FAQs

Questions About Your Product

What are your portion sizes? 

The product description for each item lists the portion size. Generally, each tray contains 20-25 servings but please check each individual description.

How will my pickup order be packaged?

Your order will be in half-pan trays. Delivery items are prepared warm. Pick up items are prepared cold. We recommend that you refrigerate your items as soon as possible if not consuming in the immediate future. 

What is the best way to reheat my pickup order?

Reheating instructions can be found under the product description on the Web site or requested to be emailed.

Which days and times is delivery available? 

Delivery is available 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, except for certain public holidays.

Is there a delivery charge?

Yes, the delivery charge is determined by your delivery location. Locations outside our delivery range require an additional fee. Visit the cart page for delivery rates. Call our office for additional fees.

What is the deadline for placing an order? 

Your order must be made by 10:00 am eastern time 2 business days before a delivery or pickup date on Tuesday - Friday. We require 3 business days before a delivery or pickup date on Saturday. 

For instance, for delivery on a Saturday, you must place your order by 10:00 am eastern time on the previous Wednesday.  

What type of packaging will my order arrive in?

All items (except certain desserts and all beverages) will be packed in oven-ready containers.

Free Cold Pickup

Pick up your menu from our store in Rockville, MD.  Pickup is available Tuesday thru Saturday, 10am-1pm. The store location closes at 1 pm.

Pros:

1. Free!
2. If your party is outside of our delivery area, then you can pick up your menu and transport it to your party yourself.

Cons:

1. You’ll have to send someone to pick up your menu.
2. You’ll have to reheat your menu.  This means that you’ll need access to a full sized oven at your event site.  If you won’t have this, we highly recommend that you select hot delivery.

Best option if:

1. If your event is outside of the DMV.
2. If you have a full sized oven at your event site to reheat your menu.

Pro tip:

Assign someone to reheat the food.  That way nothing burns. Trust us, with so much going on with setting up your party, it’s easy to forget that the macaroni pie is in the oven!

Questions About Delivery

Hot Delivery

Your menu is delivered to your event site hot and ready to be served.  Our delivery window is 10am-1pm.

1. Your menu will be delivered hot and ready to be served.  All you have to do is set up your chafing dishes before your driver arrives. Don’t have any chafing dishes, then rent or buy them (check out this article for ideas).

Cons:

1. None, really.  This is the easiest, most convenient option.

Best option if:

1. If your event facility does not have a full sized oven or if you simply don’t want to be bothered to have to reheat your menu.

Pro tip:

Set up and turn on your chafing dishes before your driver arrives so she can place your menu directly into the chafing dishes.  Just like that, your buffet is ready to be served. Done and done.

Questions About Placing an Order or Changing it 

Refund Policy/Changes to Your Order

Increasing your order

You may increase an order only by contacting us in writing no later than noon eastern time 2 business days before the pick up/delivery date.  If minor changes need to be made later, please contact us to see if we are able accommodate you. The balance will be due immediately.  You have the option of charging the balance to the credit card on file or providing another credit card.

Decreasing your order

You may decrease an order only by contacting us in writing no later than noon eastern time 2 business days before the pick up/delivery date.  A store credit will be issued for the difference, if any. Decreases to an order received after noon eastern time 2 business days of the pick up or delivery date will not receive a store credit or refund of any kind.

Canceling an order

The term “cancellation” shall mean that the order has been rescinded by either you or The Shadow Chef.  If the contract terms are modified and agreed to by The Shadow Chef and you, then the order is not considered cancelled.  You may cancel an order only by written notification to clientsupport@theshadowchef.com. In the event that you cancel an order no later than noon eastern time 2 business days prior to the delivery or pick up date, a store credit will be issued.  In the event that you cancel an order after noon eastern time 2 business days prior to the delivery or pick up time, all payments made will be forfeited.

The Shadow Chef reserves the right to cancel an order, at any time, for non payment as described in the Payment Schedule and Returned Check Policy in the Terms and Conditions for your breach of other terms of that Agreement.  The Shadow Chef may cancel an order only by written notification to you (to the email address associated with your account). In the event that The Shadow Chef cancels an order a store credit in the amount of the payments received, excluding late fee(s), will be issued.

No refund or store credit will be issued after an order has been picked up or delivered.

Questions about receiving, setting up, and serving my order

What to expect:

Except for beverages and cakes, each of your menu items will be packed into standard sized 1/2 silver trays.  Two trays will fit one standard sized chafing dish. 

If your order will be delivered hot and ready to be served, we recommend that you set up and light your chafing so when your driver arrive they can place your items directly onto the hot chafing dishes (this is a great way to keep your menu hot!).

If you will pick up your menu, your items will be cold and you will need to reheat your items before your party.  Reheating in an oven is recommended and the trays are oven safe (we will email you reheat suggestions after your order is processed).   

Pro tip - Keep the extra food warm:

If you will serve more food than one round on the buffet, you'll need a way to keep the "extra" food warm.  An oven set to warm works.  A "hot box" is also a good option.  They'll keep the food warm for up to 4 hours.  You may rent them from your favorite party rental store or we offer them for rent.

Your shopping list:

1. Chafing Dishes (or some way to keep the food warm on the buffet).  You may rent them from your favorite party rental store or we offer stainless steel chafing dishes for rent.  Our rental includes heating oil (see next item).  We do not recommend wire chafing dishes as they tend to burn the food.
2. Heating oil for the chafing dishes (such as Sterno)
3. Buffet serving spoons
4. Plates, cutlery and napkins
5. A sign indicating the menu.  There are many options - a printed menu at each placesetting, one large sign at the head of the buffet or individual tags on each dish.  See our Pinterest board for ideas.

Corporate and Tax Exempt Accounts

Corporate Accounts & Returned Check Policy

Any company or organization may apply for a Business Member Account. Benefits include invoicing, special pricing and product bundles. Contact us for details.

Business and nonprofit clients may open a Corporate Account and pay with a business check.  These Accounts are provided as a convenience. Should a check be returned for insufficient funds, The Shadow Chef shall charge a $30 returned check fee, in addition to the original fee.  All payments, including returned check fee(s), shall be made to The Shadow Chef three business days prior to the pick up or delivery time. Lack of payment of returned check fee(s) by this date shall be considered non-payment of account and grounds for cancellation of the order.

To be exempt from Maryland Sales Tax, a customer must provide the following:

Step 1: Create an account.

Step 2: Email us (at hello@theshadowchef.com) your tax exempt certification and let us know the name on your account.

Step 3: We will convert your account to be a tax exempt account.

Step 4: Go ahead and place your order!