Chef Engagement Terms

1. About us and these terms

These Chef Engagement Terms ("Chef Terms") are between Catering Temps Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 14683372), registered office Unit 82a James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds, IP28 7DE ("Catering Temps", "we", "us"), and you, the chef registering on our platform ("you").

We act as an employment agency under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003. We introduce you to hospitality businesses ("Clients") who want to engage a self-employed chef. We do not employ you, we do not pay you, and we are not a party to any contract between you and a Client.

2. No fees to chefs

We do not charge you any fee for registering, for finding you work or for any Introduction. Clients pay us an introduction fee.

3. Your status

• You are in business on your own account and are self-employed. You are not an employee or worker of Catering Temps.
• Each Booking you accept creates a contract for services directly between you and the Client.
• You are responsible for your own income tax and National Insurance, and for registering with HMRC for Self Assessment. You will give us your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) when you register.
• Your status depends on how the work is actually done, not just on these Chef Terms. If a Client treats you in a way that conflicts with these Chef Terms — for example, requiring you to work outside the agreed Booking or applying their staff disciplinary rules to you — please tell us.

4. No obligation and no exclusivity

• We are not obliged to offer you work, and you are not obliged to accept any Listing.
• You are free to register with other agencies, to work directly for any venue, and to run your own business alongside us. We ask you to confirm you understand this when you register.

5. Accepting a booking

Each Listing shows, so far as we have it: the Client's name and business, the location, dates and times (or the job, for a fixed-price Booking), the type of work, the rate or fixed price, any expenses or accommodation, the experience or qualifications required, and any known health and safety risks. You decide whether to accept. You may decline, or propose a different rate before accepting. A Booking is confirmed only when you and the Client have both agreed it on the platform.

6. How you do the work

• You decide how to carry out the work, using your own skill and judgement.
• The Client may set the outcome it needs — the menu, dishes, specifications, service times and standards — and you must follow the Client's food-safety, allergen, hygiene and health and safety requirements and site rules.
• You provide your own knives, personal tools and chef's whites unless the Listing says otherwise. The Client provides the premises, kitchen equipment and ingredients.
• Catering Temps does not supervise, direct or control your work.

7. Your right to send a substitute

• You may send a substitute to carry out all or part of a Booking instead of you.
• Your substitute must be registered on our platform and have passed the same checks we require for that Booking: identity, right to work in the UK, and a current food hygiene certificate at the level the Listing requires, with suitable experience for the role. The Client can refuse a substitute only on reasonable grounds connected with those requirements or with food safety.
• You are responsible for arranging your substitute and telling the Client (and us, through the platform) before the shift.
• The Client pays your substitute directly for the work your substitute carries out, at the rate agreed for the Booking.

8. If you cannot attend

If you cannot attend a confirmed Booking, your first option is to send a substitute. If you cannot, tell the Client and us as soon as possible. We will not charge you any penalty. We may re-list the work. If you repeatedly cancel at short notice, we may stop introducing you.

9. Getting paid and financial risk

• You invoice the Client directly and the Client pays you directly. Invoices submitted by 12pm on a Monday should be paid by 5pm on the Friday of that week, unless you and the Client agree otherwise. Catering Temps does not collect, hold or pay your fees and is not responsible for amounts a Client owes you.
• If a Client cancels a confirmed Booking with less than 24 hours' notice, the Client must pay you for the full shift as booked.
• You pay your own business costs, such as travel, equipment and insurance, unless the Listing says the Client will cover them.
• For fixed-price Bookings, you agree a price for the job. If it takes longer than you expected, the price does not change unless the Client agrees.
• Where work is not to the agreed standard because of your fault, you will put it right in your own time where it is reasonable to do so.

10. Checks we carry out

Before introducing you we confirm your identity, your right to work in the UK, your food hygiene certificate and the experience and qualifications you tell us you have. You must keep your documents up to date. If a required document expires, you will not be able to accept Bookings that need it until you upload a current one. We will tell Clients what we have checked.

11. Insurance

We strongly recommend that you hold your own public and product liability insurance. You can record this on your profile; Clients may prefer chefs who hold it.

12. What we share with Clients

When you apply for or accept a Listing, we share your profile, relevant experience, the status of your checks, and ratings from previous Bookings with that Client. We will not share your documents themselves without telling you first.

13. Health and safety and conduct

Clients must tell you about health and safety risks and give you any necessary site induction. You must follow site safety rules, report hazards and incidents, and you may refuse work you reasonably believe is unsafe. We may stop introducing you for good reason, such as failed checks, dishonesty, or conduct that puts people at risk.

14. Your personal data

Our Privacy Policy explains what personal data we hold about you, why, who we share it with and your rights.

15. Ending your registration and changes

You can close your account at any time, without notice. We may update these Chef Terms; we will tell you and ask you to accept the new version on the platform before your next Booking.

16. Complaints and law

If you have a complaint, contact contact@cateringtemps.co.uk and we will respond within 10 working days. These Chef Terms are governed by the law of England and Wales.