Transforming the Culinary Landscape with Yhangry

Early Days and the Birth of an Idea

Mittal recalls, "At the time, we were deeply immersed in the corporate finance world, climbing the ladder and aiming for maximum earnings. But very quickly, that no longer inspired us." They noticed a gap in the market while observing the prevalence of private chefs in countries like India and China. "People there have private chefs all the time; it's normal. Here in the Western world, it was nearly impossible to find one," Mittal explains.

Initially, they had little to work with and no chefs. But they had confidence and simply made up prices, assuring people that a private chef would come and cook for them for £100 to £150. Sharing a simple PDF with colleagues and corporate peers was the start. "It was all about hustling to get people to book in, and soon we were fulfilling grocery orders and even sending them to our Barclays office by accident!"

Overcoming Challenges and Securing Investments

Two months in, the demand was so high that they couldn't manage their day jobs along with Yhangry's growth. A crucial milestone awaited as they had to decide whether their parents would approve. Mittal jokes, "Heinin's Dad said 'no pressure, no diamonds' and I told my dad I was going to start this startup or do an MBA which would cost around $200k, so this was the cheaper option."

They went on to pitch their business on Dragon's Den and received offers from Peter Jones and Tej Lalvani. However, they ultimately declined as the terms weren't commercial enough. Just two months after the show, they raised £1m for 10%. "It's very hard for the Dragons to add much commercial value to a tech startup, so that's why we chose to decline," Mittal says.

Surviving the Pandemic and Adapting

The start of the Covid-19 pandemic brought nearly two years of losses. "It was insane; I've never seen so many orders and cancellations happen in minutes," Mittal recalls. With restaurants closed and strict lockdown measures, their entire business model vanished overnight. But they adapted by briefly turning the business into a grocery delivery service.

"We explored virtual classes and kept trying to build the community and grow our followers. Every time the business would gain some momentum with rule changes, we would be hit with another lockdown. There were so many challenges," Mittal says. But their determination paid off.

Growth and Expansion

Despite facing setbacks in 2021 and 2022, Yhangry was recognized among the top 10 female-run businesses by the Department for Business and Trade. This led to their latest funding round, attracting high-profile investors like Tamara Lohan and Michael Seibel.

The investment is set to fuel their US expansion in 2025 and continued expansion into Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Their work now extends beyond individual chefs to broader partnerships. In the last two months, they have established over 100 short-term rental collaborations, enhancing profit margins for hosts and enriching guest experiences. With a pipeline of over 3,000 potential partnerships, the growth opportunities are vast.

"The travel sector has become really big. People go travelling and book self-catering accommodations. They want great food, so this is a new focus, and we're going to be big in this space in the coming years," Mittal continues.

As the company looks to the future, their goal remains to provide brilliant, equitable dining experiences for everyone. They have truly made private chefs as accessible as going out.