reflect changes in our practices, features, or legal requirements. We will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.

Continued use of the platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

You keep ownership of everything you upload: photos, bios, dish descriptions, menus, and messages. Nothing here transfers ownership of your work to us.

By uploading content you grant LocalChefRI a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, store, reproduce, display, and adapt it for the purpose of operating and promoting the platform, including on our website, in search results, and in marketing material. This license lasts while your content is on the platform and for a reasonable period afterwards to allow for backups and archived copies.

You confirm that you own or have permission to use everything you upload, and that it does not infringe anyone else's rights. Do not upload photographs you did not take or license, including images taken from other chefs, restaurants, or stock sites without permission.

The platform itself, including the LocalChefRI name, logo, design, and software, belongs to LocalChef LLC and may not be copied or reused without written permission.

If you believe content on LocalChefRI infringes your copyright, contact us at support@localchefri.com with enough detail to identify the work, where it appears on the platform, your contact details, and a statement that you believe the use is unauthorized.

We remove content that we determine to be infringing, and we may suspend or terminate accounts that repeatedly infringe.

18.1 Severability

If any provision of these terms is held invalid or unenforceable, that provision is limited or removed to the minimum extent necessary, and the rest of these terms remain in full force. In particular, the limitations in section 11 and the indemnity in section 13 are intended to apply to the fullest extent permitted, and the failure of any one of them does not affect the others.

18.2 Entire agreement

These terms, together with the Privacy Policy and Refund Policy, are the whole agreement between you and LocalChef LLC about the platform, and replace any earlier understanding, marketing statement, or verbal assurance.

18.3 No waiver

If we do not enforce a provision on one occasion, that is not a waiver of our right to enforce it later.

18.4 Assignment

You may not transfer your account or your rights under these terms without our written permission. We may assign these terms, in whole or in part, to an affiliate or in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of the business.

18.5 Events outside our control

Neither party is responsible for a failure to perform caused by something genuinely outside their reasonable control, including severe weather, natural disaster, power or network failure, public health emergency, or government action. Where a booking cannot go ahead for such a reason, the customer receives a full refund regardless of the timing tiers in section 6, and neither the chef nor LocalChefRI is liable for further loss.

18.6 Electronic communications

By using the platform you consent to receive communications from us electronically, including by email, SMS where you have provided a number, and notices posted on the platform. Electronic communications satisfy any legal requirement that a communication be in writing. Service-related messages, such as booking confirmations, cancellations, and changes to these terms, are not marketing and cannot be opted out of while you hold an account.

A review may only be left by a customer who booked and paid for the experience being reviewed, and must describe that experience first hand.

We do not write reviews, pay for them, or offer anything of value in exchange for one. Neither may a chef. Offering a discount, a refund, a free course, or any other consideration in return for a review, or in return for taking one down, is grounds for suspension under section 10.

We do not edit a review to change its rating or its meaning, and we do not remove a review for being unfavourable. We do remove content that breaches section 9, including material that is unlawful, that identifies other people without their consent, or that has nothing to do with the booking.

A rating shown on a chef profile is calculated from customer reviews. Where a chef has no completed bookings, no rating is shown rather than a placeholder.

If something is wrong with a charge, contact us first at support@localchefri.com. Most billing questions are settled faster that way than through a bank dispute, and nothing in these terms takes away your right to raise one with your card issuer.

Where a chargeback is raised against a booking, we may hold the related payout while it is decided, and we will give the card network the booking record, the messages, and the cancellation terms that applied as evidence. If a chargeback is decided against a chef, the amount, plus any fee the card network charges us for it, may be recovered from that chef’s future payouts.

Raising a chargeback over a service that was delivered as agreed, instead of using the cancellation and refund terms in section 6, is grounds for suspension under section 10.

These Terms of Service are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Rhode Island, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be resolved in the courts of the State of Rhode Island.

For support or questions about these Terms of Service, contact us at: support@localchefri.com