Here is some information regarding our policies
Cancellation Policy for Catering Services
We will be happy to change the date of the catering if required, with a minimum of 3 weeks notice before the event, as we will already have staffing booked in and may have turned away other bookings. This applies to the whole booking and not individuals who cancel within the group for any reason as the booking price still applies. If you require to cancel completely, your deposit is fully refundable between booking and a 3 weeks before your event date, thereafter your deposit will not be returned if the group cancels, but the booking date may be transferred to a mutually agreeable date.
In certain circumstances we may be required to cancel catering services due to staff illness or unforseen circumstances. If this is the case, we will make every effort to inform you as soon as possible and will refund any deposit which you have paid to us. We will not be liable for any costs associated with cancelling such as cost of hiring a different caterer etc.
Payment for Catering Services
Once you have agreed on the minimum number of people requiring food and agreed the menu, you will be invoiced accordingly. In most cases a deposit of 50% is required to confirm the booking. Details will be provided on the invoice. The date for the payment of the final balance will be on the invoice along with details for bank transfer. The deposit and final balance must be paid on, or before the specified date on the invoice. Late payment may result in additional charges.
Food Waste from Outside Catering Services
Once food is delivered to our clients chosen venue, we do not take food waste away following buffets etc. If we lend clients our platters, bowls etc, and have arranged to collect these items, they must be emptied of food waste and ready for collection as arranged. If we provide staffing for catered events, our staff will bag up the food waste and dispose of it using the appropriate bins and recycling processes as advised at the venue.
Staffing for Catering Services
We allocate staffing to each job based on the requirements of the job, for example, for a three course meal, we allocate a 2 hour service slot based on the time agreed for the meal to be served. To clarify, If a three course meal is due to be served at 7pm, we expect all service of food for this meal to be served by 9pm. A two course meal is allocated a 1.5 hour service slot. If the client wishes to change the timing of the meal, they must provide 2 weeks notice before the event so we can adjust the staffing hours accordingly. If clients are running late on the day of the event, and additional staffing time is required it will be charged at the following rate: £40 per hr for each chef, £25 an hr for each server.
Cancellation Policy for Cooking Lessons
In the unfortunate event that you have to cancel or reschedule a class, amendments to bookings can be made up to 14 days before the class. Unfortunately, if you test positive for COVID or need to cancel your booking within this timeframe we are unable to offer a refund or exchange of date as staffing will have already been finalised.
For lessons at The Richmond only, we are happy to honour a name change to allow you to transfer the booking to a friend or family member. To do this, please email us at info@homecookschool.com to change the reservation name.
In certain circumstances we may be required to cancel a lesson which you have booked. If this is the case, we will make every effort to inform you as soon as possible and rebook if suitable. We are not liable for any other costs which you may have incurred as a result of booking the course (such as travel or accommodation).
Medical Conditions Which May Effect Lessons
If you have a medical condition which may effect your participation during your lessons, it is your responsibility to let us know, so we can put in the correct actions to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you.
Payment of Lessons
Failure to pay for lessons may result in you loosing your booking. Payment is required at time of booking.
Home Cook School vouchers can be used for payment of a cooking lesson or towards a course but must be in date when booking the chosen course.
Payment of lessons can be paid via our online booking system or by bank transfer. Please contact us on info@homecookschool.com for details.
Alcohol Policy
We operate a ‘Challenge 25’ Policy at The Richmond and Home Cook School and our staff hold their Personal License. If you are lucky enough to look under 25 years old please be prepared to show you are over 18 years. Accepted forms of ID are Photographic Driver License, Passport and Proof of Age Card showing the PASS hologram.
We ask you to respect our staff when enforcing this policy. Customers are not allowed to bring their own alcohol to consume at The Richmond.
Allergens Policy
We endeavour to accommodate dietary requirements including allergies and intolerances; however we would appreciate it if you could notify us in advance so that we can amend menus to suit or can offer you an alternative dish.
While we do our best to reduce the risk of cross-contamination in The Richmond and the Home Cook School production kitchen, we have a legal responsibility to inform you that all 14 major allergens are handled on site so we CANNOT guarantee that any of our dishes are ‘free from’ allergens and therefore cannot accept liability in this respect.
Guests with severe allergies are advised to asses their own level of risk and consume dishes at their own risk.
Please email info@homecookschool.com if you would like to discuss any allergies or dietary requirements further.
Hall Letting at The Richmond
We will agree with you the length and start time of your hall let and this will be detailed on your invoice. If your event runs late, you will be charged £50 per every half hour that the event runs late. In some instances we may not be able to allow the event to run late due to staffing availability or licensing issues.