Shef Opens Chef-to-Consumer Marketplace to Cooks Across US

Shef is expanding its chef-to-consumer marketplace across the United States.

Cooks from anywhere in the country can now apply to sell their homemade food on the platform, Shef said in a Wednesday (March 1) press release.

Launched in 2019 in the Bay Area, Shef now operates in 11 states and the District of Columbia, the release said.

“Demand for Shef has grown dramatically over the past four years — both from those interested in cooking on the platform to earn much-needed income, as well as consumers looking for more affordable, healthy ways to feed their family,” Shef Co-Founder and CEO Joey Grassia said in the release. “We’re thrilled to be able to meet this demand and fill a significant gap in the market between home cooking and takeout.”

As PYMNTS reported in June 2022, food delivery is expanding beyond the aggregator as consumers increasingly expect to get their needs met on demand.

For example, mobile restaurant startup Wonder raised $350 million in June for its company that combines the food truck and delivery models to bring an entire mobile kitchen to consumers’ homes.

Another contender, chef-to-customer platform CookUnity, offers pre-scheduled meal delivery from award-winning professional chefs.

In August 2021, WoodSpoon announced a $14 million Series A fundraise for its delivery service that allows consumers to order meals prepared by local home cooks to be dropped off at their door.

Shef’s expansion of its platform that connects local cooks with customers follows its closing of a $73.5 million Series B funding round last year, according to the press release.

As of 2022, after many states clarified their laws to allow the practice, all 50 states allow for the sale of certain types of homemade food, the release said.

Along with expanding nationwide, Shef will use its new capital to add preference and customization features and other product developments, per the release.

The most recent funding round was led by CRV, according to the press release.

“Neighbors feeding neighbors is already a widely accepted tradition around the world,” CRV General Partner Saar Gur said in the release. “Now talented cooks can simultaneously pursue their passion while also providing their families with another meaningful source of income by providing homemade dishes to those nearby, something that’s even more relevant given the tough economy.”