Appetitoo, the platform that brings restaurant chefs into your home kitchen
Appetitoo. If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that we've missed going to a restaurant more than anything else. Sitting down, ordering from an extensive menu, savoring a dish we've always loved or trying a new one: this is the inspiration behind Appetitoo, a platform offering a home delivery service.
Appetitoo's goal is to offer a restaurant for every category on the market, as well as a selection of private chefs who don't have their own establishments but have created ghost restaurants within the platform. Cooking workshops are also available, not only for family events but also for corporate events, both as team building ideas and for corporate events. We asked Francesco Santilli, one of the project's founders, about Appetitoo's history, interesting facts, and previews of both Rome and Milan (where the platform plans to launch in September).
The idea of Appetitoo
Francesco tells us that the Appetitoo concept is based on a personal experience: “In November, in the midst of the health crisis, I wanted to celebrate my birthday. So I decided to call a chef from an Indian restaurant I knew to my house. Both my girlfriend and I were skeptical at first, but the experience was truly amazing. The show cooking, the story behind each dish, and the interaction with the chef made us feel like we were at a restaurant. We wanted everyone to have the opportunity to experience the same thing, perhaps with their own dream restaurant.”
How Appetoo Works
By connecting to the Appetoo website, customers can choose the type of cuisine or restaurant, the number of people involved (currently from two to a maximum of six), and wait a few hours to receive feedback. Once the chef's availability has been verified, customers receive a phone call to arrange the space available at the location. In any case, the Appetoo team brings everything necessary for the experience: for example, in the case of the sushi bar, the sushi chef brings a small table to set up a corner suitable for show cooking.
Once lunch and dinner are over, Appetoo always takes care of cleaning and clearing away everything. The service isn't limited to private homes, but also to corporate settings: "We've already worked with a law firm, which called us to organize a team building event for its employees focused on fresh pasta. We've received requests from various investment firms, who have chosen our service to celebrate the closing of a contract with a client."
From Roscioli to Assunta Madre, but also Giorgione Garden and Kitchen
"The goal is to become the go-to platform for lovers of haute cuisine: for this reason, each restaurant is the best representative of its category," explains Francesco. There are seven restaurants currently, but around twenty will be added. On the website, which launched May 20th, you can find Roscioli for traditional Italian cuisine, Kiko Sushi Bar and Vandaloo Indian Restaurant for Asian cuisine, Eggs for a journey around the egg, Bussaba for fusion, and three Assunta Madre menus for fish (premium, platinum, and superior). There's also an educational workshop dedicated to fresh pasta, led by Antico Pastificio all'uovo. Real chefs from the various restaurants could be cooking at your home: depending on space availability, they could be chef Nabil from Roscioli or chef Franco from Assunta Madre. Among the various names collaborating on the project is Giorgione Orto e Cucina.
In addition to the city's restaurants, there's also a team of private chefs selected by Appetitoo. "We conduct a selection process over the course of four months: our personal chefs must have at least several years of experience, and then we train them to ensure the plating, menu selection, and service are in line with our identity. These are chefs who don't have a physical restaurant, so the platform creates a virtual restaurant for them with a menu, which customers can then choose from."
Drink, mixology, beverage
And who's bringing the wine? "Drinks service isn't included in the original format, because there are people who don't drink or prefer a wine they already have at home," explains Francesco, "but upon request, we can provide everything you need for lunch or dinner. Some of our partners, like Roscioli, already have a large cellar, while we have other suppliers who work with us exclusively for the drinks section." It doesn't end there: Appetoo is working on adding two new experiences, one on mixology and one with a sommelier.
Rome-Milan
Appetoo is coming to Milan in September: we asked Francesco how the platform approached two such different culinary worlds. "Our team includes people who conduct market research based on current trends, divided by city. In Milan, the traditional component is less present, so we decided to still offer Roman cuisine, which is always loved by everyone. We will definitely be more present with fish, given the wide availability of fresh fish in the city, and with fusion cuisine, which has a wider audience in Milan."
The table
The platform offers an experience that allows customers to both eat well and see and learn about the background and art of each chef. To complete the offering, Appetitoo has partnered with Ammano, who creates bouquets to match the chosen menu. "We're eternal romantics," smiles Francesco, "we couldn't help but think of every detail: for example, with the egg pasta experience, the chef presents himself with a bouquet of wheat ears, creating the perfect atmosphere."
