Services Pricing Blog FAQ
👨‍🍳 Hiring Guide

How to Hire a Cook for Your Indian Home — Types, Cost & Tips

From tiffin-style to multi-cuisine — everything you need to know about hiring a personal cook.

📅 2026-05-15 ⏱️ 10 min read ✍️ MyBuddyMaid Team
Home Blog How to Hire a Cook for Your Indian Home

A good cook can transform your daily life. No more Swiggy bills. No more 30-minute-after-office cooking marathons. No more unhealthy takeout. But finding the right cook for your specific needs — cuisine, dietary restrictions, schedule — requires careful planning.

Types of Cooks You Can Hire

TypeWhat They DoCost (Metro)
Tiffin CookPrepares 2 meals, basic home-style food₹8,000-₹12,000
Full-Time CookAll 3 meals + snacks + tea₹14,000-₹22,000
Specialized CookSpecific cuisine (South Indian, Punjabi, Jain, Bengali)₹15,000-₹25,000
Party/Event CookOn-demand for events and gatherings₹2,000-₹5,000/event

What to Test During Trial

  • Ask them to cook a regular weekday meal — evaluate taste, hygiene, plating
  • Check if they clean the kitchen after cooking (many don't)
  • Test their ability to follow dietary instructions (less oil, no onion-garlic, sugar-free)
  • Ask them to prepare a dish they've never made using a YouTube recipe — tests adaptability

Common Mistakes When Hiring a Cook

  • Not clarifying whether grocery shopping is their responsibility
  • Not setting a fixed menu rotation (leads to the same 5 dishes on repeat)
  • Not discussing kitchen hygiene standards explicitly
  • Expecting a cook to also clean the full house (different skills entirely)

Hire a Verified Cook Today

Skilled cooks matched to your cuisine preference. Starting ₹8,000/month.

Book Cook