Quick answer
Private chefs should check the client kitchen and agree responsibilities before service, then control food transport, storage, preparation, allergens and handover. A domestic setting does not automatically provide suitable business controls. If facilities or information cannot support the planned menu safely, adapt the work or decline the affected activity rather than improvise.
Check the kitchen before committing to the menu
Ask about usable refrigeration, cooking equipment, handwashing, preparation space, cleaning arrangements, water and waste. Establish whether other people, pets or household activities may affect the work. Verify important conditions rather than relying solely on a photograph or an assurance that the kitchen is large.
FSA business-starting guidance explains that food-business responsibilities can apply to domestic premises. Confirm registration and the operating model with the relevant local authority; do not assume every client visit creates an identical registration requirement.
Agree the practical responsibilities
| Area | Agreement to make |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Who supplies them, reliable specifications and acceptable delivery/storage. |
| Facilities | What must be available and what happens if it is not suitable. |
| Allergens | How accurate recipe/supplier information and customer enquiries are handled. |
| Service | Who controls timing, holding, portions and changed requests. |
| Leftovers | Whether any food can be handed over, with suitable storage/use instructions. |
A client supplying an ingredient does not make an uncertain product automatically suitable for business preparation. Resolve missing information before relying on it.
Control transport and arrival checks
GOV.UK transport guidance covers protective containers, separation and appropriate temperature control. Plan the journey and arrival storage around the actual foods. An insulated bag alone does not prove that a particular journey is controlled.
On arrival, check the agreed facilities and ingredient condition before starting. Keep raw and ready-to-eat work separated and protect food from household interruptions. Use the business’s assessed controls and genuine checks.
Manage allergens and last-minute changes
Use current recipes and supplier information. A client’s account of a dish or a previous chef’s method is not enough to verify ingredients. Agree who communicates reliable information to guests and how uncertainty is escalated.
Use the published allergen recipe-change guide when substitutions arise. Do not make an unsupported “free from” assurance or remove one visible ingredient and assume the meal is suitable.
Make the end of service a controlled handover
Only hand over food where its safety and appropriate next steps can be established. Give clear product-specific storage/use information where needed; do not invent a universal leftovers life. Record material problems and what was agreed.
FSA guidance for food on the move provides a useful mobile/domestic-business context. Review whether the facilities and menu remain suitable for the next booking.
Next steps
- Verify facilities, ingredients and responsibilities before the visit.
- Plan controlled transport and arrival checks.
- Use current allergen information and safe task separation.
- Complete a clear food handover and record material issues.
Read the official practical guidance — Use the current source alongside the procedures for your own business.