Febuary 2024
Embedded Files
February 2024 Chef Town Hall
For English and Spanish subtitles, follow the link to YouTube on the left. On the agenda this month:
Welcome New Platform Chefs & Team (3 min)
Jose Garces Secret Island Salmon Tour (8 min)
Menu Planning & Cap Guidelines (12 min)
Food Safety Batching & Expansion Checklist (5 min)
Golden Tray Award Recap (4 min)
September 2023
September 2023 Chef Town Hall
For English and Spanish subtitles, follow the link to the left to YouTube. On the agenda this month:
Ramptember
NYC Wine and Food Fest Pop-UP
Open Call Recruitment
Chef App Feature Update
Your Best Ally
Chef Collections
Chef Content Outreach
Restaurant Discounts
August 2023
Rooftop: Gatherings & Potlucks
Rooftop: Gatherings & Potlucks
A number of our chefs took advantage of our free rooftop space to host celebration events with their teams. Chefs Aarthi Sampath and Chris Massiah also put together a chefs potluck for some after-hours chef-to-chef fellowship.
July 2023
July 2023 Chef Town Hall
For English and Spanish subtitles, follow the link to the left to YouTube. On the agenda this month:
Eater Insights from the Portfolio Team
Meal Photo Shoot Best Practices
Our new Rooftop Space (and how you can use it)
OKRs 101
Chef Survey Results
Our RoofTop is Open for You!
Our RoofTop is Open for You!
Our rooftop event space is a hidden gem at the top of our New York City headquarters. It has been designed to serve as a multi-functional space to support team meetings or celebrations, pop-up dinners, panel or speaking events, and more casual community gatherings. It is a free benefit to you as a CookUnity Chef!
June 2023
Chef Volunteer Day in LA
Chef Volunteer Day in LA
This month we celebrated LA’s first Volunteer Day in partnership with Women’s Shelter LA and Good Neighbors.
Weekly we partner with them to donate our meals surplus, and this time we invited this lovely group of women who are currently in situ at the shelter to cook together at CookUnity and enjoy a wonderful meal with our chefs and team.
The LA team received them so warmly, and they cooked together with Chefs Nora Nolasco, Chef Anne Thornton, and Chef Cedric Nicolas, learning several of the chef's signature dishes. We closed the event with a special job talk from the LA team.
AMA with the Portfolio Team
AMA with the Portfolio Team
This ask-me-anything with Portfolio Manager Sebas Cobos is designed to support chefs’ menu development through a deeper understanding of customer needs and current menu gaps. Join us for inside tips on what our eaters are craving.
RSVP to Erin @ CookUnity.com
Chef-to-Chef Mentorship
Chef-to-Chef Mentorship
This ask-me-anything will allow new and onboarding chefs to receive wisdom and mentorship from a successful CookUnity Chef. This includes best practices, resources available, things to watch out for, insights on menu development, team building, and more.
RSVP to Erin @ CookUnity.com
May 2023
May 2023 Chef Town Hall
For English and Spanish subtitles, follow the link to the left to YouTube. On the agenda this month:
Eater Insights from the Portfolio team
CookUnity Business Metrics
Perfect Plating
Growth Marketing
And more!
March 2023
Chef-to-Chef Mentorship
Chef-to-Chef Mentorship
We’re excited to share this recorded AMA for onboarding and recently launched chefs. Our goal is to help new CookUnity partners get up-to-speed more quickly and effectively. Here is some of what we covered:
How much staff do I need to launch? To grow?
How do I handle reviews/complaints?
What equipment will I need?
What does it take to expand?
How big should my portfolio be?
and lots more!
HR Questions? We’ve Got Answers!
This Zoom was a Q&A, ask-me-anything (AMA) format. Here is what we covered:
Classifying employees as 1099 vs. w2
Legal requirements when someone is hired
Onboarding Strategy & Best Practices
What not to say or not say in an interview.
How to handle terminations
International Women's Day
International Women's Day
Wednesday, March 8th, from 6:00-8:00 PM
Please join Chef Einat Admony, Women in Hospitality United, and the CookUnity team for an intimate evening of drinks, small bites, and conversation in celebration of International Women's Day and the launch of CookUnity's new community space, The Rooftop in NYC.
March 2023 Chef Town Hall
For English and Spanish subtitles, follow the link to the left to YouTube. On the agenda this month:
Eater Insights from the Portfolio team
New meal Quality Reporting
CookUnity Code of Conduct U
Updates from the Food Safety and Quality Assurance team
and more!
You're Invited
We hope you’ll join us along with fellow members of the culinary community and press for an afternoon tasting with wine pairings. We’re excited to take our Fable menu partnership to the beautiful and festive Balaboosta space!
RSVP to Erin@Cook Unity.com
Follow our Food Donations
Join us for an exciting afternoon with the Sustainability team and Rethink Foods. We’ll learn about the destination of our Last Minute Meals program and have an opportunity to volunteer our time to support feeding hungry New Yorkers.
Space is limited.
RSVP to ChefCommunity@CookUnity.com
Febuary 2023
The CookUnity Chef Advisory Board
We are thrilled to announce the formation of our five-person Chef Advisory Board. Our mission is to build a chef-inclusive design and decision-making culture so we can prosper and grow together.
Each month the Chef Advisory Board gathers with CookUnity Leadership to advise on operational or policy changes and offer insights on improving opportunities and supporting our chef partners more effectively.
January 2023
Chef Delivers: Suprise & Delight
Chef Delivers: Suprise & Delight
On Monday, 1/30 Chef Chris Massiah hit the streets to deliver to some of his top customers.
Chef's customers were truly surprised and appreciative to meet Chef Chris, and it was so nice to see the chef <> eater connection happening live. A longtime customer, Sofia, let Chef know that CU saved her marriage! Dinnertime was usually the main source of frustration in her household, and her life has changed for the better since we came into it.
“It is very important for chefs and customers to create community. I loved taking this new step in connecting with long-standing customers through rewards. I only make that lasagna for my inner circle!” -Chef Chris Massiah
December 2022
Chef Letters: Suprise & Delight
Chef Letters: Suprise & Delight
This Holiday Season, we sent out over 250 personalized thank-you cards to our top customers. Chris Ratel, Team Leah Cohen, Wanting & Yong, Chris Massiah, & Einat Admony all participated in our first iteration of chef greeting cards. What a fun surprise for their biggest fans.
We held our first virtual LIVE cooking class!
On December 8th, 80+ customers in LA & NY received a Bulgogi Wild Mushroom Hot Pot kit and then joined Chef Esther Choi for a live How-To hot pot extravaganza.
Here is what some attendees had to say:
"Haven't cooked in over 10 years till Esther Choi taught class tonight. DELICIOUS...and I did everything right" -@jeffgoodmanmph
"Great date night!!! Hubby and I had an excellent time making bulgogi hotpot..cheers from philly!!" -@lbzmuse
"Tonight @cookunity surprised us with a collaboration with @choibites where they live streamed her showing us how to make her bulgogi beef mushroom hot pot! It was yummy and just another reason why we've been with CookUnity for nearly a year now" - @daaanngerin
"Such good hearty eats." -@mslingnyc
"Great live cooking experience." -@zlxstc
The "before" shot from @_im_alejandro
The "after" shot from @_im_alejandro
November 2022
LA Chef Team Kitchen Tour & Happy Hour
LA Chef Team Kitchen Tour & Happy Hour
Our LA chefs joined Antonio Miceli from the expansion team for a tour of the new LA kitchen buildout followed by a happy hour.
Chef Town Hall Deck & Recordings from November 2022
AMA with Wendy Gordon
We covered
The Basics of Good PR
When and How to use it
How to Prepare for speaking with the press
Wendy Gordon is a PR professional with a diverse client focus in the hospitality industry, the arts, nonprofits, corporate messaging, branding, luxury products, beauty, lifestyle, tech, finance, events, and more. She has worked in the public relations industry for over 20 years.
October 2022
A message from Mateo
A message from Mateo
Dear CookUnity Community,
I wanted to say Happy Hispanic Heritage Month to all our Hispanic community. I feel very grateful as an Hispanic myself to have the opportunity to bring our talents, grit and passion to America and make our dreams come true. There is an incredible immigration legacy in this country where immigrants are a key part of the life blood of America, bringing more diversity, creativity, and that unique mentality to achieve big things. Quería desearle un Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana a toda nuestra comunidad hispana. Me siento muy agradecido como hispano por tener la oportunidad de traer nuestro talento, coraje y pasión a Estados Unidos y hacer realidad nuestros sueños. Hay un legado de inmigración increíble en este país donde los inmigrantes son una parte clave de la sangre vital de Estados Unidos, trayendo más diversidad, creatividad y esa mentalidad única para lograr grandes cosas.
Hispanics are known for their wonderful warmth, sense of belonging, camaraderie, and joy for life. As we know well they also bring very powerful energy to the kitchens of this country with their special work ethic and pride. All values that are very much in the DNA of CookUnity and that we want to keep nurturing collectively. Los hispanos son conocidos por su maravillosa calidez, sentido de pertenencia, camaradería y alegría por la vida. Como bien sabemos, también aportan una energía muy poderosa a las cocinas de este país con su especial ética de trabajo y orgullo. Todos valores que son parte del ADN de CookUnity y que queremos seguir nutriendo colectivamente.
Thank you for being part of our community. My wish is that we can keep creating even deeper connections between all of us as we all learn from each other and enrich each other. Gracias por ser parte de nuestra comunidad. Mi deseo es que podamos seguir creando conexiones aún más profundas entre todos nosotros a medida que aprendemos unos de otros y nos enriquecemos mutuamente.
Unity!
Mateo
Our Amazing Latinx and Hispanic Chefs
Anthony Nichols, Irvin Paredez, Jose Garces, Raymundo Agrazal, Ruben Garcia, Santiago Carranza, Tony Perez, Maribel Rivero, David Adan, Fabiola Rivera, Michelle Bernstein, Kristy Flores, & Andy Mendez
September 2022
AMA recordings from September 2022
Curious about becoming a TikTok creator? Check out our AMA with V. Spehar who shares their story of going from 0 to 2.7 million followers.
You'll learn about ins and outs of the platform and how to make it work for you.
Chef Town Hall Deck & Recordings from September 2022
Breakfast Bounty
Breakfast Bounty
We’re re-launching our breakfast program with a selection of chef-driven morning eats this fall and we’re looking to source the best and most innovative ideas to surprise and delight our customers.
We are looking for dish concepts in these three areas:
Egg dishes
Breakfast Bars
Breakfast Bowls (think yogurt parfait or Açaí, not egg bowl)
*Winners will be notified by 9/22 and will present a sample product and Parsley ready recipe by 9/23.
Pitches must include:
Dish name and description
Dish Build
Sub-Recipe
Ingredients
Dish Packaging Specs
A sentence or two about your target customer or the reason you're excited about this dish.
Winners will be notified by 9/22 and will present a sample product and Parsley ready recipe by 9/23.
We’ll be selecting two dishes from each category to launch this fall. We’ll be putting the full force of our team behind prompting these dishes and the chefs that create them. Promotions will include:
Social Media placement
Email
SMS Push notifications
In-App Menu collections
Additionally, we’ll be fast-tracking the approval and launch of these dishes to meet our mid-October launch date.
You can book R&D time in our content kitchen. We’ll provide your ingredients. Book by emailing erin@cookunity.com include your preferred day, time, and ingredient needs.
August 2022
Check out our first Product Keynote!
Check out our first Product Keynote!
Watch to learn how we are using tech products to reach, acquire, and delight more customers for you. See how we are redesigning the way we showcase our Chefs, your meals, and your story.
(Spanish subtitles are available click on settings, select "cc," select "Spanish")
Chef Team Happy Hour
Chef Team Happy Hour
We hosted our first CU & Chef Team Happy hour at our NYC kitchen. Can't wait to see you at the next one!
July 2022
Pat talking about the art of dry aging with Chef Esther Choi.
Site visit: Pat LaFrieda Facility
Site visit: Pat LaFrieda Facility
We went to see the operations with chef Esther Choi, chef John DeLucie, chef Andy Mendez and some of our NY-based team members. LaFrieda Meats is a family business now in its fourth generation.
The current Pat in charge is one of the creators on our platform. He is one of the most respected butchers in the country and a household name in NYC. Pat is now a creator in our NY market selling thousands of meals per week using his meats.
Fun fact: Pat has the biggest dry age room in the world with more than $6M in value aging there!
LaFrieda Origin Story
100 years ago in Naples, Italy, our great-grandfather Anthony lost a fistfight outside a butcher shop.
A job offer from the sympathetic owner and our great-grandfather's knack for the trade eventually led Anthony to open his own shop on America's shores.
Now in our fourth generation, we've never stopped fighting for what we believe in, especially to give restaurants and home across the country access to America's highest quality meats.
NYC Picnic
NYC Picnic
Our first chef + staff picnic in NYC's McCarren Park. Thanks to everyone who came out and to the chefs who cooked!
Jerk Chicken - Chef Chris Massiah
Thai Chicken & Crunchy Slaw - Chef Aninga Joseph (Team Leah Cohen)
Family Tradition Potato Salad- Chef Kristy Flores
Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad- Chef Meena Sreenivas
Hummus, Grilled Eggplant, & Pita- Chef Einat Admony
Cookies- Justin Fowlkes, CookUnity Product Team
June 2022
Our First Chef Led
Our First Chef Led
👏👏👏👏👏👏
👏👏👏👏👏👏
Cooking Competition
Cooking Competition
May 2022
We hosted two "Reimagining the Customer Conversation" feedback sessions with Justin Fowlkes our Chef App product manager to explore new ideas to help you manage and respond to customer reviews. A sneak peek of early design thinking is shown below. In attendance: Chef Pat LaFrieda, Chef Maribel Rivero, Chef Anne Thorton, Chef Fabiola Rivera, Liza Corea (team Anthony Nichols), Justin Udry (Team Wanting Zhang and Yong Zhao).
Group Messaging
Group Messaging
Share welcome messages, thank-you's, or special invites with your customers.
Chef Reactions
Chef Reactions
Quickly share feedback with you customers by reacting to their reviews.
We hosted our first product development R & D session at the NYC hub. We plan to host these monthly starting in July! Let us know if you'd like to join (onsite or virtually) or have a product or service you think we should check out. For the pilot, we ordered The Weekly Box subscription from 11 Madison Park. The box is a weekly delivery service focused on ready-to-eat or easy preparation plant-based meals and snacks. Check out the action below.
Unpacking the Box
Unpacking the Box
The weekly box for two was ~$300. Attendees included: Chef John DeLucie, Chef Liran(team Einat), Chef Chris(team Forgione), Chef Reuben, Ang/Linds from Portfolio, Alina CS, Erin CS
Box Goodies
Box Goodies
Pros: Items individually felt luxe/high value
Cons: Underwhelming box packaging
Odd portion sizing (i.e. two full vinaigrette bottles, pickle mushroom servings
Didn’t feel like quite enough food for 3 distinct meals +snacks
Box Menu/Newsletter
Box Menu/Newsletter
Actionable Learnings:
We loved the soup jar size/look/feel
The brochure insert contained recipes, and origin stories, and was a guide to the box. The cookie dough logs for folks to bake off fresh desserts were a neat idea.
APRIL 2022
We hosted our first Chef Town Hall of 2022. You can check out the recording, slide deck, and other materials below.
Four Stage Vision: The CookUnity Master Plan
CookUnity Masterplan.pdfInternational Women's Day
International Women's Day
Wednesday, March 8th, from 6:00-8:00 PM
Please join Chef Einat Admony, Women in Hospitality United, and the CookUnity team for an intimate evening of drinks, small bites, and conversation in celebration of International Women's Day and the launch of CookUnity's new community space, The Rooftop in NYC.
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