It seems, our recruitment standards are too high. So far, our rejection rate is very high for those who have been interviewed! Even before we call Cooks for an interview, we research their background online. Their behaviour, attitude and demeanor is observed closely during the interview. Reliability assessment can be done by simply by posing a situation where they could make a choice of against customer-interest.

The various reasons why we might not hire someone:

• Failed background verification (Name, Address, Identity)
• Multiple identities found on the internet (indicates a reason to hide their past)
• Aggressive demeanour
• Greed (too much emphasis on pay rather than work!)
• Negative feedback from past employers (related to quality, service delivery, reliability, punctuality)
• Inadequate personal cleanliness

There are four main factors than we evaluate in our Cook:

• Reliability
• Attitude
• Documents (ID Proof)
• Reference Check

Where to find Cooks?

• Online search on several classifieds website will give you good number of Cooks who might be serving in your area.
  Be careful here! Many classifieds appear as "Posting on behalf of my Cook" but are actually posted by an internet savvy friend of the Cooks. ALWAYS ask for the contact number of the person posting the Ad. Chances are you will never get a reply! If the person posting the Ad is actually being served by the Cook, they will usually be helpful enough to reply.
• References from friends, relatives who might have hired Cooks. Even if they live in a different area, the Cooks serving them will usually know someone serving in your area.
• Manpower agencies who provide Cooks and Domestic Help after charging you registration fee. They come with some amount of reliability, but be cautious.

Hire from us! We are also after all an "Agency" but we like to think of ourselves as a "Service Provider"!
(note: this was an attempt to sell ourselves! Ignore this for now and continue reading! - MealStation)

How to go about hiring them?

Whether you hire them or not, ask for these details and documents

• Recent passport size photograph with face clearly visible.
• Verify that they look like their photograph

• Voter ID Card or PAN Card are usually possessed by all of them.
• Ask them for a photocopy
• Ensure that the photocopy matches in all aspects to the original

• Where have they served? Where they are serving?
• Don't just stop there, ask them for contact details of the references.
• Actually contact the references.

• Drive down to their house when they might not be home, or send your Driver.

• Note down complete details about their native.
• Ask for a relative who is in their native and their contact details (preferably landline).
• Call the relatives later in the day.

Tell them your expectations

• Flavour & Items to be prepared
• Time
• Number of People
• Expected number of Guests
• Number of days when guests can be expected in a month
• Number of Days in a Week
• Hygiene preferences
• Do's and Dont's
• Most Cooks will not agree to wash utensils. They will clean the kitchen platform, but not beyond that!

• Usually, payment is based on number of people, time of day (including total time needed to finish the work) and type of stuff to be cooked.
• Negotiate, but understand that they work for money and the adage "If you pay peanuts, you will get monkeys" is applicable here.
• DO NOT agree to pay a higher amount right away. Insist of a trial. If you like the cooking, you can pay the higher amount.

• show them the kitchen and toilet
• tell them where they can find utensils, cutlery and raw materials
• DO NOT tell them your office timings and when people in the house come and go
• DO NOT show them any other rooms in the house
• DO NOT leave children alone with your new Cooks, NEVER!
  Cooks are NOT nannies
• AVOID hiring male cooks if only old parents or children are expected to be home.
  But understand that finding female Cooks is difficult, they might not have any ID proof and their personal decisions are usually governed by their husband and family.
• NEVER leave valuables around & DO NOT leave cupboards open.
  Not following the last safety tip becomes the first step towards being victimized due to greed!

After a certain amount of time has passed and they have been working for some time...

• pay them on time
• avoid too personal discussions.
  They are your employees. Keep the relationship professional.
• most good Cooks get upset if you micro-manage their cooking.
  Tell them what you want and let them do it.
  They will usually dislike being told "what to do" and "how to do it".
• treat them with respect.
  They are serving you, but they are NOT your slaves.
  They will probably stick with you longer even if you pay them less than what they deserve.