Acceptable Use Policy
Last updated: July 3, 2026
This Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP") governs your conduct on OpenKitchen.Food. Violation of this AUP may result in suspension or termination of your account and, in serious cases, referral to law enforcement. This AUP supplements — and does not replace — the Terms of Service, the Cook Agreement, and all other policies incorporated by reference. OpenKitchen operates as a directory only and reserves the right, but assumes no obligation, to monitor content and enforce this AUP at its sole discretion.
This AUP applies to every user of the Platform, including customers and every independent vendor type —home cooks, food trucks, street vendors, private chefs, and caterers.
1. General Rules
- Do not use the Platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any local, state, national, or international law.
- Do not impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.
- Do not collect, harvest, or scrape personal information about other users.
- Do not attempt to gain unauthorized access to any account, system, or network associated with the Platform.
- Do not interfere with, disrupt, or place unreasonable load on the Platform or its infrastructure.
2. Prohibited Content
You may not upload, list, post, or transmit content that:
- Is unlawful, deceptive, fraudulent, or misleading;
- Infringes any intellectual property, publicity, or privacy right;
- Contains hate speech, harassment, threats, or discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, or veteran status;
- Contains sexual, obscene, or pornographic material;
- Depicts or promotes violence, self-harm, weapons, or illegal drugs;
- Constitutes spam, chain letters, pyramid schemes, or unsolicited commercial content;
- Advertises or offers the sale of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, prescription drugs, firearms, or other regulated products without proper licensing and compliance with all applicable laws;
- Advertises or offers the sale of raw milk, raw shellfish, or other foods prohibited under applicable cottage-food or health laws in the Cook's jurisdiction.
3. Reviews and Communications
Reviews must reflect your genuine, first-hand experience. You may not post fake, incentivized, or reciprocal reviews; you may not solicit or offer compensation in exchange for a review. Communications with Cooks and other users must remain civil and lawful.
4. Cooks — Additional Rules
- You must comply with all applicable food-safety, cottage-food, licensing, permitting, tax, and insurance laws.
- You must accurately disclose ingredients and known allergens on request.
- You must not list dishes you cannot lawfully sell in your jurisdiction.
- You must honor accepted orders and catering bookings.
5. Reporting Violations
Report suspected violations to safety@openkitchen.food. Reports of unsafe food practices, allergic reactions, or foodborne illness should be sent immediately and, where applicable, reported to the local health department.
6. Enforcement
OpenKitchen may remove content, suspend or terminate accounts, and pursue any other remedy available at law or in equity for violations of this AUP, in its sole discretion and without prior notice.
Directory-Only Platform · Hold Harmless · Assumption of Risk
OpenKitchen.Food ("OpenKitchen," "we," "us," or the "Platform") operates solely as an online directory and technology platform that connects independent home cooks, personal chefs, caterers, and food businesses ("Cooks") with end users ("Customers"). OpenKitchen is not a restaurant, ghost kitchen, commissary, food service provider, manufacturer, distributor, retailer, or seller of food.OpenKitchen does not prepare, handle, package, store, transport, deliver, inspect, test, or warrant any food, ingredient, allergen disclosure, licensing status, health permit, insurance status, or regulatory compliance of any Cook.
All food safety, licensing, permitting, insurance, cottage-food compliance, labeling, allergen disclosure, sanitation, temperature control, and regulatory compliance are the sole and exclusive responsibility of the Cook. Customer expressly acknowledges and assumes all risk arising from ordering, receiving, consuming, or otherwise interacting with any food, beverage, service, or item offered by any Cook through the Platform, including without limitation the risk of foodborne illness, allergic reaction, cross-contamination, injury, illness, or property damage.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Customer agrees to release, waive, discharge, indemnify, defend, and hold harmlessOpenKitchen.Food, its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, shareholders, members, managers, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, and successors and assigns (collectively, the "Released Parties") from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action, suits, proceedings, damages, judgments, losses, liabilities, illnesses, injuries, allergic reactions, foodborne illness, wrongful death, personal injury, property damage, costs, and expenses of any kind or nature (including reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs) arising out of or in any way related to (a) any food, beverage, service, catering, or item offered, sold, prepared, or delivered by any Cook; (b) any interaction between Customer and any Cook; (c) any information posted by any Cook; (d) Customer's use of or inability to use the Platform; or (e) any breach of these terms by Customer.
The Released Parties make no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the quality, safety, wholesomeness, freshness, ingredients, preparation, nutritional content, allergen content, legality, licensure, or regulatory compliance of any food or Cook, and disclaim all such warranties to the maximum extent permitted by law, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
Contact
Legal notices: legal@openkitchen.food · General: hello@openkitchen.food