CozyMeal

CozyMeal Review:

CozyMeal connects chefs, mixologists, beer enthusiasts and tour guides with people wanting to arrange private and corporate dinner parties and cooking classes. The site also books homes and other sites as venues for these events when neither the chef nor the client has the right space.

Offering a service

Chefs and others who want to offer a service determine what to make and/or offer, when, where, and how much to charge. CozyMeal takes a commission that varies based on group size. The site also 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.

What sort of services can you offer? You can set up as a private chef; a provider of cooking classes; mixology services, food tours, wine and beer tastings and tours.

Host Earnings

How much are you likely to earn? You set your rates based on your costs and whatever mark-up you want to receive. You can also set a minimum number of guests, so you know that you’ll earn no less than a set amount for your time.

By and large hosts should expect that a private dinner or tour will require three to four hours. In addition, if you offer private cheffing services at the customer’s location, you’ll need to account for travel and clean-up time. You’ll also, of course, be carting food/ingredients across town and cooking on someone else’s appliances. So the time spent at the event may be dwarfed by your preparation time.

Some hosts complain that after costs and commissions, they’re earning precious little for their time when they offer to serve as a private chef in the customer’s home. But those who host events in their own homes have a better experience. The best advice here is to make sure you’re accounting for all of your time — preparation, travel and event — in your pricing.

Rent your space as a venue

Meanwhile, 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.

Recommendations

Also consider signing up with EatWith, which allows you to cook for others in your own home or offer online cooking classes and Tastemade, which allows cooks to offer paid experiences.

What their users say: (From Indeed)

This is a side hustle gig…not for professional chefs who want to make money. And you WILL hustle, especially if this is your only source of income and if you’re a traveling chef. Once you compute the time, travel, set-up, shipping and communication with customers, it’s not very much money. You’ll be better of hosting classes on your own. Most recently, post-pandemic, CM requires chefs to accept a minimal of 2 guests. It’s wasn’t worth the time to leave my home. This is ideal for the home cook, not chefs.

This job is very similar to running your own business with opportunities in teaching cooking and catering. You are responsible for self scheduling and create your own menu/lesson plans. If you can host your guests at your hone/own venue it will be more profitable versus being a traveling chef.

Learning experience

This IS a good learning and growth experience for newer Chefs- but don’t expect to make real $. Traveling Chef pay is very low. IF you can teach larger classes at your restaurant or home AND they actually book you could possibly rely on this scheme for reliable income.

Although a great idea, the company takes entirely too much and constantly asks for more. You are required to host parties of two and for the time, effort and money you end up in the negative yet Cozymeal takes a nice chunk of change and is unwilling to negotiate commission. Having been a private chef to high net worth individuals for many years the pay scale from Cozymeal is a no go for me.

*updated 1/16/2023