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All About the Cooks, a website launched in Bristol to enable people to make money cooking from home, has announced that it will close at the end of May. Despite being a runner-up in the BBC Food & Farming Award in 2023 that led to a successful nationwide expansion earlier this year, the company has been unable to find investors to fund the future of the company.  

As the company grew, its founder – Claire Ladkin – and her team acknowledged the need for more advanced technology to support the increasing number of cooks joining the platform. A major development that could only be achieved through significant investment. 

Over the past few months, Claire reached out to hundreds of potential investors but could not find the right partners to support her vision.  She said: “Despite continuous growth in sales and an increasing number of cooks joining the platform, we have found it impossible to secure the money needed to reach our full potential. The current economic climate makes it extremely challenging for companies that focus on consumer-facing products to raise investment.” 

On Tuesday, the team of four behind All About The Cooks shared on social media: “We are heartbroken to announce the closure of All About The Cooks. We had big ambitions to make it possible for more home-cooks to make money from their talent and to revolutionise the way we eat at home. Over the past three years, we’ve had the privilege of working with so many incredible people, and we want to say thank you to all our supporters for being part of this journey.”  

All About the Cooks will officially shut down its website on the 31st of May 2024. As we continue to witness the weekly closure of Bristol businesses, this adds to the growing list of recent disheartening news. 

If you’d like to reach out to the team to show your support, you can contact them at [email protected]. 

 

 

 

 

 

Home-cooks across the United Kingdom now have the opportunity to share their culinary creations with their communities as the online marketplace, All About The Cooks, extends its services nationwide. 

Following a successful launch in the South West, All About The Cooks has witnessed an enthusiastic response from consumers eager to purchase homemade food made by local people. Now, the innovative platform is accessible throughout the UK. 

Often compared to “Etsy for food,” All About The Cooks enables talented home-cooks to sell their dishes and bakes to people who live near them. Founder Claire Ladkin launched the business in Bristol in 2021, aiming to provide passionate cooks with a way to make money from their talent, in a way that fits in with the rest of their lives.  

The platform’s recognition soared after being named runners-up in the 2023 BBC Food & Farming Awards ‘Community Food Champion’ category, with a feature on BBC Morning Live showcasing its mission and impact. 

Claire explains “It’s like having your own website. Our cooks send their customers to their All About The Cooks page to choose, order and pay for their food. They have everything they need all in one place. No more back and forth on social media, WhatsApp groups and so on, or chasing up payments.”  

Aspiring cooks of all backgrounds are invited to join the platform, turning their passion for cooking into something more. Whether aiming for extra income to navigate the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis, or pursuing a full-fledged livelihood, All About The Cooks accommodates various aspirations and commitments.  

Home-cooks like Melissa, who spent 20 years in hospitality before setting up her own food business, Salha balancing cooking Sudanese dishes with caring for her four children, and Mrunal, an Aerospace engineer selling family-inspired Indian curries as a side hustle, showcase the platform’s empowering ethos, enriching communities with unique culinary offerings. 

The process to start is straightforward: interested individuals sign up on the All About The Cooks website, where they receive guidance on setting up their virtual storefronts and meeting the necessary food hygiene requirements. From helping cooks to find their first customers to managing orders and payments, All About The Cooks simplifies the entire selling process. 

Membership is free, with the platform only taking a small commission from orders. New members enjoy a two-month commission-free period to get used to the website’s features and functionalities. By joining, home-cooks can focus more on their craft and less on administrative tasks, while also gaining access to a supportive community of fellow cooks, and valuable marketing resources and tips to boost their businesses. 

For more information, visit the ‘Become a Cook’ page on the All About The Cooks website. www.allaboutthecooks.co.uk 

 

Claire Ladkin, founder of All About The Cooks – a Bristol-born online marketplace for home-cooks to sell their food – has been nominated as a “Community Food Champion” finalist at the BBC Food & Farming Awards. The category, sponsored by BBC Morning Live, celebrates those working in food who are making a difference to their community. 

 Driven by the belief that food acts as a catalyst to bring people together, Claire wanted to create a platform where talented home-cooks could make money selling their food to local people. And so, late in 2021, All About The Cooks was born. 

Food is usually ordered through the platform about 24 hours in advance and cooks and buyers arrange collection or delivery between them. This ‘doorstep interaction’ is a place where food, cultures and stories are shared, and enriches the whole experience. Through All About The Cooks, buyers can discover home-cooks living near them who they would never have known about. 

Following the nomination for the award, Claire said: “I’m over the moon to have been shortlisted. I have a vision of a future where the sharing of home-cooked food within and between communities is commonplace. Where it is perfectly normal to order from a neighbour, pop around to collect your food and stop for a chat on the doorstep. I think that would be a nice world to live in. It’s great to see that others seem to agree too!”   

The marketplace is proud that diversity and inclusion is at the heart of what they do, with 75% of home-cooks being women and 80% from ethnically diverse backgrounds. As of August 2023, operating in Bristol and Bath with over 70 cooks, All About The Cooks has supported local home-cooks by putting £80k into their pockets. 

Only three finalists have been shortlisted as “Community Food Champions” for the BBC Food & Farming Awards and the winner will be announced on 25 October, in a ceremony broadcast on TV and radio. Keep your fingers crossed that Claire Ladkin brings the trophy home and makes Bristol proud. In the meantime, you can find out who cooks near you or apply to sell your home-cooked food at allaboutthecooks.co.uk.    

As a BCI member, enjoy 25% your first online order on All About The Cooks with the code BCI25.