Franchising

Former Zuul exec launches 'anti-ghost' kitchen

Provided

November 17, 2021

Former Zuul COO Kristen Barnett has launched Hungry House, a platform that she called an "anti-ghost kitchen born out of a desire to inject quality and intentionality into the ghost kitchen model."

During her time with Zuul, a food technology company recently acquired by Kitchen United, Barnett said after seeing so many similar fast-food virtual brands launch during the pandemic, she felt compelled to think about what an alternative would look like, according to a company press release.

"There are no shortcuts," she said about the company, which strives to help chefs scale their businesses by leveraging the supply chain management, culinary execution and technology of its operating model. "We focus on transparency, supply chain, and direct management of the culinary teams. "We unlock the ability to partner with chefs and restaurateurs who have brands built on quality and sustainability."

Hungry House, which opened this week in Brooklyn Navy Yard with the debut of "Season 01," features partnerships with up-and-coming chef-influencers and brands such as Woldy Kusina, The Food Sermon from Rawlston Williams, Apocalypse Burger from Martha Hoover and The Goods Mart. Each "season" brings new dishes and chef partnerships.

"The level of care and quality from Hungry House throughout the onboarding process makes me excited to partner with a team that understands what is needed to execute my menu," Woldy Reyes, the founder of Woldy Kusina, said in the release.

He is now selling food directly to his customers on his own section of the website — Hungry House leverages the chefs' audiences to drive customers to a native platform so they can avoid the expensive delivery marketplace apps and provide a higher-end custom experience, Barnett said.

The company will begin serving food to Manhattan in early-2022.