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4.2

Great rating - 4.2/5 (11114+ reviews)

Do you need help with meal preparation?

  • Home cooking
  • Cooking Lessons
  • Vegetarian meal preparation
  • Vegan meal preparation
  • Meal planning
  • … or anything else
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Best rated cooks near me

Recent Cooking reviews

Super easy to work with

One Week Meal Prep

$150

Such a good person. Really did a great job and very friendly and polite to deal with

Cooking meal prep/ house work

$160

Amazing baby shower cake! Amy made the cake to the exact details and features that the mother to be wanted. Great service and the cake tasted amazing.

Custom cake

$250

Thank you so much Cas, what a beautiful cake you’ve made!

Custom made cake

$100

Very easy to work with and got what I was looking for!

Weekly Meal Prep

$250

I would highly recommend Ange. She was very prompt in responding to my task and a pleasure to work with. She has listened to exactly what we would like and had gone above and beyond. We are very lucky to have found Ange!

Meal preparation and light household tasks

$120

What's the average cost of a cook

$80 - $220

low

$80

median

$150

high

$220

Low, median and high bar chart distribuiton

Average reviews for Cooking Services

based on 465 reviews

4.92

441
15
4
4
1

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Hire trusted Cooks with Airtasker

Cooking is one of those skills that takes a moment to learn but a lifetime to master. Those who choose to master it over a lifetime are generally highly sought after, and for good reason.

Whether you’re a catering company who needs a chef to help serve up food at a gala event, a restaurant who requires the short term assistance of a chef while they search for a long term staffer, or perhaps even a hopeless romantic who wants to engage the services of a private chef to make an anniversary particularly special, you can now gain access to a huge amount of talent, and all at the click of a button.

Simply tell us about the job that you’d like the chef to do and suggest what you’d be willing to pay, and you’ll soon begin to receive offers from available chefs. Each chef comes with ratings and detailed reviews of their previous work, so you can be confident that your chosen hire will be able to produce the sort of quality food that you require.

So what are you waiting for? Get a free, no obligation quote today!

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Top Cooking related questions

Professional cooks usually have previous kitchen experience or qualifications. They’re paid to prepare food, either in a commercial environment, in people’s homes as a personal cook, or they may work from their own kitchen at home.

Yes. Most cooks specialise in a particular type of cooking, like baking, seafood, gluten-free, vegan, steaming, frying, or even a particular cuisine.

A professional cook doesn’t necessarily need any set qualifications, but it’s common for professional chefs to hold a certificate or have some work experience in a professional kitchen.

Professional cooks can give you a restaurant quality meal but in the comfort (and convenience) of your own home. If you’re hosting a dinner party, it means you can spend more time with your guests and minimise the clean up afterwards.

This will depend on whether your cook is assembling the meal at your place or at theirs. Generally, private catering chefs will bring all the ingredients, along with any specific appliances they need. However, they may use your basic utensils and servingware.

The price for a professional or personal cook is usually between $70-$200 when you hire through Airtasker. It could be more or less than this, depending on how many people they need to cater for, the cost of ingredients, and the time it’ll take them to prepare the meal.


Suggested reads about Cooking

What do cooking services include?

You can hire a cook to provide food for a range of meals and occasions, from home cooking and meal prep to specialty cooking and even dinner party catering. You can arrange cooking services to happen in your own kitchen or your cook can bring the food ready-prepared. Your chef will take care of everything from buying ingredients to cleaning up. Here’s what you can expect depending on your cooking service:

Home cooking
Want fresh meals in your home? Your home chef can either offer regular home cooking services where they cook multiple nights per week, or provide a one-off meal if you just need occasional help. Your private chef will ask if you have any food preferences or intolerances, how many people they need to cook for, and what appliances and equipment they can use. They’ll usually plan the meals ahead of time, purchase the ingredients, and freshly cook the meals in your kitchen, and then clean up before they go.

Baking
Want to impress your best friend with an amazing cake for her birthday party? Or perhaps it’s your turn to bring some baking to work for morning tea? Hire a pastry chef or professional baker to create a cake, biscuits, muffins, or something else tasty. They’ll ask you how many people you’re baking for, any flavour preferences, and any special decorations you’d like. Your baker will bake at their place and deliver the finished product to your home or office once it’s ready.

Dinner party chef
If you’re planning a dinner party with friends, why not hire a dinner party chef to help take all the stress out of hosting? Your professional cook will contact you to confirm the number of guests, what courses/canapes you’d like, and whether the event is formal or informal. They’ll usually prepare most of the food where the event is being held (whether at your home or at a venue) and clean up the kitchen after they’re done.

Specialty cooking
Cooking paleo, vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free can be a challenge, whether it’s for yourself, a family member, or for an event you’re catering. Fortunately, many cooks are experienced with a range of different food requirements, including food intolerances, special diets, and allergies. When you hire a cook, they’ll choose recipes and ingredients that are suitable, confirming any dietary requirements before they get started. They’ll be careful to avoid cross-contamination if they’re preparing alternative meals for certain members of your family or party.

Meal preparation & planning
If you struggle to come up with meal ideas and always find yourself short of time throughout the week, why not hire a cook to prep your meals for the week? Your personal cook will confirm how many meals you’d like, the number of people, and if you have any preferences. They’ll choose meals that keep well and are easy to store, and taste great fresh or reheated. They’ll either prepare the food in your kitchen (cleaning up afterwards) or drop your freshly prepared meals off when they’re done, packaged and ready for the fridge or freezer.

Recent Cooking tasks

Home Cooking

$30

Newport QLD 4020, Australia

30th Aug 2026

Home Cook Wanted – Weekly Meal Preparation I’m looking for someone experienced and reliable to come to my home and prepare fresh, healthy home-cooked meals for my family. What I’m looking for: Cook meals in my home kitchen Prepare multiple meals/portions for the family Simple, tasty and family-friendly food Indian/Asian and general home-style cooking preferred Meal preparation, cooking and basic kitchen clean-up Ideally someone available on a weekly or fortnightly basis You provide: Your cooking skills and ingredients will be supplied Location: Newport Frequency: Weekly / fortnightly Time required: Approximately 3–4 hours

In home meal prep

$50

Red Hill VIC 3937, Australia

30th Aug 2026

I'm looking for someone to prepare all our weekly meals, breakfast, lunch and dinners

K-Pop 5th Birthday Cake

$100

Cheltenham VIC 3192, Australia

29th Aug 2026

Looking for someone who can create an amazing K-pop demon hunters cake for a child’s 5th bday in Oct. Need for a party at 12 on Saturday, enough for 20-25 kids

Hand made cake decorations

$50

Hampton Park VIC 3976, Australia

29th Aug 2026

I’m looking for someone to make some fondant ( or other suitable cake decorating material) cake decorations. A cassette, good vibes writing, basketball ring / net

Meal prep, rice-based dishes, three Thursdays in September

$50

Mermaid Waters QLD 4218, Australia

28th Aug 2026

Hi! Looking for someone to do some meal prep for me. Mainly rice-based dishes. Red curry and panang curry are my go-to, but if you make other rice-based dishes I'd be keen to hear what you'd suggest. Two curries per session, $50 per visit. Dates: Thursday 10, 17 and 24 September. Happy to sort out timing once we connect.

Chef for home cooking in Epping area.

$35

Epping NSW 2121, Australia

28th Aug 2026

Need someone to help cook for us once or twice a week. Healthy meals.

Wedding cake

$300

Melbourne VIC 3130, Australia

28th Aug 2026

I need a wedding cake on 13/03/27

Indian veg vegan healthy cook

$100

Truganina VIC 3029, Australia

28th Aug 2026

I need lunch and dinner weekdays so cook may 2 -3 twice a week and store in fridge meal prep Healthy vegan Calorie count make sure make tasty no peanuts yeast can make Healthy veg soups Dal rice Moong dal dosa Idli sambar Vegan tofu biryani sometimes Other mix veg and rice portion size Cut cook slow not fast cooking

Home Cook Wanted – Regular Meal Prep – Elsternwick

$50

Elsternwick VIC 3185, Australia

10th Aug 2026

Looking for a home cook to prepare simple, healthy meals to be cooked in your kitchen I have some dietary restrictions, so I need someone who is careful with ingredients and happy to follow a clear list of foods My diet is: * Gluten free * Low FODMAP * Low histamine * No fish or seafood You don’t need to already be an expert in these diets. I can provide guidance and suitable ingredients. Familiarity with the Monash Low FODMAP app would be a bonus. The cooking itself is straightforward: chicken/meat, vegetables, salads, soups, stir-fries and other simple meals. Nothing elaborate or spicy. I’m looking for someone who: * Lives reasonably close to Elsternwick * Is a confident and capable home cook * Is clean, organised and careful with food preparation * Is comfortable following dietary restrictions * Can suggest simple meal ideas within the guidelines * Would ideally like regular ongoing work if we’re a good fit Hours/rate: Flexible and negotiable depending on experience. I’m happy to discuss an hourly rate. Please let me know what suburb you’re in, your cooking experience, your hourly rate, and your availability.

Thankyou so much Deb! Deb completely understood my extremely limited diet and made the process so easy. Great food Really grateful.

Need support in healthy meal prep for family in Sydney

$50

Seaforth NSW 2092, Australia

5th Aug 2026

We are a family of four needing help with health meals and meal prep

Thank you so mucb Angelo for the delicious meals you cooked for us!

In-home meal prep chef

$250

Port Melbourne VIC 3207, Australia

2nd Aug 2026

Looking for an Ongoing Meal Prep Chef (Weekly) We’re looking for an experienced home cook or meal prep chef to come to our home once a week and prepare healthy meals for the week ahead. This will ideally become an ongoing weekly arrangement if we’re a good fit. What we’re after: * Cook meals in our home once per week. * Shop for all ingredients beforehand (we’ll provide a separate grocery budget). * Prepare high-protein, calorie-conscious meals. * Focus on fresh, whole-food ingredients. * Portion meals into containers ready for the fridge/freezer. * Clean the kitchen after cooking. The meals: We’re still working out exactly how many meals we’d like each week (likely 16-20), so we’d love someone who is flexible and can help us design the right plan. Generally we’re looking for meals that are: * High protein * Lower calorie * Healthy and balanced * Great tasting (not boring meal prep!) * Easy to reheat Examples include grilled chicken, lean beef, fish, rice, potatoes, roasted vegetables, salads, curries, stir-fries, burrito bowls, etc. About us We’re active and train regularly, so nutrition is important to us. We’re looking for someone who enjoys cooking healthy food and can bring ideas rather than simply following recipes. When applying, please include: * Your experience * A few example meals you would prepare * Your availability * Your price for a weekly cook Looking forward to finding someone for a long-term arrangement. Our assumed budget for this is $45-70/hour (depending on experience) and 3-4 hours per session.

Deb is great. Really friendly, and awesome food. Highly recommend.

Family assistant cleaner and meal prep

$30

Elsternwick VIC 3185, Australia

22nd Jul 2026

We are a busy family living in a 3-bedroom home with 2 young children, looking for a reliable, efficient, and proactive helper on an ongoing fortnightly basis We are seeking someone with great attention to detail who takes initiative around the house—someone who notices what needs doing (like stray toys, dry laundry, or cluttered counters) and handles it without needing step-by-step direction. 1. Meal Prep (5 Family Meals)** Prepare a batch of 4- 5 family-friendly meals per visit to carry us through the fortnight ahead. We need dishes that freeze well and can be pulled out easily during busy weeknights to pop straight into the oven. Don't mind if you do this in our house or in your own kitchen and bring here. Need to let us know in advance what we need to buy or give receipt of ingredients for reimbursement. 2. House Cleaning *Clean the main bathroom. * clean the kitchen area (stovetop, counters, sink, wiping down appliance exteriors). * Vacuum and mop floors ( living areas, bathroom, bedrooms). 3. Family & Household Support (Taking Initiative) * Tidy up toys, kid mess, and general clutter around the living areas. * Fold dry laundry from the line/airer, put away clothes, or pop on a load of washing. * General tidying and organising to help keep our household running smoothly. **Bonus / Casual Extra Hours (Optional)** Big plus if you have a current Working With Children Check (WWCC) and babysitting experience! We would love to find someone who could also offer ad-hoc/casual help, such as: * Occasional evening or weekend babysitting. * Collecting our son from kindergarten on the odd day Ideal Candidate: *Proactive & Independent:Sees what needs doing (e.g., dry laundry, toy clutter) and takes the initiative to get it done. Great Cook: Comfortable preparing wholesome, family-friendly meals designed to freeze and reheat well. $30 per hour (assuming 5 hours per fortnight?) Looking forward to finding a great ongoing fit for our family!

Alyce made a range of delicious meals for us

Weekly Meal Prep

$150

Moonee Ponds VIC, Australia

20th Jul 2026

Buy and cook 20 servings of 4 different pre-planned meals each week. Price negotiable depending on circumstances.

Super easy to liase with and was exactly what we were looking for!

Home cooking

$30

Point Cook VIC 3030, Australia

17th Jul 2026

Home Cooking help needed in Point Cook

Among food and punctual very reliable

Meal prep food

$150

Sans Souci NSW 2219, Australia

1st Jul 2026

I have all the stuff but no time. Need someone to meal prep my weekly meals and have them ready to eat. I have containers and food ready to go. Just bring yourself. Cooking experience is needed as I prefer someone knows how to cook it right . Electric Stove. Need prep for 7 days. This will be on going

Very smart and helpful.. Knows how to cook well

Man required to be Santa for a dog event

$90

Newtown NSW 2042, Australia

29th Jun 2026

I require a Santa for a doggie event for pics with people & their pooches Midday -1.30pm 18 July Bank hotel I have Santa outfit to provide Must like dogs Must be friendly outgoing person

Did a great job bee professional

Meal prep help and clean up

$60

Southbank VIC 3006, Australia

27th Jun 2026

Looking for someone to help me meal prep for the week - washing and chopping veggies, herbs etc - and complete kitchen clean up after, including washing, drying and putting away dishes. This should take a couple of hours all up. If it goes well, will repeat next Sunday. Open to offers.

Thank you, great to learn some cooking tip from you :)

Dog Meal Prep / Cooking Assistance Needed (Brighton, Melbourne)

$120

Brighton VIC 3186, Australia

14th Jun 2026

Looking for someone to assist with preparing cooked meals for my dog. My vet has provided a meal plan with specific ingredients and food groups. I will provide the recipes, portion guidelines and instructions. I'm very flexible and easygoing about exact measurements - I just need someone who can follow the recipe and prepare healthy meals containing the required ingredients. The task would involve: • Cooking meals in batches • Portioning into individual containers • Storing appropriately for fridge/freezer I can either: • Arrange groceries to be delivered directly to you via Coles/Woolworths • Reimburse grocery costs • Work out another arrangement that suits I'm based in Brighton (3186). Ideally meals would be prepared in your own kitchen. I can collect if you're within approximately 20km of Brighton, arrange an Uber Parcel pickup, or delivery would be amazing if possible. This may become an ongoing arrangement for the right person. Please let me know your location, availability, preferences around grocery options etc & delivery, pick up etc and any other relevant information. Please ensure your offer includes all costs & the day/ date you are available. Note: grocery cost separate as outlined above. Thank you!

Couldn't be happier, thank you so much!

Rescue Rose bush

$50

Mill Park, Victoria

10th Jun 2026

Accidentally baked into my rose bush but I don't know how to resurrect it and look after it

Thank you very much

Meal prep for the week

$10

Queanbeyan NSW 2620, Australia

10th Jun 2026

We are looking to pay someone to cook our meals for us for the week. This will be 2 meals a day for 2 adults. Happy for you to cook at your own place or ours Open to all quotes, thank you

Anoma cooked delicious food for us! We will book her again for this week