Everything You Need to Become a Home Chef with Homemade in the Netherlands

If you’ve ever thought about turning your love for cooking into a business, doing it from home is an exciting and flexible way to get started. Across the Netherlands, a growing community of passionate home chefs is sharing delicious, homemade meals with their local neighborhoods. This trend not only brings fresh, authentic flavors closer to people but also creates meaningful opportunities for cooks like you to earn income doing what you love. Platforms like Homemade are making this dream more accessible than ever by connecting talented home chefs with eager customers looking for high-quality, affordable meals made with care.

But becoming a home chef in the Netherlands is about more than just cooking tasty food—it also means understanding and following important rules and regulations to keep your business safe, legal, and professional. These guidelines protect both you and your customers by ensuring food safety, proper hygiene, and transparency in your operations. Being aware of these requirements from the start will help you build a strong foundation for your business and avoid potential issues down the road.

In addition to legal considerations, running a successful home chef business means having the right tools and strategies to reach customers effectively. This includes setting up a functional and efficient kitchen, managing orders smoothly, pricing your meals fairly, and promoting your food in ways that highlight your unique style and values. Homemade supports you every step of the way, offering guidance, resources, and a platform to showcase your cooking to a wider audience.

Whether you want to prepare traditional family recipes, explore vegan or gluten-free options, or create unique fusion dishes, the home chef path allows you to express your culinary creativity while building a sustainable business. And because you operate locally, you can keep your supply chain short and reduce your environmental impact—something many customers appreciate today.

Starting your journey as a home chef means joining a vibrant community of food lovers who value authenticity, sustainability, and quality. With the right knowledge, tools, and support from Homemade, you can turn your passion into a rewarding career that fits your lifestyle and goals. Ready to make your kitchen your business? The possibilities are deliciously endless!

What You Need to Become a Home Chef in the Netherlands

To start your journey as a home chef in the Netherlands, there are a few important requirements to keep in mind. First, you must be at least 18 years old and have the legal right to work in the country. This ensures you’re able to run your business officially and without legal issues.

Next, you’ll need to register your business to make it official. This means signing up with the Kamer van Koophandel (KVK), the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. Registering here turns your home kitchen into a recognized business entity, which is essential for things like invoicing customers and filing taxes. But that’s not all—because you’ll be preparing and selling food, you must also register as a food business with the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). This registration guarantees that your kitchen meets strict hygiene and food safety standards required by Dutch law, protecting both you and your customers.

If all this sounds a bit overwhelming, don’t worry! The Homemade team is here to guide you through each step, making it easier to check all the legal boxes and feel confident about running your business the right way.

Your kitchen also needs to follow hygiene rules based on HACCP principles, which focus on basic but vital practices like proper ingredient storage, keeping surfaces clean, and clearly labeling allergens. These rules help you maintain a safe and healthy cooking environment.

Finally, to manage your home chef business smoothly, you’ll need a smartphone with the Homemade Chef app installed. This app is your essential tool—it lets you create and update your menu, accept and track orders, communicate with customers, and organize your schedule all in one place. With these steps, you’re set up to run a successful, legal, and professional home cooking business.

Hint: To get more in-depth insights on How to become a certified home chef in the Netherlands, check our article

How Homemade Supports Home Chefs Across the Netherlands

Homemade is so much more than just an app—it’s a vibrant community and trusted business partner designed specifically for home chefs like you. When you join Homemade, you’re stepping into a supportive network that helps you grow your cooking passion into a successful and sustainable business, without the usual headaches.

One of the biggest advantages of using Homemade is the financial benefit. Unlike many other platforms that take a large cut of your earnings, Homemade lets you keep a very high percentage—up to 95% during the introductory period! This means more money goes directly to you, rewarding your hard work and culinary skills fairly. It’s a great way to make your home chef business financially viable while you build your brand and customer base.

Sustainability is at the heart of Homemade’s mission. The platform manages delivery through zero-emission, eco-friendly couriers who use bikes or electric vehicles. This not only reduces the environmental impact of your business but also appeals to customers who care about green practices. You can focus on what you do best—cooking delicious meals—while knowing your food reaches customers fresh and sustainably.

Homemade also makes it easy to build a strong reputation and loyal customer base with its integrated review and loyalty system. Customers can leave feedback that helps you understand what they love and where you can improve. At the same time, repeat customers are rewarded naturally through loyalty points and perks, encouraging them to come back again and again. This system works seamlessly behind the scenes, so you don’t have to juggle multiple marketing tools or complicated software.

Speaking of marketing, Homemade is dedicated to helping you succeed beyond just cooking. The platform regularly offers free masterclasses and workshops on valuable topics like creating engaging Instagram reels, improving your visibility with local SEO, and using menu psychology to design dishes that attract more orders. These learning opportunities are designed to empower you with practical skills to grow your business and connect with customers more effectively.

In short, Homemade provides not only the tools to sell your meals but also the education, community, and sustainability framework to build a thriving home chef business with purpose and pride. Joining Homemade means you’re never alone on your entrepreneurial journey.

Step-by-Step:How to Join Homemade as a Home Chef in the Netherlands

Starting your journey as a home chef with Homemade is simple and well-supported. We’re here to guide you through every step, making sure you feel confident and prepared to grow your business sustainably. Here’s how to get started:

1. Fill out the form on our website dedicated to chefs. This is your first step and it only takes a few minutes. By completing this form, you let us know you’re interested in joining the Homemade community. It helps us understand your cooking style and what kind of support you might need.
2. Your meeting will be booked automatically for your preferred date. Once you submit the form, our system schedules a call at a time that works best for you. During this call, you’ll meet one of our friendly team members from the Communication Department. They’ll introduce you to Homemade, answer your questions, and explain what to expect next. This is a great opportunity to get personal guidance and feel connected right from the start.
3. Send videos of your kitchen and complete all necessary documentation. To ensure everything runs smoothly and meets legal standards, we’ll ask you to share a short video tour of your kitchen. This helps us confirm your space is well-organized and safe for food preparation. At the same time, our specialists will assist you in completing all the important paperwork — from registration forms to hygiene compliance. You’re never alone here; our team walks with you every step, making sure you have everything you need to operate legally and confidently.
4. Create your menu and develop your brand with the help of our Marketing Department. Crafting a great menu and a memorable brand image can set you apart. Our marketing experts offer personalized advice on dish selection, pricing, photos, and branding elements like logos and color schemes. Once your menu and brand are ready, you’ll set up your online store through Hyperzod — a user-friendly platform tailored specifically for home chefs. Hyperzod makes managing orders, schedules, and payments easy, so you can focus more on cooking and less on tech headaches.
5. Build your social media presence by creating Instagram and other channels. Social media is a powerful way to connect with customers, showcase your meals, and grow your loyal following. We provide tips and resources to help you create engaging profiles and content that reflects your unique style and story.

To support you further, we’ve prepared detailed articles for each of these steps. These guides offer clear instructions, helpful tips, and answers to common questions — all designed to make your onboarding smooth and stress-free. Whether you’re registering your business, organizing your kitchen, or setting up your online profile, these resources are here whenever you need them.

Ready to get started? Visit our website, fill out the chef form, and take the first step toward turning your passion for cooking into a thriving home business with Homemade!