Cookifi- Bengaluru

“Experience Cookifi!”

We have read about so many start-ups that bring the food to our doorstep, but here is a start-up that has decided to go a step above and bring the makers to our doorstep. Bangalore-based venture “Cookifi” makes your house parties and events special by helping you “discover great chefs around you to build an awesome experience of food cooked from your own kitchen at the ease of a tap.”  I spoke to Ajay Modani co-founder of Cookifi about the venture and their plans ahead.

Cookifi is founded by Ajay Modani, Harsh Singla and Prachi Modani. Ajay has already scored in the start-up arena with his previous venture Capillary Technologies. After 6 years as Vice President Operations, Ajay decided to move on to the world of food. Harsh was his colleague at Capillary Technologies where he worked as the Regional Head. Prachi  has previously worked with Walmart Labs and the Azim Premji Foundation.

Founded in 2015, initially as a platform to connect customers with home cooks, Cookifi now works with professional chefs who have experience in different types of cuisines. “ If you have a large group then you can arrange for a caterer. But if you are hosting a party for 20 or 25 people, you have to either order outside or make arrangements to prepare all the food at home. With  traffic issues and the cumbersome nature of large scale orders, food is turning out to be very challenging while organizing such events.” – says Ajay. Well, we can all agree that this is true. “As we thought on these lines we also spoke to many of our friends and various apartment associations. We got the same feedback. Between worrying about the food ordered or spending a lot of time in the kitchen, a convenient option for house parties was something that everyone wanted.” As a solution to these issues, Cookifi was created.

So how does Cookifi work? If you visit the Cookifi website you will see that you can either book a cook or even better opt for a “Cookifi Experience”. You can select from their available party plans or customize a menu based on what you have in mind. Once the menu is finalized and the quotation sent, the system will allocate a chef according to the chosen menu and some other factors.They have a chef allocation algorithm in place which makes sure the chef assigned matches the customer’s food preference. On the day of the event, the assigned chef will arrive at your place with all the ingredients and necessary tools for the preparation. The best part- they will cook the food in your kitchen. For example, if you choose the “Weekend Bash” option you get a starter of Achari Paneer, Hara Bhara Kabab, main course of Dal Makhani, vegetarian Pulao, veg Malai Kofta, paratha, and kheer as dessert. You can also choose the same plan to include non-vegetarian dishes, in which case one of the starters will be a Keema Kabab and one of the main course dishes will be a Murgh Lababdar. Cookifi also lets you customize the menu according to your choice. There are also options for including live counters in your parties.

Cookifi has probably come as a respite for many people. A feedback in their Facebook page talks about how the customer was able to enjoy authentic Rajasthani food in the comforts of their home. Ajay says that a lot of people have expressed a liking to the concept. “ Instead of ordering food and wondering how it is going to turn out, people can actually watch the chef making the food. The food is fresh and of great quality. This also  gives them the option to customize the dishes. If they want dal without garlic all they have to do is tell the chef. Live counters at birthday parties are a big hit and kids love them.” Ajay also shares some special moments that team Cookifi were able to create. “Chef at home is a very unique and novel concept. Recently one of our client’s  booked a special experience for her 80 year old father who is not able to go out much. We even had a booking at midnight for a birthday celebration. Such stories always make us feel special. What we are doing is not just giving people great food, but also a memorable experience.” Whether it’s 2 people or 50 people, Cookifi has got your back.

Starting a venture with a chef on demand concept, Ajay talked about how their initial challenge was to get the chefs on board. For the first chef, it took them almost a month and a half. Being a relatively new concept, chefs were a bit reluctant to let go of their day jobs and join team Cookifi. Once they realized that Cookifi offers them flexible timings, the ability to choose assignments, to get better returns and the ability to display their expertise in front of the audience, they took no time in saying yes to Cookifi’s offer. Of course, Cookifi also has its own selection criteria to ensure you get the best of chefs in your kitchen.

No matter where in Bangalore you live, Cookifi will make sure the chef of your choice is available for your events- 24/7. They plan to expand to two more cities soon. For Cookifi, marketing has largely been through word of mouth. As people attend events where they experience a “Cookifi experience” first hand, queries and orders start to follow.

Before I wrap up the interview I ask Ajay about sustaining a food venture and his advice for others interested in this world. “One of the key things in sustaining a food venture is to always keep quality in mind. If you start selling food at discounted prices just to get more customers, you will not make money and you will compromise on quality. At Cookifi we do not give discounts and we quote the price necessary for the level of service we promise. Quality is of utmost importance.”

Planning a party? Visit Cookifi and get your food organized just as you want it to be, with your own personal chef. Don’t forget to stop by their Facebook Page  to know more about them.  You can also call them at +91 81978 38103 for more queries.

All Images Courtesy Cookifi

Cookifi Quick Facts

Planning a #party and worried about the #food? Here is @Cookifiapp to solve your problems! #cookifi #Foodventures https://t.co/xx27y61ySL

— Sharmila Vaidyanathan (@YellowTurmeric) August 10, 2016