Good money for good cooks

Good cooks have many ways to make good money with side hustles. You can cater, make meals for take out, invite people in for a dining experience, or teach people how to cook. Cooks typically set their own rates of pay, using online platforms to market the availability of their menus, meals, and cooking classes.

Realize, however, that some states and local jurisdictions have rules that restrict what home cooks can do. Be sure you know the rules in your own community before you start. That said, here are five online platforms that offer good money to good cooks.

Catering and classes

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 these events when neither the chef nor the client has the right space.) Chefs determine what to make, when, where, and how much to charge. CozyMeal adds a markup to the chef’s price to pay for the site’s services. The site operates in more than 80 cities in the U.S. and roughly three-dozen international markets. Learn more about CozyMeal here.

ChefsFeed launched as a site where top chefs could recommend their favorite restaurants. But the site evolved into a place to buy foodie experiences from good cooks. The experiences currently range from take-out meals to online cooking classes. Chefs design their own offerings and decide when and how to make them available. They also set the price and say what’s included. ChefsFeed simply markets the offerings via its website. There’s no cost for cooks. But the site adds a 5% processing fee onto the customer’s bill for providing the platform and collecting payment. Learn more about ChefsFeed here.

Qwick connects individuals and companies that are hosting events with cooks, waiters, bartenders and concession attendants capable of staffing these events. Operating in eight major markets, the site promises to provide potential workers with all the information they need to accept or reject a shift. This includes the location, start time, pay, staff contact, parking, and required dress code. You’ll also be told what type of event it is and how many people will be attending. Learn more about Qwick here.

Dine in

If you’ve ever considered opening your own restaurant, EatWith could be a good way to get started. The site allows you to register as a host to cook meals and serve them in your own home. You set the dates, the menus, the number of guests you can accommodate, and the price. (Make sure your price includes your mark-up and any tip you hope to receive. The site expects the price to be all-inclusive.) EatWith will add a 20% service fee on top of that price when listing the meal on line. For their mark-up, you get marketing help from EatWith’s website and are covered by the site’s liability policy. Conveniently, this site operates around the world. Learn more about EatWith here.

Cook for takeout

DishDivvy gives you the ability to market your home-cooked meals to friends and neighbors. Your customers pick up the meals and pay you through the site, which reimburses you through direct deposit. You set the price of your meal, figuring the cost of ingredients and what you want to earn for your time. The site takes 15% of the meal’s cost and charges customers a 99 cent fee for meal containers (which they provide to you before your scheduled meal). The main shortcoming of DishDivvy? It’s only available in some California communities. Learn more about DishDivvy here.