Partner Marketplace 2

1. What is the Partner Marketplace?

Short answer: The Partner Marketplace is where bookings from our travel and lifestyle partners reach you. These partners — companies like Fora Travel, Emerald Stay, Onefinestay and 300+ others — recommend Take a Chef to their own high-value clients. When one of those clients books a private chef, that request can come to you.

Why this is different from a regular request

A regular Take a Chef request comes from a guest who found us directly. A partner booking comes from a company that has put its own reputation on the line by recommending us. That changes the stakes in three ways:

• The client arrives with high expectations. They booked through a premium brand they already trust, and they expect that same level of service from the chef.
• The partner is watching. They judge our entire platform — and their decision to keep working with us — on the experiences their clients receive.
• The standard is higher, and it now comes with consequences. Response times are tighter and cancellations are handled more strictly than on regular requests. (See The Service Standards, explained.)

What you get out of it

Partner bookings are an additional, high-quality stream of work on top of your regular Take a Chef requests:

• Access to clients you would not otherwise reach, sourced from established travel and lifestyle brands.
• Guests who are pre-qualified and ready to book a premium experience.
• The chance to build a track record that raises your standing on the platform and brings you more bookings over time.

How to stay in good standing

The simplest rule: keep your calendar accurate, and only accept partner bookings you're certain you can deliver. Everything else in this series builds on that one habit.

Related: You're part of a network · The Service Standards, explained

FAQ´s

Do I have to accept every partner booking?
No. You can decline a request — just do it within 12 hours so the client can be matched with another chef in time. What isn't allowed is accepting and then backing out without a genuine emergency.

Are partner bookings paid differently from regular Take a Chef requests?
Payment is handled the same way as your other bookings; what changes is the source (a partner's client) and the higher service standard, not how you get paid. Your Account Manager can walk you through any payment detail.

How do I get more partner bookings?
Keep your calendar accurate, respond fast, keep your menus and photos up to date, and deliver great experiences. Reliability and strong reviews raise your standing and bring more partner requests over time.

1.2 You're part of a network — why one experience matters to every chef

When you work a partner booking, you're not only representing your personal brand. You're representing Take a Chef and the partner who recommended us. That's what makes the Partner Marketplace different from any other work you take — and why the standards matter beyond your own profile.

A partner is not one client — it's a doorway to many

A regular client is one relationship. A partner is a channel: a single company that can send dozens or hundreds of bookings to many different chefs. When you deliver a great experience, you're not just making one guest happy — you're strengthening a relationship that keeps sending work to the whole community of partner chefs.

The reverse is also true. One poor experience — a last-minute cancellation, an unprofessional message, a no-show — doesn't just affect that one booking. The partner sees it as a reflection of the platform. A pattern of these can make a partner pull back, and when they do, every chef in that partner pool feels it. The cost of one avoidable mistake is shared by people you'll never meet.

Long-term relationships are built booking by booking

Partners don't decide to trust us once. They decide again with every experience their clients report back on. A steady stream of reliable, professional, high-quality deliveries is what turns a new partner into a long-term one — and long-term partners are what grow the pool of bookings available to you and every other partner chef.

This is why the bar is set where it is. It's not bureaucracy; it's protecting a shared asset.

What "representing the network" looks like in practice

• You treat a partner booking as more important than a regular one, not less.
• You never take a client off-platform or cut corners "just this once."
• When something goes wrong, you communicate early and help find a solution, because you know the impact reaches beyond you.

Related: What is the Partner Marketplace? · Communicating with partner clients

2. The Service Standards, explained

The signed SLA lists six commitments in a single page. Here's what each one means in practice, and why it's there.

1. Keep your calendar updated — within 24h

Update your availability within 24 hours of any change. An accepted booking on a date you can't serve is the most avoidable cancellation there is. Most cancellation penalties trace back to a stale calendar. Blocking a date the moment you're no longer free is the single highest-impact habit for staying in good standing.

2. Respond fast — within 12h

Accept or decline a partner request within 12 hours. Partner clients are choosing between options in real time; a slow reply loses the booking and signals to the partner that we're not reliable.

3. Communicate professionally

Keep every message clear, courteous and proactive. Avoid abrupt one-line replies, answer questions in full, and follow up when needed. Your job is to keep the client informed and confident about the service from first message to final plate. (See Communicating with partner clients for concrete do's and don'ts.)

4. Honour what you accept

Once you accept, you commit. Acceptance is a promise to the client and the partner — not a placeholder you can walk back if something better comes along. Cancel only for a genuine emergency, with evidence and immediate notice.

5. Give maximum notice

If you truly must cancel, tell us at once. The closer to the service date, the more damage it does: under 72 hours is critical, and a no-show is the single most serious failure a chef can commit in the program.

6. Deliver as agreed

Arrive on time, serve the agreed menu, and keep your reviews above standard. Bring your mise en place if you like, but the cooking happens on site. Don't raise extra charges with the guest — payment is settled before the experience. Leave the space clean and tidy; that's part of the experience too.

The principles behind the standards

Underneath the rules are three qualities every partner experience should have:

• Connection — you make the guest feel looked after, from the first message onward.
• Expertise — the food and the service reflect a professional at the top of their craft.
• Insider access — the guest gets something they couldn't have booked on their own.

Related: Cancellations, consequences, and how appeals work

Frequently asked questions

Do the 12h and 24h windows include weekends?
Yes. Partner clients book in real time, so the clock runs continuously.

Can I decline a partner request without a penalty?
Yes. Declining within the 12-hour window carries no penalty. Penalties apply to cancelling after you've accepted — not to declining.

What if I accept and then my availability changes?
Tell us immediately. If it's a genuine emergency, handled with evidence and notice, it can be appealed with no penalty (see Cancellations & appeals). The best safeguard is only accepting dates you're sure about.

2.2 Cancellations, consequences, and how appeals work

Cancellations are the area where the Partner Marketplace is strictest, because they're the thing partners care about most. This article explains exactly how they're counted and what happens.

The default rule

Any booking you cancel — including a no-show — is recorded as a chef cancellation by default. You've already been briefed on the standards, so consequences begin from the first cancellation. There is no "warning" cancellation.

What happens, step by step

Justified cancellation (genuine emergency, with evidence and immediate notice, approved on appeal): No penalty. Recorded only.
First unjustified cancellation: Zero visibility in the Marketplace for 1 month and a rating penalty on your Take a Chef profile for 1 month.
Second unjustified cancellation: Removal from the partner pool.
No-show, or cancellation under 72h: Immediate removal from the partner pool.

A few things worth knowing:

• The month-long penalties lift automatically after 30 days. You don't need to do anything for them to reset.
• Removal from the partner pool stops partner bookings, but does not close your Take a Chef account. Your regular requests continue.
• Penalties are about unjustified cancellations. A genuine emergency, handled correctly, carries no penalty.

How to appeal — and turn a cancellation into "no penalty"

If you have a real emergency, three steps keep it penalty-free:

1. Tell your Account Manager immediately — the moment you know, not the day of the service.
2. Send evidence within 48 hours — documentation that supports what happened.
3. Help us find a replacement chef where possible, so the client is still served.

Handled this way, a genuine emergency is recorded but carries no penalty.

Related: The Service Standards, explained · You're part of a network

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a 'justified' emergency?
A genuine, unforeseeable event that stops you from serving — illness, accident, a family emergency — supported by evidence and reported immediately. Your Account Manager reviews the appeal.

If the client cancels, does it count against me?
No. Only cancellations made by the chef are counted. A client-side cancellation is not recorded as a chef cancellation.

A guest didn't show up — is that my fault?
No. A 'no-show' refers to the chef not showing up. If the client is the one who doesn't show, tell your Account Manager; it won't be counted against you.

How long do the penalties last?
The first-cancellation penalties (zero Marketplace visibility + a rating penalty) lift automatically after 30 days. Removal from the partner pool is more serious and not automatic — talk to your Account Manager.

Can I appeal after the service date?
Raise it as soon as you know, ideally before the date, and send evidence within 48 hours. The sooner you flag it, the more likely the appeal is approved with no penalty.

3. Best Practices — Communicating with partner clients

Communication is where a good experience is won or lost before you ever cook. Partner clients are premium guests who expect to feel looked after. These are the practices that keep them — and the partner — confident.

Response time

The experience starts the moment a client reaches out, not when you arrive to cook. Reply within 24 hours of any client message. For the booking request itself, accept or decline within 12 hours.

Tone and professionalism

• Be warm, clear, and complete. Answer every question fully rather than in one-word replies. A guest who feels heard is a guest who leaves a great review.
• Be proactive. Confirm details, flag anything you need from them, and check in as the date approaches instead of waiting to be asked.
• Keep them confident. Your messages should reduce the guest's uncertainty, not add to it. If plans change, say so early and offer a solution.

Handle the essentials up front

• Menu and allergies: confirm menu selections and any allergies or dietary needs well before the date, and keep them in mind at every step.
• No surprise charges: payment is processed before the experience. Never raise additional charges with the guest on site.
• Logistics: align on timing, address, kitchen access and anything you need so there are no day-of surprises.

Stay on the platform

For everyone's safety and trust, all communication stays inside the platform. Taking a client off-platform is not allowed — it removes the protections that both the guest and the partner rely on, and it puts the whole relationship at risk.

When something goes wrong

Tell us early through your Account Manager and our support channels. Problems shared early can almost always be solved; problems hidden until the last minute become cancellations.

If you're facing an emergency, follow the appeal steps in Cancellations, consequences, and how appeals work.

Related: The Service Standards, explained · You're part of a network

Frequently asked questions

Can I contact the client outside the platform (WhatsApp, email, phone)?
No. All communication stays inside the platform — it protects you, the guest and the partner. Taking a client off-platform puts the whole relationship at risk and is not allowed.

The client isn't replying — what should I do?
Keep following up politely through the platform, and tell your Account Manager if it's blocking the booking. Don't go off-platform to reach them.

Who confirms the menu and allergies?
You do, in advance, through the platform chat. Confirm the menu and any dietary needs well before the date and keep them in mind throughout the experience.

3.2 Delivering the experience — quality expectations

Everything up to this point protects the booking. This article is about the part the guest actually remembers: the experience itself. A partner client isn't paying for a meal — they're paying for an evening they couldn't have created on their own. Here's what "above standard" looks like from arrival to goodbye.

Before the date

• Prepare with time to spare. Confirm the final menu and any allergies or dietary needs in advance, and plan your shopping and prep around them. Nothing about the menu should be a surprise on the day.
• Use fresh ingredients. Fresh, quality produce is a key factor in a successful experience. Avoid pre-made or frozen items — partner guests notice the difference.
• Bring your mise en place, cook on site. You can prep in advance and bring your mise en place with you, but the cooking itself happens at the guest's location. That's part of what they booked.

On the day

• Arrive on time. Punctuality is the first thing the guest evaluates, and the easiest promise to keep. Build in margin for travel and setup.
• Serve the agreed menu. Deliver what was confirmed. If something genuinely can't be sourced, raise it in advance — never improvise a substitution the guest didn't agree to.
• No extra charges on site. Payment is settled before the experience. Never ask the guest for additional money during or after the service — if costs need adjusting, that's handled through your Account Manager, not the guest.
• Leave it spotless. Cleaning up fully is part of the service, not an optional extra. Take the time to leave the kitchen and space exactly as you found them.

The three qualities every experience should have

Use these as your bar for "above standard":

• Connection — the guest feels genuinely looked after, not just served. Presence, warmth and attentiveness matter as much as the food.
• Expertise — the cooking and the service reflect a professional at the top of their craft.
• Insider access — the guest walks away with something special they couldn't have booked on their own.

Why reviews matter more here

On the Partner Marketplace, reviews aren't only your personal reputation — they're the evidence the partner uses to decide whether to keep recommending us. Keeping your reviews above standard protects the flow of bookings for you and for every chef in the pool. Deliver each experience as if the whole partnership depends on it, because in part, it does.

Related: The Service Standards, explained · You're part of a network

Frequently asked questions

Can I bring an assistant?
If your menu or group size needs support, arrange it in advance and coordinate with your Account Manager. You remain responsible for the full experience and for leaving the space clean.

What if an ingredient I planned isn't available?
Source an equivalent-quality alternative. If it changes the agreed menu, flag it to the client in advance — never improvise a substitution they didn't agree to.

The guest count changed or there are extra guests — what do I do?
Don't settle extra charges with the guest on site. Payment is handled before the experience; if the count changes, coordinate it through your Account Manager, not directly with the client.