AREA MEN INVENT SITE TO HELP LOCAL RESTAURANTS GAIN NEW SOURCE OF REVENUE

Mark Rybarczyk and Chris Lamarra had planned to launch a unique online business that helps chefs and restaurants create video and written cookbooks and sell them to home cooks sometime later this year.

But then the coronavirus crisis hit, and they decided to accelerate the launch to allow restaurants who are taking a huge financial hit to get another source of revenue. So it was launched last week, and features dozens of local restaurants, mainly from West Chester and Kennett Square.

“We’ve been building for the past six months, and now with the COVID-19 situation we feel that we are in a very good position to help out restaurants who are getting hit very hard with this situation,” Rybarczyk said.

Rybarczyk, of Kennett Square, says many people have favorite foods they enjoy at restaurants, but simulating that taste at home is just about impossible without the original recipe. And many people, he said, have been unable to enjoy their favorite dishes because the restaurant may be closed, or offer only a limited take-out menu.

“This is for the person who likes a dish at a restaurant and maybe they tried to make it, but

it didn’t come out quite right,” Rybarczyk said.

Rybarczyk said anyone can build their custom cookbook from chefs and restaurants who participate and list on the website

chefcipes.com. Each time a recipe is purchased, it is automatically added to the user’s personal cookbook section.

Rybarczyk said once restaurants and chefs sign up, they can place their menus there and even short videos.

“Chefcipes will help restaurants with the opportunity to provide a stream of revenue during these sure to be tough times, by selling their recipes online,” Rybarczyk said. “Customers can then attempt to recreate the meals from their favorite restaurants.”

Rybarczyk is partnering with Lamarra of Coatesville, and both decided that the current crisis could add revenue stream to restaurants feeling an economic pinch due to the crisis.

Rybarczyk and Lamarra plan to donate a portion of the recipe sales directly to the employees of the restaurants that participate.

For now, it’s a side hustle, but Rybarczyk said if it takes off, it may one day replace Yelp.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Mark Rybarczyk at his computer working on a new website aimed at helping local restaurants to provide a stream of revenue during the coronavirus crisis.

Mark Rybarczyk and Chris Lamarra