Is Entree the Future of Food? | Eater Chicago

"In the South Loop, Entree has taken over the former Michelin-starred Acadia space and operates as an ambitious, app-powered meal-kit company that prioritizes delivery and convenience over in-person dining; they sell kits such as paella, steak, and tacos and organize food around seasonal themes—Gameday (sliders, Buffalo chicken dip), Orale (Mexican; mole de Coloradito with tortillas), and Holiday Harvest (buttermilk-brined turkey breast, truffle mashed potatoes). I learned they use the tagline “box to table, 20 minutes or less,” price an average meal for two at about $29, and emphasize flexibility to jump on trends like butter boards with fresh sourdough. Entree has expanded into desserts with a pastry chef who worked at Lost Larson and even offers wine pairings for malted-chocolate cakes; the founders (co-owner Jason Weingarten from the tech startup Yello and co-CEO Jon Bell with Netflix UI experience) aim to predict customers’ cravings via an app that builds profiles—asking, for example, whether a user is more like Samin Nosrat or David Chang—and to control the delivery experience as an alternative to third-party services while keeping an eye on environmental impact and hospitality." - Ashok Selvam