Frequently asked
The questions people ask
Most things people want to know before ordering. Anything missing? Email info@youbechef.com.
Before you order
Getting started.
How does YouBeChef work?
We design three-course menus at our kitchen on the Isle of Wight, the same kitchen that cooks for RT Café Grill. We prep, cook and pack everything ourselves, then ship the box chilled to your door. You finish a few steps at home, plate up and enjoy. A full menu, no shopping, no restaurant. About 30 to 40 minutes of work in your kitchen.
When do I need to order by?
Orders must be placed by 12 noon on a Sunday for delivery the following Friday or Saturday. Orders after Sunday noon aren't guaranteed unless arranged separately with us. You can order ahead, useful for gifting or planning around dates.
Allergens and dietary requirements
Allergens are listed against every dish on every product page. Our kitchen handles all major allergens, so we can't guarantee no traces, please check the dish allergens before ordering. Vegetarian menus are always available. For other dietary requirements, email us before ordering and we'll do our best.
Do you cater for children?
All our menus are designed for grown-up palates, but we encourage younger diners to try them too. We don't currently offer separate child portions or a children's menu.
Can I cancel or change my order?
Boxes are prepped to order, so we need at least 7 full days' notice before your delivery day to issue a refund or cancellation. After that, the kitchen has already started on your box. Email info@youbechef.com to cancel or amend.
Your delivery
Getting it to you.
Where do you deliver, and when?
We deliver across mainland UK, Friday or Saturday next-day. We use APC as our courier. Some postcodes need separate handling, Scottish Highlands and islands, offshore destinations, and specifically: AB25, AB31, AB33 to 38, AB41 to 56, FK17 to 21, HS1 to 9, IV1 to 99, KW0 to 14, PH15 to 41, PH45 to 99, TR21 to 25. Email us before ordering for these. On the Isle of Wight we deliver on Fridays only. For a Saturday, collect free from RT Café Grill in Ryde.
How much is delivery?
Free on orders of £50 or more. Under £50, delivery is £15, which covers the courier and the chilled packaging. Collection from RT Café Grill in Ryde is free. Scottish Highlands and islands are 2-day delivery, priced separately.
Can I collect instead?
Yes. You can collect from us at RT Café Grill, Royal Maritime House, 17 St Thomas Street, Ryde, PO33 2DL. Collections are Friday and Saturday, 9:30am–4:00pm. Tell us in the order notes when you'll arrive. Your box will be sealed and packed with ice packs, ready to go.
What if I'm not in?
APC will send a 1-hour delivery slot on the morning of your delivery. You can choose to: leave with a neighbour, leave in a safe place, or rearrange the slot, directly with APC via the notification.
How are the boxes kept cold?
Double-walled cardboard, insulated with WoolCool sheep's wool liners, and packed with food-safe ice packs. Tested to stay chilled even over a 2-day journey. Once you receive it: get the chilled items in the fridge promptly. The box keeps the cold in transit, not for a second night on your counter.
What if my box arrives damaged or doesn't arrive at all?
Email us at info@youbechef.com straight away and we'll work with APC to find it. APC's missing-parcel rate is very low, but if anything's gone wrong we'll fix it. Once the box is with our courier we can't take liability for delivery issues, but we'll do everything we can to make it right.
In the kitchen
Cooking it.
How much cooking do I actually have to do?
The hard work is done, we cook, prep, portion, and pack everything. You finish a few elements (often searing meat, warming sides, plating) and plate up. Allow about 30 to 40 minutes from fridge to table for most boxes. Date night is closer to 40.
What equipment do I need?
A normal home kitchen. Specifically: Oven (fan or non-fan, non-fan just needs slightly longer) Hob (gas, electric or induction all fine) Saucepans, a baking tray, a baking dish Basic utensils, sharp knife, spatula, spoons A grill or blowtorch is occasionally useful (for finishing a crème brûlée, for instance). Each recipe card flags anything specific.
What store-cupboard ingredients do I need to add?
You'll need: a good oil (we like rapeseed for colour, olive oil works), Maldon or other flaky salt, tin foil. Each menu's recipe cards will flag anything else.
How do I store everything before cooking?
Every item is labelled with a colour and number telling you where it goes, fridge, freezer, or counter. Group the items for each dish using the numbers, store as labelled, and unpack the rest into your kitchen when you're ready to cook.
How quickly do I need to eat the meal?
Cook and eat by Saturday evening for standard menus. Don't let the ingredients sit longer, they're fresh, restaurant-quality produce designed for a specific window.
Where can I see how to finish the dishes?
Every menu comes with printed recipe cards.
Packaging & planet
Packed with care, returned to nature.
How sustainable is your packaging?
Our box and contents are around 95% compostable. Even in landfill, most components fully compost without environmental harm. The cardboard outer box is recyclable. The WoolCool insulation is biodegradable sheep's wool. The sugarcane food containers are home compostable. We're phasing out the remaining PP plastic and foil components.
How do I recycle the box?
Cardboard outer box: flatten and put in cardboard recycling. Or upcycle, these boxes are tough, designed for storage or reuse. Wool liner: compost it, dig it into your garden, or reuse it (insulation, picnic hampers, pet beds, it's surprisingly versatile). Sugarcane containers, labels, greaseproof paper: food waste recycling or general waste, they decompose fully. Ice packs: defrost, pierce, water your garden with the contents. Recycle the plastic. Glass dishes and bottles: glass recycling, or keep them, they make excellent kitchen storage.
Where do your ingredients come from?
Local where it makes the food better, beyond the island where it doesn't. We source heavily from the Isle of Wight, tomatoes from The Tomato Stall, foraged sea herbs from the coastline, wild garlic and mushrooms from the woodlands. For ingredients we can't source locally, we work with high-quality suppliers across the UK.
Just ask us.
Email info@youbechef.com and a real person in the team will reply.