Not a good option - Anonymous employee Hello Chef Employee Review

Strong recipe development sustains the brand’s external image.

“Family” culture blurred professional boundaries. Insular, controlling atmosphere at times felt cult-like. Long workshops and personal exercises left no time for execution. Micromanagement limited managerial autonomy. Job security felt weak, including exits after maternity leave or positive reviews. “Anonymous” eNPS feedback reportedly led to HR leadership exit rather than improvement. Fear around honesty appeared to influence surveys and public reviews.

The product itself is strong and something you can genuinely stand behind. Day-to-day colleagues are friendly, supportive, and collaborative.

Toxic and immature leadership: The co-founders, particularly the CEO, display a lack of emotional maturity and professionalism in how they deal with employees. Micromanagement is extreme — ranging from issuing detailed rules about office air conditioning to getting involved in trivial matters that should be left to managers. Constant instability: Processes and operations can be completely overturned on a whim, creating confusion and wasted effort. Culture of fear: Employees can go from receiving positive feedback to being terminated abruptly, without due process or warning. Unprofessional offboarding: Whether an employee resigns or is let go, they are often treated as if they were a problem all along. Departures are taken personally by leadership, and relationships frequently sour overnight. Facade vs. reality: The external image of collaboration and caring culture does not match the internal reality. Decisions are driven by the founders’ personal preferences and the bottom line, not by genuine concern for people.