Terms of Service

These Terms of Service govern the engagement of Chef Charles Bell, LLC (“Chef Charles,” “we,” or “us”) for private chef services, catering, in-home dining experiences, and Prime Plates meal prep. By booking any service, you (“the Client”) agree to these terms.

All menus, pricing, and scheduling are confirmed in writing prior to the event or order. Chef Charles reserves the right to adjust menu items based on ingredient availability while maintaining the agreed quality and theme.

Customized meals are available exclusively through our Personal Chef service or personalized prepaid plans. Prime Plates à la carte meal prep offers rotating tiered menu selections rather than fully custom menus.

A deposit is required to reserve your date for private dinners and catering events. The date is not held until the deposit is received. The deposit amount varies by event size and scope and is communicated at the time of booking.

For Prime Plates meal prep orders, full payment is collected at checkout via our secure online payment system. Your order is confirmed once payment is processed.

Deposits may be paid via Stripe (credit or debit card). All final balances for private dinners and catering events must be paid in cash, Apple Pay, or Zelle. Payment by business account (e.g. corporate card or company check) is accepted in lieu of cash/Apple Pay/Zelle for the final balance.

Final balances are due on or before the event date unless otherwise agreed in writing.

All payments are non-refundable to the original form of payment. Approved cancellations, reschedules, reductions, or order adjustments are issued exclusively as future-use Chef Charles Bell credit or a Chef Charles Bell gift card. No cash or card refunds are issued, except where required by applicable law.

Payments are not automatically returned to the original payment method.

Customer-requested cancellations may only result in future-use credit or a Chef Charles Bell gift card.

Credits and gift cards cannot be redeemed for cash, are subject to future availability, do not guarantee a preferred future date, apply toward then-current pricing, and require the customer to pay any difference if the future booking costs more.

Nonrecoverable committed expenses may be deducted from available future credit, including specialty ingredients, special-order products, rentals, third-party staffing, outside vendors, equipment rentals, and other irreversible event-specific expenses.

Reducing an order after payment does not automatically produce a cash or card refund; approved reductions may be issued as future-use credit.

Once an event or order is cancelled, its date or production capacity may be released.

Do not automatically call Stripe's refund API for customer-requested cancellations.

Chargebacks and disputes are separate from the normal cancellation and refund workflow and are not represented as customer credits.

This policy applies universally to every Chef Charles Bell checkout and payment flow.

All cancellation, reschedule, and adjustment requests must be submitted in writing via email or through our contact form. Approved cancellations release the event date or production capacity, which may be rebooked by other clients.

This Universal Policy applies to every Chef Charles Bell transaction, including holiday à la carte orders, holiday family dinners, private dinners, catering, Prime Plates, online food orders, deposits, event payments, add-ons, delivery fees, staffing, rentals, and gift purchases.

Rescheduling is handled as an order adjustment under the Universal Policy above. Approved reschedules are issued as future-use credit toward a new date at then-current pricing; the customer pays any difference if the new booking costs more.

The original date or production capacity may be released once a reschedule is approved. Reschedules are subject to future availability and do not guarantee a preferred future date.

Chef Charles carries applicable liability insurance for catering and private chef services. Our team operates with the highest standards of food safety and sanitation.

The Client assumes responsibility for providing a safe, clean, and adequately equipped kitchen for in-home services. Chef Charles is not liable for any pre-existing conditions of the Client’s premises, equipment, or utilities.

Chef Charles is not liable for allergic reactions or adverse health effects resulting from consumption of meals. The Client is responsible for disclosing all dietary restrictions, allergies, and medical conditions in advance. While we take every precaution to avoid cross-contamination, we cannot guarantee meals are free of all allergens.

All payments — deposits, final balances, meal prep orders, add-ons, delivery fees, staffing, rentals, and gift purchases — are non-refundable to the original payment method.

Approved refunds, credits, or adjustments are issued exclusively as future-use Chef Charles Bell credit or gift card, except where required by applicable law. Credits and gift cards cannot be redeemed for cash, are subject to future availability, and apply toward then-current pricing.

We do not automatically call Stripe's refund API for customer-requested cancellations. Chargebacks and disputes are handled separately from the normal cancellation and refund workflow and are not represented as customer credits.

For in-home services, the Client agrees to provide reasonable access to the kitchen and necessary facilities. Any damage to Chef Charles’s equipment caused by guests or the Client’s household will be the Client’s responsibility.

Chef Charles and staff reserve the right to refuse service in environments that are unsafe, unsanitary, or otherwise inappropriate.

All menus, recipes, photography, and content created by Chef Charles remain the intellectual property of Chef Charles Bell, LLC. Photos and content may be used for marketing purposes unless the Client requests otherwise in writing.

Chef Charles reserves the right to update these Terms of Service at any time, including the Universal Transaction Policy. The most current version will always be posted on this page with its policy version number. Continued use of our services after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

Questions about these Terms of Service or the Universal Transaction Policy can be directed to Chef Charles Bell through our contact page. We are committed to transparent, fair, and professional service.