Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Knight and Emmie Nostitz. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Kick-started during the pandemic, Tivity was created as a solution for Chefs who needed work and an option for people who wanted a restaurant experience when restaurants were closed.
Tivity’s co-founder–Zach Knight–realized there was no relevant solution to help connect great Chefs and with people who wanted great food outside of a restaurant experience. Zach’s knowledge of the restaurant industry and his strong professional relationships with fantastic Chefs galvanized Tivity during the process.
In February of 2021, Zach booked a dinner between ski runs in Aspen while riding the gondola with his friend and future co-founder Emmie Nostitz. This dinner was proof to Zach and Emmie that the demand and opportunity were there to build something bigger.
Tivity became official in September of 2021 and Zach and Emmie set their sights on making Tivity a legitimate, mainstream, restaurant-like option outside of restaurants and inside private homes. For Chefs, Tivity serves as an outlet to be creative and earn income. For clients, Tivity is a way to have a restaurant experience inside the comfort of your own home (and save the time it takes to host). Currently, Zach runs operations and works closely with Tivity Chefs to build unforgettable in-home meal experiences. Emmie is in charge of cultivating the brand, Marketing and PR, as well as overseeing expansion to new markets. So far in roughly one year, Tivity has hosted over 100 dinners. Tivity has also expanded its network of Chefs and Clients to multiple cities outside of Austin, Texas, including Aspen, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, and Houston.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The goal with Tivity is to set a standard of excellence when it comes to our meal experiences, Chefs, and hospitality. We want to build a business that other companies look up to and attract the best, most talented Chefs and incredible clients. We work to make Tivity an experience that is creative, inspiring, and memorable. We are breaking the mold of what constitutes a “restaurant experience” because now you don’t have to go to a restaurant to have an unforgettable meal experience. The key to this is constant and clear communication between us. Often in different locations, between travel and juggling busy lives, we work to ensure we create time to talk and carve out time to collaborate and grow our vision.
We will continue to give Chefs the opportunity to do what they love. The challenge is growing in a way that is sustainable and never allowing the quality and level of experience and service to decline. We are successful when we Book Chefs for meal events and we pay Chefs for their services. We must ensure that every experience with Tivity is a good one that rivals a great restaurant experience, if not better!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Tivity is about connecting Chefs with people who want good food; who want to entertain; and who don’t have time to make it all happen. At the core, Tivity is an outlet for Chefs to create one-of-a-kind menus, cook delicious food, be hospitable, and earn income.
For the entertainer, Tivity is an easy and seamless solution to entertain a meal event without having to create, plan, source, execute, and serve the menu. You customize the menu and experience in collaboration with a Chef, and the Chef will come to cook the food in your kitchen on the night of the party.
This is not a catering company. We are the connector that gives you a chance to enjoy the restaurant experience in the comfort of your own home (or wherever you choose).
Bottom line, Tivity is a way for Chefs to do more of what they love: cook and be creative. Chefs showcase their talent and experience from inside your home, and your home becomes the hottest restaurant in town. It does not have to be a special occasion. Just invite some friends over, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
We learn every day, and every day comes with a new lesson. Whether the lesson is big or small, they are all important to our growth. We constantly ask ourselves the questions “what do we want to be doing?” and “what are we good at?” We work to stick to these things to help us grow and stay motivated. This simple question is a guiding principle that allows both of us to continue to mold and shape Tivity. We hope that Tivity will one day be in every major market in the US.
We have also learned to pivot and allow Tivity to transform, change, and evolve as new ideas and challenges arise. We are open to learning from each other and our Chefs and that is what keeps our creativity alive and growing. We love what we do and want to keep it that way. We will never sacrifice our own happiness because it will only hurt the company and ourselves. Tivity is a manifestation of our desire to build something we truly believe in and to create something special for others who want the same.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thetivity.com/
- Instagram: @the_tivity
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thetivity
- LinkedIn: https://www.
linkedin.com/company/theTivity
Image Credits
IMAGE Megan Bucknall, Paige Newton The_Tivity
