AI Startup Replaces $13,500 Monthly DoorDash Spend With Private Chef to Save Time and Improve Nutrition

Series hired a private chef after its monthly food budget exceeded $13,500 before the end of 2025, with most of that spending on DoorDash orders. CEO Nathaneo Johnson, 22, who co-founded the AI-powered social network, said the expense prompted a search for a more efficient solution once the company moved into a new office with a kitchen in New York.

Johnson and his cofounder hired the chef within a week or so of moving into the mixed-use office space that features a separate kitchen.

The company posted on TikTok looking for a chef, interviewed candidates who showed interest in the comments, and tested several with interview meals. The hired chef was the third person tested. The chef prepares three family-style meals per day for the team of eight plus the chef, for a total of nine people.

She accounts for dietary restrictions and caloric goals while the team weighs in on the weekly menu. Typical breakfast includes maple bacon, protein pancakes and green juice. Lunch often features chicken meatballs or buffalo hot honey cornflake chicken tenders with a salad, and steak is requested often.

The chef serves meals in the conference room so the team does not smell, see or hear kitchen activity. Johnson stated that the right office setup with a separate kitchen is required for this arrangement to work. He would not recommend hiring a private chef for every startup without that physical layout.

The private chef earns a high-five-figure salary that is lower than that of employees on the business side. She also receives a free gym membership and a grocery stipend to use for the team's meals each month. The chef works more typical 9-to-5 hours that can vary based on operational needs.

Series reduced the team by a few people to ensure each role was necessary. The company previously had a chief of staff but determined it was not a great fit for the small team. Johnson said that if someone is not a specialist who can do anything better than everyone else in the room, then they should not be there.

Johnson stated that eating healthier has reduced his brain fog and increased productivity. "The biggest benefit, honestly, is the nutrients and the balance of the meals we eat now," he said in the account provided to Business Insider. "When we were ordering food constantly, we didn't eat as healthily.

He added that little things like having green juice in the morning every day help him start his day better than anything else. Johnson said he does not feel as much brain fog anymore and feels more productive. The benefits will compound over time, with people hopefully getting sick less and taking better care of their diets.

Some employees initially told Johnson he was a little crazy for suggesting the hire because the team loved ordering what they wanted from DoorDash. Yet the chef's food proved good enough to win them over. Everyone has been happy with it for the most part, though a few people remain nitpicky and can still order food with their own money if they like.

Johnson said paying for the team's meals remains a super important part of moving fast because it saves at least two hours a day with no one needing to leave the office to get food. Business Insider reported that this as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Johnson. The company is based in New York.