We love exploring new cities, but sometimes finding the best places to eat while traveling can be daunting. Boneapptour, a meal-sharing/in-home dining platform founded in 2014 offers a unique alternative. Their AirBnb- like services make it easier for travelers to discover local cuisine and culinary traditions across the globe.
We chatted with Co-founder Rinita Vanjre Ravi to get the scoop on this very appetizing (get it?!) idea.
Was there a particular experience that prompted you to create BonAppetour?
My Co-Founder, Inez and I were on a backpacking trip and found ourselves in London on Christmas Eve. We were very spontaneous travelers, and didn’t make plans or do much research before visiting. When we arrived, we saw that all the restaurants were closed, so we had nothing to eat that night. As we were trying to find a place that was open, we passed by homes and saw families celebrating Christmas Eve together, having a feast. We wished that we could crash their dinner and share in their experiences. As we continued traveling on to Edinburgh, we stayed in one particular Airbnb with a host who was amazing – she even made breakfast for us. She told us so many things to do and shared perspectives of the city. We left having learnt so much while also really connecting with our host – we felt every traveler should have this opportunity. Although Airbnb is great, not all hosts have the patience or the passion to spend that type of quality time.
Can you give a few examples of client dining experiences/stand-out hosts?
A guest from Boston was traveling with his wife and a group of friends for his 50th birthday. He wanted to surprise them, not letting them know he was planning a home dining experience. He was so happy that the host was willing to make such arrangements for him and play along with his idea. We also had a rooftop proposal in Rome overlooking the city skyline, which was executed down to the very detail, complete with a musician, flowers, videographers and close friends, because the host turned friend was on the ground to help the future groom make all of these arrangements.
How is pricing set for the meals?
The company makes recommendations on the pricing based on ingredient prices in that city, location, and cost of living index, but the hosts are free to set the pricing the deem appropriate for the experience they offer.
What are plans for growth?
While we are very much focused on travelers around the world, we see our offerings to be something that even locals will find interesting. Social dining has a potential to become the norm, especially for new residents to a city, including expats and immigrants, who want to embrace the culture of the city that they have moved into by meeting with the local hosts and bonding with them over a dining experience. People want to learn more about each other through the dining experience. We are all about creating authentic experiences that create memories.
Wanderpants is ALL about that too. Check out www.bonappetour.com for more info.