Spiky-haired Food Network celebrity chef Guy Fieri is rolling out a new delivery-only restaurant chain that adopts the “ghost kitchen” concept rather than a static physical establishment.
Fieri’s Flavortown kitchens are operated from existing physical kitchens. The new chain has multiple outlets in 24 states, with most locations launching in late January or early February.
Flavortown has partnered with Robert Earl, the founder of Planet Hollywood, in a company called Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC), a company that trades in virtual kitchens to help existing restaurants generate additional revenue from celebrity concepts.
The Flavortown locations have 18 California outlets, all connected with existing Buca di Beppo, Bertucci’s, Brio, and other concepts related to Earl’s business.
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California Flavortowns are in Brea, Campbell, Claremont, Carlsbad, Encino, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Pasadena, Rancho Cucamonga, Redondo Beach, Roseville, Universal City, Santa Clarita, Thousand Oaks, and two in San Diego .
The menu features Donkey Sauce to go, and only 19 items are available. Fieri’s Flavortown has dishes like Bourbon Brown Sugar Barbecue Wings for $ 13.99, Jalapeno Pig Poppers for $ 12.99, the “Chicken Guy!” classic for $ 11.99 and Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese Burger for $ 12.99.
Fieri is best known for its Food Network shows Dinners, drive-ins and dives and Guy’s Shopping Games. He has built an empire with his name on 14 other brands around the world.
Food can be ordered through the Flavortown Kitchen website or through most delivery services including DoorDash, UberEats, Postmates and Grubhub.
Spurred by the pandemic of indoor dining closures and limited outdoor options, ghost kitchens – also known as virtual brands or delivery-only concepts – are on the rise.
Market research firm Euromonitor estimates they could be a $ 1 trillion company by 2030.
The haunted kitchen concept has spawned several companies, including CloudKitchens, founded by former Uber founder and CEO Travis Kalanick.