Food, flowers & gatherings / Local
Personal-chef service
Prepare an agreed meal service only within lawful food-service and facility arrangements.
What to price before starting
Price authorized kitchen access, ingredients, equipment, transport and insurance.
Use your own written quotes, including recurring costs and the cash you could lose. Owning equipment does not establish customer demand.
Skills you must be able to demonstrate
Food safety, menu planning and accurate allergen communication.
Before the first payment
Confirm permitted operation, client needs and an agreed menu and payment contract.
Keep the deliverable, exclusions, approvals and payment responsibility in writing. Do not treat a lead, an invoice or a promised reimbursement as money received.
Where this can go wrong
Allergens, illness, unsuitable storage and special-diet misunderstandings can harm clients.
Requirements and refusal boundaries
Check local food-service rules and do not provide medical dietary advice or unsupported health claims.
Confirm the exact activity with the relevant authority and insurer. The references below explain general issues; they do not approve this individual service in your jurisdiction.
A lower-risk validation step
Discuss the proposed service model with the food authority before offering a menu.
Set a stop condition before spending: what evidence would make you decline, change scope or stop? A practice sample should never expose another person's confidential material.
Primary checks
- SBA: licenses and permits
Activity and location determine permits; contact the issuing authority.
- IRS: self-employed tax center
US self-employment tax, return and recordkeeping guidance; no tax calculation is supplied here.
- FDA: starting a food business
Food businesses can face federal, state and local rules; check the actual operation and products.
References reviewed for this publication in November 2026. Rules can change. This entry contains no earnings estimate and makes no assurance of demand.