New York City seems to have a zillion different food based apps, all designed to get you to find what you want, order and have it delivered in a quick amount of time. I recently discovered a brand new app launched last month called Umi Kitchen that I wanted to try and see what all the fuss was about. Last night, I had my first order and fell in love with so much of what this app can provide! Here is why you should as well.
A bit of a background on Umi Kitchen before I go into my lovefest about it- Umi aims to bring the joy of home cooking to everyone – minus the work! Like many people, co-founders Hallie Meyer and Khalil Tawil missed having home cooked meals. They created Umi as a way to make home cooking a reality for those who didn’t have the time to cook themselves but also didn’t necessarily want restaurant delivery or a meal kit.
Umi connects you with exceptional local home cooks who are making small batches of delicious, signature dishes that you can’t find anywhere else (think authentic Thai, Indian, Southern-Fare, etc.). You simply go on the Umi app, choose from the day’s (or week’s) selections of Umi kitchens and your preferred delivery window. It’s as simple as that, and you’ll have a home cooked meal delivered right to your door when you want it (note that for now Umi is available only for dinner).
As someone who comes from a world of great home cooked meals courtesy of my mother, who was a top caterer and chef in Long Island, it is something that I think people in Manhattan have sort of lost the art form in. Thrilled that Umi Kitchen delivered to where I am in Harlem, I instantly perused the menu to see what would stick out to the the most.
I decided to go with the Korean Meatloaf with a fried egg & sweet potato mash made by Chef Mon Mon, one of their amazing Home Chefs. What I loved about this dish, as well as the app, is that the ingredients are completely listed in the description of the meal, as well as how the meal is prepared. You don’t really get that on other apps, or its very brief. This allows the customer to really engage in each menu item before choosing which one fits their needs.
The Meatloaf was spicy in the best way possible without being overpowering in its execution. It was completely filling and paired perfectly well with the sweet potato mash and peas, leaving it to being a great dinner option. The best part honestly was the handwritten note provided to me by Chef Mon Mon herself, which thanked me for ordering as well as describing how she got her inspiration for the dish, and preview of next week’s one! Handwritten notes makes it so much more personal for the customer, and it shows that the chef really goes above and beyond to make them happy. And they did.
I highly recommend that if you are in the Manhattan area, that this is a great app to try. It won’t let you down! For more information, check out their official site.