Let the Shefs Cook

by Maureen Petrosky

These days, you can order almost any food online. Be it through postmates, doordash, or uber eats. You can find meal kits to cook yourself and groceries from instacart. There are even mail-order gifts from the likes of Goldbely who source from restaurants and bakeries nationwide. But what about a homecooked, authentic Indian meal? One that includes all the hard-to-get ingredients from your home country, just like your auntie used to make.

Meet the Shefs

A combination of “she” and “chef,” Shefs is an online community comprised primarily of wom en, many of those women of color, representing 85 countries around the globe. They are sharing food from their homelands, made in their kitchens, and delivered right to you. From bone broth to Italian Parms or Zeppole, to north Indian dishes like Aloo Samosa or Murg Makhani, and more. They are local cooks certified in food safety and excited about sharing their food and culture. Essentially, It’s an online marketplace for homemade food from people in your local community. It’s like if you could customize your neighborhood meal train, or enjoy your Nana’s fantastic baked goods any time you crave.

Who is Cooking?

If right about now you’re reading this and thinking, Wow, that’s such a cool concept; I’d love to be a shef, you can be.

One of the most inspiring parts of this business model is that they empower women to run their own food businesses on their terms. The ethos behind Shef is to let people make a meaningful income doing what they love and sharing their food, but also that consumers deserve access to wholesome, affordable meals.

The company provides its shefs with the backbone for a business. They help with marketing, payments, even pricing your items, all logistics, and customer support. Once you are in, Shefs can make up to $1,000 a week.

There are five simple steps to get started. First, all shefs need to be approved. This is as easy as creating your sample menu and getting certified in food safety. Then, you select your schedule. Next, you prepare your meals, cool them safely, and, finally, the company helps you serve your customers safely and efficiently and deliver the food to them on time.

The Shef team is available to you for advice and they even offer tutorials on how to take the best photos of your dishes to be showcased on their website. The shef testimonials and customer feedback include rave reviews and you can even spot James Beard award winner and celeb chef Aaron Sanchez on their website showing his love for the business.

What to Expect

Maybe your roots are in West India, you’re from the South, or perhaps Peru and you’re missing food like your mom made. You simply head to Shef.com and put in your zipcode and see what types of cuisines are offered in your area. There are all sorts of discounts when you register you receive $15 off your first order. More promos pop up like $10 for referring friends, and then those friends get $20 toward their orders. Beyond the logistics, you simply order your favorite meal selection and say when you would like it delivered. It’s simple and delivers so much more than fast food. The Shefs promise “healthy, high-quality meals made with love by local chefs in your community.”

Whether you’re looking for a delicious homemade meal tonight, a side hustle, or a food business on your terms, visit Shef.com to get started.