Most meal delivery companies are deliberately vague about how food is made. "Prepared fresh," "kitchen-made," "chef-crafted" - marketing language that obscures industrial production. We prefer to explain what actually happens.
The HomeCooks Process
Recipe Development
Each chef develops their own recipes based on their expertise and culinary background. Recipes are tested, refined, and standardised to ensure consistency while maintaining the chef's personal touch.
Ingredient Sourcing
Chefs source ingredients from their trusted suppliers - butchers, fishmongers, wholesalers, and specialist providers. They buy like professional chefs, prioritising quality for their specific dishes.
Fresh Preparation
Meals are prepared in the chef's commercial kitchen using professional equipment and techniques. This isn't reheating or assembling - it's actual cooking by trained professionals.
Packaging
Meals are portioned and sealed in food-safe containers. Packaging is designed for reheating convenience while maintaining food quality.
Cold Chain Delivery
Meals are collected from chefs and delivered to you in temperature-controlled conditions. Delivery days are optimised to ensure freshness.
Factory vs Chef-Made
The difference matters. Here's what separates industrial meal production from chef-made food:
Factory Production
- Bulk ingredients optimised for cost
- Assembly-line preparation
- Standardised industrial recipes
- Additives for shelf life
- Multiple processing stages
- Anonymous production
HomeCooks Model
- Quality ingredients selected by chefs
- Hands-on cooking by professionals
- Chef-developed recipes
- Minimal additives, real food
- Single preparation process
- Meals credited to specific chefs
The Practical Difference
Factory meals prioritise efficiency and cost at massive scale. Chef meals prioritise quality at smaller scale. You can taste the difference - in texture, flavour depth, and how satisfying the food actually is.
Food Safety
All our chefs operate from registered commercial kitchens with appropriate food hygiene ratings. Key safety measures:
- Kitchen registration - All kitchens are registered with local authorities and inspected
- Food hygiene training - Chefs hold appropriate food safety qualifications
- Temperature control - Proper hot and cold storage throughout preparation
- Allergen management - Clear allergen labelling and kitchen protocols
- Cold chain delivery - Temperature-controlled distribution
Reheating: Completing the Process
When you reheat a HomeCooks meal, you're completing a cooking process that was deliberately designed for this moment. The meal is:
- Cooked to a stage that allows safe storage
- Seasoned accounting for reheating
- Portioned for even heating
- Designed to come together properly when warmed
This isn't just "microwaving leftovers" - it's the final step in a professional cooking process designed from the start with reheating in mind.
What You Don't See
Behind every meal:
- A chef who developed and refined the recipe
- Hours of preparation and cooking
- Professional technique applied to every element
- Quality checks before packaging
- A person who cares about what they're making
The Bottom Line
Our meals are made by real chefs in real kitchens using real cooking methods. That's not marketing - it's our business model. The result is food that tastes like it was made by someone who knows what they're doing, because it was.