Terms & Conditions — La Cummara

Last updated: 24 August 2026

These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") apply to all bookings made with La Cummara. By submitting a booking request and/or making a payment, you agree to these Terms.

1. Who we are

La Cummara is a private chef service operated by Martina Rapposelli, trading as "La Cummara" (sole trader), based in Liverpool, UK, serving Liverpool and the surrounding areas.

Contact: hello@lacummara.co.uk / lacummara.co.uk

2. The service

La Cummara provides a private dining experience at the customer's home. This includes:

• Sourcing and purchasing the ingredients for the chosen menu
• Transporting ingredients to the customer's address
• Preparing, cooking and serving the meal in the customer's kitchen
• Clearing down the kitchen after service, to a reasonable standard

All food preparation, cooking and serving takes place at the customer's home. No food is prepared, cooked or stored at Martina's home, and customers do not visit any La Cummara premises.

3. Booking process

1. The customer submits a booking request via the website, selecting a menu, date, number of guests and providing their details.
2. A booking request is not confirmed until La Cummara has checked availability and accepted it.
3. Once accepted, La Cummara will send a deposit request.
4. The booking becomes confirmed only once the deposit has been received.
5. The remaining balance is due before the event, as set out in Section 5.

4. Deposit

• A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the total booking value is required to confirm a booking, except during the free cancellation window described in Section 6.
• The deposit is paid by card at the time of booking confirmation.
• Once La Cummara sends the deposit request, it must be paid within: 48 hours, for events 2 weeks or more away at the time of the request; or 24 hours, for events less than 2 weeks away at the time of the request. If the deposit is not received within this window, the requested date is not held and may be offered to another customer.
• The deposit is deducted from the total price; it is not an additional charge.

5. Balance payment

• The remaining balance (75% of the total booking value) is due 7 days before the event.
• If the balance is not received by the due date, La Cummara reserves the right to treat the booking as cancelled by the customer, and the cancellation terms in Section 6 will apply.
• Prices are as quoted at the time of booking and do not include VAT, as La Cummara is not currently VAT registered.

6. Cancellation and refunds

See the full Cancellation & Refund Policy for details. In summary:

• Customers may cancel free of charge, with a full refund of any deposit paid, within 24 hours of the booking being confirmed.
• After this window and up to 7 days before the event, the deposit is non-refundable, but no further charge applies.
• Cancellations made less than 7 days before the event require payment of the full booking value (deposit and balance), as ingredients will typically already have been purchased and the date can no longer reasonably be re-booked.

7. Rescheduling

• Customers may request to reschedule their event date, subject to availability.
• Requests to reschedule made in good time will normally be accommodated at no extra charge; late requests may be treated as a cancellation and re-booking under Section 6.

8. Changes to guest numbers

• Any change to the number of guests must be communicated as early as possible.
• Increases in guest numbers may incur an additional charge and are subject to availability.
• Decreases in guest numbers close to the event date may not reduce the total price already agreed, as ingredients may already have been purchased.

9. Menu changes

• The customer selects a menu at the time of booking. Reasonable substitutions within a menu (e.g. for allergies or ingredient availability) can be discussed with Martina in advance.
• La Cummara reserves the right to make minor substitutions to a dish where an ingredient is unavailable, while keeping the spirit of the menu.

10. Allergies and dietary requirements

• Customers must tell La Cummara about all allergies, intolerances and dietary requirements for every guest at the time of booking, using the form provided.
• It is the customer's responsibility to ensure this information is accurate and complete, and to update La Cummara promptly if it changes before the event.
• La Cummara will take reasonable and appropriate care to accommodate disclosed allergies and dietary requirements, in line with its food safety obligations, but cannot guarantee a completely allergen-free environment given the nature of home cooking.

11. Access to the customer's home and kitchen

• The customer must ensure La Cummara has safe and reasonable access to their home and a working kitchen at the agreed time.
• The kitchen should have the basic equipment appropriate to the chosen menu (hob, oven, fridge, sink, worktop space). Any specific requirements will be communicated in advance.
• La Cummara is not responsible for delays caused by access issues at the customer's property.

12. Travel and service area

• La Cummara currently serves Liverpool and the surrounding areas.
• Bookings outside the usual service area may be accepted at La Cummara's discretion and may incur an additional travel charge, agreed in advance.

13. Delays

• La Cummara will make reasonable efforts to arrive and serve at the agreed times.
• Delays caused by circumstances outside La Cummara's reasonable control (see Section 14) will not be treated as a breach of these Terms.

14. Events outside our reasonable control

La Cummara is not liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations where this is caused by events outside its reasonable control (for example, severe weather, road closures, illness, or other circumstances it could not reasonably have foreseen or avoided).

15. Liability

• La Cummara will take reasonable care and skill in providing the service.
• Nothing in these Terms limits La Cummara's liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for fraud, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under UK law.
• Subject to the above, La Cummara's liability for any booking is limited to the total price paid for that booking.

16. Complaints

If something is not right, please contact us as soon as possible at hello@lacummara.co.uk so we can try to resolve it.

17. Acceptance

By ticking the relevant box and/or making payment, the customer confirms they have read, understood and agree to these Terms & Conditions and the Cancellation & Refund Policy, as they stood at the date and time of booking.