Home-Cook

About Home-Cook

Home-Cook, known in China as 回家吃饭 (Huíjiā Chīfàn), was a Beijing-based venture that operated an online platform connecting users with local home chefs. Founded in 2014 by Wen Zhaohui, the company aimed to provide a home-dining experience by allowing customers to order home-cooked meals for delivery. The platform functioned as a marketplace for home-chefs, creating a C2C sharing economy model centered on food. It targeted individuals and families seeking convenient, healthy meal alternatives to restaurant fare.

The business model was based on a mobile-first approach, enabling users to browse menus from neighboring home kitchens, place orders, and have the food delivered. Before onboarding chefs, the company would audit their kitchens and provide professional training to ensure quality and hygiene standards were met. Revenue was likely generated through commissions on orders facilitated through the platform. Home-Cook successfully attracted venture capital, securing an Angel round in June 2014, a $1 million Series A in December 2014, and subsequent Series B and B1 rounds in 2015.

Despite its initial traction and funding, the company ultimately ceased operations. The platform is now listed as 'Out of Business' and 'Deadpooled', with its last noted activity being a cancelled Series C funding round in July 2016. The company's trajectory highlights the intense competition and operational challenges within the food-tech and sharing economy sectors in China.