Hospitality & events
MTD software for private chefs.
Give your clients the evening. Keep your admin manageable.
Private dinners, chalet work and bespoke menus come with ingredient receipts from several suppliers. Avona helps independent chefs organise client payments and the cost of delivering each booking.
- Who it is for
- Private chefs working as sole traders, managing their own business records and MTD for Income Tax updates.
- Available now
- Digital records, bank feeds, statement imports, transaction categorisation and quarterly self-employment updates. Pro adds customer invoicing, VAT accounting and reporting.
- Monthly price
- From £15/month for Lite. Pro is £20/month.
- Free trial
- Full access for 7 days. No credit card required.
- Annual-return limitations
- Quarterly updates do not replace your annual tax return. HMRC lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development. Check the listing and confirm support for your income sources before relying on Avona for your annual return.
Making Tax Digital
It’s what comes in.
Before costs go out.
Fees that include ingredient procurement can produce high gross receipts. Shopping for the menu reduces profit but does not automatically reduce the sales figure used for MTD.
Understand Making Tax Digital →When does MTD apply?
Combined qualifying self-employment and property income, before expenses:
- Over £50,000 in 2024/25
- From 6 April 2026
- Over £30,000 in 2025/26
- From 6 April 2027
- Over £20,000 in 2026/27
- From 6 April 2028
Eligibility and exemptions matter. These are income thresholds, not tax-free allowances.
Check HMRC’s eligibility guidance ↗From the work to your records
Clear records for your private dinner service.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your private dinner service, shared purchases and a private-dining booking.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £720 for your private dinner service £230 spent on ingredients for the dinner | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for ingredients for the dinner. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £720 as the sale and the £230 cost separately. The £490 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for ingredients for a paying client's menu; £20 for food for your own meals | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify ingredients for a paying client's menu separately from food for your own meals. | Only the eligible £80 business portion belongs in business costs. Exclude the £20 personal purchase, and check that importing both the bank transaction and the receipt has not counted the spending twice. |
| £200 booking payment, then £600 £800 agreed total | Keep the agreement for a private-dining booking and review both customer receipts against it. Bring in the payments through your bank feed or statement import. | The two payments account for the £800 total. Do not count the full invoice again as another receipt. Use your accounting method for timing, and retain evidence of any later cancellation or refund. |
Keep supporting documents alongside your figures, review business use and apply your accounting method consistently. HMRC: keeping business records ↗
The costs behind your work
Six expenses worth
keeping records for.
Examples for private chefs. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Ingredients for client menus
Professional knife sets
Chef-uniform laundering
Eligible client travel
Business cooking equipment
Professional insurance
One thing to watch
Separate the client's ingredients from your household shop
A supermarket receipt can contain both. Keep enough detail to identify purchases for paid catering, and do not claim personal groceries because they were bought on the same trip.
HMRC: allowable business expenses ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your private dinner service.
Photograph food receipts, match booking deposits and balances, and split mixed grocery purchases before approving your expense categories.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for ingredients for the dinner. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish ingredients for a paying client's menu from food for your own meals.
How document capture works →Reconcile your private dinner service payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a private-dining booking available alongside the bank entry, so fees, refunds or timing differences can be explained.
How bank review works →Review before you submit
Review Avona AI’s suggested categories, check that your private dinner service income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a private-dining booking ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from private chefs.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers private chefs working as sole traders. Your start date depends on combined qualifying self-employment and property income before expenses, and any exemptions. Employment and limited-company work have different reporting arrangements.
How do I handle groceries bought on the same trip as client ingredients?
Mark the items for the paid menu and keep personal groceries separate. Save an itemised receipt rather than treating the supermarket total as the dinner's business cost.
How do I record a private-dining booking?
Example: £200 booking payment, then £600 (£800 agreed total). The two payments account for the £800 total. Do not count the full invoice again as another receipt. Use your accounting method for timing, and retain evidence of any later cancellation or refund.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Separate the client's ingredients from your household shop. A supermarket receipt can contain both. Keep enough detail to identify purchases for paid catering, and do not claim personal groceries because they were bought on the same trip.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your private dinner service income records and evidence of ingredients for the dinner into Avona using supported spreadsheet uploads. Check dates, categories, personal spending and duplicates against the original documents before you approve the records.
Do quarterly updates complete my annual tax return?
No. You still need the annual tax return and any relevant adjustments or other income. HMRC currently lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development for Avona. Confirm support for your own income sources and circumstances before relying on Avona for the annual return.
Built for the way you earn
Bring your chef business records to the table.
Choosing Avona
Your questions, answered.
Can I create customer invoices?
Yes. You can create customer invoices with Avona Pro.
What if I am VAT-registered?
Full VAT accounting is available with Avona Pro, so you can manage your VAT-registered business with Avona.
Can my accountant review my records?
Yes. You can connect your Avona account to your bookkeeper or accountant so they can review your records.
Can I use my phone on site?
Yes. Every feature has a mobile-friendly version, so you can manage your accounts from your phone while you are on the move.
Can I keep using my personal bank account?
Yes. Avona supports Open Banking connections and PDF bank statement uploads. You can clearly separate personal and business transactions to keep your business records organised.