Dreams come true for Italian chefs
Andrea and Davide's weekly pasta delivery jump-started a lifelong dream. They now own their very own restaurant and enoteca.
Snapshot
Who: Al Dente
Food business segment: Professional Chefs
Location: Melbourne, VIC
Andrea Vignali and Davide Bonadiman established Al Dente, a weekly pasta delivery service run via Cookaborough, then a thriving restaurant and enoteca.
Situation
Andrea started Al Dente originally as a means to support himself and other international visa holders working in hospitality during the start of COVID-19 lockdowns in Melbourne. The success of the weekly artisan pasta menu via Cookaborough allowed Andrea and business partner Davide to dream big and plan for a bricks and mortar restaurant and enoteca.
Solution
Fast forward 18 months and Andrea has joined forces with Davide Bonadiman, as their joint vision came together to take Al Dente to the next level. Melbournians rallied to support the duo and the business went from strength to strength. Together through their talent and hard work, this side hustle has evolved into a distinguished bricks and mortar Al Dente Enoteca, with a weekly menu via Cookaborough being an essential mainstay throughout the increasingly unpredictable nature of hospitality.
Business Highlights
Consistent Income
The increasingly unpredictable nature of hospitality allows Al Dente Enoteca to thrive due to the reliability of its weekly service and a consistent 80 orders per week.
Batch Model
Having a system to power a weekly batch model meant that Andrea and Davide could focus on cooking. It also means that they can dial it down or ramp it up – they’re totally in control.
Loyal Customers
The two chefs are able to enhance the connection with their loyal customers directly with the email connectivity via the platform, while marketing and promotional tools keep customers engaged.
Creativity
These are no regular ready-made meals, but handmade pasta made by passionate Italian chefs with impressive credentials. Al Dente’s team can keep their creative juices flowing with a constantly changing weekly menu.
"Cookaborough’s like a magical tool in our pocket. We can be totally in control – of when, what and how much we cook, and we can also switch it on or off when we need to without any fees."
— Andrea, Al Dente
Key Features
A few features of the Cookaborough platform were of particularly high value to Al Dente for building its business, driving sales and creating a smooth and efficient weekly process.
