FAQ

Neighbours hosting a home-cooked family meal so others can learn a family recipe, cook together, and eat at the table. It is not for restaurants or catering services — it’s just neighbours getting together to learn a recipe and share a meal.

You join a small group in the host’s kitchen. You cook one of their family recipes hands-on, sit down to share the meal, and leave with the recipe to remake at home. Groups stay small so it feels like cooking with a neighbour, not a class in a studio.

No to browse. You can explore hosts, meals, and the map without signing up. You’ll need an account when you want to request a seat so we can reach you about confirmation and the address.

Open a host or meal, pick an upcoming time, and request a seat. The host confirms the request — a request alone is not a confirmed booking. Exact address is shared after confirmation. By requesting a seat you agree to the Guest Terms.

In the host’s kitchen — ordinary homes, not restaurants. Public pages and the map show an approximate neighbourhood only. We store the street address privately and share it after a booking is confirmed.

Privacy for hosts. Pins and neighbourhood labels are approximate on purpose so hosts aren’t doxxed by public listings. Once you’re confirmed for a meal, you get the address you need to arrive.

Hosts set the price of meals. Prices stay neighbourly — typically $10 to $40 — enough to cover groceries and hospitality, not a get-rich scheme. Amounts on the site use your selected city’s currency.

Hosts set the meal price and choose how they accept payment: card (Stripe), cash, or another method they describe (for example bank transfer). After a host confirms your seat, you can pay by card from Account → Bookings when they offer it. HostMeals takes a small platform fee on card payments; cash and other methods are arranged with the host.

Only if they want to take card payments. In Host studio → Payments, hosts turn on card and click Connect with Stripe (a short Stripe Express setup with bank details). Payouts then go to their bank on Stripe’s schedule — they don’t request money from HostMeals. Cash and Other (e.g. bank transfer) do not need Stripe; the host records those payments in their studio ledger.

Full recipes stay locked on the host’s page until you’ve cooked with them. After you’ve attended (or otherwise unlocked access), you can open the recipe to remake it at home. The lock and check badges on meal cards show which recipes you’ve unlocked.

Tell the host clearly before you attend and confirm they can reasonably accommodate you. Home kitchens are not allergen-controlled restaurants — cross-contact can happen. If your needs can’t be met safely, don’t book that meal. See the Guest Terms for more detail.

Only if the host agrees in advance and seats are available. Don’t bring uninvited guests. For children, check with the host — kitchens and meal times vary, and hosts set their own house rules.

Sample hosts are demo profiles so you can browse how the marketplace looks in different cities and cuisines. They’re labelled on the site. Real hosts apply and are reviewed before listing.

Use the country flag and city filters on Hosts or Meals. Prices and map pins follow the city you select. We’re building neighbourhood by neighbourhood — starting from Toronto — while letting you explore sample markets elsewhere.

The meal agreement is between you and the host. HostMeals is a platform that connects neighbours; we don’t cook the food or operate the kitchen. Guests and hosts should read the Guest Terms and Host Terms. If you feel unsafe at any point, leave and contact emergency services if needed.

Tell the host as early as you can if you can’t make it — seats are limited. Hosts should cancel only for legitimate reasons and communicate promptly. Refund and cancellation details may depend on how that meal was paid for; HostMeals isn’t a party to the meal itself except as described in our terms.

Apply here. Share what you cook, your neighbourhood (public), and your street address (private). We’ll review early applications personally. Hosting is neighbour hospitality — teach a recipe you already cook, keep groups small, and price fairly. In studio you set payment options (card needs Stripe; cash/other don’t) — see “Do hosts need to sign up for Stripe?” above. You’re responsible for whether you’re allowed to host at your address and for food safety; see the Host Terms.

That depends on where you live — zoning, leases, condo rules, and local food laws vary. Hosts alone are responsible for checking what’s allowed at their address before listing. HostMeals doesn’t investigate or warrant that hosting is legal at your location. If it isn’t allowed where you live, don’t list.

We use contact details for applications, booking requests, and optional accounts. Host street addresses stay private and never appear on public pages or the map. See our Privacy Policy. To request deletion, email us from the address you used to register.