Privacy Policy

1. Overview

Kitchelin (“we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use the Kitchelin mobile application and website at kitchelin.com (collectively, the “Service”), how we use it, and your rights regarding that information.

2. Information We Collect

a) Information you provide

• Account information: When you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive your name, email address, and profile photo URL from your identity provider.
• Photos and images: When you use the ingredient scanning feature, your photos are sent to our servers for processing. We do not store your photos after processing is complete.
• Voice recordings: When you use the Sous-Chef voice input feature, your audio is transmitted to our servers and forwarded to OpenAI for transcription. We do not store your audio recordings after transcription is complete.
• Chat messages: Messages you send to the Sous-Chef are transmitted to our servers and forwarded to OpenAI for processing. Chat history is stored locally on your device and is not persisted on our servers.

b) Information collected automatically

• Usage data: We log which API endpoints you use, the AI models invoked, and token counts for the purpose of enforcing usage limits and monitoring service health.
• Subscription and payment data: We store your subscription plan, status, billing period, and payment events (amounts, currency, status, and payment provider reference IDs). We do not store your credit card number or full payment details — those are handled entirely by Stripe or Apple.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide and operate the Service, including generating recipes, powering the Sous-Chef, and managing your kitchen inventory.
• Authenticate your identity and maintain your account.
• Process payments and manage your subscription.
• Enforce weekly usage limits based on your subscription plan.
• Monitor and improve the reliability and performance of the Service.
• Send you service-related communications (such as subscription confirmations or critical security notices).
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or violations of our Terms of Service.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your data for advertising. We do not build advertising profiles.

4. Third-Party Services

We share data with the following third-party services as necessary to operate the Service:

• OpenAI: We send your chat messages and voice recordings to OpenAI for recipe generation, cooking assistance, and audio transcription. OpenAI’s use of this data is governed by OpenAI’s Privacy Policy.
• ElevenLabs: We send Sous-Chef text responses to ElevenLabs for text-to-speech conversion. ElevenLabs’ use of this data is governed by ElevenLabs’ Privacy Policy.
• Google: If you sign in with Google, we receive your basic profile information through Google OAuth. Google’s handling of your data is governed by Google’s Privacy Policy.
• Apple: If you sign in with Apple or subscribe through the App Store, Apple processes your authentication and payment data subject to Apple’s Privacy Policy.
• Stripe: If you subscribe through our website, Stripe processes your payment. We do not receive or store your full card details. Stripe’s handling of payment data is governed by Stripe’s Privacy Policy.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your account data, subscription information, and usage logs are stored in a PostgreSQL database. We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), secure authentication tokens, and access controls.

Chat history is stored locally on your device only. Photos and voice recordings are processed in real time and are not retained on our servers after processing.

No method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a security breach affecting your personal data, we will notify you in accordance with applicable law.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account information and usage data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required by law to retain certain records (such as payment transaction records).

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Delete your personal data and account.
• Export your data in a portable format.
• Object to or restrict certain processing of your data.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at chef@kitchelin.com. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Children’s Privacy

The Service is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal data from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, please contact us at chef@kitchelin.com.

9. Cookies and Tracking

The Kitchelin website uses essential cookies for authentication and session management. We do not use tracking cookies, analytics pixels, or third-party advertising trackers. The mobile app does not use cookies.

10. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. By using the Service, you consent to the transfer of your data to these jurisdictions, which may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on this page and updating the effective date. Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at chef@kitchelin.com.