Find an experienced cook near you

Fill in a short form and get free quotes for professional cooking services

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
It only takes 2 minutes. And it's free.
Up to 50% cheaper than franchise dealers
No job too big or small
Free insurance coverage
Secure cashless payments
Same day or next day service at no extra cost

Best rated cooks near me

Recent Cooking reviews

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

Custom made cake

$100

Amazing food, great company and pleasure to have around.

Home cooking

$40

Julie is very passionate and is open to suggestions, did a wonderful job on my sons first bday. Thank You Julie and Paul.

Birthday home decoration

$300

Job done quickly, lots of communication, I never had to worry about

Deliver a Cake - Annandale to Gosford

$90

Great communication

Personal chef for meal prep

$300

Amazing! Couldn’t not recommend enough. So professional and did everything perfectly

Decorate a room for a birthday

$200

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 478 reviews

4.91

452
17
4
4
1

What is Airtasker?

Post your task

Post your task

Tell us what you need, it's FREE to post.

Review offers

Review offers

Get offers from trusted Taskers and view profiles.

Get it done

Get it done

Choose the right person for your task and get it done.

Now Available
  • Get it done now. Pay later.
  • Repay in 4 fortnightly instalments
  • No interest
  • Available on payments up to $1,500

654+

Tasks successfully completed

1

Average amount of offers per task

3

 hrs

Average time to receive offers

Statistics from the most recent tasks on Airtasker over the last 4 years.

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!

Offers in no time

Start getting offers to do your task ASAP!

Local, skilled pros

Take your pick of skilled Cooks nearby.

Real reviews

Judge for yourself – every task gets a review.

Flexible pricing

Choose the offer that’s right for you.

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

Laundry and Light Housekeeping – Elanora Heights (Mon & Fri)

$120

Elanora Heights NSW 2101, Australia

7th Feb 2026

Description We’re a family of three, looking for a reliable and organised lady to help with laundry and light housekeeping at our small two-bedroom home in Elanora Heights. This is a regular role on Mondays and Fridays, approximately 2–3 hours per visit. Tasks include: ✔ Collecting, washing, drying, folding and putting away laundry ✔ General tidying around the house (living area/kitchen and bedrooms) ✔ Loading and unloading the dishwasher ✔ Wiping down kitchen and dining table tops No deep cleaning, bathrooms, or heavy lifting required. Schedule: 🗓 Mondays and Fridays ⏱ 2–3 hours per visit 🕘 Flexible start time between 9:30am and 12:00pm What we’re looking for: ⭐ Trustworthy, punctual, and detail-oriented ⭐ Comfortable working independently ⭐ Own transport preferred ⭐ Respectful of a family home environment Pay: 💰 Competitive hourly rate — please include your hourly rate when responding. To apply: Please include a short introduction, relevant experience, availability for both days, and any reviews you may have. Happy to have a quick call or message exchange before confirming.

Food shop + Meal Prep

$100

Sydney NSW, Australia

6th Feb 2026

Food shop + cook portioned food in the meal prep

Meal prep for 6 days lunch’s

$75

Seaford VIC 3198, Australia

6th Feb 2026

• 6 individual lunch meals per week • High protein focus • Clean, whole-food ingredients • Balanced macros (protein-forward, moderate carbs, healthy fats) • Meals that reheat well • No ultra-processed food or heavy sauces Food preferences: • Lean proteins (chicken, beef, fish) • Veg-heavy • Simple, filling meals • Happy to take menu suggestions from someone who knows what they’re doing 40–50g protein per meal Ongoing weekly work if it’s a good fit

Decorate a cake

$150

Atwell WA 6164, Australia

6th Feb 2026

Can provide cake. 2 tier. Half pretty pink 10 year- bows kind of vibe. Other half 5 year old, super hero vibes

Icing for 2 tier cake needed done professionally:25 and16cm diam,25cmH

$35

Campbelltown SA 5074, Australia

6th Feb 2026

I am making a birthday cake: 2 tier round cake. 16cm top and 26-28cm diameter bottom. Apx 20cm high (total) The cake finish will be smooth and ready for professional icing . Only full icing coverage is needed. The rest I am doing myself. I just don’t trust myself with the icing finish as I am not a professional. We will deliver and pick up everything ourselves. The birthday party is on 11th of April. Needs to be ready on 10th. I can buy all icing ingredients. The photo shows the idea but in reality it won’t be that high. Thank you Tanya

Fondant rolled and put on two cakes

$75

Essendon VIC, Australia

5th Feb 2026

I have made , filled and ganached two cakes .. one is 12”x8” the other 8” x 8” . I literally need someone to come and roll the fondant and put it on the cake

Folding clothes, meal preps, grocery shopping , light cleaning.

$25

Piara Waters WA, Australia

5th Feb 2026

Folding clothes, hanging clothes, grocery shopping, light meal prep, light cleaning of house, tidying house, engaging 5 year old in playing and learning. $25 per hour.

Weekly Personal Meal Prep – Shopping + Cooking + Macro-Labelled Meals

$400

Ivanhoe VIC, Australia

4th Feb 2026

I’m looking for someone reliable and experienced to handle my weekly food prep end-to-end. This is an ongoing weekly role, not a one-off task. I want low friction and consistency — not fancy food. ⸻ What I need • Grocery shopping handled by you (I’ll reimburse or include in invoice) • Cooking done in my apartment • Meals prepped for the week and stored in containers • Containers labelled with calories + protein • Kitchen cleaned after cooking ⸻ Meal requirements • High-protein, calorie-controlled • Tailored to my preferences • No seafood • No eggs • No bland chicken • No plain beef mince • Food must reheat well and taste fresh (not like microwave meal services) ⸻ Meals per week • Monday to Sunday • Breakfast, lunch, and dinner • Friday/Saturday dinners optional (I usually eat out) I prefer simple, repeatable meals with small rotation — consistency over variety. ⸻ Who this is for • Someone with experience in meal prep, home cooking, catering, or hospitality • Comfortable following instructions and sticking to a plan • Reliable and organised • Happy with an ongoing weekly arrangement I’m not looking for: • A restaurant chef • Fancy plating or experimental food • Generic “healthy meals” ⸻ Payment • Happy to pay hourly or weekly (please include your rate) • Ongoing weekly work if it’s a good fit ⸻ When applying, please include 1. Your experience with meal prep or cooking 2. Whether you can handle grocery shopping 3. Your hourly or weekly rate 4. Your availability to start 5. Any examples of similar work (if available) ⸻ Location In-home (my apartment)

Home cooking

$50

Princes Hill VIC, Australia

4th Feb 2026

Regular cooking of Indian / western food in our house. Some served on day, some stored in fridge / freezer, ingredients provided,

Friendly, efficient and delicious cooking!

Cleaning cooking and meal prep

$25

Hawthorn East, Victoria

20th Jan 2026

Need help with cooking, house cleaning and do some meal prep Rate 25/hr Requirement- 2-3 times a week for 4hrs Please Quote me your hourly rate

Zoe did a great job with cooking and meal prep. The food was lovely and it made a big difference for our family. Thank you, Zoe!

Cleaning, cooking and meal prep

$25

Hawthorn East, Victoria

2nd Jan 2026

We are looking for someone who can come 2–3 times a week to help with cleaning, cooking, and meal prep. It’s a small 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom unit. Hours: 4–5 hours per day. Please quote your ongoing hourly rate for future work. My budget is $25/hour, so kindly do not quote a rate that would be difficult for me to afford.

Zoe did a great job. I would definitely recommend her to family and friends

Meal Preparation

$200

Teneriffe QLD, Australia

28th Dec 2025

Looking for a household assistant to pick up groceries and meal preparation once a week

Thanks Georgia did a good job

I ndian Vegetarian Home Cooking – Twice a Week

$50

Homebush West NSW, Australia

25th Dec 2025

Hi there, I’m looking for a reliable and experienced Indian vegetarian cook to help prepare home-style meals for my parents at our home in Homebush West. Indian Vegetarian Cooking Twice a week for 2 adults. Clean, organised, and hygienic Punctual, reliable, and respectful

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Navneet arrived on time and completed all the cooking within the specified timeframe. The food tasted great, she paid excellent attention to detail, and kept the kitchen clean as she went. Very happy with her service and would highly recommend her.

I need a custom made cake for a 50th delivered to a hotel in Sydney

$250

Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

14th Dec 2025

I need a custom made 2 tier cake made for approximately 25 guests for a 50th birthday. Delivered to the hotel as well. I have a theme in mind and can post photos.

Adriana was so helpful and amazing through the entire process. She made the cake exactly to how I wanted it and I was so happy how it turned out. It was the highlight of the night. Thank you Adriana for your flexibility when the venue was changed at the last minute and being so thoughtful with all the extra touches. Also really appreciated you being so punctual and reliable! Would highly recommend using Adriana for your special milestones.

Meal prep - weekly cook up

$30

Carlton VIC 3053, Australia

13th Dec 2025

Seeking someone to help with weekly meal prep. cooking up to 10 lunches & dinners for the week

Good communication, quick response, good experience

Meal prep - chef

$200

Bellevue Hill NSW, Australia

8th Dec 2025

I need a chef or experienced cook to take over meal prep. Ongoing weekly if mutually agreeable after trial. Three children two adults -dietary requirements: must have experience cooking for fussy children, and experience with vegetarian meal and gluten-free and dairy free meals Job is to prepare weekly nutritious meals that can be refrigerated and served through the week Meals should be ready to assemble, and planned for serving Monday to Friday. Meals to be prepped in our kitchen. I will provide ingredients as requested. You will prepare menu in collaboration with myself.

Absolutely wonderful, would love to work with again

Meal prep twice a week

$125

Charlestown NSW, Australia

7th Dec 2025

Twice a week cook my meals prep I own and run a buisness I’m becoming too busy to be able to do it all… so every 4days 12 meals 24 a week In total

Absolutely the best experience ! Easy and done right! Thank you

Teach me to bake and decorate cookies

$150

Wynnum QLD, Australia

4th Dec 2025

My friend and I are wanting to learn how to bake and decorate sugar cookies. Ideally Christmas themed cookies. I am unsure of the time needed so please quote as I am aware it may be higher than what I am listing. Before confirming a tasker, I would prefer to see your work if you have an account I can look at.

Amazing help! The cookies were delicious!! Highly recommend

Home cooking + a bit of housework

$50

Windsor QLD, Australia

3rd Dec 2025

I have just had ACL surgery so am looking for someone to come round during the day and help me out by doing some cooking, washing up, laundry. Timing: most businesses days (Mon-Fri) up until Christmas.

Zoe was kind and helpful.

Fortnightly meal prep housework etc help

$90

Castlecrag NSW 2068, Australia

1st Dec 2025

Friendly efficiently help around the home What I need: 1. Meal Prep (Fortnightly – 2 hours per session) • Basic chopping, prepping, and cooking 2. Light Housework ( maybe 1 hour per week) • Folding laundry • Putting clothes away • Light wardrobe organisation • General tidy of baby/bedroom areas • Occasional ad-hoc tasks (nothing heavy) Who would suit this role: • Someone organised and efficient • Trustworthy and respectful in a family home • Good communicator • Experience with kids/babies around is a bonus (we have an 8-month-old) Ongoing schedule: • Meal Prep: 2 hours every second week • Housework: 1 hour every week • Times are flexible — mornings or afternoons okay Please include in your offer: • Your hourly rate • Experience with meal prep or home organisation • Availability

Vivienne was a great communicator and super efficient, she organised my wardrobe so good and efficient!! She was a delight to have around and will be working with her again!