Chef on the Block - Privacy Policy

Last Updated: February 19, 2026

Chef on the Block LLC ("we," "us," or "our"), a Utah limited liability company, operates a marketplace platform that connects food lovers with independent home chefs in their neighborhood. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your information when you use our website, mobile application, and related services (collectively, the "Platform").

This Privacy Policy applies to all users, including buyers and chefs.

By using Chef on the Block, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

Name
Email address
Phone number (required; must be verified via SMS)
Password (stored in encrypted form)

Profile Information

Depending on your role, we may collect:

Physical address (for pickup locations)
Profile photo
Bio or description
Kitchen photos (for chefs)
Food handler permits or certifications (for chefs)

Order and Transaction Data

When you place or fulfill orders, we collect:

Order details (items, quantities, prices)
Pickup times and locations
Order history
Pickup codes
Ratings and reviews

Payment Information

Payment transactions are processed by third-party payment providers (such as Stripe)
We do NOT store your full credit card number, CVV, or other sensitive payment card details
We may receive limited payment information from our payment processors, such as the last four digits of your card and transaction confirmations
For chefs: we store your Stripe Connect account ID to facilitate payouts

Location Data

GPS coordinates (latitude/longitude) when you grant location permission
Location is used only while the app is in the foreground
We do not track your location in the background
You may also manually provide an address instead of using GPS

Device and Usage Data

We automatically collect certain information when you use the Platform:

Device type, operating system, and unique device identifiers
IP address
App version
Pages viewed and features used
Time spent on the Platform
Crash reports and performance data

Photos and Camera

When you grant permission, we may collect:

Photos taken with your device camera (for food listings, kitchen photos, or profile pictures)
Photos selected from your photo library
All photos are uploaded and stored on our cloud storage

Communications

We may collect:

Messages exchanged through the Platform
Customer support inquiries and related device metadata (app version, device OS)
Feedback and survey responses

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Provide Our Services

Create and manage your account
Process and fulfill orders
Facilitate communication between buyers and chefs
Verify pickup codes and complete transactions
Display chef profiles and listings
Show nearby chefs and food based on your location

Communicate With You

Send order confirmations and status updates via push notifications
Notify you about your account or transactions
Respond to your questions and support requests
Send important platform announcements
Send email notifications (password resets, support replies)

Improve Our Platform

Analyze usage patterns and trends
Develop new features and services
Fix bugs and improve performance
Conduct research and analytics

Verify Your Identity

Send SMS verification codes to your phone number to confirm your identity during account registration and when updating your phone number
We use Twilio, a third-party communications provider, to deliver SMS verification codes
Your phone number is shared with Twilio solely for the purpose of sending verification codes
Phone verification is required for all accounts on the Platform

Verify Addresses

Validate chef pickup addresses through our address verification service
We use SmartyStreets, a third-party address verification provider, for address autocomplete, validation, and geocoding
Address information is shared with SmartyStreets solely for the purpose of verification

Ensure Safety and Security

Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access
Verify user identities via phone verification
Moderate content using automated and manual review processes
Enforce our Terms of Service
Comply with legal obligations

3. Location Data

How We Use Location

We may collect and use location information to:

Show you nearby chefs and listings
Display pickup locations
Improve local search results
Verify chef service areas
Calculate distances between you and available food

Your Control

You can enable or disable location services in your device settings
Some features may be limited without location access
You may use a saved address as an alternative to GPS-based location

What We Don't Do

We do not track your location in the background
We do not sell your location data
We do not share your precise location with advertisers

4. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

With Other Users

Buyers can see chef profiles, ratings, and pickup locations
Chefs can see buyer names and order details necessary for fulfillment
Ratings and reviews are visible to other users

With Service Providers

We share information with third-party companies that help us operate the Platform:

Stripe — Payment processing and chef payouts
Twilio — SMS phone verification
Resend — Transactional email delivery (password resets, support replies, order notifications)
SmartyStreets — Address verification, autocomplete, and geocoding
Amazon Web Services (AWS S3) — Cloud storage for photos and images
Expo — Push notification delivery
Analytics providers to understand Platform usage

These providers are contractually required to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information when required to:

Comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes
Respond to lawful requests from government authorities
Protect the rights, property, or safety of Chef on the Block, our users, or others
Enforce our Terms of Service

Business Transfers

If Chef on the Block is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change.

No Sale of Personal Data

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

5. Data Retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary to:

Provide our services to you
Fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy
Comply with legal, tax, and regulatory requirements
Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Specific retention practices:

Active account data is retained for as long as your account exists
Order and transaction records are retained for up to 7 years for tax and legal compliance
Temporary uploaded images are automatically deleted after 24 hours if not finalized
Anonymized or aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for analytics

When you delete your account:

We will remove your profile information from the Platform
Some information may be retained for legal, security, or fraud prevention purposes
Anonymized or aggregated data may be retained for analytics

6. Your Rights and Choices

Access and Update

You can access and update your account information through the app settings.

Account Deletion

You may delete your account at any time through the Account Settings page in the app. Account deletion requires password confirmation and permanently removes your profile information, orders, listings, reviews, and personal data from the Platform. Some information may be retained for legal, security, or fraud prevention purposes as described above. You may also request deletion by contacting us directly.

Communication Preferences

You can opt out of promotional emails by using the unsubscribe link
You cannot opt out of essential service communications (order updates, security alerts)

Push Notifications

You can manage push notification preferences in your device settings or within the app.

Location

You can disable location services at any time through your device settings.

Camera and Photos

You can revoke camera and photo library access through your device settings.

7. State Privacy Rights

California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

Know what personal information we collect, use, and share about you
Delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions
Opt out of sale — we do not sell personal information
Non-discrimination — we will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise your rights, contact us at privacy@chefontheblock.com or use the account deletion feature in the app.

Other State Privacy Laws

Residents of other states with applicable privacy laws (such as Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and others) may have similar rights. Please contact us at privacy@chefontheblock.com to exercise your rights.

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:

Encryption of data in transit and at rest
Secure password storage (bcrypt hashing)
Access controls and authentication
Regular security assessments
Session-based authentication with secure tokens

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

9. Children's Privacy

Chef on the Block is not intended for children under 13 years of age (or under 16 in certain jurisdictions).

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly.

If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

10. Automated Content Moderation

Chef on the Block uses automated content moderation tools to review listings and user-submitted content for compliance with our community standards. This may include:

Automated keyword and pattern scanning of listing text
Manual review of flagged content by our team
Trust scores that may affect account standing

If your content is flagged or removed, you may contact our support team for review.

11. Third-Party Links and Services

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access.

Key third-party services with their own privacy policies:

12. International Users

Chef on the Block is operated from the United States. If you access the Platform from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate.

By using the Platform, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries that may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes:

We will post the updated Privacy Policy on the Platform
We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top
For significant changes, we may notify you through the app or via email

Your continued use of Chef on the Block after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

Email: privacy@chefontheblock.com
In-App: Use the Help or Support section
Mail: Chef on the Block LLC, 1345 N Daniel Drive, Orem, UT 84057

We will respond to your inquiry as soon as reasonably possible.

Thank you for trusting Chef on the Block with your information.