It’s 2009. A startup is trying to convince people that staying in a stranger’s home over a vacation is not only a cheaper option but also a richer experience. While the idea of sharing goods and services is nothing new–we’ve been doing it throughout history–the rise of the sharing economy was not possible in its current form without our access to technology.
Apps and online platforms provide a unique opportunity to build communities of buyers and sellers. They curate catalogs of goods and services and allow users to leave reviews that help put accountability and people’s trust in the sharing system. What was once unheard of has now been made possible and has become how many people prefer to experience travel in 2022.
Just as Airbnb built the sharing economy for housing and Uber for transport, WoodSpoon is building it for food.
WoodSpoon started as an idea to fulfill the need for ethnic and home-cooked food that people missed from their homes across the world. Now it is a platform that creates a genuine opportunity for talented chefs to share their food with people. The platform offers these chefs, many of whom are immigrants, the opportunity to bring their cuisines and recipes to their local communities while allowing them to take control of their economic prospects. As a marketplace, WoodSpoon empowers them to be entrepreneurs.
It’s a win for diners too. They get a homemade meal cooked just for them with fresh ingredients. It’s a step away from prepared portions and closer to slow food.
My whole life, people told me, ‘You need to do something with your food,’ but I always shut myself down without even trying. How are you going to do that? How is it going to happen? How is it going to work out?
Maria Bido, Home Chef
Now I have weekly income, and I can see my earnings. And I’m getting reviews.
The chefs benefit from an independent income stream, especially during the pandemic, since many restaurant employees lost their jobs. We experienced a surge in chefs wanting to join our marketplace. WoodSpoon offers them greater freedom and flexibility: they control their prices, set their menus, dictate their availability, and grow a personal connection with their customers. Being an independent home chef also allows them to build their own brands and small businesses outside the restaurant industry, leaving them less prone to economic disruptions like the pandemic.
WoodSpoon gives diners an assortment of both niche and popular cuisines by gathering home chefs from diverse backgrounds in one place. You can find Surinamese and Dominican food (which aren’t easy to find in restaurants) alongside hearty, uncommon Chinese and Indian dishes on the menu. Each meal brings the most authentic version of its culture to the homes of the people who eat these dishes. It’s like traveling to a country and being invited into a local home for dinner. It’s a unique and personal dining experience where diners are not just eating a meal, but connecting with chefs, supporting local communities, and preserving culture.
We believe in our mission to bring food made with a purpose to everyone while supporting the amazing people that make it.
