Cook help
Applications, listings, scheduling, pickup coordination, kitchen profiles, and marketplace expectations.
Getting approved
Every cook begins with a standard customer account. Verify your phone number, complete your kitchen application, review disclosures and pickup expectations, then submit your kitchen for review.
Applications are reviewed before kitchens become public.
Creating listings
Listings can include meal photos, descriptions, ingredients, portions, quantity limits, preorder deadlines, pickup windows, allergen notes, and storage or reheating instructions.
Use clear photos and realistic pickup timing whenever possible.
Pickup windows
Pickup windows help customers know exactly when meals are available. Some cooks offer one-time pickups, weekend trays, multiple pickup windows, or recurring weekly specials.
Example: Friday pickup 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Saturday pickup 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
What happens after I post a meal?
After you create a listing, the listing can be available for customers to view, reserve, and coordinate pickup based on the details you entered.
- Create the listing
- Set the pickup window
- Customers reserve
- Receive reservation details
- Prepare the food
- Coordinate pickup
- Get paid according to your payout schedule when online checkout applies
Public meetup pickup
Some cooks prefer public meetup coordination instead of residential pickup. Examples include church parking lots, park pavilions, community kitchens, shared prep spaces, and local event spaces.
- Explain the meetup clearly
- Choose well-lit public locations
- Provide timing guidance
- Communicate delays quickly
Address privacy
Public browse pages do not display exact residential addresses. Customers usually receive detailed pickup instructions only after placing an order.
Public meetup listings may never expose a residential address at all.
Sold out vs paused listings
Use sold out when all portions are reserved or inventory is gone. Pause a listing when you are temporarily unavailable, pickup timing changes, or you need to stop accepting new orders.
Reposting meals
If you run recurring trays or weekly specials, reposting recurring meals lets you keep similar listings available without rebuilding them each time.
Food laws and local responsibility
Every cook remains responsible for understanding and following the food laws that apply in their area. Requirements vary heavily across states, counties, cities, tribal jurisdictions, and preparation settings.
Some foods may require labeling, refrigeration controls, permits, training, or licensed prep spaces. Kitchen Counter-Measures provides marketplace tools and disclosures, but does not guarantee that any specific menu is permitted in your jurisdiction.
Approval of a kitchen profile does not represent legal approval from any government agency.
Always verify local requirements directly.