Top 9 Foodie Entrepreneurs In 2017

The definition of a foodie is someone who is keenly interested in food, especially when it comes to eating it or cooking it. A foodie may also be a gourmet.

Foodies are popping up all over – from food bloggers to top chefs.

An entrepreneur is someone usually seen as an innovator and often the leader in their industry. They have the skills necessary to get the job done.

A foodie entrepreneur, then, is an innovator in the vast world that is food. They make our experiences with food better. (tweet this)

In today’s article, we look at the top nine foodie entrepreneurs in 2017. These are the people breaking new ground in the restaurant world and beyond.

#1: Wild Friends Foods

Driven by a desire to make food friendly to eat, co-founders Keeley Tillotson and

Erika Welsh sat in their college apartment eating peanut butter when they ran out.

Because it was raining, they opted for making their own instead of venturing out to the store. What started as an afternoon of fun has turned into a business that provides dozens of flavors of nut and seed butter sold in thousands of stores all across the United States.

Not only are they dedicated to making food that’s fun to eat, their products come with a whimsical twist and are free of preservatives and additives with ingredients sourced from quality suppliers.

Their passion for food made with healthy, wholesome ingredients makes them trustworthy foodies indeed.

Visit: Wild Friends Foods

#2: Dave’s Sweet Tooth

This foodie, Dave Chmielewski, is all about the toffee.

Dave, a retired Detroit Fire Fighter, began making toffee in his kitchen and showcasing his product at local craft shows. The response to his almond toffee was astonishing to Dave and his family.

The kitchen hobby soon became a full-blown business, and Dave’s son, Andrew, stepped in to help.

Inspired by his Dad’s passion, Andrew, moved the production out of the family kitchen and into a 5,000-square foot manufacturing facility.

Word spread, Dave’s Sweet Tooth appeared on The Today Show and Good Morning America, and another foodie entrepreneur flew to success.

Visit: Dave’s Sweet Tooth

#3: CHLOE

The first vegan chef to win the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, Chloe Coscarelli is a food entrepreneur with a food empire.

From three cookbooks, all featured on Amazon’s list of “100 Best-Selling” cookbooks, to her famous vegan restaurant concept, CHLOE, brings vegan dishes such as White Wild Mushroom Pizza, Mexicali Sliders and Leftover Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Drunken Raspberries to world-wide attention.

Visit: Chloe

#4: Katz’s Delicatessen

This delicatessen was started in 1888, but it’s what foodie, Jake Dell, has done to it that gets it on our list.

Dell’s foodie spirit inspired him to upgrade and modernize Katz’s Delicatessen to bring it to more people. One of his biggest accomplishments – they now ship nationwide, so whether you want some of their mouthwatering brisket or potato knishes, you can order it.

His other major feat – he opened a new location. This is ground-breaking because Katz’s has only ever existed in one location in its nearly 130-year history.

Dell expanded by opening a takeout-only stand in Brooklyn’s DeKalb Market Hall.

Good news for foodies in New York who couldn’t make it to the Lower East Side.

Visit: Katz’s Delicatessen

#5: Veestro

Mark Fachler, founder and CEO of Veestro, a meal-delivery service, is passionate about providing fully-prepared gourmet meals without any preservatives or animal products.

He’s a foodie dedicated to vegetarian living, and he wants to bring the experience to others.

Originally a banker, Mark had no time to cook, and fast food wasn’t healthy. Mark saw a need and decided to meet it.

With his sister, Monica, Veestro was born.

Like a true foodie, Mark wants to make people happy with delicious, organic, healthy, sustainable, vegetarian meals delivered to your doorstep just in time for dinner.

All the consumer has to do is choose from the menu, wait for the fully prepared, chef-created meal to arrive in eco-friendly packaging, heat it up and enjoy.

Visit: Veestro

#6: Western Daughter’s Butcher Shoppe

Kate Kavanaugh is the CEO of the Western Daughter’s Butcher Shoppe in Denver, Colorado.

Interestingly, Kate is a former vegetarian who ventured into the world of grass-fed beef.

With two locations and one on the horizon, Kate’s business breaks down the entire animal into cuts for her customers. This is why her grass-fed, pasture-raised meat comes from within 250 miles of Denver.

Their meat comes from animals that are humanely and sustainably ranched, and Kate guarantees that each animal has access to fresh Colorado air, green grass and abundant sunshine its whole life.

Her foodie spirit is dedicated to restoring the ranching and roots of our past.

Visit: Western Daughter’s Butcher Shoppe

#7: Cosme

Our next foodie entrepreneur, Daniela Soto-Innes, is the Chef de Cuisine at Cosme in New York City.

Her passion for food began in Mexico City and continued when she came to the United States to study under world-class chefs.

Using local and seasonal ingredients, this Mexican-inspired cuisine earned Daniela the James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef in 2016.

Visit: Cosme

#8: Molly Yeh

A Juilliard graduate with a degree in percussion, Molly fell “wildly in love” with food.

Inspired by her Jewish and Asian roots, she started a blog with posts that include many delicious recipes.

Her culinary blog writing has established her as a culinary expert. And, she also just released her first cookbook.

Visit: My Name is Yeh

#9: Night Owl Cookie Company

Owner Andrew Gonzalez is a foodie who encourages his customers to “seize the night.”

A life-long dream, Andrew is a sweets and food junkie whose goal is to deliver warm home-made cookies.

He used social media, food bloggers and media outlets such as NBC News, The Miami Herald and FOX to grow his concept.

His sweets are creative and innovative – just imagine your delight as you take your first bite of the Rainbow Over Bedrock cookie: white Chocolate chips mixed and topped with crunchy Fruity Pebbles cereal.

Visit: Night Owl Cookie

To Conclude

Foodpreneurs, or foodie entrepreneurs, are here to stay. And, that’s a good thing for everyday people who want to explore the world of food. (tweet this)

For some people, that means walking down the street or taking a car ride. For others, it may mean ordering online.

Bottom line –  the top nine foodie entrepreneurs in 2017 are bringing healthy, beautiful and delicious options to homes everywhere. They ensure the palate is always surprised by their new innovations.

Are you a foodie entrepreneur? At Restaurant Engine, not only do we create great, responsive websites, but you can count on us to create one that tells your story. Ready to take the plunge and create a website with an online menu, blog and beautiful photos? Get your free website consultation today!

Images: Eaters Collective and rawpixel.com on Unsplash