“I want to ... have a gourmet dinner party, but I don’t trust myself on my own.”

Try: Kitchit

*Available:*San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

The San Francisco–based start-up is a database of professional chefs for hire. Founded in 2011, Kitchit focuses on working chefs who can come to your home and provide any number of culinary experiences, from private dinner parties, to cooking lessons to event catering. “The quality of professional chefs found on Kitchit are second to none,” says co-founder and C.E.O. Brendan Marshall. “We're like an eBay for food experiences.”

Who are the chefs? Marshall says every chef is thoroughly vetted to “ensure the quality of our community.”

Added Benefits: Chefs are covered by Kitchit’s insurance policy, and groups can split the bill ahead of time with Kitchit’s online payment options.

Cost: Chefs set their own pricing. Marshall says the cost is about the same as going out to a nice restaurant, likely around $80 per person. “A drop-off for Thanksgiving? That will be less than an extravagant dinner party,” he says.

“I want to ... cook like a professional chef. I just hate grocery shopping.”

Try: Plated

Available: 80 percent of the continental U.S. (Check Website for specific areas.)

The New York–based start-up sends members recipes with ready-to-cook (read: premeasured/preportioned) ingredients so you can assemble the meal yourself. Choose from seven new recipes each week, designed by Plated’s in-house chefs—or have them chosen for you. “ We let our customers choose what meals they want on a weekly basis, whether you want meals for two, three, four, or five nights a week,” says director of customer experience Jared Levan about the year-old brand.

Who are the chefs? Plated’s recipes come from a rotating panel of vetted chefs. “We used to think customers only wanted to see recipes from top-name or family chefs, but people are the happiest when they get delicious, easy-to-prepare food regardless of who the chef is,” says Levan.

*Added Benefits:*Plated’s meals (or “plates”) are composed of responsibly sourced ingredients, shipped in eco-conscious packaging, and leftovers are donated to local food banks.

Cost: $15 per plate for non-members and $12 per plate with a $10 membership fee. There is a four-plate minimum for both members and non-members.

“I want to ... cook like a professional chef. I just don’t have the time.”

Try:Blue Apron

Available: 80 percent of the continental U.S. (Check Website for specific areas.)

Founded in 2012, this once-a-week subscription service based in Brooklyn delivers preportioned ingredients for three meals you’ll cook yourself, each in under 35 minutes. The focus is on improving your culinary repertoire as much as on feeding your hungry stomach. Meals are selected for you by Blue Apron’s chefs and are made using healthy, high-quality, sustainable ingredients. “We're looking to change the way America eats by providing them with incredible cooking experiences at home,” says co-founder and C.E.O. Matt Salzberg. They currently offer meat and fish and vegetarian menus.

*Who are the chefs?*All of Blue Apron’s recipes are developed by an in-house kitchen team led by co-founder Matthew Wadiak.

Added Benefits: Salzberg claims Blue Apron provides specialty ingredients you can’t find on your own and produce that’s fresher than what’s at the supermarket. You can also skip a week at no charge if you don’t have time to cook.

Cost: Blue Apron ships three recipes at $9.99 per single-serving—with two servings each per recipe—for a total of $59.94 for each order.

“I want to ... just have someone make a plate of lasagna.”

Try: Mealku

Available: Manhattan

The year-old Mealku lets you select the meal of your choice and have it delivered later that day. Don’t see anything you’d like? Request a specific dish and a Mealku cook can make it for you. Hot food is delivered to your door, just like takeout. “What makes us unique is the ... vast pool of extraordinary—and under-appreciated—cooking talent,” says founder and C.E.O. Ted D'Cruz-Young, who calls the New York–based Mealku the “Seamless of handmade food.”

*Who are the chefs?*All cooks—D'Cruz-Young says he doesn’t like to use the word chef—are interviewed face-to-face and must pass a food safety course.

Added benefits: Delivery boys are paid a fair wage, so there is no need to tip. Plus, cooks must list all ingredients, so you know what you’re eating.

Cost: Cooks set the price. D'Cruz-Young says Mealku is price competitive with takeout and estimates a handmade meal costs around $10.

“I want to ... cook healthy food. I’m just not sure what’s healthy.”

Try: PlateJoy

Available: Boston, Bay Area

The Boston-based start-up, currently still in Beta, uses an algorithm to create a deeply personal experience for each user. Then the year-old PlateJoy sends you health-conscious recipes that you can cook in under 30 minutes. Since ingredients come directly from local supermarkets—including Safeway, Whole Foods, and Peapod—they don't spend days in transit via FedEx or UPS

Who are the chefs? Full-time chef Ali is an Oxford-trained corporate lawyer who realized her true passion was food. “Ali finds and creates amazing recipes and then tweaks them to make them tastier, easier to prepare, and in alignment with any given user’s preferences,” says founder Christina Bognet. “It’s what a typical person would do to the average recipe after making it five times and coming up with all of the tricks about which ingredients are important, which can be left out to save time, and how it can be adapted to your tastes.”

Added benefits: PlateJoy calculates nutritional information for each dish and uses surplus-reduction algorithms at the back end to “utilize ingredients across recipes, which helps to reduce waste and save users money,” says Bognet. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are available, as well as dietary options such as gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and red meat.

Cost: Depends on family size, dietary preferences, and your chosen grocer. $79 minimum.

“I want to ... have a family-cooked meal. But not in my kitchen—my oven is full of clothes.”

Try: EatWith

Available: In 20 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Rome, and London.

This Tel Aviv–based start-up founded in 2012 acts as an Airbnb for food, with hosts offering authentic local dinner parties to traveling guests—or curious natives—in homes around the world. “This way, you get the chance to enjoy a more sociable experience, meeting fellow guests and gaining a fascinating insight into the lives of potentially very different cultures,” says co-founder and C.E.O. Guy Michlin.

*Who are the chefs?*Michlin says the vetting process includes a lengthy application and screening. Black-and-white “EatWith Verified” icons indicate when an EatWith staff member has personally approved all aspects of the experience.

Added benefits: EatWith is one of the only companies on this list with international availability. Plus, it’s great for large groups.

Cost: Hosts set the prices and minimum amount of diners. EatWith estimates dinners can go as low as $12 per person.

“I want to ... eat a nice meal at home, and I really, really trust people I don’t know.”

Try: Kitchensurfing

Available: New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, the Hamptons.

Founded in early 2012, this Brooklyn-based start-up is an online marketplace where professional and amateur chefs can sell their culinary talents. Set your date, price, and the number of guests, and Kitchensurfing will match you with available chefs in your area. “We believe the words of Ricky Roma—Al Pacino's character inGlengarry Glen Ross— ‘great meals fade in reflection; everything else gains,’” says C.E.O. Chris Muscarella. “So for our customers, we’re focused on making it easy to have outstanding food as a backdrop for what’s really important, which is spending time with people.”

Who are the chefs? Any chef can join Kitchensurfing, but there is a vetting process in order to become what Muscarella calls “discoverable.”

Added benefits: Chefs do all the work, including serving and cleaning. Gratuity is included.

Cost: Chefs set the prices, though Muscarella says it reflects the price scale of the city. He cites examples of a family-style soup for $10 per person or a multi-course meal for $50 per person.

“I want to ... shop the green market but I can never make it.”

Try: Farmigo

*Available:*Long Island, Brooklyn, Northern N.J., Bay Area.

Founded in 2009, the Brooklyn-based Farmigo helps small family farms run sustainable businesses. Most recently, they launched People Powered Farmers Markets, which enables families to purchase directly from these local farms. Consumers, who are organized into “food communities,” can shop and select all their fresh produce on Farmigo’s Website. “Farmigo provides a healthy, sustainable, alternative food system that connects consumers with fresh-from-harvest foods across geographies,” says C.E.O. Benzi Ronen. Members pick up their purchases from a local community “champion.”

*Who are the providers?*Farmigo says it carefully reviews and visits its farmers, dairymen, fishermen, and butchers to ensure their growing practices.

Added Benefits: You can choose to have frequently ordered items automatically delivered to your champion on a weekly basis.

Cost: There is no minimum order or entry fee. Users can customize their purchases week to week.

“I want to ... buy fussy food, but I don’t want to have to go to a bunch of fussy food shops.”

Try: Good Eggs

Available: San Francisco.

Good Eggs is an online farmers’ market that sells local produce, baked goods, meats, and other artisanal products. Goods can either be picked up or delivered to your door. “Our mission is to grow and sustain local food systems worldwide,” says director of marketing Cathy Bishop. “Everything we do is in service of that goal.” The two-year-old company says they are expanding to Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and New Orleans soon.

Who are the providers? Anyone, but purveyors must meet Good Eggs’ set criteria, which include sustainability practices.

*Added Benefits:*Good Eggs will help you contact your producer with questions or thoughts. Plus, there’s a discount on bulk items.

Cost: Bishop says Good Eggs is comparable to market prices. Delivery is an additional $3.99, but pickup is free.

“I want to ... learn how to make classic cocktails in theory, but in practice it is hard, messy, and expensive.”

Try: Julibox

Available: Continental U.S., except for Texas and Massachusetts.

The year-old New Jersey–based company allows you to try new cocktails without having to purchase full bottles of the spirits and liquors required to make them. Cocktail experts curate boxes that contain enough ingredients to make two servings of two different unique cocktails. “There are products, books, and services out there that can teach you how to develop your own home bar. But Julibox goes beyond that,” says co-founder Courtne Jones. “It introduces you to two new cocktails every month, helping you to broaden your cocktail horizons, while refining your cocktail-making skills.”

*Who are the curators?*In-house curator Paul Sevigny, as well as guest mixologists such as Lynnette Marrero and Pam Wiznitzer.

*Added benefits:*Boxes are themed around spirits, as well as seasons and even color. Gift subscriptions are available.

Cost: Month-to-month subscriptions cost $40, while 6- and 12-month packages run $36 per month.

“I want to ... learn new recipes from somewhere other than the Food Network.”

Try: Tastemade

*Available:*Everywhere.

Tastemade takes Instagram food porn to the next level. Billed as “the first global food network,” Tastemade’s YouTube channels feature videos about cooking, restaurants, and “yummies” to watch and learn from. “You could think of Tastemade as the Food Network, but viewed on YouTube with different programming,” says co-founder Steven Kydd. Tastemade has also released an iPhone app that gives anyone the ability to create one-minute HD food videos.

Who are the chefs? While the channels on Tastemade include some original programming, anyone with the app can upload a food video.

Added benefits: iPhone app allows you to view Tastemade videos anywhere. Welcomes anyone to try their hand at being the next big food star.

*Cost:*Free.