Everyday family meals
A home cook through a licensed provider
In a Saudi home the kitchen is no ordinary room: it produces the family’s daily meals, Ramadan iftar, feasts for occasions and weekend guests. That’s why some families — especially large ones or those where both parents work — need a cook to help prepare meals regularly.
With SaudiMaid you describe your needs once, and your request reaches licensed recruitment offices and companies offering home cooks through recruitment or a monthly service, who contact you with written offers.
Who is a home cook right for?
A cook suits a large family preparing many meals each day, a family where both parents work and get home late, a home that often hosts guests, or a family with someone who needs special meals set by a doctor or dietitian.
The cook may live in through recruitment for a long period, or come through a monthly service from a licensed company for a set number of months, such as Ramadan or after a birth. The contract sets the duties precisely: does it include shopping and tidying the kitchen, or only cooking?
Before requesting, it helps to write down what the family usually cooks in a week, how many people there are, and any foods someone avoids for health reasons. This helps the licensed provider understand the experience needed and helps the cook start with confidence.
How it works through licensed providers
With recruitment, a licensed recruitment office handles the procedures through official channels and the family is the employer. With a monthly service, a licensed company provides a cook it employs under a fixed-term service contract. Either way, ask the provider about the cook’s home-cooking experience and the cuisines she knows.
Asking about cooking experience is a job-related question; personal characteristics have no place in the choice. We don’t deal with offers outside official channels, or anyone presenting “profiles” to choose from.
With SaudiMaid your request only reaches licensed providers, and the contract stays between you and the provider you choose.
In the first week, cook a few of the family’s favourite dishes together and agree how the kitchen, tools and supplies are organised. Every home cooks its own way, and a little time at the start saves a lot of adjusting later and helps the cook feel confident and at ease.
The steps in general terms
- Note the meals per day and the number of family members.
- Note the cuisines the family usually cooks and any special dietary needs.
- Choose the route: recruitment or a monthly service.
- Compare written offers from licensed providers.
- Sign through official channels or with the licensed company.
- Introduce the cook to the kitchen, tools and family habits in the first days.
What to agree
- The number and times of meals, and kitchen-related duties.
- Whether duties include shopping or tidying the kitchen after cooking.
- Working hours and daily and weekly rest, especially in Ramadan and on occasions.
- Suitable accommodation, food and health care if she lives in.
- The salary, how and when it is paid — or the monthly fee to the company.
- The contract term, and the guarantee or replacement period.
For feasts and busy guest seasons, agree in advance how time and rest will be organised, so an occasion doesn’t turn into non-stop hours.
Food safety and the cook’s rights
A kitchen is a workplace with heat and sharp tools, so it should be tidy and safe: good ventilation, sound equipment and proper food storage. It is natural for the family and cook to agree on hygiene and food safety, especially with children or older relatives at home.
The cook has her basic rights: daily and weekly rest, her salary on time, decent accommodation, food and health care, keeping her own passport and documents, and not being asked to work for other people outside the contract.
Read rights and obligations.
Questions to ask the provider
- What is your licence number, and how can I check it?
- What home-cooking experience does the cook have, and which cuisines?
- Does she have professional references from previous work?
- What is the guarantee or replacement period?
- With a monthly service: what happens if she is absent?
- What exactly does the offer include?
What affects the cost?
We don’t list prices or salaries. But offers are usually shaped by:
- The route: recruitment or a monthly service.
- The cooking experience required.
- The contract term and any guarantee or replacement.
- Seasons such as Ramadan, when demand for monthly service rises.
- The salary and benefits agreed in the contract.
Read what affects the cost.
Home cook: FAQ
Can I request a cook just for Ramadan?
Yes — through a monthly service from a licensed company. Book early, as demand rises before Ramadan.
Can I ask for experience in Saudi cuisine?
Yes — mention it in the request; it is a job-related skill.
Does the cook do other housework?
Only if the contract says so and time allows; it is better to keep duties clear.
Who buys the groceries?
That depends on the agreement — some families shop themselves, others add shopping to the duties.
Can she cook for a large occasion?
Yes, if agreed with time and rest organised; for very large events you may need a separate catering service.
Can the cook follow a special diet for a family member?
Yes, if the diet is clear and written by a doctor or dietitian. Explain it to the cook at the start and review it together whenever it changes.
Is the request free?
Yes — sending a request is free and without obligation.
Request home cook offers
Describe your family’s needs once and let licensed providers contact you with offers.