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Culiene
Little gem lettuce, tomatoes and herbs on the counter

Straight answers.

Everything people ask before they start, grouped by topic. If yours isn't here, call or text and a person will answer.

Getting started

How do I get started?

We start with a conversation about how you eat, who's in your household, your goals, and any allergies or dietary needs. From there we recommend a plan and set your start date. Book a discovery call, or call or text 458-256-1379.

Where do you deliver?

Across the San Francisco Bay Area, from Napa to San Jose.

How does delivery work?

We deliver Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, generally between 7am and 2pm. On delivery day we text you a one hour window. You don't need to be home. We can put your meals away in your fridge or deliver to your office, whatever works best.

How soon can I start?

Usually within 7 days of signing up.

Choosing a plan

What's the difference between Performance Nutrition and Farm to Table?

Both are cooked from the same local, organic ingredients. Performance plans build every meal around macros set to your goals and add options like smoothies, snacks, and pre-workout. Farm to Table is lunch and dinner with nothing to count, just clean, seasonal food.

Which Performance plan is right for me?

Foundation covers lunch and dinner. Forge adds a morning smoothie and a pre-workout or snack. Summit covers your whole day, breakfast through pre-workout. If you train hard or want food fully off your plate, Summit is the one.

We're a couple. Should we each get a plan?

Usually not. Family Style covers two adults and tends to be the better fit for a household. Individual plans make sense when two people have very different goals.

What if none of the plans fit?

Tell us how you eat and we'll build a custom plan around it. We also build plans for small teams of 2 to 40 people.

Can I switch plans later?

Yes. Changes take effect at the start of your next billing cycle.

Families

Do our kids have to be on the plan?

No. Kids are $40 a meal, and you only pay for the kids eating with you.

What do kids eat?

Kid plates come from the same ingredients as yours, sized for them. If your kids have dietary restrictions or strong preferences, we work with you to find meals they'll actually eat.

Can our nanny eat too?

Yes. A nanny or any additional adult is $110 per meal. Lunch only is common.

Food and sourcing

Where does the food come from?

Local farmers, ranchers, and artisans we know personally. Our mission is 100% local and organic. Ask us where anything on your plate came from and we'll tell you.

Can you work around allergies and dietary restrictions?

Yes. We accommodate all dietary restrictions and special needs. We cover them in your first conversation and build your menu around them. For serious allergies, we'll walk you through exactly how your food is prepared.

Do I get a say in the menu?

Yes. Menus follow the seasons and what our farms have that week, and we build them around what you like. You'll get next week's menu by email before service starts, and you have 24 hours to review it and request changes.

How are meals packaged?

In premium ceramic and glass containers with insulated bags, never single-use plastic. Every client gets a one-time container kit with two full sets, so one is always ready while the other is out. The kit is yours to keep. Kits are $600 to $1,900 depending on your plan, and broken or lost containers are replaced at cost.

How do returns work?

Leave your empty containers out on delivery day and we'll pick them up when we drop off. No need to wash them first.

How do I reheat meals?

We provide reheating instructions tailored to your meals and your kitchen.

Scheduling, guests, and travel

What if we travel?

Commit to a block of 12 or 24 service weeks and skip weeks with 7 days notice. Unused weeks expire at the end of the window: 18 weeks for a 12 week block, 32 weeks for a 24 week block.

Can we add guests or extra days?

Yes. Adult guests are $110 per meal, kids are $40, and an extra day is your plan's per-day rate. With less than 7 days notice, add 15%.

Can you stock us up before a long trip?

Yes. Add extra days before you leave, or book custom prep to fill your freezer.

Custom prep and events

Do you do parties, desserts, or preserving?

Yes, for clients on any plan. Custom work is $150 an hour with a 2 hour minimum, or $1,200 for a full day of up to 8 hours. Ingredients and supplies are billed at cost with receipts. Please book 7 days ahead. For larger events, ingredients are paid upfront.

Billing

How does billing work?

Performance and Farm to Table plans are billed monthly. Family Style is billed weekly. Service week blocks and container kits are paid upfront.

How can I pay?

ACH, wire transfer, check, or cash. Credit cards are accepted with a 3% service charge.

How do I cancel?

Give us 7 days notice before your next scheduled delivery. If you've paid for a block of service weeks, the weeks you've used are recalculated at the standard rate, and the remaining balance is refunded at 75%. Container kits are yours to keep and aren't refunded.

How is this different from hiring a private chef?

A private chef is an employee. You handle payroll, taxes, insurance, and time off, and you buy the food on top of their salary. Culiene is a service. The food is included, and when someone on our team is out, we cover it.


Start with a conversation.

Tell us how you eat, who's at the table, and what you're working toward. We'll recommend a plan and set a start date, usually within a week.

Or write to us

max@culiene.com
chef@culiene.com

Delivering Monday, Wednesday and Friday across the San Francisco Bay Area, from Napa to San Jose.