A foodie startup that traded on up-and-coming chefs and out-of-restaurant experiences is shutting down.
Dinner Lab posted a message on its website Thursday stating it was suspending operations and canceling events. The New Orleans-based startup was founded three-and-a-half years ago, and expanded to 30 other cities. It arrived in Baltimore in 2014.
Members paid dues, and received the address of the pop-up dinners on the day before the event. One meal in 2015 was held at Emerging Technology Centers’ Haven Campus. Baltimore’s food entrepreneur scene is likely to remain strong with locally grown startups and forthcoming incubators like R. House and the Baltimore Food Hub, but Dinner Lab was unique in its rotating chefs and locations.
After taking in $9.1 million in a pair of investment rounds, it appears the company had trouble finding a sustainable model. TechCrunch noted that Dinner Lab laid off staff and shifted to a contract model in December. CEO Brian Bordainick told NOLA.com that the company shut down because it couldn’t land additional investment to keep going.
