How CaterKin works
CaterKin is the Irish way to book a verified private chef, caterer, cooking class or food experience. Talk to a real host first, see the full price up front, and pay nothing until your host accepts.
First, what is CaterKin?
It is a marketplace that connects you with the chefs and caterers near you, for the night that matters. You book and pay online, and no cash ever changes hands. Here is what you can book.
A private chef
Comes to your kitchen, cooks fresh, serves your guests, and cleans up after. You just sit down at your own table.
A caterer
Food for a bigger crowd, a christening, an office lunch, a milestone party, dropped to your venue or home.
A cooking class
A chef teaches you and your group to cook, at their place or yours. Great for a hen, a team day, or a couple's night.
A food experience
A chef-led tasting or dining experience, built around an occasion rather than a regular night out.
Two ways to book
You are in control. Book straight away if you know what you want, or just message the host first with no card needed. Either way, you hear from a real person before anything is confirmed, and your payment is handled the same safe way.
Book Now
Best when you know what you want
- Pick your date, guests and menu, then send your request.
- Your card is held, not charged. The money is only reserved.
- The host has up to 48 hours to reply, and has to message you before they can accept.
Message the host
Best when you want to talk first, or need something bespoke
- Start a chat with no card needed at all.
- Talk through your night, your numbers and any dietary needs.
- The host sends back a custom quote with a set price. You pay only when you are happy.
How Book Now works, step by step
The everyday way to book. The most important part is the last step, so read on, because your card is only ever charged when your host says yes.
Browse and find your host
Filter by location, cuisine, group size, budget and dietary needs. Every host is identity-verified, and every listing is approved by hand before it goes live.
Pick your date and menu
Choose your date, time and number of guests. For a chef or caterer you build a menu or pick a package. For a class or experience you just grab your spots.
Add your address and any notes
Tell the host where to come, a chef or caterer comes to you, and add any allergies, dietary needs or special requests. These are saved onto the booking itself.
Enter your card, but you are not charged
Stripe places a temporary hold, so the money is reserved, not taken. You see the full price first: the service total, any travel fee, the card fee, and the total.
The host replies and messages you
The host has up to 48 hours to respond, and has to message you before they are allowed to accept. So you always hear from your chef before anything moves.
Charged only when the host accepts
Your card is charged at one moment only, when the host taps Accept. Decline or no reply in time, and the hold is released, you are never charged. Then comes your event, and 48 hours after to raise anything.
The one thing to remember
Your card is held, not charged, until your host accepts. No acceptance, no charge. If the host declines or never replies, the hold simply drops off and the money stays yours.
What it costs, and if plans change
No haggling, no buried fees, and a clear path back if something comes up.
No surprise charges
You see the full breakdown before you pay: the service total, a travel fee only if your event is outside the host's free radius, the card processing fee, and the total. Hosts set their own prices, so what you agree is what you pay. Nothing extra appears later.
If your plans change
- 7 or more days before100% of the service price
- 3 to 7 days before50%
- 1 to 3 days before25%
- Under 24 hoursNothing back
The card processing fee is the only part normally non-refundable. If the host cancels or does not show up, you get 100% back including every fee, with 48 hours after the event to raise anything.
Common worries, answered
Booking a stranger to cook for the people you care about is a big ask. Here are the things people worry about most, answered straight.
Who is actually coming to my home?
Every host passes a Stripe identity check before they can take a booking, and every listing is read and approved by the CaterKin team by hand before it goes live. To be straight with you, that is identity verification, not Garda vetting or a background check. CaterKin does not do those.
Is this site even legit?
Payment runs through Stripe, the same processor used by millions of businesses. There is no cash and no bank transfer to a stranger, and everything stays inside CaterKin. Nobody just signs up and appears in your search.
What if it falls through on their side?
If a host does not show up, you report a no-show and get 100% back including all fees. If a host cancels a confirmed booking, you also get 100% back including every fee. You are not left out of pocket if it falls apart on their end.
Can I talk to a real person first?
Yes. You can message any host before you book a thing, no card needed, and talk through the menu, your date and any dietary needs. You are talking to the actual person who would be cooking, not a call centre.
Talk to your host, with your number kept private
Once you have a booking in place, you can ring your host straight from the CaterKin app on your phone, voice to voice. The call runs through a private number, so you never see their real number and they never see yours. The host gets a normal phone call even if they do not have the app open.
Straight talk: calling is on the mobile app only. On the website it is text messaging, which works just as well to reach your host before and after you book.
Your number stays private
Calls connect through a CaterKin line, never your real mobile.
Are you a chef or caterer?
Set your own prices and menus, get paid online through Stripe, and have your listing reviewed before it goes live. That review keeps the standard up for everyone.
FAQ
Questions people ask before their first booking
Have a night in mind?
Browse the hosts near you, or message one with no card needed and just talk it through. You are only charged when your host accepts.