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Why Bon Appétit is now a fast casual competitor

Photos by Alex Lau, Bon Appétit

September 24, 2019

Bon Appétit, a food lifestyle magazine featuring recipes, wouldn’t normally be competition for fast casual brands, but it is now thanks to the launch of Bon Appétit, Delivered, a virtual restaurant featuring dishes curated by the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen. The delivery-only concept is available in Chicago through Grubhub, and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, a multi-concept restaurant group that owns Wow Bao, is operating the virtual storefront, according to a company press release.

"For those times when you just don't want to cook, we're making our favorite things to eat right now available for delivery," Bon Appétit Editor-in-Chief Adam Rapoport, said in the release. "From Sambal Chicken Skewers to our Garlickiest Fried Rice and so much more, these delicious meals will come fully prepared, right to your door."

The menu, available for lunch and dinner, offers seasonal ingredients and dishes on a rotational basis. Dishes include: Cauliflower Bolognese, Broccoli Caesar Salad, Lemon and Garlic Roasted Chicken Thighs with Warm Honey Glazed Brussel Sprouts and Cider Braised Pork Shoulder with Butternut Squash. 

"This concept is a great example of how LEYE and Grubhub are pursuing creative, exclusive concepts to bring more variety to diners," Padma Rao, vice president of special projects at Grubhub, said in the release about the concept, which is the second delivery-only concept in which LEYE and Grubhub have partnered to run in the Chicago area. 

Virtual restaurants help chefs, owners and operators more nimbly capitalize on culinary trends and local preferences to receive more orders from Grubhub's leading diner network, R.J. Melman, president of LEYE, said in the release.

"We're excited to continue our partnership with Grubhub to offer some of Bon Appetit's most beloved dishes for delivery in Chicago," Melman said. "We look forward to preparing these delicious recipes from one of the food world's most iconic brands in our kitchens for this new virtual restaurant."