This Startup Curates Global Eats with Insider Chefs’ Picks – World of Mouth Startup Review

Food is an adventure, with cities around the globe offering a smorgasbord of culinary experiences waiting to be devoured. Yet, there’s a snag for diners everywhere: where to go when hankering for a truly unforgettable meal? Ditch the aimless online scrolling through TripAdvisor and the static, sometimes yawn-worthy Michelin guides. Folk who love food want flavourful stories behind their meals, craving a guide that is fresh and teeming with personal recommendations from those in the kitchen’s heart. They yearn for a map to gastronomic treasures favoured by top chefs, where passion plates up every suggestion.

Enter World of Mouth, where over 600 epicurean wizards—from Michelin-starred maestros to clandestine street food connoisseurs—serve you their personal eatery endorsements. No mixed reviews, just pure love on a plate. Curated by Saku Tuominen, a seasoned entrepreneur with foodie cred to boot, World of Mouth is stirring the pot in the world of dining guides, ladling out insider tips with a zest that’s genuinely current and invigoratingly positive.

What is World of Mouth?

World of Mouth is like a treasure map for food lovers who are fed up with flicking through outdated restaurant guides or wading through the unreliable sea of online reviews. It pinpoints exactly where you should eat by collecting suggestions from those who know best: over 600 chefs and food gurus from around the globe. Picture your search for the perfect meal—no longer are you trudging through a maze of ratings; instead, you get a curated list of dining spots that come chef-approved.

The audience it serves is anyone hungry for authentic recommendations away from the clutter of commercial review platforms. Whether you’re a local in search of a new bite or a traveller eager to experience genuine flavours, World of Mouth has got your back. Its speciality? It only dishes out positive recommendations. This means each place listed is there because someone loves it, not because they paid to be there.

In a world crammed with eateries, knowing where to find that standout street taco or the most exquisite sushi is golden. World of Mouth does just that—it filters out the noise, offering only the prized picks recommended by culinary experts. This keeps diners in the loop with what’s hot on the food scene without the spoonfuls of negativity often found in reviews.

This approach sets it apart from competitors; it’s not about what places to avoid, but about where you absolutely must go. Through its app, World of Mouth turns every meal into an opportunity to taste the best, based on love for good food, not likes or stars.

World of Mouth Founders

Miikka Talja, the COO of World of Mouth, isn’t just a cog in the corporate machine; he’s a pivotal part of a team that’s shaking up the stale state of restaurant guides. With the palate of a gourmand and the precision of a strategist, Talja and CEO Saku Tuominen, with his trio of restaurants and library of food literature, are redefining how we pick our next dining spot. This isn’t just another app; it’s a gathering of over 600 culinary masterminds sharing their secret haunts.

In those early days, the hurdles were high—getting people to download another app is no small feat. Yet, through clever networking and sheer quality, their platform caught the limelight in heavyweight newspapers and even snagged a cameo on Netflix’s “Somebody Feed Phil.” That’s what happens when you mix quality with authenticity.

They’ve sidestepped the crowded lanes of review sites. Imagine an app without a single gripe about cold soup or snooty waiters—only love letters to eateries from food legends themselves. It’s this all-positive approach that makes World of Mouth more than just another guide; it’s a discerning diner’s best friend.

With eyes set on a future as bright as their chefs’ stainless steel kitchens, they’re not resting on their laurels. They’re expanding their digital footprint and cooking up new features like an AI concierge to tailor your food journey further. And while they’re still simmering towards revenue, with tens of thousands of monthly users, they’re certainly setting the table for success.

So for those who seek the zestiest taco or the silkiest carbonara without wading through a swamp of outdated or biased reviews, remember Miikka and Saku at World of Mouth—they’re crafting a menu of must-visits that’s all about taste, no waste.

Interview with Miikka Talja, COO of World of Mouth

Seated across from Miikka Talja, the COO of a platform that’s giving food lovers their digital compass for culinary excellence, I had the chance to dive deep into what makes World of Mouth tick. In an industry ripe with choice but starved for authenticity, our conversation peeled back the layers of a startup that’s redefining the art of dining suggestions.

Q: Can you tell us more about your role at World of Mouth?
A: As the COO, I focus on ensuring that our operations run smoothly and that we remain true to our mission of providing genuine, chef-approved dining recommendations.

Q: What does World of Mouth do?
A: We’re creating the ultimate insider’s guide to the world’s best restaurants, curated by top chefs and food luminaries.

Q: Who is the target audience for your app?
A: We’re here for anyone tired of unreliable or outdated restaurant guides, whether they’re scrolling through Tripadvisor or Google Maps.

Q: What problem is World of Mouth addressing?
A: The disconnect between dynamic food culture and stagnant restaurant guides. Foodies want current, highly curated insights on where to dine right now, from street food to fine dining.

Q: How does World of Mouth solve this problem?
A: We have a network of over 600 culinary experts who share their personal favorite spots to eat and drink around the world.

Q: If you’re not one of them, could you introduce us to the founders?
A: Sure, Saku Tuominen is our CEO with a rich background in entrepreneurship and a passion for food, owning three restaurants and authoring numerous books on cuisine.

Q: What inspired you to enter this industry?
A: A desire to fix the broken restaurant recommendation industry and make it easier for travelers to find local eats and hidden gems.

Q: Could you share some insights into your startup’s early days?
A: Our biggest challenge was user growth, but through networking and high-quality content, we’ve gained visibility in major publications and even on Netflix.

Q: How does World of Mouth stand out from its competitors?
A: Our app is 100% positive—no reviews, just recommendations from respected names in the food industry.

Q: Has World of Mouth received external funding?
A: Yes, we have.

Q: What’s your startup’s valuation today?
A: We’re valued at £8 million.

Q: Can you give details about your latest funding round?
A: We raised about £1.2M from angel investors who believe in our vision.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: We’re expanding from mobile to web and introducing new features like an AI concierge for personalized restaurant recommendations.

Q: Let’s talk revenue. How many customers do you serve monthly?
A: Although we’re pre-revenue currently, we serve around 90,000 users each month.

Q: What growth percentage are you seeing year over year?
A: As we’re still pre-revenue, our focus is on user growth rather than financial metrics right now.

Q: Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own business?
A: Find a problem you’re passionate about and start conversations; talk to people already facing it.

Remember, when hunger strikes and you crave something truly special, turn to Miikka and Saku’s creation—World of Mouth—for a taste experience trusted by those who make it their life’s work to know good food.

Feedough’s take on World of Mouth

World of Mouth is a refreshing twist in the world where dining out is as much about the experience as it is about the food. It’s clever—tapping directly into the wisdom of culinary experts to guide our taste buds towards memorable meals. The focus on positivity is its main course, serving up only beloved spots and bypassing the all-too-common negative reviews. By offering recommendations rather than ratings, it creates a community of food lovers who share a common appetite for authenticity.

The platform’s growth, though still in the early stages, shows promise, especially with its unique approach to curation and an expanding user base. The AI concierge feature on the horizon hints at a personalized future for dining discovery, propelling World of Mouth beyond just a list of places to a tailored experience for each user. While challenges like monetization loom, the potential for disruption in the food tech space is ripe. Expect to see this startup continue to season the industry with innovation and a dash of digital savvy, inviting us all to the table for a taste of what’s genuinely good.

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