Payment and Payout Policy

Purpose
This document sets out how payments are processed on the ChefMaison platform, and how and when chefs are paid, from the moment a client confirms a booking to the moment funds arrive in the chef's bank account. It is provided for informational purposes.

1. Payment Process

When a client confirms a chef's proposal, payment is made through the ChefMaison platform, either as:

• Full payment upfront; or
• A 30% deposit, where the booking qualifies, with the outstanding balance automatically charged 15 days before the event.

Payment is always processed through the ChefMaison platform. No payment made outside the platform is accepted or recognized by ChefMaison.
Once the client pays, the funds are held securely within the chef's ChefMaison account and are not yet available for release. This protects the client in the event that circumstances change before the event takes place, while also protecting the chef by ensuring that the funds are secured in advance of delivery.
The chef then delivers the experience as agreed in the confirmed proposal, including the menu, timing, guest count, and any additional terms agreed in the chat.
The payout is automatically triggered 2 days after the event has taken place. This waiting period applies uniformly to all bookings and exists to confirm that the service was successfully delivered before funds are released.
No invoice submission or approval step is required from the chef.
Once the payout is triggered, the transfer to the chef's linked bank account typically takes an additional 1–2 business days to arrive, depending on Stripe's and the receiving bank's processing times. Transfers are not processed on weekends or public holidays, which may extend this period.

2. Payout Timing

The standard payout timeline is therefore:
Client payment → Event takes place → 2-day waiting period → Payout triggered → 1–2 business days for bank transfer
Actual arrival times may vary depending on banking and Stripe processing times.

3. Payout Amount

The payout amount is calculated as:
Total value of the chef's confirmed proposal (quote) − applicable commission
Commission rates are set out separately in the Commission and VAT Policy.

4. Deposit Bookings

Where a client pays via deposit (30% upfront, with the balance due 15 days before the event), the full commission applicable to the booking is deducted at the deposit stage in its entirety.
The commission is not split proportionally between the deposit and the balance payment.
As a result:
(a) The payout corresponding to the deposit will appear smaller than a simple 30% share of the booking value, because the full commission for the entire booking has already been deducted from it.
(b) The payout corresponding to the balance, once paid by the client, will be released in full, with no further commission deducted, since the applicable commission was already collected at the deposit stage.
The sum of both payouts is equal to the full quote less the applicable commission. No additional amount is charged across the two payouts combined.

5. Regions Not Supported for Direct Payout

Certain regions, including the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, and South Africa, are not currently supported for direct Stripe payouts. Chefs based in an affected region should contact operations@chefmaison.com for confirmation of the applicable process.

6. Delayed or Missing Payouts

If more than 3 business days have elapsed since the event took place and the payout has not been received, the chef should contact operations@chefmaison.com with the relevant booking reference so that the matter can be reviewed.

7. Invoicing

Applicable invoices are generated and issued automatically once payment has been processed. No action is required from the chef.
If an invoice is missing for a completed booking, the chef should contact operations@chefmaison.com.

8. Service Fees and Charges Reflected in Stripe

A "ChefMaison fee" appearing in Stripe that differs from the chef's expected commission generally reflects charges applied to the client rather than the chef.
These may include:

• A client-facing service fee of approximately 2–6% of the chef's quote; and
• Cancellation insurance, where selected, at 8% of the chef's quote.

Both charges are borne by the client and are not deducted from the chef's payout.
Transaction costs on ChefMaison's side are covered by ChefMaison.

9. Disclaimer

This document is provided for general informational purposes and describes the standard payment and payout process on the ChefMaison platform.
Individual circumstances, including banking delays, regional payout arrangements, or account-specific issues, may vary.
For questions regarding a specific booking or payout, chefs may contact ChefMaison through operations@chefmaison.com or the in-app support channel.

Updated on: 24/09/2026

Updated on: 24/09/2026