BookMyChef launches mobile app for customers

HYDERABAD: A city-based food start-up, BookMyChef (BMS), this week announced the launch of a mobile platform to provide on-demand chef and hospitality services. It aims to bring professional chefs to customers’ kitchens, thereby providing a unique culinary experience and making it easy for people to host events.

The app will not only to help customers enjoy delicious, personalised food but also support hospitality professionals who are vulnerable to market situations, said Shankar Krishnamurthy, co-founder of BMC.

Krishnamurthy, who is also the Hyderabad chapter head of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), said that the idea was born out of a need to provide a platform for chefs to connect with people who want to savour good food at home.

"At the same time, we want to work towards promoting sustainable practices including reducing plastic waste and offering healthy, wellness-integrated food options. We also hope to create additional income opportunities for hospitality professionals who have been severely affected by the pandemic," he said.

Listing the unique features of the app, Krishnamurthy said that booking process for the on-demand service is simple, where the user needs to register and verify their account.

"After that, they will need to enter their event date, time, number of guests and choice of cuisine. The app will show the user a menu, which the user can choose as per their taste. Before checkout, the user can also opt for additional services for their event, such as a server or a bartender,” Krishnamurthy said.

The user then pays the booking charges. Once the payment is done, BookMyChef will confirm the booking and assign a chef to the user. Chefs are compensated as per the effort being made, and their charges are based on the number of items and the number of guests, he explained.

Krishnamurthy added that the company thoroughly vetted its chefs, which includes a background check, a review of their culinary training and experience and a cooking test.

Currently, the minimum viable product — beta version (MVP) of the app features continental, oriental, north Indian and south Indian cuisines. Available on Android and iOS platforms, users can choose a cuisine and select up to 10 items for service and book an event for up to 20 guests, with no minimum order quantity.

Users can also book additional professionals like bartenders, service staff, and cleaners as add-on services at the checkout for stress free celebrations at affordable prices. Users can choose to arrange the ingredients themselves or ask BookMyChef to source them for additional charges.

Krishnamurthy said that the team hoped to launch its services in Mumbai and Delhi on a pilot basis before establishing a full-fledged operation.