Short answer
One-time events usually get written terms and a deposit before you cook. Ongoing weekly work often runs on a lighter handshake with payment on completion.
After this lesson: You will match formality to the arrangement and protect custom event work with deposits.
Two kinds of clients
A twenty-person anniversary dinner is not the same risk profile as Tuesday night meal prep for a family you have cooked for six months.
Formality should follow the stakes.
What I learned
Deposits are not about distrust on week twelve. They are about holding a custom date on your calendar when you will shop, plan, and turn down other work.
Why this works
A deposit converts a verbal yes into shared commitment. For events, it also filters buyers who were still collecting quotes. For ongoing clients, trust often replaces paperwork after the first few successful cooks.
What to do
For one-time events and catering-style jobs: send simple terms, amount, due date, cancellation policy, and what triggers the balance.
Collect the deposit before you shop for that event.
For weekly or regular clients: many chefs start with a clear verbal agreement and invoice after each cook until rhythm is established.
State payment timing plainly: deposit now, balance before service or on completion, whichever you use.
- Keep terms readable, not twenty pages.
- Repeat key dates aloud when you collect the deposit.
- Match cancellation rules to how far out you blocked the calendar.
Lines to use
To hold your date and start planning, I take a thirty percent deposit with the balance due the day before service.
For ongoing cooks we usually keep it simple: I send the invoice after each visit unless you prefer monthly billing.
FAQ
- How much deposit is normal?
- Many personal chefs use twenty-five to fifty percent for events. Pick a number you can enforce and that meaningfully commits the date.
- Do I need a lawyer-drafted contract?
- Clear written terms help. For high-stakes events, professional review is wise. This article is not legal advice.
- What about tastings and deposits?
- Tasting fees are usually separate, paid before the preview. Event deposit follows when they book the full service.
- Should weekly clients sign contracts?
- Some do from day one; others after trust is built. At minimum, agree on rate, cadence, payment timing, and cancellation notice.
Related: Land on a date, not maybe