Say yes to the chef at FoodHaul

Wilmette has added another dining option to its downtown with the arrival of Foodhaul, a unique twist on the pre-prepared meal market.

Owned by Bill Stavrou, an owner of Valley Lodge, FoodHaul, 1141 Central Ave., previously existed as a delivery-only ghost kitchen from Valley Lodge’s back of the house. Its new customer-facing space, which opened about a week ago, was previously Valley Lodge’s 400 square foot private room, which has a separate entrance along Central Avenue.

The single-serving, never-frozen meals are ready to be cooked with chef instructions on how to do so on the packaging. They have a shelf life of three to four days in the refrigerator. The twist, as previously reported by The Record, is FoodHaul’s meals are created by renowned chefs.

“All the recipes are licensed to us by celebrated chefs,” Stavrou said. “We take their signature meals with some food science behind it to optimize quality to the consumer. [We are] giving the chef access to consumers that they otherwise wouldn’t have.” 

FoodHaul’s menu features dishes from chefs such as Fabio Viviani and Jay Farley, who have put together recipes that can be found in their respective restaurants throughout the nation. 

The consumer’s experience is at the forefront of FoodHauls’ business model, which prioritizes the quality of the meal without risking the typical deterioration of carry-out or delivery orders from restaurant-made food, Starvou explained. 

“They are made for you to finish the meal in your home as opposed to the deterioration that happens in the back of (a) driver’s car or just even picking up,” Starvou said. “With our process, you control when that happens and you get a restaurant experience at your own table.” 

Customers can order in-person, where they can walk through the menu with employees who have experienced culinary backgrounds, or through FoodHaul’s delivery service available on its website. 

Stavrou noted that FoodHaul’s menu will offer new meals on a relatively consistent basis. While some popular meals will stay on the menu, FoodHaul’s collaboration with different chefs will allow for the continuous making of new ideas. 

The cost of meals range from $19-25 and they are prepared off-premise. 

FoodHaul is open from 12-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from noon-10 p.m. Friday through Saturday. It’s located at 1141 Central Avenue and has a second location opening soon in Lincoln Park.

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