The request starts with the chef
The chef adds a job to their CuliNect CV, then chooses a colleague who worked with them at that kitchen. They enter the colleague's name and email address to send a reference request. The colleague receives a link to answer by email flow; they do not need a CuliNect account to respond. This makes it possible to ask someone who is not already on the service.
The request is tied to a particular job. A confirmation for one kitchen is not a general endorsement of a chef's entire work history. The chef should ask people who can speak to that specific period. An employer reading the CV should look at the level on each job instead of assuming every entry received the same check.
Two colleagues and one job
When two different people who worked with the chef confirm the same job, that job can show Confirmed by 2 colleagues. The two responses are independent; asking the same person twice is not the same as hearing from two colleagues. The label says what those people reported. It does not say that CuliNect has confirmed the employer's records or checked the referee's identity to a stronger standard.
Colleagues may remember a kitchen and a period of work but still miss a date or a title. If a detail matters for hiring, ask about it directly. A useful follow up is to speak with the kitchen or a person who supervised the role. The mark is a starting point for a conversation, not a substitute for that conversation.
Read each evidence level literally
These labels describe different kinds of evidence. A document can be helpful context, but a letter or certificate should not silently turn into an employer confirmation. Likewise, a colleague's response stays a colleague's response. Read the words next to a job before deciding what further check you need.
- Not checked yet: the chef wrote the job. Nobody has checked it.
- Documented: a document is attached, but it is not checked by CuliNect. The document alone does not prove the job.
- Confirmed by 2 colleagues: two different people who worked with the chef said so. This is not an employer check.
- Verified: an employer confirmed the job. Employer confirmation is coming soon and is not available yet.
What an employer can check
Open the chef's public CuliNect link and look at each work entry. Where a referee agreed to be named, the CV can show their name and handle with the confirmation. Consent matters: do not expect every referee's identity to be displayed. A visible name can help you decide whom to contact, but the name alone does not establish that the person is who they say they are.
For a role that matters to your decision, ask the chef about the station, the team and the dates. You can call the kitchen or speak to the person yourself. Compare what you hear with the CV. CuliNect's level gives you a concise account of what evidence is attached, while your own hiring checks remain your choice.
What a confirmation does not prove
A colleague's confirmation does not measure the chef's skill, reliability or suitability for a new kitchen. It also does not prove every duty or achievement written under a job. The document level does not mean CuliNect authenticated an upload. Even a future employer confirmation would only tell you that an employer confirmed the job; it would not be a rating of the chef's cooking.
CuliNect is adding stronger checks for referee identity. Until then, consider the stated level and make any additional calls you need. If something looks inconsistent, ask the chef for details. You can also report a concern to support@culinect.com.
Why editing a job resets its level
If the chef changes a job's details, its earlier evidence no longer applies to the new version. CuliNect resets that job's level. This prevents a confirmation of one description from being displayed as though it confirmed a later, different description. The chef can request new colleague responses after an edit if they want the revised entry checked.
The reset is a reason to keep entries accurate before inviting referees. It also protects the reader: what appears next to a job should describe the current entry, not an older one. A chef can still improve their CV later; they simply need to rebuild the evidence for the changed job.
A practical way to read the CV
Start with the work history and note the level beside each job. Read Not checked yet as the chef's own account. Treat Documented as an attachment you may want to inspect with the chef. Treat Confirmed by 2 colleagues as two people reporting shared work. Do not read Verified as available employer confirmation while that feature is coming soon.
If you need certainty about a role, ask questions that can be answered with specific examples from service, then contact the relevant kitchen or referee where appropriate. The CV makes the claim and the evidence visible in one place, so both sides can talk about the same job and what still needs checking.