What: CozyMeal connects chefs and caterers willing to host meals and teach cooking classes with clients. It also books venues
Expected pay: you set it
Husl$core: $$$$
Commissions & fees: 20% – 30%
Where: In 24 major cities nationwide, including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, D.C.
Requirements: Cooking experience, foodie credentials, or a venue that can handle an event or cooking class.
Review:
CozyMeal connects chefs and caterers with people wanting to arrange private and corporate dinner parties and cooking classes. The site also books homes and other sites as venues for events when neither the chef nor the client has the right space.
Chefs determine what to make and/or offer; when; where; and price the offering based on the cost of materials and the amount they want to charge for their time. CozyMeal takes a commission that varies based on group size, and will book a venue for the event, if the chef needs one. A company spokeswoman says CozyMeal sets final prices for consumers based on marking up the chef’s price, and adding in any costs for the venue.
How much are you likely to earn? Flipping through offered events at CozyMeal, it appears that the cheapest offerings run $85, but most are offered at $100 per person and some are considerably more. Assuming the cost of ingredients and CozyMeal’s commission come to 50% of the per-person price, that leaves the chef with $35-$50 per person. Most events are scheduled for a three-hour block and the chef will need to set up, clean up, and budget in for some shopping and prep time. So, figure that you should divide the per-person net by, say, six hours. That makes the hourly net around $6-$8 per guest per hour — at minimum. But, since you’re probably not setting up an event for just one person, your minimum rate is likely to be above $12 per hour and more likely between $24 and $50 per hour. Since you set the pay, if you earn less, it’s your bad.
Meanwile, CozyMeal also has opportunities for people who want to rent out their space. If you offer your home as a venue, the site suggests that you charge $100 per hour for a space that can accommodate up to 20 people; and $150 for a home that can seat 21 or more.
In all cases, the compensation seems reasonable to generous. We believe this to be an above-average option for both chefs and hosts.
What their users say: (From Indeed)
Great support and positive work environment, Good compensation and terrific marketing plan for Chefs. Great exposure to community, and excellent platform for demonstrating your skills.