This Privacy Policy explains how oChef.com (the “Website”, “we”, “us”) collects, uses, shares, and protects personal data when you visit or use oChef.com and related services (the “Services”).
This document can be printed for reference using your browser’s print function.
1. Owner and Data Controller
Owner and Data Controller: oChef.com
Contact email: privacy@ochef.com
2. What personal data we collect
We collect personal data in two ways: (a) data you provide to us, and (b) data collected automatically when you use the Website.
2.1 Data you provide
If you contact us by email, we may process:
- Email address
- Any information you include in your message
You are responsible for not sending sensitive personal data unless necessary.
2.2 Data collected automatically (usage and device data)
When you browse oChef.com, we may automatically collect:
- IP address (and derived approximate location such as city, region, country)
- Device information (device type, operating system, browser type, language)
- Usage data (pages viewed, time spent, interactions such as clicks and scroll behavior, referral URLs)
- Cookie and tracker identifiers (where permitted)
We do not require you to create an account to use the Website.
2.3 Publicly available data shown on restaurant pages
oChef.com is a restaurant discovery platform that may analyze and display information from publicly accessible sources (for example ratings and review signals). Depending on the source, this may include publicly displayed reviewer information such as usernames, profile photos, or review text that is already public on the original platform.
If you believe personal data about you is shown on oChef.com and you want it reviewed, contact us at privacy@ochef.com.
3. Cookies and tracking technologies
oChef.com uses cookies and similar tracking technologies (“Trackers”) to:
- operate and secure the Website
- understand usage and improve performance
- support advertising on the Website
You can manage cookies in your browser settings and, where available, through any consent or cookie banner on the Website. Disabling cookies may limit access to certain content and features. Rejecting cookies does not remove ads, but may result in non-personalized advertising.
4. Why we process your data (purposes)
We process personal data for the following purposes:
- Providing and maintaining the Website and Services
- Analytics and measurement (understanding how users interact with the Website)
- Advertising (showing ads and measuring ad performance)
- Security and fraud prevention
- Responding to inquiries you send us
- Compliance with legal obligations and responding to lawful requests
5. Third-party services we use
oChef.com uses only the following third-party services:
5.1 Advertising and website optimization:
Ezoic Services
This Website uses the services of Ezoic Inc. (“Ezoic”), including to manage third-party interest-based advertising. Ezoic may employ a variety of technologies on this Website, including tools to serve content, display advertisements, and enable advertising to visitors of this Website. These technologies may utilize first-party and third-party cookies.
A cookie is a small text file sent to your device by a web server that enables the Website to remember information about your browsing activity. First-party cookies are created by the site you are visiting, while third-party cookies are set by domains other than the one you are visiting. Ezoic and its partners may place third-party cookies, tags, beacons, pixels, and similar technologies to monitor interactions with advertisements and optimize ad targeting.
Please note that disabling cookies may limit access to certain content and features on the Website. Rejecting cookies does not eliminate advertisements but may result in non-personalized advertising.
When serving personalized ads, the following information may be collected, used, and stored in a cookie:
- IP address
- Operating system type and version
- Device type
- Language preferences
- Web browser type
- Email (in a hashed or encrypted form)
Ezoic and its partners may use this data in combination with information that has been independently collected to deliver targeted advertisements across various platforms and websites. Ezoic’s partners may also gather additional data, such as unique IDs, advertising IDs, geolocation data, usage data, device information, traffic data, referral sources, and interactions between users and websites or advertisements, to create audience segments for targeted advertising across different devices, browsers, and apps.
For more information about interest-based advertising and how to manage it, you can refer to Ezoic’s resources and settings. You can also review Ezoic’s privacy policy and, for additional information about Ezoic’s advertising and other partners, Ezoic’s advertising partners information.
Data processed may include:
- Trackers (cookies or similar identifiers)
- Usage data (pages viewed, interactions)
- Device and browser information
- IP address and approximate location
5.2 Analytics: Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand Website traffic and usage patterns and to improve the Services. Google Analytics typically processes:
- Trackers
- Usage data (page views, events, session data)
- Device and browser information
- IP address (processing depends on configuration and region)
Provider: Google Ireland Limited (for users in the EEA, typically). Data may be transferred to countries outside your country of residence depending on Google’s processing setup and safeguards.
6. Legal bases for processing (GDPR)
If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we rely on the following legal bases where applicable:
- Consent (for non-essential cookies and personalized advertising where required)
- Legitimate interests (for analytics, security, service improvement, and non-intrusive measurement, balanced against your rights)
- Compliance with legal obligations
- Performance of a contract or pre-contract steps (only if you request something that requires it, for example support)
Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time via cookie settings or your browser settings (availability depends on implementation).
7. Sharing of personal data
We may share personal data only:
- With Ezoic for advertising and ad measurement
- With Google Analytics for analytics
- With service providers that support basic hosting and technical operation if necessary, strictly to run the Website
- When required by law, court order, or lawful governmental request
- To protect rights, safety, and security of oChef.com, users, or the public
We do not sell personal data in the sense of handing it over for independent use outside providing advertising and analytics services, but advertising technologies may be considered “sharing” under certain laws. Where required, we provide opt-out and consent mechanisms.
8. International data transfers
Your data may be processed in countries other than your country of residence, depending on where our providers operate. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards such as contractual protections and other measures recognized by applicable data protection law.
9. Data retention
We keep personal data only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy:
- Analytics and advertising data is retained according to the settings and retention policies of the relevant providers and our configuration
- Contact emails are retained as long as needed to handle your request and for record-keeping where appropriate
- Logs and security-related data may be kept for a limited time to protect the Website and investigate abuse
Where data must be retained to comply with legal obligations, we keep it for the required period.
10. Security
We use reasonable organizational and technical measures to protect personal data. However, no method of transmission or storage is fully secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
11. Children’s privacy
The Website is not intended for children. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us personal data, contact us at privacy@ochef.com.
12. Your rights (GDPR and similar laws)
Depending on your location, you may have rights including:
- Access to your personal data
- Rectification (correction) of inaccurate data
- Erasure (deletion) in certain cases
- Restriction of processing
- Data portability (where applicable)
- Objection to processing based on legitimate interests
- Withdrawal of consent (where processing is based on consent)
- Complaint to your local data protection authority
To exercise your rights, contact us at privacy@ochef.com. Requests are handled free of charge unless they are excessive or unfounded. We aim to respond within one month where required by law.
13. Interest-based advertising and opt-out
You may have options to limit interest-based advertising by:
- adjusting cookie preferences on the Website (if available)
- using browser settings to block or delete cookies
- using provider opt-out mechanisms offered by Ezoic and relevant advertising frameworks (availability varies by region)
14. Do Not Track
Some browsers offer a Do Not Track setting. There is no consistent industry standard for how to respond. Unless legally required, we do not guarantee a specific response to DNT signals.
15. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted on this page. If changes are material and required by law, we will provide additional notice or request consent where necessary.
16. Definitions
Personal Data: information that identifies or can identify a person directly or indirectly.
Usage Data: information collected automatically about how the Website is accessed and used.
Cookies/Trackers: technologies that store or access information on a device to enable functionality, analytics, or advertising.