Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Sublime Developers collects, uses, discloses, and protects information when you use the Sous Chef mobile and web applications, souschefai.app, and related services (the “Service”). It should be read together with our Terms of Service.
1. Who we are
Sublime Developers is the developer and operator of Sous Chef, based in Bangalore, India. For privacy requests, contact [email protected].
2. Information we collect
Account and profile information
- Identifiers: user ID, email address, and authentication tokens from Firebase Authentication
- Profile: name (from your account or sign-in provider), timezone, onboarding status
- Preferences: diet profiles, allergens to avoid, allergy notes, preferred cuisines, cooking preferences, health goals, and similar lifestyle settings you choose to save
Content you provide
- Recipe prompts, imported recipe text or URLs, saved and created recipes, favorites (including public favorites), grocery list items, and meal-plan data
- Photos: pantry or fridge images you submit for Premium pantry scan (and optional on-device analysis before upload)
- Images or text captured when using import/scan features (some processing may occur on your device)
Usage and device information
- App interactions, feature usage, API call paths, response times, and error messages (via Firebase Analytics and server logs)
- Install ID, platform (iOS, Android, web, etc.), subscription tier, and session-related metadata
- Anonymous identifier if you use certain features without signing in (for example, limited recipe generation or guest meal planning)
- Daily usage counters for free-tier limits (such as recipe generations and imports)
- IP address and request metadata for security and rate limiting
- Crash and diagnostic data (via Firebase Crashlytics on supported platforms)
Purchase information
Subscriptions are processed by Google Play or the Apple App Store. We receive subscription status, product identifiers, and verification data needed to enable Premium features — not your full payment card number.
Advertising data (when ads are enabled)
If advertising is turned on, Google AdMob may collect or receive device advertising identifiers and related data according to Google’s policies. Ads are disabled by default in current app builds unless explicitly enabled in your distribution.
3. How we use information
We use information to:
- Provide, personalize, and improve recipes, meal plans, imports, pantry analysis, and other features
- Honor your dietary and allergy preferences in AI-generated suggestions
- Authenticate you, sync data across devices, and manage subscriptions
- Enforce usage limits, prevent abuse, and protect the Service
- Analyze performance, fix bugs, and understand how features are used
- Display trending or publicly favorited recipes
- Comply with law and respond to lawful requests
AI processing: To generate recipes, meal plans, images, and pantry suggestions, we send relevant prompts, preferences, and content (including photos you submit) to third-party AI and infrastructure providers, such as Google (Gemini / Imagen), Pinecone, and image-generation services. Do not submit sensitive information you do not want processed for this purpose.
4. How we share information
We do not sell your personal information. We share information only as follows:
| Recipient | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Google (Firebase, Cloud Functions, Analytics, Crashlytics, Auth, Storage, Gemini/Imagen, ML Kit, Play billing, AdMob) | Hosting, authentication, databases, analytics, crash reporting, AI features, optional ads, and Android purchases |
| Apple (Sign in with Apple, App Store) | Authentication and iOS/macOS subscription verification |
| Pinecone | Semantic search for recipe inspiration context |
| Image-generation partners (e.g., fal.ai) | Generating recipe hero and step images when applicable |
| Other users | Recipe metadata for recipes you publicly favorite may appear in trending or discovery features |
| Legal and safety | When required by law, to protect rights and safety, or in connection with a merger or acquisition |
Service providers process data on our behalf under contractual obligations consistent with this Policy.
5. Legal bases (EEA/UK users)
Where GDPR or UK GDPR applies, we rely on: (a) contract — to provide the Service you request; (b) legitimate interests — security, analytics, improvement, and fraud prevention; (c) consent — where required (for example, certain optional features or marketing); and (d) legal obligation — where we must retain or disclose data.
6. Retention
We keep information while your account is active and as needed to provide the Service. If you delete your account, we delete or anonymize personal data associated with your account, including profile data, favorites, and user-generated images stored for your account, subject to:
- Backup and log retention for a limited period
- Data we must keep for legal, tax, or fraud-prevention reasons
- Aggregated or de-identified data that no longer identifies you
- Public recipe statistics that do not identify you after account deletion
Anonymous usage records may persist separately from named accounts.
7. Your choices and rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or export your personal information, object to or restrict certain processing, and withdraw consent where processing is consent-based.
- Account settings: Update lifestyle preferences and profile-related data in the app
- Delete account: Available in the app where supported; removes your Firebase account and triggers backend cleanup of associated data
- Email: Contact [email protected] for other requests
- Analytics: You may limit ad tracking via iOS/Android settings; web users can use browser controls
- India residents: You may have rights under India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act) and related rules, including accessing and correcting your data and withdrawing consent where processing is consent-based
- California residents: You may have rights under the CCPA/CPRA, including knowing what we collect, deleting personal information, and opting out of “sale” or “sharing” — we do not sell personal information as defined by California law
We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request. You may lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
8. Security
We use industry-standard measures such as encrypted transport (HTTPS), Firebase security rules, and access controls. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. International transfers
We and our providers may process data in India, the United States, and other countries. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses) for cross-border transfers.
10. Users of all ages
Sous Chef may be used by people of any age. If a child uses the Service, a parent or legal guardian should supervise their use, help them enter dietary and allergy information accurately, and oversee any cooking or food preparation. Where applicable law requires parental consent before we may collect personal information from a child, we rely on the parent or guardian to provide that consent by allowing the child to use the Service or create an account. If you believe we have collected a child’s personal information without appropriate consent, contact [email protected] and we will take appropriate steps.
11. Third-party links and imports
When you import a recipe from a URL, we fetch that page to extract recipe content. Third-party sites have their own privacy practices. Links opened from the app are governed by those sites’ policies.
12. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the revised version with a new effective date and provide additional notice where required by law. Continued use after changes means you accept the updated Policy.
13. Contact
Sublime Developers
Bangalore, India
Privacy questions or requests: [email protected]
General support: [email protected]