Bridging cultures through food
Two years ago, NUS Engineering alumni Rinita Vanjre Ravi and Inez Wihardjo were undergraduates in search of a budget-friendly meal in Paris on Christmas Eve. With no opened eateries around, the hungry duo were suddenly inspired to launch their own start-up. That marked the beginnings of BonAppetour, the successful web-based social marketplace which connects travellers with local chefs for unique dining experiences worldwide.
Be it a cosy rooftop dinner in Rome or a traditional tea ceremony in Tokyo, the co-founders aim to provide travellers with an authentic experience beyond the typical sightseeing. This includes indulging in home-cooked fare while fostering deeper interaction and cultural exchange between travellers and locals. Since such encounters are few and far between, the team decided to create the gastronomic scenarios and share them with a global community of like-minded people. “In an age of uncertainty and resentment, we wanted to bring the world closer, one meal at a time,” said Rinita.
Guests learning to make paella in Barcelona
With support from NUS Enterprise, including grants, mentorship, office space and networking opportunities, Rinita and Inez — both alumni of the NUS Overseas Colleges programme — worked hard during the initial stage to build trust as well as a community of adventurous “foodies”.
Their business recipe is simple. Hosts curate their menus and upload a description of their dining experience to the BonAppetour platform. Guests are able to browse the range of offers — from brunches and barbecues to cooking classes and dinner parties — and choose one that tickles their fancy in the city they are visiting, before making a booking through the integrated payment gateway. The host is paid upon completion of the meal, with BonAppetour charging the diner a service fee at 15 per cent of the cost of the meal. The win-win experience allows hosts to earn income while showcasing and honing their culinary skills, and guests to experience scrumptious food and pleasant company in an immersive cultural setting.
As a safety measure, BonAppetour performs background checks on all users and offers a private messaging system for both parties to learn more about each other before agreeing to a transaction. The founders also personally meet with hosts to ensure that several criteria including hygiene, food preparation, ambience and hospitality are met accordingly. The platform currently has more than 500 approved hosts who have catered to thousands of guests among them.
From an initial focus on Italy, a popular culinary tourist destination, BonAppetour has expanded to include dining experiences across Africa, Asia, North America, Oceania and South America. The team is continuously on the hunt for new exciting locales. Also in the pipeline is an app with an instant booking feature to match individuals seeking a home-cooked meal at the eleventh hour with hosts able to prepare them on short notice.
Rinita (left) and Inez (right) with BonAppetour’s Chief Technology Officer Giovanni Casinelli
