Food Safety & Allergen Policy

Food sold through ChowMeister is prepared and supplied by the independent kitchen identified on the listing and order unless expressly stated otherwise.

That kitchen is responsible for the safe preparation, storage, handling, packaging and supply of its food.

Kitchens using ChowMeister must comply with applicable food-safety, hygiene, registration, allergen and labelling requirements.

They must also:

• keep business and premises information accurate;
• maintain appropriate food-safety procedures;
• provide accurate ingredient and allergen information;
• train staff appropriately for their roles;
• take reasonable measures to manage cross-contamination risks; and
• notify ChowMeister of material compliance or safety changes.

ChowMeister may verify information supplied by food businesses before activation and during their use of the marketplace.

In the UK this may include matching information against published food-hygiene information.

The phrase “Food hygiene record matched” means that ChowMeister has matched the kitchen information with a published authority record.

It does not mean that the Food Standards Agency, local authority or another regulator has approved or endorsed ChowMeister.

Food-hygiene records generally reflect the position recorded by the relevant authority at a particular inspection or publication point.

ChowMeister therefore does not treat a published rating as a permanent guarantee of a kitchen's current operating position.

We may repeat checks, request further evidence, investigate reports and suspend a kitchen where appropriate.

Kitchens are responsible for identifying and communicating legally required allergen information.

For food sold remotely, relevant allergen information must be available before the purchase is completed and again when the food is supplied.

ChowMeister may provide technology to display allergen information but the food business remains responsible for the accuracy of the information relating to its food.

Always review allergen information before ordering.

If you have a serious allergy and information is missing, unclear or inconsistent, do not complete the purchase until you have obtained suitable information from the food business.

Do not assume that a dietary label such as vegan, vegetarian or halal automatically means a food is suitable for a particular allergy.

Kitchens are responsible for the accuracy of dietary and preparation claims appearing on their listings.

ChowMeister may ask for evidence, amend the presentation of a claim, prevent publication or suspend a kitchen where a claim appears misleading or unsafe.

Customers should promptly report suspected:

• undeclared allergens;
• incorrect allergen information;
• foreign objects;
• suspected food poisoning;
• unsafe packaging or temperature;
• serious hygiene concerns; or
• other apparent food-safety risks.

Reports can be made through order support or by emailing support@chowmeister.com.

Depending on the seriousness and credibility of a report, ChowMeister may:

• contact the kitchen;
• request records or evidence;
• repeat compliance checks;
• prevent new orders;
• temporarily suspend the kitchen;
• remove listings;
• preserve relevant transaction records; or
• cooperate with an appropriate authority.

ChowMeister support is not an emergency medical service.

Anyone experiencing a serious or potentially life-threatening reaction should seek appropriate emergency medical assistance immediately.