Every chef is verified before they sell
A chef cannot list a single dish on Chefora until a person on our team has reviewed their application and approved it, and no chef can be paid until Stripe has confirmed their legal identity. Nobody sells here anonymously.
1. Identity confirmed by Stripe
Every chef connects a bank account through Stripe in order to be paid. Before Stripe releases a cent, it verifies their legal name, date of birth and Social Security number against official records — the same checks a bank runs when you open an account. A chef who fails them cannot receive money on Chefora at all.
2. Name cross-check
The name Stripe verifies is the name that gets paid. Where we hold a verified name for a chef, we compare it against the name on their profile and flag mismatches for our team before approval.
3. Credentials reviewed
Chefs upload food handler cards, cottage food registrations, MEHKO permits, business licenses and kitchen certifications. Our team reviews each document, and approved ones appear as badges on the chef's profile so you can see them before you order.
4. Written legal certification
Before selling, every chef certifies in writing that they hold the permits and approvals their local law requires, that they'll disclose allergens accurately, and that they're responsible for food safety compliance. These acknowledgments are recorded with a timestamp.
What we don't claim
Being straight about the limits of what we check matters more than sounding impressive:
- — Identity verification is not a criminal background check. It confirms a person is who they say they are. It does not screen criminal history.
- — We do not inspect kitchens ourselves. Kitchen inspection is done by local health authorities. What we do is verify the permits and certifications chefs provide.
- — Not every chef holds every badge. Requirements vary by county and by what's being sold. Badges show what a chef has documented with us — check them before ordering.
- — These are home kitchens. They are not allergen-free facilities, and cross-contact is possible.
Paying safely
Payments run through Stripe, the same processor used by many major online businesses. Your full card number is never stored by Chefora and never shared with the chef.
This is a real difference from paying a stranger in cash or through a peer-to-peer transfer app: those move money with no record tied to an order and no one to escalate to. On Chefora, every payment is attached to an order, which is what makes a refund request possible.
If something goes wrong
Request a refund
Open the order in the app and request a refund. Our team reviews the request.
Report a listing, kitchen, or review
Anything unsafe, misleading, or abusive can be reported from the app. Reports go to our team for review.
Block someone
You can block any user. Their kitchen, dishes and reviews stop appearing for you, and blocking works in both directions — chefs can block buyers too.
Suspected illness
If you believe food made you ill, seek medical care first, then contact us at support@chefora.app. Foodborne illness should also be reported to your local health department, who have the authority to investigate.
Reviews you can actually rely on
A review can only be left by someone who actually placed and paid for an order. Nobody can post a rating for a kitchen they never bought from — so ratings can't be inflated by friends or attacked by strangers. Reviews can be reported, and abusive reviewers can be blocked.
Protecting chefs too
Trust has to run both ways, and cooks selling through community groups get burned regularly — no-shows, haggling, chasing payment.
- — Payment is collected up front, before the food is made. No chasing anyone.
- — Chefs choose pickup or delivery and control what they share and when they accept orders.
- — Abusive buyers and unfair reviews can be reported and blocked.
Your personal information
A chef sees only what they need to fulfil your order. Choose pickup and you never share a delivery address at all. Identity checks are handled entirely by Stripe — Chefora never sees or stores the underlying details.
You can delete your account and its data at any time from Profile → Delete Account in the app. Full detail is in our Privacy Policy.
Something not right?
Tell us. Safety reports are read by a person, and we'd rather hear about a small problem early than a serious one late.
Email support@chefora.app