Kitchenara’s Founding Story: Umair Khalid (Ex-Hungerstation, Careem) Is Building the TikTok of Food Delivery
In the evolving landscape of content-driven business, where creators shape consumer decisions and digital engagement is the new storefront, few have managed to blend culture, commerce, and creativity quite like Umair Khalid, Founder & CEO of Kitchenara. With a background rooted in digital growth and a keen understanding of human behaviour online, Umair has built a platform that doesn’t just showcase food—it turns it into an experience. Kitchenara is pioneering a new category altogether: content commerce, specifically within the culinary world. It empowers creators, delights audiences, and enables businesses to thrive, all through the universal language of food.
In this deeply insightful and wide-ranging interview, Umair opens up about the early ideas that shaped Kitchenara, the philosophies driving its growth, and the delicious future of content and commerce.
TFS: Umair, it’s such a pleasure to sit down with you. Kitchenara has been making waves with how it’s blending food, storytelling, and commerce—and we’re really excited to dive into the journey behind it. Thanks so much for being here!
Umair Khalid: Thank you! I’m genuinely excited to talk about this. Food has always been such a deep part of how we connect as people—and with Kitchenara, we’re trying to reimagine what that connection looks like in the digital world. So, let’s get into it.
TFS: Kitchenara is redefining food discovery—what’s one early idea or feature that didn’t make the cut but still fascinates you?
Umair Khalid: In our very first brainstorming sessions, one idea that lit up the room was this “Watch & Taste” concept. The goal was to make food discovery radically instant—imagine a creator live-streaming from their kitchen, preparing a dish in real-time, and viewers being able to immediately click a button to order that exact dish from a nearby restaurant or as a DIY meal kit. It felt like magic—food media and e-commerce fusing in a way that hadn’t really been done before.
Technically, however, it posed too many challenges for a version one product. The real-time integrations between creator content, delivery logistics, geolocation filtering, and inventory management—especially across regions—made it overwhelming. But despite not launching that feature, the vision behind it became foundational. That same spirit of instant conversion and creator-driven commerce continues to shape Kitchenara’s evolution. It taught us that food content isn’t just entertainment; it’s a gateway to action, community, and cultural connection.
TFS: If you could go back to day one of Kitchenara, what advice would you give yourself?
Umair Khalid: The advice would be clear: don’t build features—build for people. And more specifically, build for creators first.
In the early days, we got caught in the excitement of technology. We were obsessing over what buttons we needed, how videos would stream, what the UX would look like. But at some point, it hit me—none of it mattered if creators didn’t feel seen, valued, and empowered. When you focus on empowering the storyteller, everything else becomes an extension of that relationship. That realization led us to redesign much of our product thinking. We stopped building tools in isolation and started designing ecosystems—where a creator’s content leads to influence, that influence leads to engagement, and that engagement fuels commerce.
From monetization frameworks to analytics dashboards, the question became: how do we turn this into value for the creator? That shift changed everything—from how we structured our team to how we plan for scalability. If I could go back, I’d focus on this from day one.
TFS: Food is one of the most visually appealing subjects—what makes a truly captivating food video, in your opinion?
Umair Khalid: Great food videos don’t just stimulate hunger—they stir emotion. And that’s the real difference.
Yes, technique matters—the camera angle, the lighting, the pacing. But the truly unforgettable videos? They go beyond aesthetics. They tell a story. Maybe it’s a grandmother sharing a childhood recipe. Or a solo traveler cooking something they’ve never tried before. Or even just someone laughing when they burn the first pancake. Those tiny human moments build a sense of connection. And connection is what keeps people watching—and trusting.
When a creator shows vulnerability, when they bring their personality and background into the dish, they’re not just sharing a recipe—they’re sharing a piece of themselves. And that resonates. Those are the moments that get shared, commented on, and remembered. That’s also where commerce begins—because we don’t just buy what looks good; we buy what feels good.
TFS: Have you noticed any unexpected food trends emerging from the videos shared on Kitchenara?
Umair Khalid: Absolutely—and they’re some of my favourite moments on the platform. One that stands out is a video from a home chef in Jeddah who made falafel-stuffed croissants. At first glance, it felt like a quirky fusion—Middle Eastern flavours in a French pastry. But the energy the creator brought to the video—the confidence, the storytelling, the joy—it resonated. That dish took off. We saw other creators remix it, restaurants started experimenting with it, and suddenly it was a mini movement.
What this showed us is that Kitchenara doesn’t just reflect food trends—it creates them. The spark of an idea in one kitchen can become a viral moment across the region. It’s democratized culinary innovation, and it’s powered by authenticity. That kind of creator-led, bottom-up trend formation is something you rarely see on other platforms.
TFS: How does Kitchenara balance high-quality production with the authenticity of user-generated content?
Umair Khalid: This is a line we’ve been very intentional about. We believe that authenticity doesn’t mean sacrificing quality—and quality doesn’t mean polishing out all the personality.
To help creators elevate their content without losing their voice, we built the Creator Studio with flexible, intuitive tools. Think of it like a content co-pilot. It allows mobile-shot videos to be enhanced with sound balancing, branded overlays, light editing, and smart transitions—but it’s all optional. The goal isn’t to create a film set in everyone’s kitchen—it’s to amplify what makes that creator unique, not replace it.
We’ve seen that audiences respond far more to content that feels real. The best-performing videos often have a bit of mess, a spontaneous laugh, a burnt edge on the toast. It’s human. That humanity is what we’re committed to protecting, even as we scale.
TFS: What is it about watching food videos that makes people crave a dish instantly?
Umair Khalid: There’s something primal about food—it’s one of the few things that can trigger an emotional and physiological response simultaneously. When you see a golden crust crack open, hear the sizzle of oil, watch steam rise—that’s not just visual. That’s sensory memory being activated.
But beyond that, it’s social proof. When a creator takes a bite and reacts—eyes widen, a smile spreads—you instinctively believe them. You trust that moment. And that trust bypasses skepticism. It’s no longer an ad; it’s a shared experience.
Food content hits on three levels: sensory, emotional, and social. And if you can activate all three in under 60 seconds, you’ve created not just content—you’ve created commerce-ready intent. That’s the formula we’re constantly refining.
TFS: Have you explored or considered integrating sensory technology, like ASMR elements, to heighten the viewing experience?
Umair Khalid: We’re actually leaning into that quite a bit. ASMR is more than a trend—it’s an immersive trigger. The crisp of a perfectly fried pakora, the gentle clink of utensils on a plate, the subtle bubbling of stew—these sounds carry emotional weight.
We’re building enhancements in our Creator Studio that let creators amplify those natural sounds, even on mobile. These aren’t artificial add-ons—they’re native to the food experience. And from a data perspective, the results are compelling. Videos with strong ASMR elements have higher watch time, better retention, and often spark more comments. People talk about the sound almost as much as the dish. It’s about bringing people closer to the food—even when they’re just watching on their phone.
TFS: How do you ensure that Kitchenara doesn’t just make people hungry but turns that hunger into action?
Umair Khalid: Conversion is the beating heart of what we do. A platform that makes you hungry but doesn’t let you act on it is incomplete. That’s why every piece of content on Kitchenara is designed to be shoppable.
We’ve embedded multiple pathways: you can order the dish directly if a restaurant offers it, follow a recipe, buy a DIY kit, or even connect with the creator for classes or collabs. It’s a frictionless journey from desire to action. The more contextual and seamless the path to purchase, the more natural it feels.
And we’ve designed this system to scale. Even at a pre-revenue stage, we’re building a monetization layer that doesn’t rely on ads—but on authentic commerce initiated by trust and curiosity. It’s commerce that doesn’t interrupt the content—it is the content.
TFS: Kitchenara is offering Video-as-a-Service (VaaS) for restaurants—how do you measure the success of a video in terms of impact?
Umair Khalid: For our restaurant partners, success is about more than views—it’s about tangible business outcomes. That’s why our VaaS offering includes a detailed performance dashboard.
They can see not only video views and engagement but also click-through rates to menus, order volume, basket size, and customer behavior post-view. We even show where their orders are coming from geographically, which creators are driving the most traffic, and what kind of content style performs best.
It’s performance marketing, but driven by narrative, not just targeting. We’re giving restaurants the ability to see why a dish sells, not just how much. That insight is game-changing.
TFS: What’s been the biggest learning curve in working at the intersection of food, creators, and commerce?
Umair Khalid: The biggest challenge—and biggest opportunity—has been aligning three very different sets of expectations. Creators want freedom, exposure, and income. Restaurants want performance, control, and ROI. Users want inspiration, trust, and convenience. Our job has been to design a system where one moment of content serves all threeaudiences simultaneously.
That meant rethinking how we structured features, revenue sharing, even onboarding flows. It’s not easy to build something that’s flexible enough for a food truck and robust enough for a global chain—but that’s what we’re doing. We’re not just building a product—we’re building an economy where food creators, restaurants, and users co-create value.
TFS: Have you explored collaborations with food delivery platforms, or do you see Kitchenara as a standalone ecosystem?
Umair Khalid: We see Kitchenara as a full-stack content-commerce ecosystem—but we’re not isolated. Our vision is to be the “discovery engine” for food—the place where people fall in love with a dish, a story, a creator.
Once that intent is created, we’re open to collaborating with delivery platforms to fulfill it. But Kitchenara won’t be another delivery app. We’re the front door, the inspiration layer. Our strength lies in storytelling, not logistics. That said, integrations that make the journey from content to consumption smoother? We’re all in.
TFS: Every region has its own food culture—how does Kitchenara adapt to different markets and culinary traditions?
Umair Khalid: Culture isn’t scalable through templates—it’s scalable through community. And our strategy reflects that.
Instead of creating centralized content and trying to localize it, we focus on empowering local creators who represent their culture authentically. When you scroll Kitchenara in Saudi Arabia, it feels Saudi—because it is. The people, the voices, the food—it all comes from within the community.
As we expand to new markets, our playbook is always: find the storytellers, support their voice, and let the culture speak through them. That’s how Kitchenara will scale—by being local everywhere.
TFS: Are there any viral food moments on Kitchenara that completely surprised you?
Umair Khalid: One that really stuck with me was a quiet, simple video: a young creator recording his grandmother making sambosa during Ramadan. No filters. No music. Just her hands, the ingredients, the calm rhythm of tradition.
It was so raw, so heartfelt, and so deeply human. That video went viral across generations. People weren’t just reacting to the food—they were reacting to the feeling. That sense of legacy, of warmth, of family.
It reminded all of us that virality isn’t always about hype. Sometimes, the purest moments speak the loudest.
TFS: In an era of AI-generated content, how do you see the future of authentic food storytelling?
Umair Khalid: AI is an amazing tool—but it’s not a storyteller. It can assist with editing, transcribing, translating. It can help creators be more efficient. But it can’t replicate the story behind a family recipe, the joy of a shared meal, or the lived experience of a home cook experimenting with a new dish.
That’s why we see AI as a support system, not a replacement. It should serve the creator—not the other way around. Authenticity is our moat, and food is inherently emotional and cultural. No algorithm can mimic that.
TFS: If Kitchenara could create the ultimate dining experience in real life, what would it look like?
Umair Khalid: It would be an immersive playground for all the senses. Imagine a physical venue where every booth is based on a viral Kitchenara video. You walk in, scan a creator’s QR code, eat their signature dish, and watch the behind-the-scenes story on a nearby screen.
There would be live cooking demos, meet-the-creator sessions, ASMR zones, even storytelling workshops. It wouldn’t just be about eating—it would be about experiencing the culture, story, and creativity behind the food.
It would be a celebration—not just of cuisine, but of the people and stories that bring it to life. That’s what Kitchenara is about, and that’s where we’re headed.
TFS: Umair, this conversation has been an absolute treat—insightful, inspiring, and filled with so much vision. Any final words you’d like to share with those watching Kitchenara’s journey unfold?
Umair Khalid: Thank you—it’s been a joy to share this. If there’s one thought I’ll leave you with, it’s this: food isn’t just what we eat—it’s who we are. And when we use technology to honor that truth, to connect people through taste, story, and trust, we’re not just building a platform—we’re building a more human internet. Kitchenara is just getting started, but our mission is timeless. One dish. One story. One connection at a time.
TFS: Beautifully said. Umair, thank you again—and here’s to a future where content not only inspires, but feeds us. Literally and emotionally.
Umair Khalid: Here’s to that. And bon appétit to everyone on the journey with us.