chibo cooking start up

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB NEWS) -- A new startup blends technology with cooking and is helping struggling restaurant workers in the process. 

COVID-19 has changed a lot of things for chefs across the world, including Louisville chef Mateo Sullivan. 

"It was definitely very scary at first," Sullivan said.  "... Every restaurant didn't know if we were going to be able to stay open."

Sullivan is a chef at Biscuit Belly, a restaurant with three Louisville locations, known for its gourmet biscuit-based dishes. He knows the pandemic has created some serious hardship for the restaurant industry, so he jumped at the chance to give back.

Enter Chibo, a Louisville-based start-up from GE Appliances.

"Chibo is a live interactive cooking platform," Head of Marketing Abbi Oettel said. "So think about Chibo as the future of cooking. With Chibo, you can tune in and cook alongside your favorite hosts, chefs, personalities, even your favorite restaurants."

Before the pandemic, the start-up flew in chefs from around the world to host live cooking classes. But when COVID-19 hit, the company pivoted and looked to local chefs to help teach the interactive classes.

Sullivan hosted a class teaching participants how to make the famous biscuits. Other Louisville chefs such as Damaris Phillips, Anthony Lamas of Seviche, and Andrew McCabe of bar Vetti also taught classes.

The company used proceeds from the classes to pay it forward through something it calls the Restaurant Project Initiative. Funds raised through the classes were donated to Apron Inc., a nonprofit that provides emergency grants to restaurant workers in need. 

"We wanted to partner with them especially during COVID because there were a lot of restaurant layoffs and a lot of restaurant closures, and people were falling on hard times," Oettel said.

GE Appliances provided a $10,000 match to Chibo’s fundraising efforts, for a total of $20,000 donated. 

"We were really able to do something incredible for our local Louisville independent restaurant folks," Oettel said.

Sullivan said, "The culinary industry has given me so much, so I just felt like it was a great opportunity for me to give back to my community and give back to my peers."

To learn more about Chibo, click here.

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